Dead Sea city in Israel. Israel: Dead Sea – reviews and photos, map of Israel

Location: between the Palestinian Authority, Israel and Jordan
Washing the shores of countries: Israel, Jordan
Square: about 810 km²
Greatest depth: 306 m
Coordinates: 31°32"39.7"N 35°28"34.8"E

The existence of the Dead Sea on our planet was known even before Jesus Christ came to this world. His healing properties were described by Aristotle, and in some chronicles there is a mention that one of the saltiest reservoirs in the world was visited by the great Cleopatra.

“The sea water tastes extremely bitter and salty. Fish cannot live in it, and it does not accept man or beast. It is impossible to drown in it, even with all the desire,” noted Aristotle, who lived in the three hundred years BC, in his notes.

The Dead Sea, by the way, has several other names that can rarely be found in modern tourist brochures and guidebooks: it is also called the Salt Sea, the Sodom Sea and the Asphalt Sea. This amazing body of water, which until recently was considered completely unsuitable for the existence of any life, is washed by the shores of Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Specialists are interested not only chemical composition waters of the Dead Sea, but also that it is located 430 meters below sea level.

And every year the mirror of the healing reservoir sinks lower and lower. According to observations of geologists in Lately The sea shrinks by an average of one meter every year! By and large, the Dead Sea cannot even be called a sea: rather, it is a lake whose length is 67 kilometers and width 18. Due to the increased number industrial enterprises who extract salt and minerals from the reservoir, its area is constantly decreasing. Today it only slightly exceeds 800 square kilometers.

Not everyone knows that the Dead Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. The African Lake Assal has exactly the same salinity (approximately 35%). However, the saltiest lake formed naturally, is located in Russia just 52 kilometers from the majestic Volga: it is called Baskunchak and its salinity is just over 37 percent. To understand how salty the water is in the Dead Sea, you don’t even have to go on a long journey: it’s enough to just compare it with the Mediterranean Sea, whose salinity does not exceed 4%.

Despite the fact that saltier bodies of water can be found on our planet, it is the mineral composition of the Dead Sea that is considered the most unique and has a healing effect on the human body. By the way, thanks to the work of modern scientists who, using ultra-modern instruments, studied the water and bottom of this sea, it was possible to find out that it is not as “dead” as Aristotle wrote in his work. More than 70 living organisms have already been found in it, including bacteria, higher fungi and even algae. All of them are able to survive in extreme conditions, but the percentage of sea salinity is increasing in last years quite quickly and, most likely, in the very near future this body of water will truly become “dead”.

There is also a danger from a sharp decrease in volume groundwater. Where underground rivers used to flow, now only cavities remain. They pose a huge threat to the transport system and even to ordinary travelers. Not long ago, a bus crowded with tourists almost fell into one of the sinkholes. To date, three cases of people dying in sinkholes have been officially registered. In the near future, hotels, huge resort complexes and even industrial enterprises may go underground near the Dead Sea.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, Israeli scientists began to sound the alarm and say that the situation with the Dead Sea can safely be called an environmental disaster. They contacted the management of mineral mining companies, but never received a response or any action from them. Experts have even found a way to prevent this disaster, which will cost three billion dollars. This method involves pumping water from the Red and Mediterranean Seas. True, scientists do not yet know how pumping water into the Dead Sea will affect the climate and environmental situation on the coast and in the Gulf of Eilat.

In 2012, scientists from Israel and Jordan came to the conclusion that it was necessary to save the Dead Sea and decided to conduct an experiment on pumping water in the very near future. This reached agreement worries many inhabitants of the Earth, and there is nothing surprising about it: even scientists do not undertake to claim that the salty reservoir, after being replenished with the waters of the Mediterranean and Red Seas, will remain the same healing.

“Unique sun”, healing water and mud of the Dead Sea

Any tourist who has already visited one of the Dead Sea resorts knows that it is impossible to get sunburned on its beach. It is just as impossible as drowning in a salty pond. As mentioned above, the Dead Sea area is the lowest point on the surface of our planet. It resembles a kind of bowl, above which one can constantly observe an accumulation of “dense air” saturated with water vapor and minerals. Due to its composition, the atmosphere above the sea does not allow harmful ultraviolet rays to pass through, which is why it is impossible to get a skin burn at one of its resorts.

The climate on the Dead Sea coast is unusually mild. It is ideally suited for people who need to take long-term sunbathing. However, the water and mud of the Dead Sea have the most healing effect on the human body.

To say that you can swim in the water in this sea would be completely wrong. This is not water, but a unique salt solution in its composition, which, in addition to NaCl, contains a huge amount of minerals. By the way, ten of them are unique and are not found anywhere else on our planet. It is thanks to such a high concentration of minerals that a person cannot drown in this sea.

