Or rather,

HOW TO MAKE YOUR DEAD SEA EXPERIENCE MEMORABLE (AND PAINLESS!)

1. Take a day pass in one of the hotels on the shores of the Dead Sea

If you don’t have much time, your best bet is to take a day pass at any of the hotels in the Dead Sea area. Since you would only float, rinse and shower, take a day pass as the public beach might offer the facilities you need.

We accessed the Dead Sea via the Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea – it’s a huge resort with great facilities, beautiful and well maintained grounds and most of all, very helpful staff. It has direct access to the shore of the Dead Sea and view from there is just AMAZING.

The hotel has villa type rooms facing the sea with private pools. The whole ambiance is very peaceful and relaxing.

The pools at the hotel all looked very lovely however, it was too cold for a swim. Thankfully, the Movenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea has a “winter” pool called the hydro pool at the spa where the water is heated.

If I had to do it again, I’d probably stay for a night at the Movenpick just to relax after the Dead Sea experience and enjoy the hydro pool at the spa more and perhaps, another dip in the healing waters of the Dead Sea!

2. Don’t shave a few days before your visit

This tip is applicable to both men and women. The high salinity means that even the smallest of cuts will burn. Cover open cuts or wounds with a waterproof bandage if you don’t want to know the real meaning of “putting salt in one’s wound”.

3. Consider wearing water shoes

The shores and floor of the Dead sea is not soft powdery sands you might encounter on most beaches. The shores are pebbly and there are several sharp clumps of crystallized salt stuck to the stones at the floor. Pristine had a cut on her toes because we were barefoot. If I would do it again, I’d definitely bring and use some sort water shoes. TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

4. Bring some reading material to capture that IMPORTANT photo

You’ve probably Googled “floating in the Dead Sea” and saw photos of people holding magazines as they float on their backs. Want that iconic shot? Bring along your own prop! We didn’t bring any but luckily, the hotel staff gave us something to use!

5. Wear an old bathing suit

The water is quite harsh on fabrics and can cause discolouration. Save your favorite bikini for the pool.

6. Don’t splash the water

Try not to splash. That’s not the usual recommendation for a seaside getaway, with a salt and mineral content upward of 30 percent, a splash of Dead Sea water in your eyes and you can’t open it for at least five minutes! If you get a drop of water on your face, do not use your wet hand to try to brush it off! You’ll get more water on your face and if it gets into your eyes, it will sting a lot. Just get out, walk like a blind man and go to the shower.

Don’t kick the water to move, just use your hands.

7. Just lean back

Don’t try to swim. Floating ON YOUR BACK is the preferred method of immersion at the Dead Sea. In the photo, our guide is trying to explain to Pristine how to do the floating thingie properly. I honestly don’t know what we’d do without her when we were there. She tells us to just relax, walk in slowly, pretend you are about to sit down on a chair and lean back; the water will do the rest.

The buoyancy is nothing like you’ve experienced before because the salinity is 8-9 times that of normal sea water.

8. Do the mud pack!

Don’t laugh now but the black mud of the Dead Sea is VERY good for the skin. The black mud found on the seabed is high in magnesium, sodium, potassium, and calcium, which can give you a mud bath that can help to treat many ailments and skin diseases..

After floating, we applied mud all over our body and allowed the mud to dry.

The sun was shining out but the cold winds of winter made us shiver. We were the only bathers when we were there because winter is off season for this kind of activity. After the mud dried up, we rinsed it in the salty water again and OMG – my skin became especially so soft, shiny and just absolutely smooth for a few days after our mud pack and Dead Sea soak!

9. Don’t spend too long in the sea

The water is dehydrating, and you’re advised to spend no more than 20 minutes in it. A shower is advised right after getting out. You can always go back in the sea for another 10-15 minutes, but shower in between if you don’t want to have your skin become irritated.

10. Bring a camera!

Take a photo or it did not happen, right? I also want to mention that I used a waterproof, all weather, all terrain casing for my phone so we can take photos at the Dead Sea. My very trusty Catalyst Case survived a dip in the world’s saltiest waters!

Have you been to the Dead Sea? Any other important tips you would like to add?