Last updated on September 13, 2023
After arriving at the Dead Sea in Jordan, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer starkness of the landscape. My previously conjured images of the Dead Sea were of two varieties:
- An exotic, remote, and barren desert landscape with an inhospitable lake of water stretching for miles.
- A smiling and slightly accented vendor in any one of America’s super-sized malls rubbing dark brown Dead Sea mud onto the back of my hand, extolling its many virtues.
Neither version prepared me for the actuality of the Dead Sea—the region’s bare landscape was the very element lending beauty. And remote? Not hardly. It’s a mere 45 minute drive from Amman, Jordan’s capital, and surrounded by a handful of significant religious biblical and Islamic pilgrimage sites. We easily added an overnight here between our exploring the myths and history of Petra and a sunrise camel ride in Wadi Rum.
If you’re as clueless as I was going into this region, let’s see what a traveler can get up to with a day or two to spare on Jordan’s side of the Dead Sea! (warning: classically cheesy Dead Sea shots ahead ;)
Why is the Dead Sea So Important?
The Dead Sea is a salt lake located in the Jordan Rift Valley and is bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west. It’s a popular tourist spot because of its unique ecosystem and the many health benefits that are believed to be associated with its high salt and mineral content. The Dead Sea is also an important source of natural minerals and is home to a number of industries that rely on its resources.
Things to Do Near the Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is well positioned in Jordan to see a number of incredible sites of religious and historic significance. The Dead Sea forms part of the border with Israel, and this area is one of the key Cradles of Civilization on the planet, giving birth to an enormous amount of the human races’ shared history. In addition to actually floating and frolicking in the Dead Sea, you can visit most of the nearby sites in a single day if you have your own car, or spread it among two days if you’re using public transport.
Dead Sea Mud and Salty, Mineral-y Goodness!
The Dead Sea is known for its mud . . . which seems like a strange claim to fame until you consider just what actually makes Dead Sea mud different from what you can dig up in your backyard.
Your random bit of history for the day: The Dead Sea is the lowest spot on earth’s surface—the shores of the Dead Sea sit 1,388 feet (423 meters) below sea level.
This level makes it possible for a number of other Dead Sea wonders—the sea’s waters maintain nearly 34% salinity and the River Jordan dead-ends into Dead Sea, with river water evaporating and leaving behind vast beds of salt and minerals.
Then consider the UVB rays; the barometric pressure and high oxygen levels on the sea’s shores dilute the sun’s harmful rays more than any other place on earth . . . for the fair-skinned (me!), that means we don’t burn as quickly when sunning on the shores of the Dead Sea!
Now put all of that information into a blender and this is what you get:
Travelers come from all over the world to slather themselves in the thick, clay-like Dead Sea mud, bake the mud into their skin in the warm sunlight, and then soak it off in the mineral-rich salt waters.
I couldn’t really opt out of this experience, right?!
After reading up on the Dead Sea I gave myself a challenge—try to sink, try to force my body below the surface of the water.
I couldn’t!
The high salt content means I was forced to instead content myself with a gentle bob on the water’s surface while the setting sun lowered behind the mountains near Israel, turning the glossy surface of the water into a near perfect mirror of the sky’s riot of saffron and rose-tinted clouds.
Bethany Beyond the Jordan
The sun was still rising high in the sky the morning we ventured a short 15 minute ride from the Dead Sea to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the site where John the Baptist baptized Christ.
This site is a fairly recent archeological discovery and is still in excavation—archeologists are actively digging up more historical ruins nearby.
One of the neatest parts of the experience is standing on the banks of the Jordan River and peering at the pilgrims standing just across the river in Israel, a mere four or five arm lengths away.
Jordan and Israel share this pilgrimage site and we were close enough to sit in the Jordanian shade and watch pilgrims in Israel bless themselves with the river’s water.
Madaba, Mount Nebo
From Bethany Beyond the Jordan, it’s a fairly short drive to Madaba and the top of Mount Nebo—another religious site and also a spot providing panoramic views of the Holy Land.
From the lookout spot, a map offers pinpoints of major historic sites in the surrounding region: the Dead Sea, Israel, Jericho, and Jerusalem (on a clear day).
Several of the world’s major religions played out their beginnings on the land visible from Mount Nebo, both biblical-based religions and Islam trace roots to this area. This is a highly recommended thing to do when you’re near the Dead Sea.