Studies have shown that after immersion in Dead Sea water, the human body's metabolism accelerates, all muscles relax, and the skin, which is so often lacking in minerals, is smoothed and rejuvenated. No matter how many companies advertise their cosmetics made from Dead Sea salt, it will not be able to produce the same effect as water. For example, in pharmacies and stores you can often find salt mined on the banks of this reservoir for bathing. Even if this salt contains all the minerals of the Dead Sea (which is very doubtful), then in order to achieve the required concentration in the bath, it will take about 50-60 kilograms! If you purchase only a small bag, then it will be extremely presumptuous to hope for a healing effect.

It is impossible not to mention that for the most part the Dead Sea “replenishes its reserves” of water from hot thermal springs which strike at depths exceeding 300 meters. From these sources, sulfur enters the water, which accelerates metabolic processes in the human body, stabilizes blood pressure and promotes rapid delivery of oxygen to all cells. You will not find such an amount of sulfur in any cosmetic product: It mostly evaporates when the water dries.

Speaking about the Dead Sea, it is impossible not to mention the healing mud, which was widely used by ancient physicians even before the advent of our era. Already after the first procedure of wrapping them, there is a noticeable improvement in the condition of the skin and even the functioning of internal organs! All the necessary minerals for a person enter his body from dirt naturally. By the way, Dead Sea mud is a mixture of clay and silt. “Where does the silt come from in the Dead Sea? “How does it form in a body of water in which there is no life,” these two questions can be asked by a person who is not yet familiar with the discoveries of modern scientists. They proved that the mud in the Dead Sea appeared as a result of the activity of those same bacteria, algae and fungi that are not afraid of extreme salinity. This mud, like the water and climate of the sea, is unique. If you go to Africa and Astrakhan to the saltiest lakes, you won’t find mud with the same composition there.

Treatment at Dead Sea resorts

It would seem that there should be thousands of beaches with hotels and health resorts on the Dead Sea coast. However, the number of places for recreation and recreation is very small: just over 10 public beaches. This is due to the fact that in many places it is simply not possible to get to healing water due to the huge number of salt mountains.

Building hotels and health centers on such terrain is an almost impossible task. However, the existing beaches, hotels and spa resorts are quite enough to accommodate all travelers who want to enjoy the amazing climate and improve their health. The temperature of the “dense air” here remains at the same level almost all year round. Thanks to this, the most famous “health resort” on our planet daily receives guests from the countries of the post-Soviet space, the European Union and the United States of America.

In addition to healing mud, gentle sun, air that brings relief even to people with asthma, the best doctors in the world are at the service of travelers! They work mostly in Israel, a country where the level of medical care is considered to be the highest. Although, in fairness, it is worth noting that in Jordan you can count on high-quality service and assistance from highly qualified specialists. However Holidays at the Dead Sea, almost everyone associates with Israel. Of course, because only in this country everything has been done to ensure that its guest does not feel cut off from the benefits of civilization and receives in a timely manner all the necessary procedures designed to improve the health and strengthening of the body.

No matter how trivial it may sound, on the shores of the Dead Sea you can recover from almost any disease. Modern medicine Israel and the unique composition of the water of one of the saltiest bodies of water on the planet work real miracles. Here you can recover from chronic respiratory diseases, get rid of excess weight, put in order nervous system and even be cured of infertility. The modern technique, which was only developed by Israeli doctors at the beginning of the 21st century, is guaranteed to relieve patients from alcohol and drug addiction! However, it is worth noting that such treatment will be quite expensive, because it involves a long stay in a sanatorium located near the Dead Sea coast.

Many travelers who come to Israel to see a huge number of attractions and immerse themselves in salt water Dead Sea, they believe that just staying in this place will give them health, a charge of strength and vigor.

Naturally, there is a certain amount of truth in this opinion. But only a certain proportion... The point is that people who want to get rid of chronic and serious illnesses cannot do without the help of professionals. Mud wraps, swimming in the sea and sunbathing should be carried out under medical supervision, only in this case can you count on a positive result.

People suffering from skin diseases especially need the help of doctors. For them, the Israelis are ready to offer another unique technique that allows them to be completely cured even of psoriasis. According to studies, almost 4% of the entire planet's population suffers from this intractable disease. Even in our century, it is still completely unknown what exactly leads to this disease. However, psoriasis, as it turns out, is not a death sentence. At any Dead Sea resort you can get rid of this skin disease in just a few weeks. As mentioned above, you will have to spend money on a trip to a salty reservoir: not a single cosmetic or medicine, sold in pharmacies and stores, cannot be compared in terms of the effect provided by staying in a sanatorium near the Dead Sea.

If you are planning to spend your holiday in Eilat, and you want to combine business with pleasure, then of course the right decision will go to the Dead Sea and experience the effects of mud and minerals.

Many first-class hotels that have recently been built in the oases of the Dead Sea (such as Ein Bokek and Neve Zohar) make it possible to provide tourists with a comfortable holiday, including, in addition to swimming and medical procedures, SPA, hydrogen baths, the use of mud and minerals, saunas, a restaurant , cafe, Dead Sea cosmetics store and massage.

