Israeli resorts on the Dead Sea: Ein Bokek, Ein Gedi, Neve Zohar and others - where is the best place to relax. Holidays in the Dead Sea Dead Sea when is the best time to go

The attractive and mysterious Dead Sea in Israel is famous for the fact that it is impossible to drown in it. The country itself is the cradle of one of the world's largest religions. And tickets to this wonderful place have become cheaper due to the introduction of visa-free travel.

If these reasons are not enough to interest you in a trip to those parts, get acquainted with seven that are no less significant and quickly go to BiletyPlus.ru to book the best air tickets and the most comfortable hotel rooms.

Nature and climate

The period from May to September is the ideal time to visit Israel. A country with a typical Mediterranean climate can offer its guests a warm and very clean sea, excellent weather and enchanting natural views.

There is a certain charm to the ethereal desert landscape of this country and it is worth seeing at least once in your life.

But the coastal areas do not suffer from the monotony of the desert: over the past 50 years, several million trees have been planted in the country and almost a hundred nature reserves and natural parks have been opened.

Healing springs

Thermal mineral pools and therapeutic muds, located in abundance on the shores of the Dead Sea, attract tourists from all over the world. Millions of people go to this place every year to solve health problems. Visiting these resorts has a particularly good effect on people with diseases of the skin, respiratory tract and joints.

Another advantage of the Dead Sea is safe tanning. The coastal area, protected from the sun by a thick layer of air masses, gives an ideal tan without the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation.

The best sanatoriums in the world

Israel is famous for its medical care. It has one of the highest life expectancies, the highest number of health workers per capita and the lowest infant mortality rate. The state strictly controls even private clinics and insurance companies, and the right to medical services for all residents of the country is prescribed by law.

However, visitors here are taken care of just as well: resorts, sanatoriums, clinics and specialized hospitals located on the Dead Sea receive thousands of Russians every year.

Visa-free regime

Recently, our compatriots can travel to Israel for up to 90 days without a visa. True, you will have to collect some documents to present at customs control.

A tourist must have a passport valid for six months, a printout of return air tickets, a travel agency voucher or confirmation of a hotel reservation, and a health insurance policy for the entire duration of the trip. In some cases, the control service may be interested in whether you have the necessary funds. In this situation, you can simply present a bank card (without certificates or printouts of the balance).

Children entering Israel accompanied by one parent require a notarized exit permit from the other. If the child travels accompanied by third parties, then such a document must be signed by both parents. In addition, you need to have your child’s passport and birth certificate with you.

By the way, when traveling to Israel, a stamp is not placed in your passport. In return, the tourist is given a border crossing coupon, which must be kept until the end of the trip and presented when leaving the country.

Quality shopping

Shopping tours to Israel are not very common, but in vain. You can buy quality items from world brands here cheaper than in Europe. This is due to the absence of VAT in resort stores. Therefore, even if you come here for treatment, you should go to Eilat or Tel Aviv and devote the day to shopping.

Excursions to historical sites

When you get tired of enjoying the tranquility of the resorts, you can go to large cities and get acquainted with the sights known throughout the world for two thousand years.

Nazareth, Haifa, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and dozens of places, visiting which is the dream of any Christian, will be very close to you. Excursions to the Holy Land depart daily from all parts of Israel and are in great demand.

Ideal conditions for swimming

The Dead Sea is the perfect solution for those who want to soak in the surf but don't know how to swim. Where else to study and overcome fears, if not in a place where nature itself has created ideal conditions for this! It’s easy to meet tourists bobbing on the waves with a book here, and after a couple of days it ceases to amaze. Therefore, if you or your child do not know how to swim, choose a summer holiday at the Dead Sea - you will not regret it.

A trip to the Dead Sea is suitable for both adults and children, because here everyone can find a vacation to their taste. In addition, such a vacation will bring many benefits to your health, and thanks to attractive offers from BiletyPlus.ru, it will not hit your wallet.

A special spectrum of ultraviolet rays, thermomineral pools and therapeutic mud - the Israeli Dead Sea resort is not without reason called the seventh wonder of the world. Tourists come here to improve their health and see local attractions. What else is interesting about the Dead Sea of ​​Israel, when is the best time to go to the resort and how much do tours from Minsk cost - the site knows.

Unique properties of the Dead Sea

It’s not for nothing that the Dead Sea was called that way. Its water contains such a large amount of salts and minerals that there are no living organisms there. The water here is very salty and has a unique chemical composition. It looks like an oily and viscous solution to the touch.