I geeked out on spending my morning hours learning the history and biblical stories that make this region globally significant. I’m not a religious pilgrim by any means, but history is fascinating and I believe all knowledge is worth having!
Travel Planning: Visiting Jordan’s Dead Sea
Where to Stay
Although many day trip to the region (it costs about $100 for an organized tour), the Dead Sea is worthy of a night or two to really soak it all in. There are many gorgeous five-star high-end resorts and spas in the area perfect for a weekend of relaxation (the Mövenpick is a gorgeous option and they comped my stay to try it out. It was plush, offering private beaches and many amenities to enjoy the sea).
Budget travelers, however, fear not! Local resorts offer day passes to use the amenities, or, about two kilometers from the resort area is the Amman Touristic Beach—it’s decked out with pools, Dead Sea mud, and dressing rooms. The religious sites mentioned are all within a 20 minute drive of the Dead Sea, so you can stay anywhere nearby and still access the beauty and history.
Top hotels for your budget:
- Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea: For those on a cushy budget, this is one of the nicest resorts in the area and has top-notch amenities and gorgeous access to the Dead Sea. I also think that Kempinski hotels have some of the tastiest breakfast buffets in the world!
- Mövenpick Resort and Spa: This is where I stayed and works on a mid-range budget. Everything was sparkling clean and so lovely and this is a good option for those looking for a day-pass, too.
- Ramada Resort: This is the most affordable of the resorts in the area that still offers private access to the Dead Sea, and it’s definitely lovely and worth visiting for those who need a bit of a more budget place, but still want nice amenities.
If you have your own rental car, consider staying at a vacation rental—VRBO has some truly beautiful ones right on the water.
How to Get to the Dead Sea from Amman
Located a roughly 45 minute drive from Amman, the Dead Sea is certainly day-tripable from Amman. And since Jordan is small, you should consider renting a car to better explore! I reliably find the best deals at RentalCars.com when I am outside of the U.S.
The easiest way to get to the Dead Sea is via a private transfer that runs just $50 to or from Amman (it’s $160 to/from Aqaba).
You can also opt for a taxi that will cost between 20-35 JD (booking through your hotel will cost on the upper end, the lower end is if you find and negotiate one yourself), or a JETT tourist service bus leaves from 7th Circle bus station directly to the beach (~7 JD).
The public bus leaving from Mujahidin will only save you a couple JD all told because you will have to cab from where it drops you to the beach, so it’s best to take the tourist one.
Otherwise there are organized day trips you can join for right about $100—these include transfers on both sides and make it super easy to get to Amman and back in one day.
Best Time to Visit the Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is ideal really most of the year, though Jordan’s best weather in general (and tourist high season) is during late fall and late spring. Weekends are quite hectic in the public areas especially!
And given the low sun’s rays are filtered by the time they reach you on the shoreline, you can even go out in full midday sun and splash around a bit (though, of course, still use sunscreen!).
Don’t forget to book travel insurance for your trip—a great policy provides coverage in case of medical emergencies, lost or stolen gear, adventure sports riders, and more. I’ve used IMG Global for more than a decade highly recommend it!
How to Find the Salt and Mineral Formations Along Jordan’s Dead Sea
The main resorts and public beaches do not have the iconic views of the salty shoreline—rather, you’ll need a car to find the best spots.
Note that the Dead Sea shore is receding rapidly, so the best spots to view the salt rocks and salt-crystal buildup can change year-to-year, but the general area of shoreline offering these views is roughly the same. It lies south of the resort beaches, toward and near Wadi al-Mujib National Park.
A Little Adrift readers have done some heavy legwork and found great spots that have the best views of Dead Sea salt right now.
- For views of the white, chunky salt rock crystal formations, Instagrammer ShesGotWings777 sent me a pin drop and noted that you can access a gorgeous area near these Google Map coordinates (31°26’55.4″N 35°33’56.7″E). Her photos are much like mine, with the thick rocks covered in salt formations.
- Another reader, Maria, visited and found a place nearby with beautiful variegated shoreline and put together a great guide to the Dead Sea with advice on finding shores with salt and mineral deposits.
In many cases, the area will not look like it has the great views from the main road, but you can park the car and find a trail leading to the shoreline, which is where you’ll find the pretty panoramas.
These recommendations may include scrambling down and over rocks—conduct your own research and use good judgement; A Little Adrift does not accept any responsibility for any potential consequences arising from the use of this information.
