Should you be longing for easy access to the Dead Sea for a refreshing and buoyant float, I highly recommend Ein Bokek Beach. Offering numerous free amenities such as a lifeguard (although I don't know how you could possibly drown in the mineral-rich waters); beach chairs; covered huts & walking piers extending into the Dead Sea; water fountains; toilets & showers, and unbelievably, this is all FREE! Our visit in December was comfortable temperature-wise both the air and in water, without many tourists. Aroma Cafe is a short walk away, located in a small mall where you can pick up any needed items or something to eat. Sunset is a lovely time to enjoy the beauty and peacefulness of the area.

If you are visiting Israel then you definitely need to check out this area of the Dead Sea. The water here is much more salty then the water in the northern end of the Dead Sea and it is also crystal clear. There is no ‘mud’ in this part of the Dead Sea but you can bury packets of it almost everywhere and smear it on yourself if you want the Dead Sea Mud Experience. The water is extremely salty and you really have to make sure you don’t get any in your eyes...even getting it on your face stings after a little while. The experience of floating on the salty sea is amazing and you will be surprised at just how buoyant you are. One of the wonderful things to do in this end of the Dead Sea is to explore the incredible Salt deposits along the edge of the Dead Sea. They form weird sculptures, flat platforms of salt, and strange white ‘icebergs’ of salt. Lots of great photo opportunities in this area so take you camera and have some fun. Just remember that the salt along the endless of the Dead Sea is ‘hard and quite sharp’...so make sure you wear some sort of water-friendly shoes.

We took the 486 bus from Jerusalem's Central Station (24 shekels RT) and 2 hours later got off at the Dead Sea Daniel hotel stop. Ein Bokek beach was lovely, with shade sails on the beach and in the water. Free outdoor showers and foot showers and changing facilities. We rented 2 beach loungers and a chair. Bought mud for 10 shekels at the market, a cheap towel (for 3 of us) and we did buy water shoes for 30 shekels, but if you have flip flops you could get away with. Not buying water shoes (though they were nice to have). It wasn't crazy hot, so we ended up staying for almost 4 hours. It was a really fun and easy day. We went on a Wednesday, in late Sept,so not crowded at all. It's the same bus for EIN Gedi and Masada. A note about hotel day passes: I couldn't find good info on this. I finally emailed Herod hotel, and they said it was $105 per day and Lot Hotel emailed back and said theirs was $145 per day, including lunch and I think spa? (Not spa treatments). An Israeli we met at the Dead Sea said that they get a military discount and he thought theirs was more like $50 and that the buffet lunch is awesome and the indoor/outdoor pools have pumped in Dead Sea water.

Bathing in the Dead Sea is an unforgettable experience you should not miss if you visit Israel. Be careful not to make a total immersion dive specially with your head because the extra salty water isn't pleasant for eyes or if incidentally drunk. Injuries or skin cuts can burn a bit so try it gradually before you float too far from the beach. Laying on your back is easy and very relaxing but if you fall asleep (it can literally happen) you are in trouble. Laying on the belly is almost impossible without immerging your head. Even if you take a long shower (don't waste too much water!) you'll feel oily and salted. I'd recommend closed bathing shoes to walk safely on salt crystals. I hope this basin won't become completely dried up!

Right where the Dead Sea Mall is located and next to the hotels, you have a large beach with plenty of chairs, and shade to sit and enjoy a swim in the sea, water was very warm, the water is so clear, but remember this is evaporation huge pool, so you will see a lot of salt, walking on it can be a bit rough, and there is no mud here, unless you buy it in one of the stores in the Mall. Mud is one of the nice features of the Dead Sea and that you can have it on the northern shores of the sea, still is a very clean and well organized area, with showers and places to change, so is a free alternative. Only during the summer you do not pay parking, but that is a small charge

Ein Bokek is a small cluster of hotels and shops on the edge of the dead sea. We've been here many times it has a fantastic beach and easy access to the dead sea with a wooden ramp with hand rail for those needing help to walk in. It has outdoor showers and a changing area all of which are free. You do need to pay for a locker or sun lounger if you require them. The best thing is it's free! Some of the other sites in the North of the dead sea charge a lot especially if you only want to stop off for an hour or 2 instead of staying the whole day. Masada is also only a few minutes up the road so thus allows you to take in both dead sea and Masada in the one trip. Note you do have to pay for parking but it's only a few shekels

Hotels have sprung up like mushrooms at Ein Bokek, some three hours from Jerusalem and two hours from Eilat, but it's still by far the best place from which to visit the Dead Sea. The beach is lovely, well kept and quiet out of season. There is a lovely walkway into the Dead Sea which is covered in salt crystals and the view is breathtaking. We were last at the Dead Sea a few years ago and in that time it has visibly shrunk in size. It's desperately sad. The lifeguards told us that the Sea is retreating at the rate of 1 metre a year but it looks more than that to my untrained eye. For one of my children this was a first time floating in the Dead Sea and despite the fact the waters were very cold she had a ball and it remains a joyous and very special experience. My advice is to experience it now before it shrinks much further and before the area around Ein Bokek becomes even more over-developed.

Best FREE place to enjoy the Dead Sea, for so many reasons. First, street parking (as always, you must pay, but this is everywhere in Israel) is available so you are not being robbed to park. Facilities to change in. Clean bathrooms. Lots of showers once you have left the water. Lifeguards on duty. Both places in the sun and shade to use. The short is easy to walk on. Highly recommended. And there is great shopping right next door in case you did something like we did - show up without towels (we bought large towels for $3 each!!) plus extra inexpensive Dead Sea products (the shopping next door you will not be ripped off at!). Every reason to visit and none not to.

I’d heard that you can’t sink in the Dead Sea , well it’s true and it is strange . I tried to swim but most of me was on the surface and my legs went into the air. It was hard to swim. So I tried swimming on my back both doing a backstroke and then swimming feet forward, I liked this the best. Also you can pull our knees to your chest and just st in the water. One thing don’t get water in your eyes , there were people near me frantically trying to get to the beach for their water bottles to wash their eyes out. I was staying nearby so I didn’t take much notice of the facilities, just focussed on the experience, which was absolutely amazing, Also it was early winter but the water and air weren’t cold. Ein Bokek and the beach is well worth the visit.

Day Trip - Took a bus from Jerusalem Central Bus Station and had a great time enjoying the view and the 2 hour ride all the way to Ein Bokek. Beach bed, changing area, showers are readily available at the beach - free of charge. Highly suggest to wear sandals when taking a dip on the beach. Mud is not freely available but same can be bought from the nearby Dead Sea Mall for 5 NIS.