Excursions from Ein Bokek hotels to the nearby and world-famous mountain fortress of Masada, an oasis of unique beauty, are very popular. Ein Gedi and in ancient Qumran– the site where the famous Dead Sea manuscripts were found.

Since the times of King Herod the Great and the beautiful Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, people from all over the world have come here to restore their health and gain youth.

Other excursions from Eilat are also interesting and educational, but the Dead Sea is a unique place. It is also called the bottom of the world because it is the lowest point on the planet.

This miracle is located 420 meters below the level of the world ocean and its depth is 304 meters.

But this is not the only uniqueness of the reservoir. The water in it is almost 9 times saltier than in other seas, it contains salts up to 35% and also many minerals. This sea got its name because neither fish nor any other creature can live in such a salty environment. However, it should be noted that this is not the only name. Here are a few more names - Asphalt, Salty (in Hebrew that's exactly what it is - Yam Ha-Melah), Sodom, Lota.

This salt lake is located between Israel and Jordan. In Arabic, Bahr Lut is the Sea of ​​Lot. Around here were the biblical cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, mired in vice. The cities were destroyed by God. Only Lot, his wife and his daughters were allowed to leave the city. Contrary to the instructions not to look back while fleeing, the wife could not stand it, looked back and turned into stone.

Here on Mount Sodom there is a pillar of salt resembling a woman and called Lot's Wife. In the same mountain there is Lot’s Cave in which, according to legend, the sufferer lived with his two daughters.

Mount Sodom Israel photo

Even in ancient times, asphalt was mined in the Dead Sea, which was bought by the Egyptians for mummification. This is where the name Asphalt Sea comes from.

Dead Sea water

Water temperature in the Dead Sea from 20 degrees in February to 30 degrees in August.

The water in it is clean, transparent, turquoise, and due to its high density, thick and oily. There are no ripples on the water. Swimming in the Dead Sea is an unusual activity and at first it resembles an attraction. It is impossible to drown in this water, but it is also impossible to swim. Therefore, it is best to just lie on it, lazily examining the shore and the swimmers, and enjoy life.

Dead Sea on video

The oxygen-rich air that tourists breathe at the Dead Sea contains bromine, which has a calming effect on the nervous system. The air is absolutely clean and enriched with microelements creates an inhalation effect. High atmospheric pressure and low humidity reduce the symptoms of asthma and some lung diseases. Here you can breathe easily and the body absorbs a charge of energy and health.

Minerals, salt and dirt

At all times, the Dead Sea has been famous for its products. In ancient times these were means for mummification Egyptian pharaohs and these days these are fertilizers, creams, cosmetics. As the locals like to say, the water here contains all the elements of the periodic table.

Just bathing in this water has an amazing healing effect on the human body. A favorite pastime of vacationers at the Dead Sea is to smear mud on their skin. At the same time, the skin instantly becomes smooth and soft like a baby's. Dead Sea mud is unique in its composition and has a therapeutic effect, cleanses and stimulates the skin, eases muscle and emotional tension, increases blood circulation and reduces rheumatic pain.

You won’t find dirt directly in the water; you can buy it in the store.

When entering the water, you need to pay attention to the soil under your feet, and also, while already in the healing salt solution, make sure that the water does not get into your eyes, and after swimming, you must wash off the salt and minerals in the shower.

Ecology and drying

The water level in this unique sea is falling rapidly. About a meter per year. There are all signs that the Dead Sea in Israel may suffer the fate of the disappeared Aral Lake. The main tributary is the Jordan River. And the southern part of the reservoir is divided into shallow ponds in which minerals and salt are extracted on an industrial scale.

Dips

In the mountains surrounding this amazing body of water, you need to be very careful. You may notice the strange dull echo of your steps, as if there is emptiness beneath you. Along the way you may encounter gaps and caves with warning signs at the entrance. The fact is that at this height a few decades ago there was a sea, and now part of these mountains is made up of a fragile connection of salt, minerals and stones.

The plane from Eilat to Tel Aviv flies just over the sea and through the window you can clearly see smooth horizontal layers on the mountain shore. The water, retreating, left traces in layers of minerals. The scale and speed of the approaching environmental catastrophe are astonishing. The fact is that the layers seen from the plane are actually sea ​​salt It’s easy to see after visiting these mountains.

In some places in the Dead Sea area there are sinkholes.

Excursions to the Dead Sea from private guides and travel agencies.
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Dead Sea in Israel, whose name in Hebrew (Yam HaMelah) means “Sea of ​​Salt”, is essentially one of the most unique lakes in the world.

Nowhere else in the world does such a unique combination of natural factors exist as here.

