Ein Bokek – Dead Sea Public Beach

 Opening Hours：07:00-17:00 (You can probably still stay around since there isn’t really a “gate”)

 Fee：Free

 Facility：Shower, lifeguard

Location: At the southern tip of Jerusalem. It takes 1.5 hours from Jerusalem

Travel Tip

Take #444 or #485 from platform 4 on the 3rd floor of Jerusalem Central Bus Station. (Book in advance if you are taking #444, Customer Service Center *2800)

Use the Rav-kav machine nearby before getting on the bus, and find #375 day pass (a special contract that allows you unlimited movement in the designated area, read more about it here)

 The #375 contract costs 40NIS. It will include all your transportation in Jerusalem, and down to Ein Bokek, Masada etc. A single ride to Ein Bokek costs 30NIS, so you are saving a lot! I strongly recommended making the effort to buy it!

The Get-Off Location

I took 444 and told the driver that I wanted to get off at Ein Bokek. Somehow I was dropped at Hod Hotel, still, an 8 minutes walk to the beach. The closest stop would have been Oasis Hotel.

On the good side, there’s a mall in Hod Hotel. There’s a McDonalds inside plus souvenir shops. You can get Dead Sea mud for 5 NIS!

Ein Bokek Public Beach

If you have been to Jordanian side… yes, the public beach in Ein Bokek will surprise you! The beach is clean and chilled! It’s incredibly beautiful and pretty much everything you have been dreaming about the Dead Sea!

Maybe just try not to come during summer. Haha!

Facilities

There is a couple of shower facility in the open area.

Changing room! Very basic though, there’s no door.

Say hi to the lifeguard! (He’s inside) (Don’t say hi, I’m kidding)

I think I was supposed to see a water drinking facility and lockers… but I didn’t. Anyways, I saw toilets and amazingly it is free to enter!! When you just got used to how expensive everything in Israel is…. and Israel surprises you again!

Oh, but it isn’t too clean here. It is bearable.

Paid Facilities

You can rent a parasol for 10NIS, beach chair for 10NIS, sunbed for 15NIS and a table for 10NIS.

I guess, if you want to stay for a long time, you do need a chair.

En Gedi or Ein Gedi was the place where David hid in the Bible. It’s surprisingly close to the Dead Sea! Over here, you will find a famous Ein Gedi Kubbutz, Ein Gedi Public Beach that has been closed since 2016, and this famous Nature Reserve! This is a perfect place for hiking!

For entry, you can make good use of the Annual Pass of Israel’s National Park. There are some picnic tables at the entrance. You cannot bring food inside!

The Meaning of Ein Gedi

Ein Gedi or En Gedi is two words. The first word “Ein” or “En” in Hebrew עין means source of water. So Ein Gedi basically means the water source of Gedi.

Ein Gedi in the Bible

Ein Gedi was a city assigned to the tribe of Judah in the Bible, along with Secacah, the salt city of Qumran.

After killing Goliath, King Saul got jealous over David.

Now when Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, they told him saying, “Look, David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.” (1 Sam 24:1)

In his pursuit against David, King Saul found hismelf a cave to relief himself. This was the reason I wanted to visit Ein Gedi… I wanted to see a cave!

Ein Gedi was mentioned in Solomon’s Song of Songs

My love is to me a spray of henna blooms
in the vineyards of En-gedi. (Song of Songs 1:14)

The Map of Ein Gedi

There are 9 trails in this park. Find a level that fits you, just note that Israeli men serve 3 years and girls serve 2 years in IDF. So their standard is a bit different! You can find the original map here.

As a tourist, I think you’d only need to consider these 4 routes. Please ignore the Chinese description.

The Lower Section of David’s Waterfall

This is the entrance! Look at this landscape! There is only one way, so you keep going straight!

It is not a difficult climb. And the view is spectacular!

Turn around and take a look of the Dead Sea!

This is the same area where Qumran is. There is plenty of rocks and caves.  It’s very dry, though relatively speaking, it’s greener here.

So, if Saul hid in one of these caves, which one is more suitable for him to go to No.2?

Found a random bird in a bush! (Why?) He looks like a Tristram’s starling.

This is the way for upper waterfall. You can see a temple from Chalcolithic Age as people started to settle here in 3150-4000BC! Treasures made by copper were found in the caves near Nahal Mishmar.  So can you see people hiking in the picture?

Here they are! Hi Wally!

