The Dead Sea is probably the strangest body of water in the whole world. For a long time it was considered healing and almost miraculous. Archaeological monuments and ancient shrines are still located along its banks. In the end, here you can just lie on the beach. After all, there are not only hospitals around, but also ordinary resorts. Let's see what the tourists who have visited this most interesting area of Israel write. After all, they know exactly what a vacation at the Dead Sea is.
Specifics
Probably, there is no such person who would not have heard that it is impossible to drown in this unique reservoir, because there you feel like in weightlessness. Therefore, people come here to look at this miracle, and at the same time to receive medical treatment. They say that not only the waters of the Dead Sea saturated with s alts and microelements are useful, but also baths from its healing mud. And along the shores of this huge s alt lake there are many thermal springs. Rest on the Dead Sea in Israel is possible the most diverse - with children and romantic, beach and tourist. In addition, near this lake due to the highatmospheric pressure creates the effect of a hyperbaric chamber, and a thick layer of air reflects harmful ultraviolet rays.
How to get there
Tourists who come to the Dead Sea for a vacation, and not for a short excursion, usually come here from Ben Gurion Airport. The distance to Ein Gedi, for example, from there is 130-160 kilometers, depending on which route you choose. You can go through Jerusalem or through Tel Aviv. There is no direct public transport from the airport. You can get there by several buses or by train, and then by minibus. By own or rented car, they usually drive along Highway 90.
When is the best time to be here
The resorts of this s alt lake can be visited all year round. After all, there are no sudden changes in temperature here. However, during the summer, the lake has a low season due to the extreme heat. But tourists write that from June to August you can relax on the Dead Sea. If you go to the beach only in the morning and in the evening, then it is quite tolerable. Moreover, in all hotels, as well as in transport, there are air conditioners. The second half of spring and the end of autumn are considered the high season here. Then there are a lot of people, and prices jump up. Winter, like summer, is the low season. But the weather can be rainy, and the water in the lake is quite cool. Therefore, in such a period it is better to choose spa hotels. There is often water from the Dead Sea. Tourists are also advised to find out if the dates of your trip fall on Jewish holidays. The fact is that at such a time, prices are higher, and housing is more problematic to find. A great option would be to rest onDead Sea in March or September. Then you can find yourself a good hotel for not very big money, and the weather will be guaranteed comfortable - neither hot nor cold.
What surrounds the Dead Sea
There are many settlements and resorts along the shores of this s alty lake. The most famous Israeli towns are Vered Yeriho and Beit HaArava. There are also kibbutzim - Almog and Ein Gedi. The latter stands on the shores of the Dead Sea, surrounded by spa centers. But the most popular areas of the lake are resorts. These are Kalia near the Qumran National Park, and Arad, which is located on a mountain plateau and is suitable for asthma patients, and the most famous Ein Bokek, where you will find many hotels with treatment, sanatoriums and thermal pools. The sacred river Jordan flows into the Dead Sea. Next to it are two mountain ranges - Judah and Moab. Not far from the lake are real deserts. This is a rocky Negev plateau with canyons and almost lunar craters. Also famous is the Judean Desert, where John the Baptist preached.
Dead Sea: rest and treatment
There are many boarding houses on this lake. They offer various medical treatments. Tourists write that, first of all, here you can heal skin diseases and dermatitis, as well as improve the he alth of those suffering from arthritis and other joint pathologies. They come to Israel (to the Dead Sea) to rest and treat allergies and asthma. The local air is very rich in oxygen, which helps people suffering from respiratory diseases. Aroundlakes high atmospheric pressure. This helps to improve the condition of hypertensive patients. Their blood pressure is back to normal. Beauty treatments such as mud baths and body wraps are highly recommended by women.
Masks based on local clay are also good. And you will be offered recreation, hydrogen sulfide and thermo-mineral procedures. Spas are also popular. And doctors claim that the water of this lake helps to heal wounds, slows down the aging process of the skin, helps with migraines and relieves insomnia. Work at the Dead Sea and dermatological clinics.
Where to stay
Of course, you should not come here on an excursion, and not for one day. Therefore, tourists are advised to carefully look at the choice of hotels for a holiday on the Dead Sea. Almost all of them are located on the shores of the lake. Literally at every hotel there is a spa center with medical procedures - mud baths, massages, inhalations. As a rule, hotels have swimming pools and good gyms. Of the "five" tourists noted "Crown Plaza", "David Resort", "Royal Rimonim".
The most comfortable four-star hotels belong to the Leonardo chain. Good reviews about various hotels with spa centers, such as Hod Hamidbar, Lot. Of the "three rubles", vacationers highly appreciated "Tsel Harim". An excellent option is to stay in boarding houses in kibbutzim - for example, in Kaliya or Almoga. There are kosher restaurants, a green area, rooms with kitchens andentertainment for every taste. Estimated prices for accommodation per person during the week start at forty thousand rubles in a three-star hotel.