1. Firstly, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth's land (namely, 415 meters below sea level).
2. Secondly, the Dead Sea is the saltiest body of water in the whole world.
3. Thirdly, the Dead Sea contains more than 20 types of salts and all kinds of useful minerals. Dead Sea water is a 33% solution of these same salts and minerals. For comparison, only 3.5% of salts are dissolved in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Indeed, the Dead Sea is the saltiest pool in the world, where the concentration of salts per 1 liter reaches 340 grams, that is, if we compare it again with the Mediterranean Sea, then the concentration here is as much as 10 times higher! You can easily see for yourself that in the Dead Sea you can not only swim, but also sit, without making the slightest effort to stay on the surface - so, you just have to enjoy the rays of the gentle sun :)

Several large rivers flow into the Dead Sea, including the famous ancient Jordan River. However, since there is no source from the Dead Sea, the water leaves here solely through evaporation, and the dissolved salt remains here, invariably concentrated. This leaves a thick, concentrated cocktail of salts and minerals that are successfully used in medicine.

Why is the Dead Sea so healing? Thanks to the numerous natural minerals contained in its waters, healing oxygen and super-healthy bromine vapor dissolved in the air, as well as hot sulfur springs, gentle sun rays, passing through a natural filter - an additional 4-meter layer of air and therefore does not burn - thanks to all these important factors, the Dead Sea has over time turned into a unique and incredibly popular health resort among tourists all over the world.

Tours to Dead the sea is extremely popular among Russian tourists. Travelers come here not only to have a good rest and at the same time heal and recuperate, but also to enjoy the magnificent landscapes that surround them, as well as to get acquainted with the varied and extremely interesting sights of Israel.

Video from the Dead Sea

The main attraction of the Dead Sea is, of course, its water and general healing climate. These features have attracted travelers here since historical times, among whom were King Herod the Great himself and the beautiful Egyptian queen Cleopatra herself. Of course, in Israel...

Dead Sea: excursions and activities

If you are a fan of educational trips, we recommend that you go for a walk to the Masada fortress, which was built on a large high-mountain plateau by order of King Herod. Another place, without visiting which no excursion tour to the Dead Sea is complete, is located 1.5 km west of it national park"Qumran", organized on the site where, starting from the 8th century BC. e. there was a small settlement of Khirbat Qumran in the 1st century BC. e. which became the residence of the Qumran community. Not far from the remains of the settlement there are caves where archaeologists discovered the Dead Sea Scrolls in the mid-20th century.

Tourists who love outdoor recreation will certainly remember a visit to the unique Ein Gedi nature reserve and the evergreen national park of the same name, where you can go on long hikes to magnificent waterfalls and watch the life of animals and birds. Here are also the remains of a large synagogue with perfectly preserved mosaics. If you are dreaming of something more extreme, be sure to go snapping in the numerous local canyons, take a memorable dive in the Dead Sea for a lifetime, or ride through the Judean Desert on a bicycle, a jeep, and maybe even a camel.

History of the Dead Sea

Rich in diverse historical and spiritual events, the history of the gradual development of the Dead Sea is rooted in the distant past. However, the modern Dead Sea was formed only some 20-40 thousand years ago, and from fresh water. By the way, according to biblical legends, it is on...

Climate in the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea enjoys sunny weather all year round, with more than 330 sunny days a year. The air in the region is quite dry and slightly polluted, and does not contain allergenic impurities. In addition, the air at the Dead Sea contains 10 or even 20 times more bromine than any other place in the world, which certainly has a positive effect on the nervous system. The air pressure here is about 800 - 810 mm Hg, for this reason the oxygen content in the air is 15% higher than above sea level. The Dead Sea receives less than 50 mm of precipitation per year.

Weather conditions at the Dead Sea, as well as average seasonal temperatures are as follows: from November to April, the average maximum water temperature of the Dead Sea ranges from +22 to +29°C, from May to September-October it is +32-37°C, in June-July - about +38-39°C. The air temperature at the Dead Sea rarely drops below +10 C. The average relative humidity at the resort is quite low: 27% in summer time, 38% in winter period. It is worth noting the weakened ultraviolet radiation at the Dead Sea. There is also a large ozone layer recorded here, which prevents the penetration of the hot rays of the ubiquitous white desert sun; the Dead Sea is also distinguished by low humidity and a very small amount of precipitation (about 50 mm). All this allows tourists to spend several hours on the beach.

Dead Sea: entertainment and active recreation

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In total, there are more than 10 large dermatological medical institutions at the Dead Sea, where many skin diseases, chronic arthritis, and arthropathy are successfully treated. In addition, the generously oxygenated air of the Dead Sea helps tourists treat respiratory diseases; high atmospheric pressure helps reduce blood pressure in those suffering from hypertension. In addition, local centers receive (and not only receive, but in addition to everything they also treat) patients with neurological and andrological diseases and offer various wellness programs using mud baths and black clay wraps.

