The Dead Sea is one of my most favourite spots on planet Earth. There is nothing comparable. It’s often called a once in a lifetime trip. I loved it so much that I visited twice. After visiting Jordan and falling in love with the Dead Sea, I wanted to visit from the Israel side. Both sides are very different. Keep reading to help you decide if you should visit the Dead Sea from the Jordan or Israel side.
Sunrise and Sunset
If you’re a sunset lover then Jordan is the side for you, because the sun sets with Israel is the background and makes for a spectacular, misty orangey sight. If you want to wake up early and experience floating in the Dead Sea while the sun rises into, then Israel is the side for you.
Winner: A draw depending on your preference for sunset or sunrise. I prefer sunset floats, because I love sleep.
Healing Properties
The Dead Sea has wonderful healing properties and will make your skin silky smooth, but is it the same on both sides?
Jordan is known for being muddier, with the Israel side being more salty.
There is a muddy resort area in Israel called Ein Ghedi, but at the time of writing the beach there is closed due to sink holes, so you cannot bathe in that area. The majority of the Israel Dead Sea beaches are very salty, and you’ll easily find clumps of salt everywhere. The Israel side reminded me of the Salt flats in Bolivia. It is like being on another planet.
Jordan is more muddy. The sea felt more slimy and while you could see salt, it wasn’t anything compared to the handfuls you could find in Israel.
What side did I prefer? The Israel side looked more beautiful, because of the clear water and white salt. However, my skin felt much nicer on the Jordan side. I left with my skin feeling more moisturised and healed. The salty Israel side was still very healing, but my skin did not feel silky and moisturised like it was in Jordan.
Winner: Israel for out of this world beauty. Jordan for the softest skin you’ll ever feel.
Accessibility
The Jordan Dead Sea resort area is just 1 hour from Amman International Airport. It’s vert easy to reach once you arrive in the country.
The Dead Sea Resorts in Israel are about 2 hours from Jerusalem and 3 hours from Tel Aviv. Transport connections throughout Israel are fantastic. It’s such an easy bus system to navigate. I used Google maps to plan my bus routes in Israel. The bus stops, times and numbers were always accurate.
Winner: Neither journeys are difficult or too long. It’s another close draw.
Accommodation
The Jordan Dead Sea has some amazing spa hotels. Budget accommodation is close to non existent on the Jordan side though. Some guesthouses and cheaper hostel accommodation can be found in Israel.
Israel has some lovely resorts and spas. I stayed at the Marriott in Israel. It was really nice and super relaxing, the views were to die for, but the place that blew me away was the Movenpick Hotel in Jordan. The Zara Spa here is the best spa I’ve been too. The hydro-pools overlooking the Dead Sea are something else. The Movenpick also has heated pools, which are perfect for the winter months. The Kempinski in Jordan also looks really awesome, but I haven’t stayed there, so I can’t comment.
Winner: Jordan for 5 star accommodation and spas. Israel for budget and mid range accommodation.
Safety
Neither countries felt unsafe in anyway. I traveled in Jordan with my husband and Israel on my own. Israel felt like one of the safest countries to travel as a solo female traveler (once you are in the country). Israel immigration is very strict and if you have stamps from Arab countries or an Arab surname, this may affect your enjoyment of entering and leaving the country. My enjoyment in Israel was also dampened by visiting Palestinian land and learning more about the land occupation.
Winner: Both countries felt very safe, but Jordan felt more welcoming from an immigration point of view. I felt more relaxed while I was in Jordan, because I wasn’t worried about being interrogated or searched on my departure from the country.
Nearby Tourist Sights
Israel has Jarusalem and Bethlehem. Jordan has Petra.
Winner: This one is easy, Petra is incredible.
Overall Winner
Whatever side of the sea you visit, you won’t be disappointed. Both will blow your mind. It might be a case of deciding which country you want to visit the most. If I was forced to decide I would say I preferred the Jordan side, because my skin and hair felt more silky than it did after visiting the salty Israel side, but the Israel salt did provide exceptional views. Jordan also felt more ethical, because what is happening to Palestinian land made me enjoy my time in Israel less. There is a depressing side to every visit to Israel, because it is actually occupied Palestinian land.
Need to know:
Don’t shave before going into the sea, major ouch!
Don’t get the sea in your eyes, it’s stings!
Don’t steal Dead Sea water or salt, leave it for everyone else to enjoy in the future.
When to visit?
I went to Jordan at Christmas time. While Jordan was overall very chilly at this time the Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth, so is warmer. The Dead Sea was a comfortable temperature to float in, but it was too cold to go in the swimming pools unless it was heated.
I visited Israel in the summer. It was 42 degrees during the day. The reflection from the sun on the salt turned the sea into an environment not fit for sane humans. Only the crazy few could be found in the sea during the day, everybody else waited for sunset to bathe.
The best time to visit would be during the autumn or spring months. Not too hot and not too cold.
I’m trying to plan a layover in Jordan on the way to Lebanon this Easter to visit the Dead Sea again, so I’ll report back to this blog after that trip.
Follow me on Instagram for more travel tips and inspiration. You may also be interested in my Bethlehem, Eilat or Jordan blog posts.
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