Deep in the
Jordan Valley and 55 km southeast of
Amman, is the Dead Sea, one of
the most
spectacular natural and spiritual
landscapes in the whole
world. It is the
lowest body of
water on earth, the
lowest point
on earth, and the world's
richest source
of natural salts, hiding wonderful
treasures that accumulated
throughout thousands of years.
To reach this
unique spot, the visitor enjoys a
short 30 minutes drive from
Amman, surrounded by a landscape
and arid hills, which could be from
another planet. En route a stone
marker indicates "Sea
Level", but the Dead Sea
itself is not reached before
descending another 400 meters
below
this sign.
The sunset
touching distant hills with ribbons
of fire across the waters of the
Dead Sea brings a sense of unreality
to culminate a day's visit to this
region. It is normally as calm as a
millpond, with barely a ripple
disturbing its surface, but it can
become turbulent. During most days,
however, the water shimmers under a
beating sun. Where rocks meet its
lapping edges, they become
snow-like, covered with a thick,
gleaming white deposit that gives
the area a strange and surreal
sense.
As its name
evokes, the Dead Sea is devoid of
life due to an extremely high
content of
salts and minerals which
gives its waters the renowned
curative powers, therapeutic
qualities, and its buoyancy,
recognized since the days of Herod
the Great, more than 2000 years ago.
And because the
salt content is
four times
that of most world's oceans, you can
float in the Dead Sea without even
trying, which makes swimming here a
truly unique experience not to be
missed: here is the only place in
the world
where you can recline on the
water to read a newspaper.
Scientifically
speaking, its water contains more
than 35
different types of minerals
that are essential for the health
and care of the body skin including
Magnesium, Calcium, Potassium,
Bromine, Sulfur, and Iodine. They
are well known for relieving pains
and sufferings caused by arthritis,
rheumatism, psoriasis, eczema,
headache and foot-ache, while
nourishing and softening the skin.
They also provide the raw materials
for the renowned Jordanian Dead Sea
bath salts
and cosmetic
products marketed worldwide.
A unique
combination of several factors makes
Dead Sea's
total attraction: the
chemical composition of its water,
the filtered sunrays and oxygen-rich
air, the mineral-rich black mud
along the shoreline, and the
adjacent fresh water and thermal
mineral springs.
Although sparsely
populated and serenely quiet now,
the area has a historical and
spiritual legacy of its own. It is
believed to be the site of
five biblical
cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah,
Zebouin and Zoar.
A series of new
roads, hotels and archaeological
discoveries are converging to make
this region as enticing to
international visitors today as it
was to kings, emperors, traders and
prophets in antiquity.
Seaside
facilities include modern hotels
with therapeutic clinics and
restaurant/bathing/sports complexes,
meeting the needs of day visitors or
parties wishing to spend the night
amidst one of the most dramatic and
moving landscapes in the World.