The unique healing properties of the Dead Sea are used by Israeli doctors to develop a variety of complexes for the treatment of the following diseases:

• Psoriasis: Treatment for psoriasis at the Dead Sea includes sunbathing combined with pleasant water treatments in the sea and some application of ointments. In special solariums designed for patients with psoriasis, patients can stay for several hours, exposing themselves to the sun's rays and at the same time without running the risk of ultraviolet radiation.
• Dermatitis: Dermatitis patients are the 2nd largest group of patients arriving for treatment at the Dead Sea. Here they receive treatment similar to that offered to psoriasis patients, but with some significant adjustments. So, sunny and sea ​​baths as parvillo are postponed for several days. The patient's response is constantly monitored. Determining the appropriate conditions for patient care is carried out much more carefully than in the treatment of other diseases. The process of treating dermatitis is carried out at a slow pace, as the patient gradually acclimatizes. The recommended treatment time is not 4, but as much as 6 weeks. The most optimal treatment results are usually achieved between March and June, as well as between October and December.
• Asthma: environmentally friendly fresh air in the area of ​​the city of Arad, which is formed due to the mixing of air currents from the Negev Desert and the Dead Sea, is saturated with light ions of bromine, iodine, oxygen and ozone and is an excellent basis for the treatment of bronchial asthma and other numerous diseases of the bronchopulmonary system.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): This is a specific condition of the body in which the threshold limit of the human nervous system reaches its critical level. Characteristic symptoms of CFS: increased irritability (tension) and at the same time fatigue, leading to headaches, instability blood pressure and heart rate; sleep disturbances, a decrease in the body's defenses (and the entire immune system), which in turn often leads to various pathologies. High results, obtained during the treatment of CFS at the Dead Sea, are facilitated by the unique properties of the resort - the sea here is invariably calm, the air is saturated with magnesium and bromine vapor, the clinic offers mineral mud and procedures such as salt peeling, beneficial relaxing massages, wet algae wraps in a special therapeutic relaxation room Alpha Spa Capsule system. Upon completion of the course, patients increase the body’s resistance to everyday stress, and a feeling of influx comes. vital energy, general vigor of body and spirit.

Additional diseases that are successfully treated at the Dead Sea.

• Skin diseases:
• eczema treatment
• treatment of ichthyosis
• treatment of mycosis fungoides stages 1-2
• section of scleroderma in the initial stage
• treatment of lichen planus
• treatment of proritus
• treatment of inflammatory diseases of the joints and spine, treatment of psoriatic polyarthritis (in the inactive phase)
• treatment of osteochondrosis
• treatment of rheumatism
• treatment of respiratory diseases
• ENT pathologies:
• treatment of chronic sinusitis (sinusitis)
• treatment of chronic recurrent otitis in remission
• treatment of tinnitus - tinnitus (including of unknown etiology)
• treatment of Meniere's disease
• treatment of chronic rhinitis (adenoid hypertrophy), incl. and allergic, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis (including occupational)
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract:
• Crohn's disease treatment
• treatment of ulcerative colitis
• treatment of chronic gastritis (with high and low acidity)
• treatment of gastroduodenitis
• treatment of gastric and duodenal ulcers (IBS - syndrome, UC - colitis), intestinal dysbiosis (including in children)
• pathologies of the liver and biliary tract:
• treatment of chronic pancreatitis
• treatment of cholecystitis
• hepatitis treatment
• proctological pathology:
• proctitis treatment
• treatment of paraproctitis beyond the acute stage
• hemorrhoid treatment
• treatment of anal fissures
• treatment of rectal prolapse, conditions after surgical interventions in this area

CONTRAINDICATIONS FOR ARRIVING TO THE DEAD SEA:

1. diseases of epilepsy, schizophrenia
2. Parkinson's disease
3. previous myocardial infarction 2 months ago, as well as hemorrhagic stroke 6 months ago
4. stage 3 hypertension
5. respiratory failure in stages 2-3
6. acute infectious diseases
7. pulmonary tuberculosis disease
8. renal, liver failure
9. pemphigus disease
10. lupus erythematosus disease

Transport features of the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea resort consists of several villages consisting of a variety of hotels. Hotel complexes include everything tourists need. Don't assume that people come here just to get medical treatment - the resort offers great beach holidays all year round!

Villages scattered along the entire coast are connected by bus routes, the cost of which depends on the distance. Bus service is the most preferred mode of transportation for tourists in Israel. The most convenient way to pay the fare is to the driver at the entrance. It is customary to call a taxi at the resort by phone or take a car from taxi stands near the hotels.

Below are the distances from the Dead Sea resorts to the main cities of Israel, as well as the cost of bus travel:

1. Eilat is about 233 km away. A bus ride from the Dead Sea resorts to Eilat will cost tourists about 55 shekels, the travel time is a little more than 3 hours.
2. Tel Aviv is about 219 km away. Traveling by bus to the capital of Israel will cost approximately 50 shekels, the trip will last about 3 hours.
3. It is about 163 km to Jerusalem. The cost of a bus ticket is approximately 40 shekels, the travel time is 2 hours.

