01 Floating in the Dead Sea
I've always wanted to float in the Dead Sea! So we headed for the Dead Sea as the next destination on our trip. I had looked up a bathing spot on the internet in advance, which I had also saved in our Google Maps list. The host of our accommodation had also recommended the same bathing spot.
We were able to park our car on a gravel parking lot and then walk a short distance down towards the water. Once we reached the bottom, we went straight into the water. We had so much fun! It's a completely different feeling to being in 'normal' water. We also laughed at each other the whole time for our stylish water shoes, which we wore so as not to cut our feet on the salt. All in all, it was a super fun experience that everyone should try!
02 Alternative: Ma'in Hot Springs
When it was a bit cold at the Dead Sea, I remembered that I had seen so-called “hot springs” nearby on Instagram. The warm water could warm us up a little. So we made our way there. We drove through a landscape that was reminiscent of an American canyon. It was breathtaking!
The Ma'in Hot Springs, on the other hand, were not quite what we had imagined. The hot springs are located on a hotel complex, at the entrance to which we had to pay a small entrance fee. When we arrived at the springs, however, we were rather disappointed. It was much smaller and not as spectacular as what I had seen. Everything also looked much more artificial than on Instagram. The only natural waterfall was closed.
There were also lots of men gawping at Meike and me in our bikinis. It was the first and only time we girls felt uncomfortable in Jordan. Although the water was nice and warm and I enjoyed the experience of swimming in hot spring water, the overall atmosphere there was not good. The trip to the Ma'in Hot Springs is therefore more worthwhile than splashing around. Nevertheless, we made the best of it.
03 The Dead Sea is dying
The Dead Sea is in danger of drying up! This is because the water level of the Dead Sea is sinking by just over a meter every year.
You need to know that the Dead Sea is actually a lake and not a sea. This lake is mainly supplied with water by rain and the Jordan River. However, the government has partially interfered with the natural course of the surrounding rivers. They want to supply the neighboring regions, especially the desert, with water. In addition, some of the water from the Dead Sea is pumped out by industry for commercial purposes. In addition to climate change, all of this is causing the Dead Sea to dry up more and more. It remains to be seen whether the Dead Sea will still exist in 50 years' time. One thing is certain: something must be done!