Page 49 - (DK Eyewitness) Top 10 Travel Guide - Israel & Petra

Beaches ❮❮ 47

TOP 10 SAFETY TIPS FOR
THE DEAD SEA
1 Sunburn
Wear sunblock but don’t stress out
about sunburn – thanks to the density
of the air, you’ll get much less solar
radiation than at sea level.
2 Dehydration
The extreme heat can cause
dehydration, and so can osmosis while
swimming, so drink plenty of water.
Rocky shores at Dor-HaBonim 3 Salt Stings
Avoid shaving for a day or two before
Dor-HaBonim
8 taking a dip – Dead Sea waters cause
even the tiniest scratches to sting.
MAP C3 • Between HaBonim
and Dor, S of Haifa • Adm 4 Eye Care
Part of a nature reserve, this 3-mile Never dunk your head below the
(5-km) section of Mediterranean surface – if Dead Sea water gets in
your eyes, it will sting terribly.
coast is known for its dramatic
kurkar rock formations, tidal pools 5 Swallowing the Water
rich in marine life, tiny offshore Never swallow Dead Sea water –
islands, untouched beaches, and drinking even a small quantity can
be dangerous.
Tel Dor, the ruins of a Phoenician
port town. Camping is permitted. 6 Strong Winds
Don’t let the wind push you away
Beit Yanai-Michmoret
9 from the coast, or you may end up
floating toward Jordan.
MAP D3 • Beit Yanai • Adm
Nahal Alexander, coastal Israel's 7 Sinkholes
most ecologically healthy river Watch out for sinkholes around the
Dead Sea’s northern basin and heed
(it's a national park) flows into the all warning signs about them.
Mediterranean amid pristine sand
dunes dotted with grass and shrubs. 8 Flash Floods
Rain can turn wadis in the area into
Beit Yanai Beach, south of the dangerous torrents, so stay out of
estuary, has eateries; to the north, dry riverbeds if there has been rain
Michmoret Beach offers beautiful up in the Judean Desert.
views plus beachfront restaurants. 9 Rocky Seabed
Camping is permitted. Bring flip-flops, as parts of the
Coral Beach
0 Dead Sea have a rocky bottom.
10 Jewelry
MAP D2 • 4 miles (7 km)
SW of Eilat • Open 9am–5pm Sat– Leave your jewelry at home – minerals
in the water will discolor almost
Thu, 9am–4pm Fri, open 1 hour everything except 24-carat gold.
later during daylight saving • Adm
• www.parks.org.il
The Red Sea has some of the world’s
most incredible undersea life, and
this marine nature reserve is the
best place in Israel to experience it.
The beach itself is nothing special,
but get into the water and you’ll
discover gardens of extraordinary
coral inhabited by the kind of frilly,
colorful fish you can usually only
see in aquariums. Snorkeling gear Visitor enjoying the Dead Sea
is available for rent.
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