Thanks to its high salinity levels Dead Sea is an amazing place to relax while reading a newspaper – we bet you have seen these pictures thousands of times! Moreover, it is also the place where every single person can float without fearing for their lives, even Marcin who claims he is too dense to float in a regular sea. Even though both swimming and floating is kinda nice, the oily film and itchy feeling it leaves on your skin are not. Luckily – there are other fun things to do there and hunting down awesome salt formations is one of them.
The best way to search for unsual salt formations is of course with a drone. Dead Sea has plenty of bizarre structures. Some of them are right there whereas for some you need to work a little harder. It is always worth it though, trust us! Here is your little guide to the best structures we were able to find with a little map with all of them marked in the end. Enjoy!
Flying a drone in Israel
To be perfectly honest with you guys – we visited the israeli side of the Dead Sea twice in the span of one year. Why you might ask? Because the first time we went in January 2019 we didn’t bring our drone with us! It quickly became very clear that it was a mistake and we made a vow to ourselves to come back with proper gear. We have been lucky to return 11 months later and this time we came prepared! To learn about essential permits and procedures to fly a drone in Israel head to our Dead Sea detailed guide.
Best Dead Sea salt formations
Dead Sea Tree of Life
Unfortunately we got some devastating news that the tree is not there at the moment. Apparently some teenagers underestimated their body weight and tried climbing it for a photo. The tree broke as a result. However, the island itself is still pretty special and we heard rumours that a tree should return there soon enough.
This island is located furthest from the shore among all the salt formations mentioned in this post – it is situated 300m from the coast. The only way of getting there is with your own hands and legs, either swimming or paddleboarding from the Neve Zohar beach. Unfortunately – it is easier said than done. Whereas floating in the Dead Sea is very easy, swimming on the other hand is not. It takes around 20 minutes to get there so be prepared!
And where did the tree come from actually? Dead Sea cannot support any life obviously so the tree had been put there as an art installation showcasing how the Dead Sea is shrinking (dying) due to climate changes. The local artist took care of it paddleboarding to the island and adding some mud with minerals every other day.
Round Islands
Another one of Mother Nature’s marvelous creations. These round salt islands are located so close to the short that you can easily walk up to them withouth getting wet from the waist up. The best time to photograph them is right after sunrise when the water is calm and the light is soft. Also the sun shines from the perfect direction to highlight the salty texture of the bottom. In the afternoon when the sun hides behind the mountains the effect will not be as striking. This goes for all of the salt formations on the israeli side of the Dead Sea.
The Baloon
This one has a very unusual shape. We decided it looks like a baloon but of course you are welcome to have your own ideas. It is not too far from the shore, however you will for sure need water shoes to get closer. Then again, this goes for every place on this list because the salt is incredibly sharp and ready to cut your skin ASAP.
Salty catwalk
Or just the salty pathway leading you deeper into Dead Sea waters. This one is extremely cool and you can get there almost withouth getting your feet wet. It is around 20 metres long and looks great from the air.
Salty beach
Finding a nice looking beach by the Dead Sea is not the easiest of tasks. The official ones are right next to the hotels and they are nicely equipped but they also attract crowds. Thanks to its crazy salt levels Dead Sea created an alternative salty beach. Unfortunately, it is not the beach where you can just lay and chill because it is way too painful. However it is a feast for the eyes for sure!
From all of the mentioned above, the round islands are definitely our favourite among the Dead Sea formations. The instantly blew us away with their shape and uniqueness. To sum up – we really hope you enjoyed our little guide! Below you will find a map with all of these awesome creations marked. We encourage you to search for some new ones too and if you find something cool – please share it with us! Happy hunting!
