How to float in the dead sea
To swim or float in the Dead Sea is a lifetime experience and a must-do bucket list activity for every traveler. A sea filled with high saline content, which practically allows you to float on the water without any effort. It is known as the earth’s lowest point which is 430m below sea level. The Dead Sea is about 50km* 15km in area and its water is roughly 10 times saltier than the normal seawater. This salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west. Travelers come from all over the world to take a massage with clay-like Dead Sea mud, bake the mud into their skin under sunlight, and then soak it off in the mineral-rich salt waters. So, here we need a swimsuit, sunscreen, and a few tips to make our Dead Sea float experience.
Why It’s called the Dead Sea
Dead Sea: this is because no fish can live in it.
Salt Formation: As it is the lowest place on the earth and the atmosphere is very hot in the region. So, when River Jordan merges into the Dead sea, its water evaporates and leaving behind vast beds of salt and minerals. That’s why its water maintains nearly 34% salinity.
How to get there
Particularly, travelers do the Dead Sea tour by combining it with a day tour of Wadi Mujib or Madaba. For this purpose, we can buy this tour from a recognized tour company from Amman. We can reach the Dead Sea from Amman (a 1.5-hour drive) or Aqaba(A 3 Hour Drive).
We can do this tour by ourselves by renting a car or renting a car with a driver too. A taxi may charge a round trip from Amman for 40 JD or 50$.
Another budget option is to use the Public Bus. Luckily, It is included in few Jordan sights which can be visited by Public bus. We can book our visit by JETT bus company. A JETT tourist service bus leaves from the 7th Circle bus station directly to the beach
Entrance to Dead Sea Beaches
We need access to a public beach like Amman beach with a cost of 20JD. If we go towards the south along the coast line then we can find many places with free entry and more splendid photo shots too. Many resorts offer a day pass to travelers with a fee of about 40JD. In return, we can use beach facilities, towels, after/before showers, pools, and lunch too.
Where to stay
If you are on a day tour then you probably stay in Amman. Multiday tours in this region provide you the option to stay in Wadi Mujib, Madaba, or even Dead Sea Area. Some of the better options to consider include the Movenpick Resort, Holiday Inn Resort , the Marriot Resort & Spa, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar, the Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa, and OH Beach Resort.
Our experience
We started our tour from Amman at 7:30 in the morning. We were on a day tour which includes some of the biblical sights along the dead sea. Â Which includes
- Mar Elyas
- Bethany Beyond The Jordan
After traveling one and a half hour we reached a biblical sight of Prophet Elijah (Elyas in Arabic). This site is believed to be the place where he was brought to heaven.
Our second stop was Bethany Beyond the Jordan where the Jordan River is a border between Jordan and Palestine/ Israel. People on both sides of the river were at a distance of just 5/6 meters and having a chit-chat with each-others.
Finally, we reached the Dead sea and we used the OH Beach resort as a day pass for our floating activity. We had our lunch there. It’s a quite reasonable resort for a night stay too and had leisurely sitting places besides the pools.
Way down to Float
We changed our clothes and used the steps down to the beach. The heat was unbearable at the beach but floating will kill the heat for the time being. So, carry on forward
What to Need for A Float into Dead Sea
- Shoes. It is the beach where you can’t take a risk to walk barefooted. In-deed sharp crystals of salt are everywhere and they cover the rocks and you need to be careful.
- Sun Screen
- Swim Suit
- Shower facility
- Instructions to follow for swimming
How to Float
- Cover your body with Mud. Although I didn’t do it, however, most people take it as a combined experience to cover the body with sea mud to enhance the beauty. Even it is considered good for health purposes. This mud is rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium salts.
- Take your swim. If you applied mud on your face then beware don’t rinse it with seawater as salty water has its taste to tease your eyes.
- Don’t Splash the Water while swimming.
- Drinkable Water and swim time. Drinkable off course. As the Dead Sea is extremely salty, so you need to spend a little time while soaking and even then you feel dehydrated.
- Shower. We needed a shower after our swim to rinse off the salt.
- After effects. In some cases, you feel the saltish feel even a day after your dip.
- Any wound or cut mark on your body feels like a sting. Although it will not hurt a lot. The same thing applied to newly did morning Shave. So, you can postpone your shave for the next day to your swim.
- Sunset time is fabulous for photography too.
other visiting options around the Dead Sea
You can add Wadi Mujib which is known as the Grand Canyon of the Jordan and take a Siq trail visit. Another option will be the Mosaic city of Madaba and Historical Mount Nebo to see the promised land from a Panoramic viewpoint. Besides, you can see the Lot’s Cave, this is where the Byzantine Christians built a church around a cave that is believed to be the cave that Lot and his daughters took refuge in. Bethany Beyond the Jordan is another option to add in the day tour which is a Baptismal sight of Jesus Christ. for Multiday tours you can add Petra, Wadi Rum, Madaba, and Jerash in your itinerary.
