Situated between Jordan, Palestine and Israel the dead sea has always attracted thousands of people from all over the world. Why? Well, there are quite a few things to talk about so let’s dive in!

1.It is the lowest point and one of the saltiest bodies of water on earth

The Dead Sea currently sits at -427 meters below sea level making it the lowest point on earth! It is geographically situated between Jordan and Israel, a region with very high evaporation rate due to the hot and arid climate which causes the water to evaporate quickly leaving behind a high concentration of salt and minerals.

2.Can’t swim no problem! You will float!

This is probably the main reason why people visit the Dead Sea and also what it is most known for. You will be able to float like a pool inflatable and those out there who actually know how to swim, it is a super weird sensation! You don’t really notice it until you lie down on you back in the water, I just couldn’t stop laughing. You could quietly read a book while floating around in there!

3.It is not advised to stay in the water for too long

I kept floating for about 15-20 minutes and even though I really wanted to stay longer it is not advised to do so. The high concentration of salt in the water might cause dehydration and imbalances in your body. It also makes your skin super dry and it starts to burn after a while, the reason for this is explained below…

4.The salt burns a lot

If you have a scratch somewhere or you have shaved a few days before, well get ready to feel the burn, it stings like crazy! Make sure you shave at least 4 days in advance and cover or keep out of the water any cut or scratches you might have on your body. The minute you get into the water, believe me you will feel it right away!

5.Make sure you don’t swim face down or get water in your eye

The water of the dead sea is highly toxic for the human body so make sure you don’t give yourself any chance of inadvertently drinking any of it while swimming face down. As you are actually floating in the water it’s very easy to end up with your face under if you try to turn around, just swim/float backwards by just moving your hands and keeping the rest of your body still. And again, as per cut and scratches on your sky it will burn a lot if you get water in your eyes so no jumping, splashing and touching your face!

6.Bring water shoes you will need them

Getting into the water in the dead sea is not so easy in some spots so make sure you bring some good water shoes to protect your feet while getting into the water. We accessed the Dead Sea from Salt Beach which is far away from the resort area and without our water shoes it would have been practically impossible getting into the water. The salt blocks beneath the surface of the water (and also on the actual beach itself in our case) are very sharp and hard and can easily cause injuries to the feet.

7.Maybe do not wear your newest bikini

If you are planning on wearing black make sure you have a good shower and rinse it off very well immediately after you get out of the water. The high salt concentration might damage the colour or texture of your bikini so you might want to wear a slightly older one for your amazing Dead Sea experience. The same applies if you want to try your mudding. Mudding? Find out below…

8.Try Mudding

Mudding can be a unique and very enjoyable experience to try out while visiting the Dead Sea. It’s the practice of applying mineral-rich mud found in the Dead Sea on the skin, letting it dry and then rinse it off in the salty water. Apparently, it has very positive effects on the skin such as exfoliation, detoxification, and moisturization.

This is something that I actually decided or better ‘had to’ skip as we had a little travel inconvenient along the way (we puncture a tyre so had to go to a mechanic to fix it and we ran out of time that day). If you are staying in the Northernmost part of the Dead Sea, where all the Resort are you won’t have any issue finding it, on the other hand if you choose to have a more private experience and go float in the Dead Sea via Salt Beach it a little more difficult to find but just stop and ask at a rest point along the Dead Sea Road and I’m sure locals can help you out.

9.Shower very well afterwards

Once you get out of the water your skin will feel super smooth and shiny but make sure you don’t wait too long before you shower. As soon as it dries out, your body becomes very itchy and you will keep scratching yourself, plus it just feels super weird. So go look for fresh water straight away and rinse yourself very well.

10.Go before it’s sadly too late

Future generations might not have the possibility to ever experience what it means to float in the Dead Sea. The water level of the Dead Sea has been steadily decreasing. According to a documentary I watched before visiting, the Dead Sea is 7 meters lower than it was last year and its surface continues to shrink at a very rapid rate. Some believe it might be gone by 2050! The decrease in water levels has also led to the creation of sinkholes so be very careful when getting into the water!

There are a few reasons behind its disappearance such as the reduction of fresh water sources, extraction of minerals. Over the years the water of the Jordan River, which is the primary source of water for the Dead Sea, has been diverted from agricultural and domestic use significantly reducing the amount of water reaching the Dead Sea. The extraction of minerals of which the Dead Sea is rich off are of high commercial value, but the extraction process involves pumping out water which further contributes to the reduction in the sea’s water levels. Of course, some efforts are being made to address this issue and stabilise the Dead Sea’ water levels by neighbouring countries so let’s just hope they will succeed! It would be an enormous loss for all of humanity and another harsh blow to Mother Nature if we were to lose this extraordinary and unique natural wonder!

Are you planning a road trip around Jordan? Have a look at my full Jordan road trip itinerary in here.