The Dead Sea is one of the four seas that wash the shores of Israel. Thousands of tourists come here year after year to be cured of many diseases. The coastal air is saturated with bromine, which calms the nervous system. The concentration of salt in the Dead Sea is incredibly high - it is impossible to drown here. The healing mud of the Dead Sea is widely used in cosmetology.

Holidays at the Dead Sea resorts are especially popular with older people, many of whom report an incredible surge of energy after swimming and relaxing on the salty beaches.

Climate and weather at the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea region is influenced by a desert climate. This means that the difference between day and night temperatures is significant - the difference can be up to 15 °C. This is a very sunny year-round resort, where a record amount of rain falls during the year. The number of sunny days per year exceeds 330.

From November to April, the average air temperature in the Dead Sea resorts is 22-29 °C. In summer, the air warms up from 32 to 37 °C, and in July the thermometer reaches 40 °C. The water temperature in the Dead Sea does not fall below 25 °C, and in August it warms up to 34 °C.

Dead Sea beaches

The beaches of the Dead Sea can be divided into private and public. The first ones belong to hotels and are well equipped - there are sun loungers, umbrellas, showers, toilets, and convenient descents into the water. Since the Dead Sea becomes shallow every year and the distance to it from the hotel increases, special transport takes guests to the water. Excellent beaches are located in the resort of Ein Bokek.

Free beaches are less well equipped, but they always have a shower to wash off the salt. Also sometimes there are sun umbrellas and toilets. On all beaches you need special shoes for swimming to avoid cutting yourself on the rocks. Swimming time in the Dead Sea should not exceed 20 minutes.

The Dead Sea region is located in an amazing zone - solar radiation is practically safe here. You can sunbathe for 8 hours straight and not get sunburned. Wraps with healing mud and black clay often take place right on the shores of the Dead Sea. Zohar hot springs are rich in sulfur, their water helps with diseases of the joints and muscles.

Treatment at the Dead Sea

Dead Sea - absolutely unique place, which has no analogues in the world. Millions of years ago, in its place was the Lashon Sea, which dried up and left behind a layer of salt up to 2 kilometers thick. It lies directly under the Dead Sea, providing it with incredible salinity: 270 ppm! Sea waters contain magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium chloride, as well as bromides. The air itself at Dead Sea resorts is saturated with bromine - it has a relaxing and calming effect on the human nervous system. In addition, the air above the Dead Sea has a much higher oxygen content than anywhere else on the planet - in fact, it is a natural pressure chamber.

In health resorts located on the seashore, skin diseases are successfully treated, especially psoriasis (more than 93% of those cured!), as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system and respiratory organs. The climate and procedures have a beneficial effect on those who suffer from high blood pressure.

Wraps with healing peloid mud and black clay rejuvenate the skin, smooth out wrinkles, and tone it. Mud and clay relieve rheumatic pain and cleanse the skin. Sulfur baths with water from Zohar springs strengthen the circulatory system.

Dead Sea Resorts

The main resorts of the Dead Sea are Ein Bokek and Neve Zohar. This is where most luxury hotels and health resorts, boarding houses and balneological centers are located. The infrastructure is better developed in Ein Bokek, where there are many entertainment venues, restaurants, and shops. In Neve Zohar, life is in full swing inside the hotels, which are ready to offer their guests almost everything their heart desires.

Ein Bokek is the most famous resort of the Dead Sea. This is a single health resort with many luxury hotels and beautiful beaches. There are large balneological centers where you can take a health course based on the waters and mud of the Dead Sea. Bokek stream contains selenium, which helps improve the body's immunity.

Ein Gedi is an oasis in the Judean Desert. Mineral water is produced here from a legendary spring. In addition, in Kibbutz Ein Gedi there is the famous Ahava factory, which makes cosmetics based on minerals and salts from the Dead Sea. There is a store on the factory premises. In Ein Gedi there is a medical complex where you can take a hydrogen sulfide bath and sunbathe on the public beach. The entrance to the water is rocky and difficult; special shoes are required.

Dead Sea Attractions

The most famous local attraction is the ancient fortress of Massada. It was built during the time of King Herod the Great. The fortress resisted the Roman army: its defenders preferred death to defeat. Detailed history the fortress can be recognized at the light and sound show that takes place here in summer season. It starts at sunset and lasts about an hour. Simultaneous translation into Russian is available. You can climb the mountain where the fortress stands on foot or by cable car.

Another popular place among tourists is the mountain range, which was called “Lot’s Wife”. According to the biblical story, the wife of the righteous Lot turned into a pillar of salt after looking back at her hometown of Sodom being destroyed by angels. At certain angles, the pillar looks like a frozen female figure.

