Siwa Oasis vs Dead Sea: Where Should You Float in the Desert? Siwa Oasis vs Dead Sea
Two deserts, two hyper-saline lakes, two completely different experiences. The Dead Sea (Jordan/Israel) is the famous one — the lowest point on Earth, the mud masks, the luxury resorts. Siwa Oasis (Egypt) is the obscure one — a remote Berber community in the Western Desert where turquoise salt lakes shimmer beside the ruins of a 13th-century mud-brick fortress.
I've floated in both. Here's the comparison.
Getting There
Dead Sea: Easy. One hour from Amman, Jordan, on a modern highway. Thirty minutes from Jerusalem. Tour buses run constantly. You can visit as a half-day trip from either city.
Siwa Oasis: Hard. 560 km from Cairo, with no flights or trains. An overnight bus from Cairo takes 10 hours on a road that crosses military checkpoints. From Marsa Matruh on the coast, shared minibuses take 4 hours. You don't "pop into" Siwa — you commit to it.
Factor
Siwa Oasis
Dead Sea
Nearest airport
Cairo (CAI), 560 km
Amman (AMM), 60 km
Travel time from nearest city
4-10 hours
30-60 minutes
Road quality
Decent but remote
Excellent
Military checkpoints
Yes (carry passport)
No
Verdict: Dead Sea is infinitely more accessible. Siwa requires dedication. The dedication is part of the experience.
The Water
Dead Sea: 34.2% salinity (roughly 10x the ocean). You float effortlessly — reading a newspaper on the water is the classic photo. The water is oily-feeling and slightly warm. The mineral content is genuinely therapeutic for skin conditions. But — and nobody warns you enough — any cut, scratch, or freshly shaved skin burns intensely. Don't splash your eyes.
Siwa's salt lakes: Variable salinity depending on the lake. Birket Siwa and surrounding lakes are hyper-saline — not quite Dead Sea level but enough to float without effort. The water is turquoise against the white salt deposits and sand. Less mineral-rich, less oily, but equally buoyant.
The big difference: Dead Sea water is murky brown-green. Siwa's lakes are turquoise. For photography, Siwa wins by a mile.
Verdict: Dead Sea for therapeutic minerals. Siwa for visual drama.
The Setting
Dead Sea: Industrial on the Israeli side (potash extraction facilities). The Jordanian side is better — resort beaches, some wild stretches, mountains of the Judean Desert behind. But even at its best, it's developed tourism infrastructure: hotels, pools, spas, beach clubs.
Siwa: A turquoise lake in the Sahara. Date palms on one side, sand dunes on the other. No infrastructure. No changing rooms (some lakes have a basic shelter). No other tourists (I was alone at Bir Wahed, the hot spring in the Great Sand Sea). The salt crystallizes on the lake edges in white formations that look like coral.
Verdict: Siwa isn't even a contest here. The landscape is surreal.
The Cultural Experience
Dead Sea: The swimming experience is the main draw. Jordan's side has some historical sites (Lot's Cave, Wadi Mujib). But culturally, it's a resort stop between Amman and Petra.
Siwa: The oasis is a living Berber community with distinct traditions. The Siwi people speak their own language (Siwi Berber, not Arabic). The ruins of Shali Fortress — a 13th-century mud-brick citadel that partially melted in 1926 rains — rise above the town. Cleopatra's Spring (Ain Juba) is a natural warm pool fed by a spring at a constant 28°C. The Temple of the Oracle, where Alexander the Great came in 331 BC, sits on a hilltop.
You don't visit Siwa for a float. You visit for the total experience: desert, history, culture, and then the float.
Verdict: Siwa is a destination. Dead Sea is an activity.
Cost
Expense
Siwa Oasis
Dead Sea (Jordan)
Hotel/night
$10-20 (guesthouse)
$80-250 (resort)
Float access
Free (public lakes)
$15-25 (resort beach)
Meals/day
$5-10
$20-40
Desert excursion
$40-60 (4x4 for vehicle)
$50-100 (Wadi Mujib)
Daily total
$20-40
$100-250
Verdict: Siwa at a fraction of the cost. The eco-lodge exception (Adrere Amellal, $300+/night) is a luxury experience that competes with Dead Sea resorts on price.
The Practical Stuff
Dead Sea:
Don't shave before swimming (the salt stings)
Limit swimming to 15-20 minutes (dehydrating)
Shower immediately after (salt crystallizes on skin)
Bring a dark swimsuit (minerals stain)
SPF 50+ (elevation below sea level doesn't reduce UV as much as you'd think)
Siwa:
Best visited mid-morning (light for photography, before midday heat)
Rinse at freshwater springs nearby (several within driving distance)
Dress conservatively when leaving the lake — Siwa is a traditional community
No cell service at remote lakes — go with a guide
Carry 3+ liters of water
The Verdict by Traveler Type
If you...
Go to...
Want ease and luxury
Dead Sea
Want adventure and isolation
Siwa Oasis
Have limited time
Dead Sea (half-day from Amman)
Want Instagram-worthy turquoise water
Siwa Oasis
Have skin conditions (psoriasis, eczema)
Dead Sea (medically proven minerals)
Want a complete cultural experience
Siwa Oasis
Travel on a budget
Siwa Oasis ($20/day vs $100+)
Visiting Egypt anyway
Siwa Oasis
Visiting Jordan anyway
Dead Sea
Or Do Both
If your itinerary crosses both Egypt and Jordan (Cairo → Siwa → back → fly to Amman → Dead Sea → Petra), you can compare firsthand. They complement each other perfectly — Siwa for the raw, remote experience, Dead Sea for the accessible, mineral-rich one.
But if I had to pick one? Siwa. Because floating in turquoise water surrounded by Saharan dunes with nobody else in sight is the kind of travel memory that rewires your priorities.
Getting to Siwa: Overnight bus from Cairo (10 hrs) (10 hrs, ~150 EGP/$3). Or drive from Marsa Matruh (4 hrs). Carry passport for military checkpoints.
Getting to the Dead Sea: 1 hr from Amman 1 hr from Amman, 30 min from Jerusalem. Buses, taxis, and rental cars all work.
