Ein Bokek is set on the shores of the Dead Sea, where a selection of hotels and health clinics offer treatments using the world-renowned healing properties of the waters. Venture into the sparse and rugged lands of the Negev Desert and stay in this small luxury resort and fill your days bobbing in the ultra-buoyant waters and indulging in spa or health treatments.
Some of the lowest points on Earth, Ein Bokek and the Dead Sea are 1,300 feet (400 meters) below sea level. Soak up the sun’s rays here and you are in fact receiving far less harmful UV radiation than anywhere else. The enormous lake is extremely salty, 10 times more than the oceans. It makes swimming almost impossible but bobbing like a cork in the water is a fun and surreal experience.
The luxury hotels located here specialize in treatments for a whole host of health ailments. The nutrient-rich waters of the Dead Sea and the hot, dry climate are being harnessed to treat everything from psoriasis to asthma, allergies, rheumatic illnesses and joint problems. Treat yourself to a massage or treatment with the Dead Sea salt and mud which also make for effective and indulgent beauty therapies.
Ein Bokek is well-geared towards visitors. Find restaurants, gift stores and shops selling Dead Sea products. On the beach there are shower and bathroom facilities as well as sun loungers and parasols for rent. Lay on the soft sand and bathe in the sunshine or wade into the gentle warm waters and feel your stresses dissolve. Be careful not to get the salty water in your eyes, as it stings.
The resort district of Ein Bokek is located about 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of the famed Masada archaeological site. It is approximately a 2-hour drive from both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Rent a car if you wish to explore the region as public buses are infrequent. Ein Bokek is one of the few free beaches along the shores of the Dead Sea.