IN national park Qumran, which is located on the coast of the Dead Sea, you can see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947. The scrolls themselves are kept in the Temple of the Book of the Israel Museum. Ein Gedi is one of the Dead Sea oases that is definitely worth a visit. This is where the magnificent Shulamit waterfall, ice lakes and stone baths are located, as well as a luxurious Botanical Garden, where more than 900 species of bushes, trees and flowers grow.

The Dead Sea resorts in Israel are not so numerous, but before the trip it is better to find out the features of each in order to independently choose where it is best to relax. The article contains photos and general description the main resort of Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea and others.

Dead Sea resorts in Israel - list and general conditions

You need to understand that the resorts located on the Dead Sea are not cities and, sometimes, not even villages. In fact, in Israel there is only one resort on the Dead Sea as such - the hotel village of Ein Bokek, with a stretch you can add the neighborhood of Neve Zohar and Ein Gedi, and there are also small hotels and guest houses in the area of ​​kibbutzim Kalia and Metzok Dragot. And I would also like to highlight the city of Arad, although it is located 25 km from the Dead Sea, it has its own advantages, which we will discuss further.

Dead Sea resorts on the map of Israel and Jordan:

And now I’ll tell you about each of them in more detail.

The resort of Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea is the most important

General description of the Ein Bokek resort

The Ein Bokek resort is located directly on the shores of the southern basin of the Dead Sea in Israel. Includes:

• 12 hotels.
• 2 health clinics.
• 2 shopping centers.
• About 7 hotel beaches and 1 public one.
• Cafes, restaurants.

Ein Bokek is, first of all, a health resort of the Dead Sea. There are no public nightclubs or similar establishments here.

Wellness clinics

Ein Bokek is home to 2 multidisciplinary health clinics: the Dead Sea Clinic and the Paula Clinic. Their treatment specializes in cerebral palsy, skin, gynecological and urological ailments, diseases of the respiratory tract and musculoskeletal system, stress and rejuvenation. Both speak Russian.

Beaches of Ein Bokek

There are about seven private hotel beaches and one free public beach in Ein Bokek. In my opinion, here are the most well-groomed and pleasant beaches of the Dead Sea. When we were in Israel (January 2016), the beaches of the Ein Bokek resort on the Dead Sea were being renovated and refreshed with red sand.

There is a detailed article about it with descriptions and prices.

The shops

The resort village of Ein Bokek has three small shopping centers: Petra Shopping Center, Sky Blue Shopping Center and Ein Bokek Shopping Center. They have cosmetics, clothing, souvenir shops, jewelry stores and grocery minimarkets. In minimarkets you can buy chocolate bars, cookies, chips, alcohol, etc. You shouldn't count on anything more significant. As for prices in grocery stores, in the minimarket in Petra Shopping Center they were about 20% higher than, say, in Jerusalem, and in the minimarket in Sky Blue Shopping Center they were slightly cheaper than in mall Petra.

Cafe And restaurants

At the resort you can visit McDonald's, a cafe-bar in oriental style Taj Mahal, adjacent to the Leonardo Inn hotel, Quatro bar and Cafe-Cafe, Aroma and others. You can also visit restaurants at hotels where you do not live, including, for example, the Ranch House meat restaurant at the Isrotel Dead Sea hotel.

• Taj Mahal. Snacks (hummus, salads, vegetables) - 20-45 shekels. ($5-12), meat dishes(entrecote, kebab, ribs, shish kebab, schnitzel) - 35-95 shekels. ($9-25), desserts - 25-30 shekels. ($6-8), hookah - 35 shekels. ($9), drinks and beer - 8-25 shekels. ($2-6), vodka - 25-50 shekels. ($6-12), bottle of vodka - 300 shekels. ($78).

Ein Bokek Hotels

There are 12 large hotels of medium class and above in Ein Bokek. Room prices can be viewed by clicking on the button.

Neve Zohar Resort (Hamei Zohar)

The Neve Zohar resort is located 1-2 km north of the kibbutz of the same name in a place called Hamei Zohar. In fact, this resort is a continuation of Ein Bokek, which is located very close - just 3 km to the north.

There are only 3 hotels in the Neve Zohar (Hamei Zohar) resort, one of which operates on an All Inclusive basis. There are beaches in the area of ​​these hotels. Two of them belong to hotels, one to a spa center and part-time Premier cosmetics store, and one to a public one.

A kilometer from the three hotels is Kibbutz Neve Zohar itself - completely small village on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Neve Zohar has several guest houses and rooms. There is no beach in the kibbutz itself (the nearest 1.5 km is at the hotels), but some still manage to swim here.

Reviews and prices for hotels and guest houses in Neve Zohar and the surrounding area can be viewed by selecting dates and clicking on the button below.

Ein Gedi Resort - an oasis near the Dead Sea

Israel's resorts on the Dead Sea also include Kibbutz Ein Gedi, which is located near the reserve of the same name. The settlement has:

• Spa hotel Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel in the kibbutz and HI Ein Gedi Hostel near the Ein Gedi nature reserve.
• SPA-center.
• 1 public and 1 paid beach from the Spa.
• Village infrastructure (canteen, shops).