The season at the Dead Sea in Israel is all year round. This is due to the fact that it is located close to the equator. The most active and favorable time for relaxation is from November to March, says the manager of the travel company VIP-TOURS Anna. - In April it already becomes hot, and from May to September the air temperature reaches 40C.

Anyone can relax on the Dead Sea. However, such relaxation is especially useful for those who have skin problems and those who suffer from respiratory diseases.

You can swim in the Dead Sea only once a day and for no more than 15 minutes. According to the instructions of specialists, you can go into the water two or three times, but always with a time interval of three hours. The limitation is due to the fact that the water in the Dead Sea is very salty. Prolonged water procedures can harm the cores.

In addition, those who come to relax at the Dead Sea need to remember some rules. For example, it is better to go into the sea in rubber slippers so as not to injure your feet. When swimming, do not touch your eyes and nose with wet hands. You need to lie in the water carefully, on your back. You cannot dive in the Dead Sea, but after swimming you should take a rich shower with fresh water. As for tanning, you definitely shouldn’t limit yourself here. The sun is safe here due to the fact that the Dead Sea coast is located 400 meters below sea level. This is the lowest place on the surface of the Earth.

By the way, you can also breathe healthy sea air with all kinds of mineralogical vapors for an unlimited amount of time. It’s not for nothing that the local air is called constant inhalation.

The most popular procedures at the Dead Sea are dermatological. A range of services in this area will cost one guest from $850, says Anna. - You can order individual procedures. For example, a salt peel, mud mask and skin moisturizing will cost about $100 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. The Algae Wrap procedure lasts 40 minutes and costs about $70.

What to see at the resort besides the Dead Sea

Most tourists go to the Dead Sea to restore their health and take a break from the daily hustle and bustle. During their vacation, tourists enjoy exploring local attractions. Israel has it all: biblical, archaeological and historical sites.

You can, for example, visit the caves of Qumran. They are famous for the fact that the so-called “Dead Sea Scrolls” were found in them in the 40s of the last century. The find represents one of the original versions of the Bible. To get to the Qumran caves you need to drive 20 km from the Jericho-Eilat road fork. The hotel will be happy to advise tourists on the route.

Another equally popular cave is called the Lot Caves. According to biblical legend, Lot and his daughters took refuge here after the destruction of the ancient city of Sodom. Next to the cave there is also a pillar of salt, which in outline resembles a human figure. The pillar is called "Lot's wife." It is believed that in this way God punished the woman who violated the prohibition - she looked back during her flight from Sodom. Here you can also see a working monastery with a church built in the Byzantine style.

The Dead Sea resorts in Israel are not so numerous, but before the trip it is better to find out the features of each in order to independently choose where it is best to relax. The article provides photos and a general description of the main resort of Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea and others.

Dead Sea resorts in Israel - list and general conditions

You need to understand that the resorts located on the Dead Sea are not cities and, sometimes, not even villages. In fact, in Israel there is only one resort on the Dead Sea as such - the hotel village of Ein Bokek, with a stretch you can add the neighborhood of Neve Zohar and Ein Gedi, and there are also small hotels and guest houses in the area of ​​​​Kibbutzim Kalia and Metzok Dragot. And I would also like to highlight the city of Arad, although it is located 25 km from the Dead Sea, it has its own advantages, which we will discuss further.

Dead Sea resorts on the map of Israel and Jordan:

And now I’ll tell you about each of them in more detail.

The resort of Ein Bokek on the Dead Sea is the most important

General description of the Ein Bokek resort

The Ein Bokek resort is located directly on the shores of the southern basin of the Dead Sea in Israel. Includes:

• 12 hotels.
• 2 health clinics.
• 2 shopping centers.
• About 7 hotel beaches and 1 public one.
• Cafes, restaurants.

Ein Bokek is, first of all, a health resort of the Dead Sea. There are no public nightclubs or similar establishments here.

This photo shows the third part of the Ein Bokek resort
And in this photo half of Ein Bokek

Wellness clinics

Ein Bokek is home to 2 multidisciplinary health clinics: the Dead Sea Clinic and the Paula Clinic. Their treatment specializes in cerebral palsy, skin, gynecological and urological ailments, diseases of the respiratory tract and musculoskeletal system, stress and rejuvenation. Both speak Russian.

Beaches of Ein Bokek

There are about seven private hotel beaches and one free public beach in Ein Bokek. In my opinion, here are the most well-groomed and pleasant beaches of the Dead Sea. When we were in Israel (January 2016), the beaches of the Ein Bokek resort on the Dead Sea were being renovated and refreshed with red sand.

