Morning we returned to Mt. Nebo after checking out of the hotel. Our first attraction for the day was Memorial of Moses.
Didn’t spend much time there since there weren’t a lot to see due to the renovation. After admiration of the view, we left for Bethany Beyond the Jordan, a UNESCO site where Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River. It was not a long drive from Mt. Nebo. The closest we could drive was however only to the visitor’s center, and taking guided tour from there.
We went on to check in at the Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea Hotel, one of the more affordable ones along the Dead Sea. We were quite early and they provided a free upgrade for our room to a suite! Lovely surprise. Had our lunch at one of the many eating places available in the resort, beside the pool.
During the tour the baptism site, we met a tourist from Iraq whom said that we should visit the Ma’in hot springs while here. So we took a drive out and as we drove, we saw a Dead Sea Panoramic Complex which we visited for a while. Here we learnt how the Dead Sea was formed and how it was drying up.
There after, we drove on to Ma’in hot springs to have a look. There was a huge waterfall and cave that was opened for public. There were also some other springs meant for families and for ladies only. The water from the waterfall was actually quite hot! I had to purchase a pair of shots to get a piece of the action in the waterfall.
We didn’t stay long as I was only one in the springs while my wife waited outside. I couldn’t stay too long as well since the water was really hot and the weather was hot too. Drove back to the hotel to enjoy the room for a bit before heading to the private beach of the resort for some Dead Sea experience.
There were some bowls of mud that were already collected from the shore and we could just apply it onto our face and bodies. However, the saltiness of the mud bit into our skin, took some time to get used to this. There was a clean water facility for us to wash down after we were happy with the application.
The other experience was of course to float on the Dead Sea. It was quite amusing to do so although it must take a little bit of balancing. The risk to this was at the water getting into the eye that would make you cry since the saltiness was so much higher than normal sea water.
Got back to the room and clean up before dinner. We settled for dinner at the resort itself, not knowing where else we could get dinner nearby. It was a dining under the stars experience, with the cool breeze coming in.
Then it was the end of a short but amazing experience at the dead sea.