Plan A Day Trip to the Dead Sea in Jordan
Wendi floating high up in the salty Dead Sea
Dead Sea Introduction
The Dead Sea is the lowest land based elevation on Earth. It is the seventh saltiest body of water on Earth (9 times saltier than the ocean) and the deepest hyper saline lake on Earth. The Dead Sea is also vanishing at a rapid rate due to diversion of the Jordan River to the north in 1964. Water is evaporating out but no longer flowing in. The shore line is dropping at an average rate of 1 meter per year. There are some proposed plans to stop this, but no definite plans yet. All of this means that you shouldn’t wait to see it!
Bailey battling with her buoyancy in the Dead Sea
Floating in the Dead Sea is a truly out of this world experience. I wore my Chaco water shoes while swimming and they are slightly buoyant in fresh water. In the Dead Sea, it felt like I had balloons strapped to my feet and I could barely keep my feet under me. While casually floating, half of my chest was out of the water and the resultant feeling of weightlessness was truly invigorating. If you know me, you know I was giggling with excitement the whole time. The swirling salt formations along the edge of the sea, bright green of the water, and massive salt crystals we found along the shore were added bonuses. If you are in Jordan, the Dead Sea is a must-visit and the Dead Sea and Petra together make Jordan a country worth adding to your travel plans.
Views of the Dead Sea from the Dead Sea Highway
Getting to the Dead Sea:
By Car:
We rented a car in Amman and visited the Dead Sea on our way from Amman to Petra while driving along the Dead Sea Highway. The drive is mostly along the highway and easy to navigate. You could also do a day trip from Amman by car as the drive is only about 50 minutes. You will need about 2 hours to take a dip, cover yourself in salty mud, wash off, and take a dip in a refreshing pool to cool down after your walk up from the shore. If you want to add lunch and more swimming time, just factor in a couple extra hours.
Large layers of salt could be seen along the shore from where the receding Dead Sea has evaporated
By tour bus:
There are several companies offering tours from Amman to the Dead Sea and this is a good option if you don’t want to rent a car and drive.
Overall, I would say that renting a car in Jordan was the best option and I would recommend it. The car was cheap, the roads were easy to navigate (outside of Amman), and it allows you so much more flexibility to explore. Just watch out for the unmarked speed bumps and be prepared for occasional police checkpoints.
How to access the Dead Sea:
Buy a day pass at a resort. We spent the day at the Dead Sea Spa Resort. I didn’t investigate the cost at other resorts, but this one was perfectly lovely and I would definitely recommend it. The price for a day pass at the Dead Sea beach is 20 JOD per adult and 10 JOD per child. No advance reservations were required and there was plenty of parking at the resort.
Gus playing with the Salt formations near the umbrellas and chairs by the Dead Sea at the Dead Sea Spa Resort
Advantages of buying the days pass:
Nice secluded beach with chairs and umbrellas at no additional cost.
Abundant showers. You will absolutely want to wash off after getting out of the Dead Sea and showers are essential. The salt will dry on you and dry out your skin otherwise. It felt very itchy and my clothes and hair were stiff within minutes. Trust me, you need a shower after getting in the Dead Sea.
Pools. There are 4 different pools with slides and water features for the kids to play in. The walk down to the sea is a bit long (due to the fact that the sea is receding) and you will be hot again by the time you walk back up. Having a cool pool to jump into afterwards was perfect.
Bathrooms. Let’s face it, changing in public bathrooms is gross. The 20 JOD gets you a clean, spacious locker room to change in.
Food and drink options. If you are hungry after your swim, you can buy a drink or snack at one of the many restaurants at the resort. As with most resorts, however, the food was overpriced and mediocre. Nonetheless, the convenience factor won out and we had lunch at the hotel after our swim.
Amman Beach, the public beach nearby, reportedly costs 25 JOD to enter and offers subpar amenities. I cannot imagine why one would pay more to go to the public beach.
A large chunk of salt from the beach at the Dead Sea in Jordan
Logistics of Swimming in a hyper saline lake:
Pack water shoes. The shore was less sharp than I expected, but still unpleasant to walk on barefooted. Our kids opted to remove their shoes, because kids feet are made of steel, but I kept mine on.
Be aware that any open wounds will hurt when you get in the water. The phrase “it’s like rubbing salt in a wound” comes to mind.
Do not get the water in your eyes. Salt burns your eyes and it will hurt.
Don’t wear your favorite bathing suit or your favorite shoes. The salt water may fade them.
Bring soap/shampoo to wash off afterwards. We rinsed thoroughly with water, but the salt water destroyed my hair anyway. I wish I had brought shampoo along for the shower.
I suggest floating on your back instead of trying to swim face down. Once you get yourself into either position, it is surprisingly difficult to get out of it.
The resort had buckets of mud that you could spread all over your body. Alternatively, you could attempt to harvest some for yourself along the shore, but watch out for salt crystals and rocks within the mud. We opted for the pre-harvested bucket. This is reportedly “healthy” for you. I’m not so sure that is true, but it will definitely dry you out. It’s fun either way!
Final thoughts on the Dead Sea:
Visiting the Dead Sea was an easy adventure and an unforgettable experience! I highly recommend paying for the day pass at a resort. We loved the Dead Sea Spa Resort and it only set us back 70 JOD for the day for the 5 of us. You won’t regret adding this stop to your travel plans!
Floating in the Dead Sea was definitely a fun experience
