SherryStay Destination Guide
Dead Sea
Lowest point on Earth — float in salt water, slather mineral mud, breathe oxygen-rich desert air.
About Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a place you feel before you understand it. At some 430 metres below sea level this is the lowest point on Earth, a mineral lake so dense with salt that you cannot sink — you simply lie back on the water and float, a rite of passage everyone performs at least once. The rest is a wellness ritual: slathering on the black mineral mud, breathing the thick, oxygen-rich, pollen-free air, and letting the strong, filtered sun do what dermatologists have prescribed here for a century. On the Israeli side almost everything is at Ein Bokek, a compact strip of spa hotels with private beach access, walkable end to end. Days are slow and horizontal; the drama is in the desert around you — the fortress of Masada above the plain, the waterfall canyon of Ein Gedi, the Mitzpe Ramon crater beyond. One or two nights is plenty. Come to float; stay for the strange, silent beauty of the lowest, saltiest landscape there is.
Stay at Ein Bokek — every Israeli Dead Sea hotel is here, walking distance to the beach. Avoid hotels north of Mitzpe Shalem (closed for security) and on the Jordanian side unless you specifically want Jordan.
Best For
Where to Stay
Ein Bokek
All hotels, beach access, restaurants, the heart of Dead Sea tourism
Ein Gedi
Kibbutz + nature reserve, waterfall hike, beach, far quieter
Neve Zohar
Apartment rentals, residential, 5 min south of Ein Bokek
Money-Saving Tips
- 1Hotels include private beach + spa access; day-pass for non-guests is ₪150–280 if you sleep elsewhere.
- 2Half-board is almost always the right choice — there are only 5 restaurants in Ein Bokek and prices are tourist-tier.
- 3Mud and salt scrubs at hotel spas are typically 2–3x the price of the same product at the Ahava factory shop (15 min away).
Getting Around
- 1Egged 444 / 421 from Jerusalem to Ein Bokek (~1h 45m, ₪50). 384 from Tel Aviv (3h, ₪60). Plan around the Friday afternoon shutdown.
- 2No buses Shabbat (Fri sundown → Sat sundown). If your stay spans Shabbat, you need a rental car or a Friday-morning arrival.
- 3Within Ein Bokek itself, everything is walkable — the entire hotel strip is 1.5 km along the beach.
Most Common Mistake
Floating with cuts or shaved skin — the salt burns hard. Save shaving for AFTER your stay.
1–3 nights
- • Masada (20 min)
- • Ein Gedi waterfall hike (15 min)
- • Mitzpe Ramon crater (1h 45m)
- • Jerusalem (1h 30m)
Useful Local Hotel Phrases
Hebrew- Helloשלוםsha-LOM
- Thank youתודהto-DA
- Pleaseבבקשהbe-va-ka-SHA
- Check-inקבלת חדרka-ba-LAT KHE-der
- Check-outעזיבת חדרa-zi-VAT KHE-der
- Hotelמלוןma-LON
- Receptionקבלהka-ba-LA
- Breakfastארוחת בוקרa-ru-KHAT BO-ker
- Wi-Fiוויי-פייwai-fai
- Taxiמוניתmo-NIT
- Airportשדה תעופהs'deh te-u-FA
- Train stationתחנת רכבתta-kha-NAT ra-KE-vet
- Helpהצילוha-tsi-LU
- How much?כמה זה עולה?KA-ma ze o-LE
- Where is...?איפה?EY-fo
Dead Sea at a glance
- Dead Sea is in Israel.
- The nearest airport to Dead Sea is Ben Gurion (TLV), ~1h45.
- Getting in from the airport takes ~1h45 from TLV.
- The best way in is Rental car, shuttle, or a guided tour.
- A day in Dead Sea costs roughly $70–120 per person on a budget, $160–320 mid-range and $450+ at the luxury end.
- Sherry suggests 1–3 nights in Dead Sea.
- August is usually the cheapest month to visit Dead Sea, April is the busiest, and November offers the best value.
Common questions
- Where do I stay at the Dead Sea?
- Ein Bokek — the Israeli-side hotel strip with the spa resorts and public beaches.
- Do I need a car?
- Yes (or a tour) — sites like Masada and Ein Gedi are along the highway.
- How many days?
- 1–2 nights to float, do a spa, and visit Masada/Ein Gedi.
- How do I float safely?
- Don’t shave beforehand, keep water out of your eyes, float on your back, and rinse off after ~15–20 min.
- When is the best time to visit?
- Spring and autumn; summer is extremely hot (it’s a desert basin).
Where to stay in Dead Sea
Looking for hotels in Dead Sea? It helps to decide on an area first — our guide to where to stay in Dead Sea sets out which neighbourhoods suit which kind of trip.
Around Leonardo the options include Leonardo Inn Hotel Dead Sea, Leonardo Inn Hotel Dead Sea and Leonardo Club Hotel Dead Sea.
Around Isrotel the options include Isrotel Gardens Hotel, Noga By Isrotel Collection and Nevo by Isrotel Collection.
Around Club the options include Oasis Spa Club Dead Sea Hotel and Golden Tulip Club Hotel Dead Sea (Former Nirvana).
Elsewhere in the city you will also find Herbert Samuel Hod Dead Sea Hotel, Herbert Samuel Milos Dead Sea, Vert Dead Sea By AFI Hotels, Lot Hotel, David Dead Sea Resort & Spa, Palm Beach Bungalows, Royal Hotel Dead Sea, Brown Dead Sea by Brown Hotels, Caesar Premier, Herods Dead Sea, PRINCES of the Dead Sea by CROWN, Dalya Zimmer, QUEEN of the dead sea by CROWN, Martini, Nadia Hosting Dead Sea and Desert Inn.