Floating in the Dead Sea

Part 4 of Jordan Travel Blog Series: Floating in the Dead Sea. This guide will help you tick off a major bucket list item from your list!!

Part 1: 1 Week Itinerary for Jordan

Blog Part 2: Exploring the Lost City of Petra

Part 3: Martian Landscape of Wadi Rum

No Jordan trip is complete without a relaxing time at the Dead Sea. Effortlessly floating in the Dead Sea is a major bucket list item on everyone’s list and we were so glad that we got to tick it off our list in 2019. Here’s our guide to the Dead Sea, and everything you need to know to plan your trip.

How to Reach the Dead Sea:

The Dead Sea is about an hour drive from Amman and about 4.5 hours drive from Wadi Rum. Renting a car at the beginning of your trip is advisable, as it’s very convenient and fairly early to drive in Jordan.

Most people either do this at the very beginning of their Jordan trip before heading to Petra or at the very end before flying out of the country. Our recommendation is to head here at the end of your trip, as it will help you unwind from long drives and difficult hikes in Petra. This way, you can go back rejuvenated from your holidays.

The drive from Wadi Rum / Petra to Dead Sea is very scenic and I bet you would be enticed to stop your car several times on the way.

Where to Stay & Experience Floating in the Dead Sea

There are so many resorts around the Dead Sea, that you would be spoilt for choice. We treated ourselves to a stay at Hilton and absolutely enjoyed every second of our time there. Most resorts have private access to the Sea, which makes experiencing the Dead Sea so much more enjoyable. In addition, sunset swims and a pool bar are all you can ask for during a vacation. Some of the resorts that you can consider for your stay are –

Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa: We treated ourselves to a stay here and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The bonus is that the resort wasn’t very expensive as compared to some of the other cities.
Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea
Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea

Most of these resorts (for eg, Crown Plaza) provide a day pass/access to the pool and private beach, so the other option would be to look for budget hotels and get day access. Check out some of our picks below for budget hotels below –

Few other points for your stay:

Don’t forget to enjoy the Dead Sea the way it’s meant to be. Apply mud mask and float in the Sea to your heart’s content. However, be cautious that the high salt level in water can cause bruises and cuts on your skin and also decrease your blood pressure. So, don’t stay in the water for way too long.
Buy some Dead Sea products to make you feel amazing even after the holiday. We came back with really soft skin and it lasted for days.
If you rather experience the Dead Sea on a budget, there are a few public beaches that you can go to. Amman Tourist Beach is the one you should be heading to. They provide towels and mud pack at a fee, along with small entrance fees as well.

Places around the Dead Sea that you should visit

Wadi Mujib

Another great location if you are interested in adventure activities. Wadi Mujib is located very close to the Dead Sea is a river canyon that enters the Dead Sea. This adventure walk through the canyon also includes swimming and hiking, so consider this if you are fit and are looking for an adrenaline rush. Make sure to arrive early as entry is on a first come first serve basis.

Ma’In Hot Springs

These hot springs are about 30 mins drive from the Dead Sea and probably the best way to enjoy a winter morning. This thermal hot spring is about 260m below sea level and includes a beautiful waterfall. We got very lazy during our trip and decided to not step out of our resort in the Dead Sea, but this was one of the activities on our list.

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