Visiting the Public Beaches on Jordan’s Dead Sea
It costs ~20 JD to enter the Amman Public Beach, or consider a day pass to one of the nearby resorts—you’ll pay double to triple the cost range depending on if it’s a weekday or weekend, but it can be much less hectic.
The Public Beach is really a public resort though, so it’s nice and you shouldn’t hesitate to visit it. There are other less well-maintained beaches walkable from the Public Beach if you are really on a shoestring budget.
If you’re buying a day pass to a resort beach as a way to bypass the Public Beach, I recommend Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea and Mövenpick Resort and Spa.
Cost Breakdown of Things to Do
Costs for visiting the most common things to do include: Mount Nebo (1 JD) and Bethany Beyond the Jordan (12 JD). If you’ve rented a car, then you can visit the salty shorelines for free!
Getting Around Jordan
Jordan on the whole is fairly easy to navigate by public transport, although many travelers rent a private car and explore that way since there are a few key sights you really need a car or a day tour to visit.
Use the Lonely Planet Jordan to find the most updated transport options around the country as it’s your best bet at understanding how to navigate between places, as well as knowing which neat smaller sights you can visit along the way if you’re road tripping.
I explored a huge swath of the country, including wandering markets in Amman, learning from Bedouin in Wadi Rum, sipping tea with locals, and taking epic jumping shots at every major historic site. :)
Safety Tips
Jordan has significantly different vibes than other places in the region and you can absolutely travel here safely. At the Dead Sea, the main safety concern is that you leave the public beaches by dark. This is good advice for most anywhere in the world, but particularly true here if you’re not at a resort beach.
And remember to respect local customs and laws. Jordan is a Muslim country, so it is important to respect local customs and laws, particularly regarding dress and behavior. Yes, you can wear a bathing suit in the water, but dress appropriately once you leave the waterside.
I worked with the Jordan Tourism Board on this trip—the experiences, photos, and stories are my own. :)
Dear Shannon,
I hope this comment finds you well. I wanted to reach out and personally thank you for the incredible content you shared on your blog about the Dead Sea in Jordan. My partner and I recently had the opportunity to visit this remarkable destination, and your blog played a significant role in enhancing our experience.
Before embarking on our trip, we diligently researched the Dead Sea, and your blog stood out as a valuable resource. The information you provided was not only insightful but also beautifully presented. We particularly appreciated the attention to detail and the passion with which you described the unique aspects of the region.
One aspect that captured our attention was your mention of the evaporation ponds. Intrigued by this phenomenon, we set out on an adventure to explore these ponds ourselves. Armed with the knowledge we gained from your blog, we spent half a day eagerly driving up and down, searching for the best location to witness the captivating sight of the evaporation process up close.
Thanks to your guidance, we eventually found the perfect spot that allowed us to marvel at the mesmerizing beauty of the evaporation ponds. The experience was nothing short of breathtaking, and we felt a profound connection to the natural wonders that the Dead Sea has to offer.
Hiya .. we’re heading to Jordan in late April starting with Jerash then walking from Wadi Rum to Petra. Which is better for 3 days at the end … Aqaba or the one of the Dead Sea resorts!?
Many thanks
I think a Dead Sea resort is going to be more relaxing, if that’s what you’re after. You’d have quiet private beaches and a couple of nice day trips nearby. Aqaba is a city—a busy one. If you’re keen to snorkel or do water adventures on the Red Sea, then you have to go there, but I found it way less relaxing than a Dead Sea resort, and the city lacked charm (but the Red Sea is great, of course ).
Hi Shannon
I’m thinking of visiting Dead Sea on end of December 2022. I will be travelling with my 16 years old son. Will it be safe? For safety reasons will it be safe to stay in Amaan or Dead Sea. Thank you
shipa
Hi Shipa—Jordan is so much safer than other countries in the area, in general. The Dead Sea is very resort based, so I would recommend staying at one of those for a full experience—one night is probably enough. And while Amman is generally safe, it’s a big city so there are going to be parts that are more sketchy than others. I’m usually a fan of smaller cities for that very reason. Either way, either as a day trip from Amman or overnight, you and your son should feel pretty safe about the experience.
