You can’t miss the Dead Sea when you visit Israel! The best thing is …. in Ein Bokek there is a FREE public beach! With a special tip on transportation, the cost for getting there and back is roughly $11 from Jerusalem. Can you imagine a fun day at the Dead Sea cost so little?
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.