Kibbutz Ein Gedi is located in an oasis a little away from the shores of the Dead Sea, a few kilometers from the beach. From the Ein Gedi Spa Hotel there is a shuttle service to the beach during the day.

Kibbutz Kalia area

The northern beaches of the Dead Sea are 40 km from Jerusalem. The archaeological site of the ancient manuscripts of Qumran is located nearby. Here are:

• 3 paid beaches: Kaili, Bianchini and Neve Midbar.
• Kalia Kibbutz Hotel in Kibbutz Kalia (in 6 km from the beach of the same name!), guest house on Bianchini beach, huts on Neve Midbar beach.
• Village infrastructure in the kibbutz.
• Bars and cosmetics and souvenir shops on the beaches.

The area is more suitable for a day visit from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Area of ​​Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem and Metzouk Dragot

Kibbutzim Mitzpe Shalem and Metzouk Dragot are located in the middle of the Northern Salt Lake Basin. These are far from the Dead Sea resorts, but in this area you can find:

• Metzoke Dragot Hostel, which has both standard rooms and mattresses in a 10-person tent for budget travelers. It’s better not to stay here without a car, as there is a five-kilometer uphill climb to the hostel.
• Paid beach Mineral with natural mud. From 01/01/2015 temporarily closed for repairs due to ground failures. As of January 2016, still not operational.
• Factory of the famous Dead Sea cosmetics Ahava.

Suitable for a one-day stop when traveling along the Dead Sea, and even then not now.

Arad is the cleanest city in the world

The city of Arad is also often referred to as the Dead Sea resort in Israel. It is located at an altitude of 600 m above sea level. The distance from Arad to Neve Zohar is 25 km and to the resort of Ein Bokek – 30 km. By the way, most of the employees of these resorts live in Arad. There are also health clinics and spa centers at some hotels, and the holiday can be more homely if you rent an apartment or house.

Pros:

• On many tourist portals there is information that from an environmental point of view, according to UNESCO, Arad was recognized as the cleanest city on earth. This is especially important for people with allergies and respiratory diseases.
• Infrastructure of a residential city. Accordingly, prices in shops and cafes are not inflated for tourists. At least there is no shortage of these establishments.
• Choose from a large number of housing in different price ranges. These are not only hotels, but also guest houses, cottages, apartments where you can arrange a family vacation at home.
• The air here is drier, and asthmatics can breathe easier.
• Rest and treatment in Arad (with trips to the Dead Sea) can be cheaper than in Ein Bokek. The difference will be especially felt if you stay at coastal resorts for more than a week.
• A decent portion of the city’s population are Russian-speaking Israelis.

Minuses:

• One very big minus is the distance from the coast by 25 km. Actually, because of this it is difficult to call Arad a Dead Sea resort. This problem can be solved in three ways: 1) renting a car; 2) an agreement with the owner of the property on delivery free of charge or for a small fee using his transport; 3) public transport, to the Dead Sea resorts go buses 384, 421 - 16 shekels. ($4.2) to Neve Zohar, 21.5 shekels. ($5.6) to Ein Bokek (see schedule egged carrier website).

⚠ Some people think that the road from the Dead Sea to Arad is very difficult and serpentine. As for me, there is nothing so scary about it: a good, wide, winding road with beautiful views.

Accommodation in Arad can be found in several ways:

• Rent a hotel online. For those who do not know how this is done, I have prepared an article:.

• Rent an apartment or house from a private owner through the airbnb website. To get a discount on your booking of $15-35 (promotions change periodically and may soon be canceled altogether), you must first register at this invitation link. Then type “Arad” in the search window and select your expected vacation dates. The offers on this site are nothing short of amazing. We ourselves have rented apartments through Airbnb many times, including in Israel, and we also successfully saved money by taking advantage of the discount. Our experience was described in the article: .

Where is the best place to relax in the Dead Sea - my conclusions

My opinion is that if you go to the Dead Sea for one day without an overnight stay, you can stay at any of the above resorts and hotels, depending on your location and the transport you use. For 2-3 days, kibbutzim Ein Gedi, Neve Zohar and Ein Bokek are suitable. For treatment and rest for a period of more than three days, I would choose the resort of Ein Bokek or the neighboring Hamei Zohar (1 km from Kibbutz Neve Zohar) with their hotels operating on an all-inclusive or half-board basis. If living on the seashore is not essential, then for relaxation and treatment on a long period I would definitely consider the city of Arad.

Be sure to read the article about, in which I spoke in detail about possible expenses during the trip.

Dead Sea resorts on the map of Israel and Jordan

I have prepared a map of the Dead Sea resorts in Israel and Jordan, which also shows beaches, hotels, spas and clinics. If you click on an object, you will see GPS coordinates dots and a link to the site (if available).

Marina and Konstantin Samorosenko