Dead Sea :

The Dead Sea, Known in Arabic as Bahar Lut, ( The Sea of Lot ), has a salt content of well over 20 per cent. Because the salt content is 8 times that of the most of the world’s oceans, you can float without even trying. The acute salinity arose through thousands of years of evaporation. The water is so salty it will sting your eyes. It has a film of oil on its surface apparently caused by marine life dying over the centuries. Swimming in the Dead Sea is quite an experience, but be warned: an open wound-even a small cut-will be painful with the briefest water contact. It is best to swim only where there are showers nearby.

Getting there:

The northern shores of the Dead Sea lie 55 kilometers ( 32 miles ) from Amman. Further from the capital the sea’s southeastern shores can be reached via Madaba, Dhiban and Karak. When to go? As the lowest surface point on earth, the Dead Sea is always warm, often excessively hot. If traveling there in summer, be sure to take a wide-brimmed hat and water Supplies. From May to September the Valley’s heat can be suffocating.

Sightseeing:

The Dead Sea has its own history and spiritual legacy from legends that tell of it being the site of five biblical centers: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zebouin and Zoar. The journey takes you through spectacular landscapes, which could almost be of another planet and past a marble sign indicating sea level. A photograph of this against a backdrop of the sea more than 400 meters (1.300 feet) below is well worth stopping for. The sea is lifeless due to its extremely high mineral content which gives the waters their curative powers; something recognized for over 2.000 years since the days of Herod the Great. The sea’s surface is usually extremely calm and, where sea meets shore, salt crystallizes in thick, brilliant-white layers on every surface, giving the panoramic views an almost ethereal ambience.