Once the mud is dry, you head for the sea. At all the resorts and beaches, there are life guards and ropes strung across the water to stop you going too far out.

The water is warm (in winter) and hot bath-like (in summer), so there's none of that English-seaside-holiday, "it's lovely once you're in!" pleasure.

As you go into the sea, you're likely to discover tiny cuts and grazes you didn't know you had, because they'll sting like mad for a minute or so. Those people unwise enough to shave any part of their bodies or faces on the day they go in the Dead Sea will regret it - it'll make you go "ouch"!

Don't get it in your eyes, and if a drop does go in an eye, don't do the instinctive thing and rub your eye, it'll sting more if you do that. Just wait for your eye to wash itself clean.The Dead Sea salt won't damage your eyes or anything, don't worry about that. It just hurts if you get it in your eyes!



Splashing in the Dead Sea is very anti-social, don't do it if you want to make friends and influence people.



On the plus side, though, any cuts heal amazingly fast after a dip in the Dead Sea. I cut my foot quite hard on my way into the waters on my first visit there, and while it hurt like mad for a minute or two, I've never had a cut heal so fast.



You can't swim in the sea, you'll be too buoyant. But you can float amazingly well, and far higher out of the water than in any sea, lake or swimming pool you've ever been in. It's wonderfully relaxing, and one of the most romantic experiences in my life so far is floating hand in hand with my other half while the sun set over the hills.

The water doesn't feel like normal water, it's much more oily feeling, but not at all unpleasant. Rather, it soothes and cradles your body.

After you've had enough, or been thrown out at closing time, there are fresh water showers on the beach near the sea (colder than the sea, so very refreshing in summer) and more showers and toilets in the changing blocks at the top of the beach.

Both Ein Gedi and the Mineral Beach also have hot-water sulphur pools, with the water in them coming not from the Dead Sea, but from mineral-rich springs which feed into the sea. These are a wonderful experience after the Dead Sea itself.