There is a detailed article about it with descriptions and prices.

The shops

The resort village of Ein Bokek has three small shopping centers: Petra Shopping Center, Sky Blue Shopping Center and Ein Bokek Shopping Center. They have cosmetics, clothing, souvenir shops, jewelry stores and grocery minimarkets. In minimarkets you can buy chocolate bars, cookies, chips, alcohol, etc. You shouldn't count on anything more significant. As for prices in grocery stores, in the minimarket in Petra Shopping Center they were about 20% higher than, say, in Jerusalem, and in the minimarket in Sky Blue Shopping Center they were slightly cheaper than in the Petra shopping center.

Shops at Petra Shopping Center

Cafe And restaurants

At the resort you can visit McDonald's, the oriental-style cafe-bar Taj Mahal, adjacent to the Leonardo Inn hotel, the Quatro bar and the Cafe-Cafe, Aroma and others. You can also visit restaurants at hotels where you do not live, including, for example, the Ranch House meat restaurant at the Isrotel Dead Sea hotel.

• Taj Mahal. Snacks (hummus, salads, vegetables) - 20-45 shekels. ($5-12), meat dishes (entrecote, kebab, ribs, kebab, schnitzel) - 35-95 shekels. ($9-25), desserts - 25-30 shekels. ($6-8), hookah - 35 shekels. ($9), drinks and beer - 8-25 shekels. ($2-6), vodka - 25-50 shekels. ($6-12), bottle of vodka - 300 shekels. ($78).

Taj Mahal Cafe near Leonardo Inn Hotel

Ein Bokek Hotels

There are 12 large hotels of medium class and above in Ein Bokek. Room prices can be viewed by clicking on the button.

Neve Zohar Resort (Hamei Zohar)

The Neve Zohar resort is located 1-2 km north of the kibbutz of the same name in a place called Hamei Zohar. In fact, this resort is a continuation of Ein Bokek, which is located very close - just 3 km to the north.

There are only 3 hotels in the Neve Zohar (Hamei Zohar) resort, one of which operates on an All Inclusive basis. There are beaches in the area of ​​these hotels. Two of them belong to hotels, one to a spa center and part-time Premier cosmetics store, and one to a public one.

Hotels in Neve Zohar resort

A kilometer from the three hotels is Kibbutz Neve Zohar itself - a very small village on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Below is the entire village of Neve Zohar

Neve Zohar has several guest houses and rooms. There is no beach in the kibbutz itself (the nearest 1.5 km is at the hotels), but some still manage to swim here.

You can swim in Neve Zohar only behind those hotels

Reviews and prices for hotels and guest houses in Neve Zohar and the surrounding area can be viewed by selecting dates and clicking on the button below.

Ein Gedi Resort - an oasis near the Dead Sea

Israel's resorts on the Dead Sea also include Kibbutz Ein Gedi, which is located near the reserve of the same name. The settlement has:

• Spa hotel Ein Gedi Kibbutz Hotel in the kibbutz and HI Ein Gedi Hostel near the Ein Gedi nature reserve.
• SPA-center.
• 1 public and 1 paid beach from the Spa.
• Village infrastructure (canteen, shops).

Kibbutz Ein Gedi is located in an oasis a little away from the shores of the Dead Sea, a few kilometers from the beach. From the Ein Gedi Spa Hotel there is a shuttle service to the beach during the day.

Kibbutz Kalia area

The northern beaches of the Dead Sea are 40 km from Jerusalem. The archaeological site of the ancient manuscripts of Qumran is located nearby. Here are:

• 3 paid beaches: Kaili, Bianchini and Neve Midbar.
• Kalia Kibbutz Hotel in Kibbutz Kalia (in 6 km from the beach of the same name!), guest house on Bianchini beach, huts on Neve Midbar beach.
• Village infrastructure in the kibbutz.
• Bars and cosmetics and souvenir shops on the beaches.

The area is more suitable for a day visit from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Kalia Beach, Bianchini and Neve Midbar

Area of ​​Kibbutz Mitzpe Shalem and Metzouk Dragot

Kibbutzim Mitzpe Shalem and Metzouk Dragot are located in the middle of the Northern Salt Lake Basin. These are far from the Dead Sea resorts, but in this area you can find:

• Metzoke Dragot Hostel, which has both standard rooms and mattresses in a 10-person tent for budget travelers. It’s better not to stay here without a car, as there is a five-kilometer uphill climb to the hostel.
• Paid beach Mineral with natural mud. From 01/01/2015 temporarily closed for repairs due to ground failures. As of January 2016, still not operational.
• Factory of the famous Dead Sea cosmetics Ahava.