Beach vacation
Your stay on the shores of this Israeli lake can be just relaxing at a resort. After all, a vacation on the Dead Sea also involves visiting the beaches. And there are more than ten of them. Almost all of them are located in the areas of Hamei Zohar and Ein Bokek. The beaches are municipal and free. Tourists who have vacationed here assure other travelers that, unlike other world resorts, the sun is completely safe here. It is said that it does not harm sunbathing hard radiation. Thanks to this, you can be in the sun from morning to evening.
But the same cannot be said about the terribly s alty water of the Dead Sea. You can swim in it no more than three times a day, and even then no more than a quarter of an hour. The fact is that the concentration of s alt in water is such that any contact with the mucous membranes causes an unbearable burning sensation. Entertainment such as splashing water on others is strictly prohibited here. When dipping, make sure that the liquid does not get into your nose or eyes. And if this happens, immediately rinse these places with fresh water. Yes, and take a shower every time after bathing will be useful. There are campsites on the lake, and wild beaches where you can pitch a tent.
Where to eat
Tourists in their reviews of holidays at the Dead Sea, of course, do not miss the opportunity to talk about where the food is better. Interestingly, the most popular among vacationersenjoys the Argentine restaurant "Asado in Dessert" near Kibbutz Bet HaArava. It is good to stay there with a family or a small company to try meat dishes prepared according to traditional recipes. If you want to taste real Israeli cuisine, go to the Last Chance restaurant. And Middle Eastern, in particular Moroccan, delicacies are served on the Biankini beach, in a coastal restaurant.
In the south of the lake, Prima is famous for its fish and seafood. And the best sheep cheese can be tasted at the Fata Morgana campsite. The Taj Mahal Arabic restaurant in Ein Bokek offers not only grilled meat in a Bedouin tent, but also delicious desserts.
What to see
According to biblical legends, it was on this place that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were located. Aristotle wrote about the miraculous properties of the lake. Therefore, we know that people have lived here for many millennia, and many interesting places have been preserved along the banks of the reservoir. The main attraction where literally everyone who came to rest on the Dead Sea rush is the ancient city of Masada - the last frontier that the ancient Jews defended, resisting the Roman Empire. There you can see the palace of King Herod, which is also mentioned in the Bible. You will be shown the place where the Roman legionnaires who besieged the city were encamped. The oases here are very beautiful. These are Ein Gedi, Nahal David and others. But perhaps the most interesting place for those who love history is Qumran National Park. Ancient scrolls were found in its caves,where there are theses similar to the gospel commandments.
Very impressive mountains of s alt, which stretch for twenty kilometers. The locals call them "Lot's Wife". According to biblical tradition, it was at this place that the wife of the righteous man, who led his family out of Sodom and Gomorrah, looked back at her homeland and turned into a pillar of s alt. Tourists also like that there are many pilgrimage sites in the area, including ancient monasteries - St. Gerasim and George, the Faran Lavra, as well as the Forty-Day Mountain, where the devil tempted Christ, and the tomb of Moses. In addition, here you can ride through the gorges (wadis), as well as the mountains and the desert on jeeps, quad bikes, camels.
What to bring
Of course, most tourists who come to rest on the Dead Sea buy cosmetics based on its minerals. They sell healing clay, as well as various souvenirs. It is said that the first woman who began to use the minerals of the lake for cosmetics and even make ointments and ointments was Queen Cleopatra. The lines of modern products contain not only substances from the Dead Sea, but also useful plant components. You can pick up a good caring cosmetics. Hygiene products for the face and body and perfumery from Ahava are very popular among tourists.
Rest on the Dead Sea in Israel: reviews
Impressions of swimming in this s alty lake are very ambivalent. It scares many. Some claim that being in it is like standing in a hotbrine. You can’t swim, because the body turns around. But if you go into the water and just lie still for a few minutes, you get completely unforgettable sensations. Walking on the beach barefoot is not worth it. In reviews of holidays at the Dead Sea, tourists write that the shore of the lake is covered with s alty pebbles. Therefore, it is better to walk there in special shoes. And of course, after you get out of the water, you need to stand under a fresh shower for a long time. Most tourists express their complete delight from staying in various spas.
As a rule, indoors there are pools with heated water from the Dead Sea, vats of therapeutic mud, changing rooms, various shops, cafes and eateries. And outside, most often there is an open pond with palm trees, flowers, sunbeds and umbrellas. It is insipid, and there is a relaxation zone around it. Such water treatments with treatment, according to vacationers, greatly strengthen the immune system, especially in children.
