10 Top Attractions in the Dead Sea Region
10 Top Attractions in the Dead Sea Region, Jordan
By Bloom Dead Sea Life
( 2-3 Minute Read )
The Dead Sea is one of Jordan’s top tourist attractions, but it’s not just about floating in the water itself.
This area is packed full of things to do, from the gentle pursuits of soaking in thermal hot springs to action-packed hike-swims within the waters of the vast canyon of Wadi Mujib.
It’s a fascinating area to explore and within easy reach as a day trip from either Amman or the town of Madaba.
Find out what there is to see and do in the area with our list of the top attractions in the Dead Sea region.
1. Dead Sea Resort Area
The beach area of Jordan’s Dead Sea coastline, with five-star spa resorts and day-access beach complexes, sits on the northern section of the sea.
The Dead Sea’s mineral-rich mud is well known to have therapeutic properties, and the resorts here all offer room and spa ritual packages for a pampering time-out from traveling.
2. Dead Sea Panoramic Complex
Sitting on a ridge, looking over the Dead Sea below, this complex with an observation platform and a museum devoted to the Dead Sea is a great stop on your way to or from the Dead Sea shore itself.
The museum here documents the geology of the Dead Sea and this area’s importance through human history.
3. Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan
Most scholars believe that this is the site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. During Pope John Paul II’s Holy Land tour in 2000, the site’s claim was officially sanctified by him.
The earliest foundations of a church discovered here dates back to the 3rd century, making it one of the oldest in the world.
Right beside the Jordan River (which is little more than a narrow stream these days) is the modern Greek Orthodox Church of St. John the Baptist. A platform on the river bank here is used for pilgrims who want to be baptized in Jordan.
4. Thermal Springs of Hammamat Ma’in
The thermal springs of Hammamat Ma’in are secreted between barren high hills , within the lush valley of Wadi Zarqa Ma’in.
Here, steaming waterfalls gush down the cliffs into pools where people soak in the hot, mineral-rich water.
5. Mukawir
The remains of Mukawir (Machaerus) lie scattered atop a 700-meter-high summit overlooking the Dead Sea.
The ruins are actually quite sparse, and mostly foundations only. Most people come here for the astonishing views across the rippling hills, down to the Dead Sea, from the site.
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6. Wadi Mujib
Feted as the lowest national park in the world and officially known as Wadi Mujib Biosphere Reserve, Wadi Mujib is a towering canyon area that slices through Jordan’s desert mountains, opening out at the Dead Sea.
The main activity area of Wadi Mujib is the Dead Sea area where the towering, rose-toned gorge walls are at their narrowest.
From the entrance here, adventurous travelers can take part in a number of wet-hikes that explore the canyon.
Activities here mostly take place during the summer months when the water is at its lowest (the Wadi is closed to visitors during certain seasons and after heavy rainfall due to dangerous conditions).
When open, hikes here always involve getting soaking wet as you swim-scramble through the inner canyon and, at the end of the main trail, dive over a small waterfall into a pool below. They’re great fun for hardy, adrenaline-seekers but not suitable for anyone not confident in water.
The upper reaches of the canyon can be viewed from near the small town of Dhiban along the King’s Highway.
7. Sodom & Gomorrah
There are good views of shorefront salt deposits from the parking area here, so it’s a popular place to visit for photographs.
Archaeologists who worked on the excavations here date the site’s settlement from approximately 3200 BC to 1900 BC.
8. Lisan Peninsula
The southern section of Jordan’s Dead Sea is where the potash industry is based. As you drive through, you can see the evaporation pools where potassium chloride, calcium, and bromine are extracted from the Dead Sea water.
There are various places along the shoreline here where you can get good views of the salt deposits.
On the eastern side of the road, the small settlements are surrounded by fertile farmland where tomatoes and bananas are grown.
9. Lot’s Cave Monastery
This is where some biblical scholars believe Lot and his daughters lived after God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
A stepped walkway winds up the hill to the site, with good views of the surrounding countryside along the way.
There are some well-preserved fragments of mosaic flooring in the church ruins, as well as the remains of a reservoir.
10. Feynan Nature Reserve
This desert area encompasses the lower elevation of Wadi Dana Biosphere Reserve, which at its top height sits at around 1,700 meters, with Dana Village accessed from the King’s Highway, and here, amid the desert, sits below sea level.
Feynan Eco-lodge here arranges a number of activities within the desert area, including hikes to copper mines used in the Iron Age and Roman era, and canyoning. It’s also the only place to stay in the area. A night at Feynan is an experience in itself, as the eco-lodge doesn’t use electricity.
From Feynan, there is a popular, and incredibly beautiful, one-day hiking trail up the Wadi Dana to Dana Village.
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