Suitable for a one-day stop when traveling along the Dead Sea, and even then not now.

Mineral Beach near Mitzpe Shalem is closed

Arad is the cleanest city in the world

The city of Arad is also often referred to as the Dead Sea resort in Israel. It is located at an altitude of 600 m above sea level. The distance from Arad to Neve Zohar is 25 km and to the resort of Ein Bokek – 30 km. By the way, most of the employees of these resorts live in Arad. There are also health clinics and spa centers at some hotels, and the holiday can be more homely if you rent an apartment or house.

Well-kept town of Arad

Pros:

• On many tourist portals there is information that from an environmental point of view, according to UNESCO, Arad was recognized as the cleanest city on earth. This is especially important for people with allergies and respiratory diseases.
• Infrastructure of a residential city. Accordingly, prices in shops and cafes are not inflated for tourists. At least there is no shortage of these establishments.
• Choose from a large number of housing in different price ranges. These are not only hotels, but also guest houses, cottages, apartments where you can arrange a family vacation at home.
• The air here is drier, making it easier for asthmatics to breathe.
• Rest and treatment in Arad (with trips to the Dead Sea) can be cheaper than in Ein Bokek. The difference will be especially felt if you stay at coastal resorts for more than a week.
• A decent portion of the city’s population are Russian-speaking Israelis.

Minuses:

• One very big minus is the distance from the coast by 25 km. Actually, because of this it is difficult to call Arad a Dead Sea resort. This problem can be solved in three ways: 1) renting a car; 2) an agreement with the owner of the property on delivery free of charge or for a small fee using his transport; 3) public transport, buses 384, 421 go to the Dead Sea resorts - 16 shekels. ($4.2) to Neve Zohar, 21.5 shekels. ($5.6) to Ein Bokek (see schedule egged carrier website).

⚠ Some people think that the road from the Dead Sea to Arad is very difficult and serpentine. As for me, there is nothing so scary about it: a good, wide, winding road with beautiful views.

Accommodation in Arad can be found in several ways:

• Rent a hotel online. For those who do not know how this is done, I have prepared an article:.

• Rent an apartment or house from a private owner through the airbnb website. To get a discount on your booking of $15-35 (promotions change periodically and may soon be canceled altogether), you must first register using this invitation link. Then type “Arad” in the search window and select your expected vacation dates. The offers on this site are amazing. We ourselves have rented apartments through Airbnb many times, including in Israel, and we also successfully saved money by taking advantage of the discount. Our experience was described in the article: .

Where is the best place to relax in the Dead Sea - my conclusions

My opinion is that if you go to the Dead Sea for one day without an overnight stay, you can stay at any of the above resorts and hotels, depending on your location and the transport you use. Kibbutzim Ein Gedi, Neve Zohar and Ein Bokek are suitable for 2-3 days. For treatment and rest for a period of more than three days, I would choose the resort of Ein Bokek or the neighboring Hamei Zohar (1 km from Kibbutz Neve Zohar) with their hotels operating on an all-inclusive or half-board basis. If living on the seashore is not essential, then for relaxation and treatment for a long period I would definitely consider the city of Arad.

Be sure to read the article about, in which I spoke in detail about possible expenses during the trip.

Dead Sea resorts on the map of Israel and Jordan

I have prepared a map of the Dead Sea resorts in Israel and Jordan, which also shows beaches, hotels, spas and clinics. If you click on an object, you will see the GPS coordinates of the point and a link to the site (if available).

Marina and Konstantin Samorosenko

The Dead Sea is one of the four seas that wash the shores of Israel. Thousands of tourists come here year after year to be cured of many diseases. The coastal air is saturated with bromine, which calms the nervous system. The concentration of salt in the Dead Sea is incredibly high - it is impossible to drown here. The healing mud of the Dead Sea is widely used in cosmetology.

Holidays at the Dead Sea resorts are especially popular with older people, many of whom note an incredible surge of energy after swimming and relaxing on the salty beaches.

Climate and weather at the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea region is influenced by a desert climate. This means that the difference between day and night temperatures is significant - the difference can be up to 15 °C. This is a very sunny year-round resort, where a record amount of rain falls during the year. The number of sunny days per year exceeds 330.

