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Tips for First-Time Visitors to the Dead Sea
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The Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. It’s a hypersaline lake that is truly one of Earth’s unique places.

Are you ready to take a soothing dip in water so saline it’s slimy, spot wild ibexes at spring-fed oases and climb Masada? Are you ready to discover the spot where ancient Jews made a dramatic last stand against the legions of Rome?

Well known for its beaches and spas

The focus point of the Dead Sea is the cobalt-blue lake itself. His waters are shared by Israel and the Palestinian Territories on the western side and Jordan on the east and have a salt concentration of 34%, 10 times higher than ocean water.

Ein Bokek Beach is the best place to take a dip on the Israeli shore. Also, here you can discover the sea’s turquoise-hued southern basin. Due to a complete makeover that happened a few years back, this wonderful beach offers its visitors a variety of free amenities, including shade shelters, changing booths, open-air showers, toilets, a paved promenade and nighttime lighting.

The spas inside Ein Bokek’s hotels offer freshwater swimming pools, saunas, mineral baths, and health and beauty treatments; most have day rates for non-guests.

Be aware of the sinkholes

When freshwater dissolves underground salt deposits the sinkholes appear and in the recent year, they are more and more frequent around the Dead Sea’s northern basin. Only a handful of seashore sites are safe to visit because they can open up without warning – and have been known to swallow unsuspecting passersby. Ein Gedi Spa is the only accessible beach along the northern basin – where the water level drops by about a meter a year.

You should definitely visit Masada, a mesa overlooking the northern basin of the Dead Sea, served as a place of refuge for about a thousand Jews following the destruction of Jerusalem and Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, one of the region’s most enchanting desert oases.

Places where you could stay

You can find luxury hotels in Ein Bokek. They offer air-conditioning, gorgeous swimming pools, state-of-the-art spas and buffet bonanzas. As you may expect, they are pricey, but sometimes you can catch an offer.

You can also find less expensive hotels if you don’t mind staying away from the beach. All those rooms offer simple rooms and breakfast. Their price vary from $120 to $160 per night for a double room.

The cheapest way to stay overnight is camping.

Tips when taking a Dead Sea dip

– Don’t shave anywhere for a day or two before you get to the Dead Sea – the minerals in the water will make every scratch sting.
– Do not wear jewelry
– Wear flip-flops to protect your feet from the sharp stones found in the sand
– Do not splash or dunk your head – if water gets in your eyes, they will sting ferociously.
– Drink lots of freshwaters – the Dead Sea’s dry heat (up to 47°C) can quickly suck you dry of precious bodily fluids.

Enjoy your stay and don’t forget to share your experience!

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