What It's Actually Like to Float in the Dead Sea: An Interview with Rania, Dead Sea Resort Guide
Rania has worked at a resort on the Jordanian shore of the Dead Sea for eight years. She's guided thousands of first-time floaters, applied mud to countless shoulders, and watched more tourists make the same painful mistake with their eyes than she can count.
We sat on the resort terrace overlooking the water — eerily still, turquoise-green, with the Judean Desert haze across on the Israeli side — and I asked her everything.
How did you end up working here?
I grew up in Amman, about an hour east. My family would come to the Dead Sea for weekends — Jordanians have been bathing in this water for as long as anyone can remember. Cleopatra supposedly had cosmetics made from Dead Sea minerals. Herod the Great built a health resort here 2,000 years ago.
I studied hospitality at the University of Jordan, did my internship at the Movenpick Dead Sea, and never left this shore. The water gets in your blood — literally, the minerals absorb through your skin. [laughs]
But I'm not joking. The mineral concentration here is unique on Earth — magnesium, calcium, potassium, bromine. Dermatologists send patients here for psoriasis treatment. The Dead Sea isn't just a tourist attraction. It's a pharmacy.
What's the first mistake tourists make?
They splash.
The water is 34% salt — ten times more concentrated than the ocean. If it gets in your eyes, the pain is immediate and intense. People scream. I've seen grown adults crying on the shore because they splashed their face or tried to swim normally and got water in their eyes.
The rules are simple: Float on your back. Do not put your face in. Do not splash. Bring a bottle of fresh water to rinse immediately if salt contacts your eyes. Wear sunglasses as a splash guard.
Also, never shave anything within 24 hours of floating. The salt finds every microscopic cut. Every single one.
How long should someone float?
20 minutes maximum. I know it doesn't sound like much, but the salt is harsh on skin. Your body absorbs minerals rapidly. After 20 minutes, shower immediately with fresh water — the resort provides outdoor showers on the beach.
Some people want to float for an hour. I always stop them. Your skin will feel burning and tight. The salt crystallizes on your body as the water evaporates. Trust me — 20 minutes is enough.
What about the mud?
The mineral-rich black mud from the shore is what makes this place famous for skincare. It's loaded with magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Slather it on — arms, legs, shoulders, face if you're careful around eyes. Let it dry for 15-20 minutes. It tightens as it dries. Then rinse in the Dead Sea water.
The mud is free at any beach — it's right there on the shoreline. Resort spas offer full mud treatments for 30-60 JOD ($42-85) with massage and wrap. The difference? The spa mud is cleaned and processed. The beach mud has more grit. Both work.
Is the Dead Sea really disappearing?
Yes. It drops about one meter per year. Water diversion from the Jordan River — for agriculture in Israel, Jordan, and Syria — has reduced inflow by over 90%. Sinkholes are forming along the retreating shoreline. When I started working here eight years ago, the water was visibly closer to the resort. Now guests walk further to reach it each year.
The Dead Sea Panoramic Complex up on the cliffs (3 JOD entry, 15 minutes by car from the resort strip) has exhibits documenting the crisis. The terrace restaurant there has views 400 meters above the water. It's sobering and beautiful at the same time.
Scientists say the sea could disappear within 50 years without intervention. So if floating in the lowest point on Earth is on your list. For practical tips, see our 8 things to do beyond floating guide — don't wait too long.
What do tourists miss about this area?
Everyone floats and leaves. They don't explore.
Wadi Mujib is 30 minutes south — a dramatic gorge where you wade and swim through a narrow canyon with waterfalls. It's like a miniature Grand Canyon filled with water. Entry 21 JOD (~$30), open April to October only. You need water shoes and a waterproof bag. It's the single best half-day activity in the Dead Sea region and most visitors don't even know it exists.
Ma'in Hot Springs is 30km away — natural thermal waterfalls fed by underground volcanic activity. The water is 45-63°C. Day-use at the resort costs 25 JOD. The drive through the desert canyon is spectacular.
And Machaerus — the hilltop fortress where, according to tradition, John the Baptist was beheaded. Free entry, one-hour hike. Views over the Dead Sea from the top.
What should people bring?
Fresh water — at least two bottles. One for rinsing eyes in emergency, one for drinking. The heat is extreme.
SPF 50+ sunscreen. The salt reflects sunlight. For a completely different water experience, the Seychelles offers the Indian Ocean's clearest snorkeling. People burn in 15 minutes.
Water shoes. The shoreline has salt crystals that are sharp underfoot.
A waterproof phone case if you want the classic floating-reading-a-newspaper photo.
And realistic expectations. You don't swim in the Dead Sea. You float. It's completely effortless — the density of the water pushes you up. Your legs rise. Your arms rise. You just... lie there. It feels strange for the first 30 seconds, then deeply, absurdly relaxing.
Any tourist traps?
The packaged Dead Sea mud at gift shops is overpriced — 15-25 JOD for a jar of what's literally free on the beach. If you want to bring mud home, buy it at the Dead Sea Museum shop (fair prices) or a pharmacy in Amman (much cheaper).
And be cautious with "private beach" operators near the public access points. They sometimes charge for access to beaches that are technically public. Amman Beach (20 JOD) and O Beach are the legitimate day-use options.
What's your favorite moment at the Dead Sea?
Sunset. Every time. The Jordanian side faces west, so you watch the sun drop behind the Judean hills across the water. The Dead Sea turns from turquoise to gold to purple. The salt crystals on the shore glow.
I've seen it 2,000 times. It still gets me.
The lowest point on Earth, and somehow the sky feels closer here than anywhere I've been.