From November to April, the average air temperature in the Dead Sea resorts is 22-29 °C. In summer, the air warms up from 32 to 37 °C, and in July the thermometer reaches 40 °C. The water temperature in the Dead Sea does not fall below 25 °C, and in August it warms up to 34 °C.

Tours to the Dead Sea

Prices for tours for 2 people for 7 nights with departure from Moscow are given.

Dead Sea beaches

The beaches of the Dead Sea can be divided into private and public. The first ones belong to hotels and are well equipped - there are sun loungers, umbrellas, showers, toilets, and convenient descents into the water. Since the Dead Sea becomes shallow every year and the distance to it from the hotel increases, special transport takes guests to the water. Excellent beaches are located in the resort of Ein Bokek.

Free beaches are less well equipped, but they always have a shower to wash off the salt. Also sometimes there are sun umbrellas and toilets. On all beaches you need special shoes for swimming to avoid cutting yourself on the rocks. Swimming time in the Dead Sea should not exceed 20 minutes.

The Dead Sea region is located in an amazing zone - solar radiation is practically safe here. You can sunbathe for 8 hours straight and not get sunburned. Wraps with healing mud and black clay often take place right on the shores of the Dead Sea. Zohar hot springs are rich in sulfur, their water helps with diseases of the joints and muscles.

Treatment at the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is a completely unique place that has no analogues in the world. Millions of years ago, in its place was the Lashon Sea, which dried up and left behind a layer of salt up to 2 kilometers thick. It lies directly under the Dead Sea, providing it with incredible salinity: 270 ppm! Sea waters contain magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium chloride, as well as bromides. The air itself at Dead Sea resorts is saturated with bromine - it has a relaxing and calming effect on the human nervous system. In addition, the oxygen content in the air above the Dead Sea is much higher than anywhere else on the planet - in fact, it is a natural pressure chamber.

In health resorts located on the seashore, skin diseases are successfully treated, especially psoriasis (more than 93% of those cured!), as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system and respiratory organs. The climate and procedures have a beneficial effect on those who suffer from high blood pressure.

Wraps with healing peloid mud and black clay rejuvenate the skin, smooth out wrinkles, and tone it. Mud and clay relieve rheumatic pain and cleanse the skin. Sulfur baths with water from Zohar springs strengthen the circulatory system.

Dead Sea Resorts

The main resorts of the Dead Sea are Ein Bokek and Neve Zohar. This is where most luxury hotels and health resorts, boarding houses and balneological centers are located. The infrastructure is better developed in Ein Bokek, where there are many entertainment venues, restaurants, and shops. In Neve Zohar, life is in full swing inside the hotels, which are ready to offer their guests almost everything their heart desires.

Ein Bokek is the most famous resort of the Dead Sea. This is a single health resort with many luxury hotels and beautiful beaches. There are large balneological centers where you can take a health course based on the waters and mud of the Dead Sea. Bokek stream contains selenium, which helps improve the body's immunity.

Ein Gedi is an oasis in the Judean Desert. Mineral water is produced here from a legendary spring. In addition, in Kibbutz Ein Gedi there is the famous Ahava factory, which makes cosmetics based on minerals and salts from the Dead Sea. There is a store on the factory premises. In Ein Gedi there is a medical complex where you can take a hydrogen sulfide bath and sunbathe on the public beach. The entrance to the water is rocky and difficult; special shoes are required.

Dead Sea Attractions

The most famous local attraction is the ancient fortress of Massada. It was built during the time of King Herod the Great. The fortress resisted the Roman army: its defenders preferred death to defeat. You can learn more about the history of the fortress at the light and sound show that takes place here in the summer season. It starts at sunset and lasts about an hour. Simultaneous translation into Russian is available. You can climb the mountain where the fortress stands on foot or by cable car.

Another popular place among tourists is the mountain range, which was called “Lot’s Wife”. According to the biblical story, the wife of the righteous Lot turned into a pillar of salt after looking back at her hometown of Sodom being destroyed by angels. At certain angles, the pillar looks like a frozen female figure.

In Qumran National Park, which is located on the coast of the Dead Sea, you can see the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947. The scrolls themselves are kept in the Temple of the Book of the Israel Museum. Ein Gedi is one of the Dead Sea oases that is definitely worth a visit. This is where the magnificent Shulamit Falls, ice lakes and rock baths are located, as well as a luxurious botanical garden with more than 900 species of bushes, trees and flowers.