“On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair, warm smell of colitis rising up through the air, up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light, my head grew heavy and my sight grew dim, I had to stop for the night…” – The Eagles
IF you’ve read the Imperfectly Free must see guide of things to do in Jordan and you’re considering visiting the Dead Sea, then this Dead Sea Guide is not to be missed.
On the Jordanian side, the Dead Sea is easily accessed by going through a hotel. I was lucky enough to travel Jordan with my mother, so we stayed in the Movenpick at the Dead Sea (that in itself was an experience), but it meant that we had access to the wondrous water that Jesus claimed to walk across!
It’s the most giddying sensation to float in water, and I mean really float! Not ‘hold your breath and you’ll be fine’, but ‘lie back and read a book for hours and you’ll be grand-fine’. I submerged myself, not knowing what to expect, and once my body buoyed to the surface I just burst out laughing, I couldn’t help myself! I had a terrible case of the giggles, because no matter how much you think you’ll recognise the sensation of floating (using arm band as a child or what not) you will not recognise this feeling. It’s liberating!
Afterwards, we covered our bodies, head to toe, in Dead Sea mud and let it dry before washing it off and having baby smooth skin. Considering we pay enough for Dead Sea minerals in our cosmetic products I would highly recommend taking advantage of it because it’s right there, for free! You won’t regret it, no matter how silly you look – look at the photos of me below. I took full advantage!
The Dead Sea is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and it’s not surprising. Allow me to tell you some of its wonderful facts. It’s the lowest point on earth, about 420m below sea level and it’s almost 9 times saltier than the ocean.
Quick tips to take on board if you’re visiting the Dead Sea:
- Don’t shave for 2-3 days before you go. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, because no one else there will have shaved for a few days prior either, so you’re all in it together! It’s not worth having silky smooth legs if it’s going to burn like hell when the salty water hits them.
- Be careful when swimming, the salt at the bottom of the ‘sea’, which is technically a lake, is lethal and you can cut your feet easily. I was just very cautious, but if you don’t trust yourself you can always invest in some swimming socks or shoes.
- Try not to put your face into the water if you can avoid it. It stings your face because your face skin is more sensitive and if the water goes in your eyes you’ll be considering guide dogs before you even get out of the water!
- Bring a prop. I didn’t, and then only had a vogue magazine to take a photo with. It’s hard to show that you’re actually floating in the Dead Sea unless you’re holding something to prove it.
- Don’t plan an extended stay at the Dead Sea; it’s not a holiday resort so much as a cool day out! Other than the Dead Sea experience and hotel facilities, there isn’t much to do in the vicinity.
One of my favourite things about this two day trip was the drive there. There’s nothing quite like driving deep into the desert while listening to Hotel California by The Eagles on full blast watching the mirages come and go.
If you have any other questions, be sure to send me a snap (imperfectlyfree), instagram me or tweet me about it!
Winging it,
R x
*all images ordinarily belong to and are taken by me but the header of this post is from A Passport Affair – as many of mine got deleted in a Microsoft upgrade mix up.
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