the viewing deck: South Israel Tour 2nd part; Dead Sea Floating Experience

Sunday, August 17, 2014

South Israel Tour 2nd part; Dead Sea Floating Experience

8-days Pinoy solo backpacking in Winter Israel

November 02 to November 10, 2013

South Israel tour 1st part; astounding palace of Masada

Dead Sea is the lowest point in the world at 394.6 m (1269 ft) below sea level.

The second part of the organized trip for Southern Israel. After we took our lunch inside the private hotel near Dead Sea (my bill was 73ils($21)), we continued our journey to Dead sea floating.

The Dead Sea has its western coast in Israel and the West Bank. Currently, 25 km of Dead Sea coastline lie within Palestinian Authority territory, including Qumran and Ein Feshka. The Israeli side of the Dead Sea is a possible day trip from Jerusalem (39km from Northern Dead Sea via the West Bank), Eilat (220km from Southern Dead Sea), or Tel Aviv (98km from Northern Dead Sea). There are three main road entry routes into the Dead Sea area. The first is via Highway 1 and Highway 90, through the West Bank, from the Jerusalem area, Hwy 90 is a long relatively easy scenic downhill on a bicycle with two moderate uphill climbs. Alternatively, you could access the area from Eilat via Highway 90 from the south, or from the road from Beersheva via Arad.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Dead_Sea_%28Israel%29

Water in the Dead Sea is extremely salty, and estimated to be the second saltiest major body of water in the world. Its name is derived from the fact that the water is far too salinated for marine inhabitation. Beware! Several people drown every year in the Dead Sea because they do not obey the rule: Only float on your back.

Ein Gedi Dead Sea Spa Beach

Ein Gedi Dead Sea Spa Beach (mud bath)

The main access points are the oases of Ein Gedi and Ein Bokek, both accessible via Egged bus from Jerusalem (lines 486 and 487), Tel Aviv (421, starts once a day from Arlozorov Station at 8.36 am ), Eilat (444), Beersheva and Arad (384). Both Ein Gedi and Ein Bokek have public access beaches, but Ein Bokek's beach is the better of the two. Population services are infrequent, so check schedules before heading out.