Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is one of the most unique natural phenomena on the planet. A crack in the earth's crust that forms part of the Great Rift Valley allows the waters of the Jordan River to flow south into a diamond-shaped lake at the lowest point on our planet. With no way out, the rays of the burning sun evaporate the water of the Jordan to a point where its mineral content is highly concentrated. And it is this density of minerals and salt that makes it impossible to sink into the sea: bathers float effortlessly on the water's surface. The sun's rays have to travel an additional 365 meters to reach the coast, the ultraviolet rays are filtered and the oxygen is enriched to a point where even the lightest skin is tanned without getting burned. That is why a visit to the Dead Sea allows rheumatic patients to breathe better and victims of psoriasis and other serious skin diseases receive temporary cures by bathing in the Dead Sea, spreading the Dead Sea mud and tanning in the non-burning sun.

It is important to remember that the Dead Sea is 400 meters below sea level, that is, sunrise and sunset will happen from 30 minutes to 1 hour later and earlier, respectively, than normal - in summer, the sun it starts at 6pm and in the winter you can leave before 3pm. Consequently, it is good if you plan to get there early and have time to live the experience before nightfall, especially if you only have one day in the region.
ÂncoraThen, know that visiting the Dead Sea is quite different from enjoying the “common” sea on the beach. You don't spend the whole morning floating there watching the time go by, on the contrary: the maximum recommended interval of stay in the water is 20 minutes. The Dead Sea dehydrates the body very, very quickly, lowering blood pressure, in addition to leaving the skin and hair extremely dry and almost "hurting" in the flesh after a few minutes. Whoever enters with a bruise feels the burning of the salt water in the region all the time, but even those who have no wounds on their bodies (or think they don't, because it is stepping there that you discover a pulsating bruise) begins to experience a strange sensation , as if all that salt was “consuming you”.

The Dead Sea is lined with spas, beaches and spa hotels. Those who stay in four-star hotels up in Ein Bokek have private squares in front of the place. Those who go to simple hotels or hostels, without a beach infrastructure, can enjoy the Dead Sea in the independent little beaches around the region. Kalia Beach is the closest to Jerusalem - and it can be quite crowded for that - and has good facilities, a bar and muddy stretch of the sea. Further south, Biankini Beach is frequented by Israeli families. There is a large Moroccan restaurant. At Neve Midbar Beach there is an extensive strip of sand with plenty of natural mud, spaces reserved for barbecues, kosher restaurant and a higher attendence of young people.