The Dead Sea is very popular among locals and tourists wanting to experience the unique sea and surrounding areas. People will usually cover themselves in the mineral-rich mud and float in the salty waters of the sea. It is also one of the most beautiful places for photography due to unique salt formations.
The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east, Israel and the West Bank to the west. The main source of water is the Jordan River. It is landlocked and water has nowhere to go so it evaporates leaving behind salts and minerals. The shores of the Dead Sea are the lowest point on earth approx. 430m below the sea level. It is called 'Dead Sea' because no fish can survive in the salty water. The salty water of the Dead Sea is renowned for its health and healing properties.
Map of Dead Sea Area
How to Visit Dead Sea on Budget
Along the shores of Dead Sea, there are a number of hotels with private swimming pools, private access to the beach and provide mineral-rich mud from the sea. This will be the most comfortable option to visit the area especially after swimming in the sea, you will need a shower to clean the salt. The facilities at these high-end resorts are an excellent way to enjoy the surroundings and almost all of these hotels do sell day passes as well so if you are interested only staying here for a few hours then take that option. See the above google map for the location of hotels.
If you are travelling on a budget like me then there is an option of going to the Amman tourist beach which is a public place and costs around 20JD for entrance and further you will have to pay for a locker, mud, towel etc. almost everything costs extra. There are swimming pools and showers. The showers are not really clean so don't expect a lot from this place. There is a cafe to grab something to eat if you are feeling hungry.
Dead Sea Pictures
Best Place to take Picture of Dead sea
There are countless places with amazing salt formations along the shores but most of these places are hidden from the road and difficult to find. I spent hours and hours on the internet trying to find the ultimate place to take amazing Instagram pictures of the Dead Sea. So I'm going to reveal this secret location that you won't find easily on the internet. If you are driving from Amman towards dead see then this is almost at the other end of the sea. After crossing all the resorts keep driving and you will pass by Mujib reserves & Chalets, from here, the location is almost 7km. Follow the above google map with Red Star marked on the map for coordinates of the small parking area on the side of the road. Here is also a picture of the small parking area from google street view
Park the car here and then walk down but be careful there is no proper path going down. It is a little dangerous but if you wear good sturdy shoes and be careful it is all fine. The salt formation here is so sharp that you can easily get cuts if you walk on it without shoes.
Best Time to Take Pictures of Dead Sea
Sunset is the best time to take pictures of Dead Sea. So arrive at least an hour or two before the sunset, and walk around to try to find the best spots to take pictures. There are many different formations of salt to choose from.
Stay here at least 30mins after the sun is gone down as this is the time when the sky is full of colours all around and the colours are reflected from the glossy surface of the sea.
It is hard to resist the temptation of not going for a swim here, the water is so calm and glossy. I did go into the water for swimming but I kept my running shoes on to avoid getting any injuries. There is no possibility to take a shower afterwards which was a bit uncomfortable but not a big problem. I took shower when I arrived back at the hotel and thoroughly cleaned my shoes, but maybe I didn't clean them properly and next day I could hardly walk due to so much salt in the shoes and as a result, I suffered from bruises.
Here are some of the pictures I took around 1 hour before sunset to 30 minutes after the sunset.
Dead Sea Where to Stay
We stayed the night in Mujib Chalets which is only a few minutes away from this photography spot. The rooms have a view of the Dead Sea and a terrace to sit outside is a perfect place to relax. Book ahead if you are planning to visit the area, it sells out pretty fast and hard to get a room here as the location is very close to Mujib reserves, the starting point of the hike to Mujib Siq trail.