The area is dry, but you see water here! Now this hiking experience is more than just good views! It’s fun!

These people found themselves a good spot to chill! What a good place to bond!

Mini cascade!

Clear water. This is ideal!

The hiking trip involves going through a mini cave! How fun!

And then, a waterfall appeared! In Dead Sea Region! This isn’t David Waterfall yet. I don’t think this waterfall has a name. I put my feet inside the icy water. It was soothing! Some people swam here. That’s why it’s a nice idea to come here in your swim suit.

Keep moving up! Turn right to David Waterfall!

Here we go! The real David waterfall! David has intense love to God. He knew who His God is from an early age. And he was determined in loving God, regardless of what others think of him. This is what he wrote when he was in the wilderness of Judah.

O God, You are my God,
earnestly I seek You.
My soul thirsts for You.
My flesh longs for You
in a dry and weary land, where there is no water.

And this one is my pet Shafan. No his name is not Steven. It’s Shafan. I’ll explain!

If you aren’t satisfied, then keep hiking upwards! 

Saw unidentified fruit. Is it Giant Milkweed?

And finally… I have been looking for these little guys! Can you see what I was looking for?

It’s them! Shafan! This animal is hyrax. Or translated as conies or rock badgers. This animal in the Bible actually exists in the land of the Bible!

coneys are creatures with little power,
yet they make their homes in the cliffs; (Proverbs 30:26)

I thought it would be difficult to find these little creatures…

You could see them everywhere!

They were pocket size perfect! Don’t try to smuggle one!

Where was Jesus immersed (baptized)? Qasr el Yahud, though less commonly known, is more likely to be the historical place where John immersed people.

Qasr el Yahud is located 50 km from Jerusalem. The sight is managed by Israel’s National Park. Entry is FREE! The site was opened since 2011, after cleaning mines placed by Jordan in this area. And when you come here, you can actually see Jordan’s Baptismal site being just a stone’s throw away.

You have to arrange for your own transportation, because no public transportation goes here yet!

The Meaning: Qasr el Yahud

Qasr el Yahud means the fortress of the Jews in Hebrew. So how come the place where Jesus (Yeshua) was baptized was named Qasr el Yahud? It’s possible to suggest that the place was popular for Jews to be immersed, since it’s the closest spot from Jerusalem.

Jordan River in the Bible

Jordan River is mentioned for 176 times in the Bible (Chinese version), it is a significant place both in geography and in miraculous events happened here. Abraham and Lot departed each other from here. After 40 years in wilderness, the children of Israel finally crossed Jordan River to enter the land of milk and honey. This place is very close to Gilgal, where God said to Joshua,

“This day I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.”

Jesus (Yeshua) was baptized in Jordan River by John. After this he went into the wilderness and was tempted for 40 days.

Then Yeshua came from the Galilee to John, to be immersed by him in the Jordan. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be immersed by You, and You are coming to me?” 

But Yeshua responded, “Let it happen now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”

So John yielded to Him. After being immersed, Yeshua rose up out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Ruach Elohim descending like a dove and coming upon Him. And behold, a voice from the heavens said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased!” (Matthew 3:13-17) (TLV Version)

Qasr el Yahud Experience

This baptismal site belonged to Jordan until 1967. And then Israel miraculously won the Sixth Day War in 1967. Now the Jordan River became the physical boundary between Israel and Jordan. So naturally, Jordan River is split between 2 countries. The Israeli side of Jesus’ baptismal sight was taken back in 1967, but it wasn’t opened to public until 2011 due to safety issue.

Qasr-el-Yahud is not a big place! And it’s FREE on Israeli side (and 12JOD on Jordanian side, that is $16!) It’s gaining popularity because more people know this is the real place where Yeshua (Jesus) was immersed.

The boundary, well, I guess the exact boundary will be that fence. Don’t try to swim over to the other side! Police are watching from both sides!

How Come Jordan River is so Muddy?

There’s a Israel-Jordan Peace Agreement, so that means the water of Yarmuk River in Jordan will not flow to here, and the water of Sea of Galilee (Tiberias) in Israel will not flow to here either.  So what’s this water we see? It’s agricultural and industrial waste water…. So yes, you need to be determined and literally take the “leap of faith” if you want to be immersed here! 

A small chapel can be found here. And free toilet!!

Transportation Tips

1. No public transportation
2. You can hire a driver from Bethlehem ($100 for a day), come with a tour group, or come with a rented car