The Dead Sea is the lowest point on land (417 meters below sea level). The quantity of water that evaporates from it is greater than that which flows into it, such that this body of water has the highest concentration of salt in the world (340 grams per liter of water). It is called the Dead Sea because its salinity prevents the existence of any life forms*. That same salt, on the other hand, provides tremendous relief to the many ailing visitors who come here on a regular basis to benefit from its healing properties. The Dead Sea can also be called “the lowest health spa in the world.” The composition of the salts and minerals in the water is what makes it so unique and beneficial for the body. The sea bed also has deposits of black mud that are easy to spread on the body and provides the skin with nourishing minerals. The air and sunshine are also beneficial to the body’s systems, thus making the Dead Sea a provider for good health and healing for vacationers from all over the world.
The western shore is dotted with organized beaches and bathing areas that provide convenient access to the water. Besides two of the therapeutic beaches (Neve Zohar and Ein Bokek) large tourism centers have been established, providing the most pampering tourism services. Here you will find dozens of hotels, hostels, and guest houses, restaurants, and shopping centers, as well as surprising tourism enterprises that offer a wide range of activities.
The Dead Sea lies on the edge of the Judean Desert has become an important center of desert tourism. The Dead Sea’s coastline is dotted with many springs, surrounded by wild plant life – an amazing contrast to the dry and barren surrounding desert.
Amongst breathtaking landscapes are historic sites of considerable importance in Israel’s history. The most prominent sites are the Massada (Metsada) fortress, ancient Ein Gedi, and the Qumran cave site where ancient Dead Sea scrolls were discovered, which offers some insight into early Christianity and the Essenes sect that lived at the site and is considered the beginning of Christian monasticism.
A tour of the Dead Sea region would not be complete without a visit to the amazing monasteries built on the cliff walls. In the fourth century, asceticism became popular among Christians, who wanted to live their lives as Jesus had. Many believers wanted to devote themselves to God and the Judean Desert became an ideal destination for monks, who built phenomenal monasteries, some of them carved into the stone faces of the desert cliffs. Among these monasteries are St. George, Quruntul, Khozeba, and Mar Saba. Some of the monasteries are still operating and even welcome visitors, who can gain their own impressions of the intensity of the desert and its wild beauty.
