Have you ever dreamed of floating in the Dead Sea? I had read about it and seen photos but never dreamed I would actually be standing here!
The minute we confirmed my trip to Israel was actually happening (which was only confirmed a few days prior), I began researching and planning. I prefer to always have a plan in place to not miss something or waste time. Yes, I am up absolutely up for spontaneity … such as this trip but I still like to have a “rough” plan.
Immediately, thoughts began swirling in my head … We would be staying in Tel Aviv, so how far away is it? What’s the best way to get there? Where exactly do we go? What does it feel like? Is it worth the trip?
So, I’ll answer these questions for you and save you some time Googling!
Fun Facts about The Dead Sea
- The lowest place on Earth
- 430 meters below sea level
- The Dead Sea in one of the saltiest bodies of water on Earth, with almost ten times more salt the normal seawater. The salt concentration of The Dead Sea is 31.5% (but varies as it can be up to 34%)
- Due to its extreme salinity, aquatic organisms, such as fish and aquatic plants are unable to survive, though minuscule quantities of bacteria and microbial fungi are present.
- The Dead Sea was home to one of the most important discoveries in modern archaeology. In 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 11 caves near the ruins of Qumran on its northwestern shore. These ancient manuscripts date from around 250 BC to 68 AD. (The Dead Sea Scrolls are now located in a museum in Jerusalem)
- Sunbathing at the Dead Sea has less of a risk of sunburn the other destinations. This is due to its location below sea level as harmful UV rays are filtered through three different layers. (It is still recommended to wear sunscreen!)
Our Road Trip to The Dead Sea
When did we go? We went in November and the weather was perfect; sunny with comfortable temperatures between 66-85 degrees Fahrenheit.
How far is the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv? The Dead Sea is located 2 hours from Tel Aviv.
What are the options to get there? You can rent a car (which many tourists do), take a private guide (which I found to be quite pricey unless you are a group. For just two of us, it was too much), take a group tour, shuttle bus or a public bus.
I found this website quite helpful:
https://www.touristisrael.com/get-dead-sea-masada/11965/
https://www.touristisrael.com/tours/dead-sea-shuttle/
I contacted the concierge at our hotel, The Hilton Tel Aviv and found out that there was a rental car company on property. The concierge recommended taking the bus or a group tour but knowing my husband, those options weren’t going to fly as we were on a schedule and needed to be in control of our itinerary.
The morning after our arrival, we ventured down to the Sixt car rental office to discuss options. The rental car process was seamless and we had secured our vehicle within 30 minutes. We chose a Skoda (which was brand new, plastic still on parts of the car) Prices were reasonable at $56.45 a day (this includes: 250 kilometers, 0.40 USD per additional kilometer, Third party liability coverage / Third party liability damage waiver) and we added the Loss Damage waiver with $0 responsibility for $14/day and tire/windshield protection for $4.40/day, bringing our total to $56.45. Be aware, they take a $700 deposit. Overall, we were pleased with our experience.
Car Rental Company: Sixt Rent a Car
Where exactly do we go? Looking at Google maps, there seemed to be a few places we could stop. The concierge recommended the, “Ein Bokek” are which is a hotel and resort district on the Israeli shore of the Dead Sea. The day before, the concierge had also recommended we utilize, “Waze” for navigation as “Google Maps” tends to give you the fastest route which isn’t always the most accurate when traveling somewhere like Jerusalem (which we did the day before our trip to the Dead Sea).
Utilizing “Waze” for both our road trip to Jerusalem and Ein Bokek proved to be efficient and effective.
This site gives a good description of each of the beaches:
https://www.deadsea.com/find/dead-sea-beaches/
There are a number of different beaches you can choose from, but we were very happy with our experience at Ein Bokek. If we had more time, I definitely would’ve stopped at a couple more for comparison sake but being we were limited on time, this was a great experience.
What did it feel like? We weren’t sure what to expect … As we approached the beach, you could see all the salt formations, it was fascinating and so unique. The water was crystal clear … both of us just stood there looking at it. A bit hesitant to enter but we came this far and I’m not leaving until I have experienced floating in the Dead Sea.
I slowly entered the water, the temperature was pleasant and felt quite nice. I was a bit skeptical about how much we’d “really” float but just as claimed, I slowly leaned back and effortlessly found myself gliding along the top of the water. How unreal, it is such an extraordinary feeling! Mike was quite surprised and impressed with the experience as well, although, he didn’t enjoy the feeling quite as much as I did. It feels a bit like you applied moisturizer before entering the water, a bit slimy or oily. It wasn’t unappealing, just a different sensation.
You’ll also see people slathering themselves in the Dead Sea mud which you can purchase at most of the stores and hotels in that area. The dark mud has long been renowned for its rumored health properties.
The salt is very drying so it was nice to find plenty of outdoor showers to rinse off. Be careful when rinsing off to not get the salt water in your eyes as it really burns. I can personally vouch for this as I got a tiny bit in my eye when rinsing my hair and face … not a pleasurable experience!
How much time do you need?
Personally, I don’t feel you’d need to spend more than one night here as there isn’t much around. Most people only spend about 30 minutes to an hour, floating and taking photos. There’s too much salinity to actually swim. There are a few restaurants, a mall and you can book an appointment at one of the local hotels to spend a few hours getting pampered at a mineral spa. Additional options are; hiking in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and taking the cable car up to Masada.
A Few Important Points
- Do not jump or dive into the water – enter and then lie back gently
- Do not immerse your head fully
- Do not splash others – getting the salt in your eyes can be extremely painful
- Do NOT drink the water! Not only does it taste horrible (I accidentally got a tiny bit in my mouth and my body naturally rejected it) it is dangerous to do so as it is too salty & extremely dehydrating
- Do not shave prior to entering or enter with any open wounds, as it will burn immensely. You’ve heard the saying, like rubbing salt in the wound. It’s not good!
Overall, this was such a one of a kind experience and I am so thrilled we had the opportunity to visit. It is definitely one for the bucket list and if you are in Israel, you must go!
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my Dead Sea Travel Diary and found it useful! As always, if you have any comments or questions, please let me know.
Cheers,
Jen
