Dead Sea Tips to Know Before You Go
Who doesn’t have “float in the Dead Sea” on their bucket list? You can’t make a trip out to Israel or Jordan without making a stop to the lowest point on Earth. However, you can’t expect it to just be another regular trip to the beach. Here are some tips Dead Sea tips to know before you get into those super salty waters …
1. There’s more than one beach. Don’t think you just drive up the Dead Sea and that’s it. In Israel, there are multiple beaches along the stretch of the Dead Sea, and each one is different. Some only have simple gift shops and a restaurant, while others offer full spa experiences. I’ve been to both Kalia Beach and Ein Gedi Beach. For all you need to know about the different Dead Sea beaches on the Israel side: https://www.deadsea.com/
On the Jordanian side, there are fewer public beaches. There are actually two public beaches (Amman Beach & O Beach), but you will find lots of hotels/resorts with direct access to the Dead Sea. I stayed at the Dead Sea Spa Hotel, and the property was lovely! Even if you opt to not stay in the area, you can also purchase a day pass at many of these resorts, which will give you access to their facilities and private beaches for the day.
2. Don’t get your face in the water. This tip is super important! The water really is VERY, VERY SALTY. You’re probably thinking, “DUH!” But you have no idea. Even the slightest splash of water in the eye will be horrible! You’re reaction will be to rub your eyes, but that will make it worse. The sting lasts a few minutes, but if you want to get rid of it immediately, step out of the water and rinse off with clean water. Also, avoid getting water in your mouth. It’s one of the worse things you will taste, and your mouth will get very dry. It was so bad for me, I had to get out to rinse my mouth off.
3. Don’t shave before getting into the water. Because the water is super salty, any minor cut or scrape will sting as you get into the water. Try to shave a couple of days prior to your Dead Sea trip to allow some time for any cuts to heal.
4. Do not go into the water on your belly. Lay on your back. Because of #1 and #2!
5. It’s okay if you cannot swim. Swimming isn’t possible in the Dead Sea. Not knowing how to swim freaked me out a bit, but this actually made the experience a bit worse for me. I was scared of just laying back and letting myself float, so I ended up splashing in an attempt to sit back up, which is why I know what getting Dead Sea water in your face feels like.
If you’re worried about how to start floating, just start one step at a time. Take small steps in the water and then just sit down on the ground, with your lower half completely in the water. I let my body go up first, while I held on to the ground with my hands. Once I was a bit more comfortable, I pushed myself with my arms deeper into the water until I couldn’t reach onto the ground anymore. Afterwards, just lean your head back and you’ll be floating freely in the water. I think the more you think about it, the harder it is to float. It’s pretty simple, just make sure you keep your body straight.
6. Use your arms as paddles. Remember, you can’t swim in the water. Depending on the amount of people, you might bump into another person since everyone is just floating around. If you need to get somewhere, use your arms to move around. Once I got deeper in the water, I also found it a bit more difficult to get back on my feet to get out, so I “rowed” myself back to the edge with my arms.
7. Get swimming shoes. When you walk up to the water, you’ll notice there are rocks everywhere. I got cuts all over, especially on my legs and feet. Even on the sand, there’s chunks of salt everywhere, which makes walking barefoot really painful. I brought flip flops, but having shoes on would have been less painful, as my whole foot would have been covered.
8. The famous “beautifying” mud stings. The minerals from the mud in the Dead Sea is said to have hydrating and beautifying properties that work wonders on your skin, which is why everyone loves to rub all over their body. It didn’t really do anything for me but sting. I rubbed it all over me for the obvious photo but having it on the entire time made my skin burn. I had to walk back to rinse it off several times because I just couldn’t take it.
9. Get a DryPak case. With all the mud and water, you’ll get messy pretty quickly. I honestly don’t know how people manage to read books while floating! Get a DryPak phone case so that you can take selfies while protecting your phone from the mud and water.
A Dry Pak case allows you to use your phone while keeping it safe in a waterproof case, and they’re super inexpensive! I got mine from Amazon:
10. Make sure to bring a change of clothes. Last thing you want is to go on a bus ride back home with mud and salt all over. There are showers on the beach as well as bathrooms and changing rooms.
11. Just float and HAVE FUN! After you get your pics out of the way, just take time to breathe everything in. It’s super calm and quiet here. Enjoy where you are! It’s the Dead Sea!