Hi Shannon! Your post is being very iseful for my partner and me to plan our next trip to JOrdan in 3 weeks :)
I would like to ask you how we proceed with the “Mud Baths”. We’re going to hire a car at the Amman aiport when we land, and we’ll tour along Jordan with it. Could we stop freely in whatver beach off the Dead Sea Coast, or all beaches are private meaning that we have to book our hotel night at one of those hotels that offer the service? We’ve just booked one night at the Ma´in Hot Springs but if we have to pay other hotel to be able to do the mud baths, we’ll change the reservations.
Thank you very much for your help!
Thank you for this article. Very helpful!
Hey Shannon! We recently visited the Dead Sea in Jordan and I have to say we read your blog before visiting. We spent half a day driving up and down to find the best location for getting up and close to the evaporation ponds and I just wanted to mention for anyone else visiting that we have listed where we think that is! (link in blog post above)
Would it be fairly safe for a single woman (mid 60’s) to travel to the Dead Sea and Petra on my own
I think you can absolutely do that trip safely. You may not want to be completely independent for all of it—you can perhaps hire a transport company or driver for the trip from Amman to the Dead Sea, and the resorts and places along the shore felt quite safe on every level.
Congrats! The post and the shots are amazing!
Did you remember the location where you took that photo standing up on the salt structures?
Thanks :)
Hmm, I don’t know for sure. We left the resort area and had the Dead Sea on our right, and it was about 25 minutes along the way. Sorry, wish that I could be more helpful!
Truly beautiful sunset image. The very first image is really beautiful as well. The salt structures are just amazing.
We actually had to really look around hard to find a spot where we could
climb down to see the salt structures, and when we got down there it was
amazing to see them up close! :-)
The photos of the salt crystals look amazing. I always find it amusing trying to sink in a highly salted water. I used to do it in Greece as well. No where near as saline as the dead sea though.
Did you manage to sink at least a bit in Greece then?! It was futile feat in
Jordan…the salt crystals were one of the neatest parts…I have some
closeups of them I may post later, but I thought I was just a dork for
liking them so much! ;-)
I’m in love the picture with you with mud on your face! Super cute!
Thanks Erica! One of my favs from the trip too :)
You too even look cute covered in mud! So happy that we got to meet you two at the Dead Sea the day you left Jordan and the day we arrived. We were very happy that we started our 10 day tour of Jordan and ended it at the Movenpick at the Dead Sea. .We even added Dead Sea mud to our very limited RTW carry on luggage when we headed to Europe for the summer when we left. LOL
Thanks Jeanne! Our breakfast was oh-too-brief but we were grateful our paths
crossed! :) Bookending your Jordan trip with the Dead Sea sounds like an
amazing part of the trip – it’s so relaxing and I can *completely*
understand packing the mud…secret confession, Jodi and I both have some as
well! :) Enjoy Europe this summer!
Looks like you and Jodi had your share of fun! I’m usually not one for chilling at a spa for days, but the Dead Sea was one area where I could definitely see myself doing that. The combination of the extra oxygen below sea level and the lovely feeling after the mud and sea really is quite wonderful – felt a bit like superwoman :)
We had a blast! I agree about the spa days, but somehow coating myself in
mud and floating on the Dead Sea was oddly pleasing :) And please tell me
you have a shot doing the superwoman pose coated in mud?!
Looks like such a great day! Awesome photos–the Dead Sea is even higher on my must-see list now!
It’s really a lot of fun – and relaxing too. The area is decked out with spas and opportunities to really pamper yourself if you can splurge when you go :)
This is so high up on my list of places to experience already, and you may have just bumped it higher.
It deserves to be pretty high up there! Just wait until you see Petra and Wadi Rum….it was so spectacular it hurts to even think about it. :)
Ah! I’m headed to Jordan in late October and your experience obviously makes me that much more pumped to also try to sink! I suppose I’ll be perfectly content floating along in the Dead Sea though…
It’s definitely not a hardship to have to sit on top of the water – I really recommend spending sunset on the water – it was stunning! Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help plan your travels! :)
I love the picture with the salt and mineral deposits. I didn’t realize that happened. I think I would skip the mud though. I’ve always HATED being dirty, even as a small child.
Thanks for stopping in Robert! There are huge beds of the salt deposits – really wherever the uber salty water hits rocks instead of sand…by far one of the prettiest features of the Dead Sea is where the white salt rocks meet the turquoise water!
You know I have never seen a picture of the dead sea coast with the salt formations like that. And ohh what fun the mud looks like as well :)
The mud was good fun! You should add this to your bucket list James, when are you heading to the Middle East again? ;-)