You’ve seen the photos. Everyone has. Someone is lying flat on their back in blue-ish water, holding a newspaper or a paperback book, looking entirely too relaxed for someone in the middle of a lake. They aren't swimming. They aren't treading water. They’re just... there. It’s the classic promise of the Dead Sea: you float like a feather regardless of your body type, swimming ability, or how much hummus you ate for lunch at the resort buffet.
But here is the thing.
If you just run into that water like it’s a standard beach in Florida or Tel Aviv, you are going to have a very bad time. I’m talking "eyes-burning-for-three-hours" bad. I’m talking "screaming-because-you-didn't-realize-you-had-a-papercut" bad. To actually get that weightless sensation without a trip to the emergency clinic, you need to understand the weird science of buoyancy and the very specific rules of the lowest point on Earth.
Why the Dead Sea Actually Makes You Float
It isn't magic. It is physics. Specifically, it's about density.
Most ocean water has a salt concentration of around 3.5%. That’s enough to make you a bit more buoyant than in a swimming pool, but you still have to work to stay up. The Dead Sea? It’s sitting at roughly 34% salinity. That is nearly ten times saltier than the Atlantic or Pacific. Because the water is so packed with minerals—magnesium, potassium, calcium, and of course, sodium chloride—the liquid itself becomes heavier and denser than the human body.
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When you get in, you displace a volume of water that weighs significantly more than you do. Archimedes' Principle kicks in, and the water pushes you upward with a force that feels almost aggressive. It’s less like swimming and more like lying on a very liquid, very salty mattress.
The Mineral Cocktail
It’s not just table salt. The Dead Sea is a terminal lake, meaning water flows in (mostly from the Jordan River) but nothing flows out. As the water evaporates in the brutal 100°F heat of the Jordan Rift Valley, the minerals stay behind. They get concentrated. They get thick.
If you rub the water between your fingers, it feels oily. That "oiliness" is actually the high concentration of magnesium chloride. It’s what gives the water that silky texture, but it’s also what makes it taste like a chemical fire if you’re unlucky enough to get a drop on your tongue.
The Reality of How You Float Like a Feather
Most people think they’ll just walk in and bob around like a cork. Honestly, the first ten seconds are usually a panicked struggle to keep your feet down.
Because the water is so dense, your legs want to pop up to the surface immediately. If you try to swim a traditional breaststroke or freestyle, your butt and legs will rise so high that your face gets pushed down into the water. This is dangerous. If you get Dead Sea water in your lungs, it can cause a chemical pneumonia or severe electrolyte imbalance.
The trick is to walk out until the water is about waist-deep, then slowly—very slowly—sit back as if you’re lowering yourself into a recliner.
Once you’ve found that sweet spot, you float like a feather. You’ll notice that you sit much higher in the water than you do in a pool. Your chest and entire ribcage will likely be above the surface. You can cross your ankles. You can read. You can look at the mountains of Moab over in Jordan. It is an alien sensation. It feels like gravity gave up on you for the day.
What Nobody Tells You About the "Healing" Water
The travel brochures talk about the "natural spa" and the "healing minerals." And sure, there is plenty of evidence that the Dead Sea is great for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology years ago highlighted how the magnesium-rich salts improve skin barrier function and reduce inflammation.
But let's be real for a second.
If you shaved your legs this morning? You will feel like you’ve been dipped in acid.
Did you cat scratch your arm yesterday? It’s going to sting like a hornet.
Even a tiny, invisible hangnail becomes a throbbing point of pain the second it touches the brine.
The Mud Factor
You’ll see people covered in black goo. This is the famous Dead Sea mud, which is rich in bitumen and silicates. People slather it on, let it dry in the sun until it cracks, and then rinse it off. It’s supposed to detoxify the skin. Does it work? My skin always feels incredibly soft afterward, but the smell is... earthy. Let’s call it earthy. It’s basically sulfur and ancient organic matter.
If you want the full experience, find a spot where the mud is naturally occurring on the shore (usually at the more "wild" beaches) or use the buckets provided at the organized resorts like Ein Gedi or the hotel strip in Ein Bokek.
Survival Tips for the Lowest Point on Earth
Don't go in alone if you aren't a confident breather. That sounds weird, but if you flip onto your stomach, it is surprisingly hard to flip back over because of the buoyancy. You end up kicking your legs in the air like an upside-down turtle.
- Protect your eyes. If you get a splash in your eye, do not rub it. You need to get to a fresh-water shower immediately. Most managed beaches have showers right on the shoreline for this exact reason.
- Wear cheap flip-flops. The "sand" isn't sand. It’s jagged salt crystals. They are sharp. They will cut your feet. Wear shoes into the water and just kick them onto the shore or keep them on if they’re secure.
- Time yourself. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty. Any longer and your skin starts to feel "pickled." You’ll also start to dehydrate faster than you realize.
- Remove your jewelry. Salt is corrosive. Silver will tarnish instantly. Gold is usually okay, but why risk it? The salt can also eat away at the glue in cheap costume jewelry.
The Environmental Crisis: The Sea is Disappearing
It’s impossible to talk about the Dead Sea without mentioning that it’s shrinking at an alarming rate—about three to four feet per year. As the water level drops, the groundwater around the shore recedes, dissolving underground salt layers and creating massive sinkholes.
If you visit the northern parts of the sea, you’ll see abandoned resorts and roads that have been swallowed by these holes. It’s a stark reminder that while the sensation of floating is timeless, the sea itself is under massive ecological pressure due to mineral mining and the diversion of the Jordan River. If you want to experience that feeling where you float like a feather, you might want to do it sooner rather than later.
Making the Most of the Experience
The best time to go is either early morning or late afternoon. The midday sun in the depression is relentless, and the salt on your skin acts like a magnifying glass.
When you finally get out, you’ll feel "greasy" from the minerals. This is the magnesium. Don't just towel off. Hit the fresh-water showers and scrub. Once the salt is gone, your skin will feel smoother than it ever has in your life. It's a bizarre trade-off: ten minutes of intense stinging and the fear of flipping over, followed by a day of feeling like you've had a world-class spa treatment.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
- Check for cuts. Seriously. If you have any open wounds, cover them with waterproof bandages or just stay out.
- Hydrate before you go in. The salt pulls moisture out of your body via osmosis. Drink a liter of water before you even touch the shore.
- Choose your beach wisely. Ein Bokek is free and has great facilities, but it’s crowded. Kalia Beach in the north has the "lowest bar in the world," but the walk to the water is getting longer every year due to the receding shoreline.
- Enter backward. Walk in until you’re deep enough, then sit back. Never dive. Never jump.
- Rinse twice. Rinse at the beach, then take a proper soapy shower back at your hotel to get the mineral film off your skin.
The Dead Sea is one of those rare places that actually lives up to the "bucket list" hype. It’s uncomfortable, it smells a bit like eggs, and it’s hotter than the surface of the sun, but the moment you let go and realize the water is holding you up entirely, you’ll understand why people have been coming here since the time of Herod the Great. Just keep your mouth shut and your eyes dry.