A Quick Guide to Visiting The Dead Sea: the Lowest Place on Earth

Welcome to the lowest place on Earth: the Dead Sea. Famous for its stunning scenery, breathtaking desert views, as well as the health and wellness properties of its Dead Sea mud, the Dead Sea is not only the world's lowest point but also the world's deepest hypersaline lake.

Visiting the Dead Sea is a must for any vacationer in Israel. This quick guide will guide you on what you need to know about visiting the Dead Sea, the best Dead Sea hotels, and how to make the most of your Dead Sea vacation.

What is the Dead Sea, and where is the Dead Sea Located?

The Dead Sea is a lake with the highest concentration of salt of any body of water on the planet.

If you were wondering why the Dead Sea is called the “Dead Sea”, it's for this reason: the water’s salt concentration is so high that it's impossible to sustain any animal or plant life in the Dead Sea. That's why you won't find many Dead Sea animals or plants in the surrounding area.

It's thought to be around 4 million years old and is the world's lowest point. The Dead Sea is located in the Judean desert in Israel's Southern region and is bordered by Jordan to the Eastern side.

Why is the Dead Sea So Salty?

The story of the Dead Sea’s salt concentration goes back millions of years ago to when sea water flooded into the valley from the Mediterranean sea.

This flood water gradually evaporated over the years due to the region's desert climate. As the surrounding rocks eroded, salt ions leaked into the landlocked new lake. Since it's the lowest point on Earth, the water cannot escape. The intense heat of the area coupled with the lack of Escape, and the evaporation of the water has led to the Dead Sea becoming salty over millions of years

What to do in the Dead Sea

Popular activities to do in the Dead Sea are slathering yourself with Dead Sea mud and floating in the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea mud has medicinal properties, as it’s loaded with healing minerals and salt. These contain a high concentration of antiseptic properties, making a soak in the Dead Sea a fantastic treatment for sufferers of skin diseases such as vitiligo, psoriasis, and eczema.  Sufferers of asthma, arthritis and other chronic health problems have also been known to have found the Dead Sea’s air and waters to have healing properties since the oxygen rate is 5% higher around it.

The health benefits of bathing in the Dead Sea mud dates back to the ancient Greek and Roman era. Both used the Dead Sea mud and its high concentration of salt and minerals to clean their faces and bodies. Nowadays, we understand that these minerals help to smooth wrinkles, rejuvenate the skin and even improve blood circulation. There's a reason that people who slather themselves in Dead Sea mud come back with a glowing complexion!

Another popular way to spend your day is by floating in the Dead Sea. It's a fun activity that everyone has to experience at least once in their lives. Floating happens due to the high concentration of salts, creating much denser water and making everyone float since the water now weighs more than a person’s body weight!

As for the question, “can you swim in the Dead Sea?”, the answer is that you can… but you might find it a bit difficult to do. Entering the Dead Sea’s waters is a very dense and oily experience, and some visitors might find it unpleasant to swim there. Additionally, it's easy to dehydrate while in the Dead Sea, so we recommend focusing on remaining hydrated.

Where to Stay in the Dead Sea

There is a range of hotels surrounding the Dead Sea, however for a truly luxurious experience and to get the benefit of a complete health and wellness experience, the Isrotel's hotels in the Dead Sea are exactly what you need for the perfect vacation.

With two excellent hotels offering spectacular views of the Dead Sea, as well as exclusive Dead Sea body and beauty treatments on-site, your vacation will become so much more.

With its heated pools, excellent on-site restaurant, and soothing spa treatments, the Ganim Hotel is the perfect experience for your Dead Sea vacation. Or, stop by the Nevo Hotel, with a tantalizing steakhouse on site, a seaside pool, and the Dead Sea’s world-famous mud treatments, you’ll be spoiled for choice of what to do first on your vacation.

7 Quick Facts about the Dead Sea

1. The Dead Sea is a lake and is completely landlocked. It's known as a “sea” because it has a high                        concentration of salts.
2. It's the 4th saltiest lake in the world, the saltiest is Lake Assal in Djibouti, and the second most is Don            Juan Pond in Antarctica.
3. It's around 50 km long.
4. It has a salt concentration of 34%.
5. Even in ancient biblical times, the Dead Sea was a popular tourist destination, and was very popular with      King Herod and Queen Cleopatra, to name a few.
6. It's one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
7. The surrounding desert’s caves are the site of an important historical discovery: the Dead Sea scrolls.            Found by a Bedouin shepherd looking for a lost sheep in the early 1950s, the Scrolls were found in                  excellent condition thanks to the dry weather and lack of rainfall that had preserved them for           thousands of  years.

The Dead Sea: a Vacation Destination Like No Other

Visit the Dead Sea and marvel at the landscape, revel in the healing properties of the mud, and the ability to float on water! Plan your stay at the Dead Sea with Isrotel and book today.