Famous for being the lowest place on earth, the Dead Sea is one of Israel’s major attractions.
The unusually high percentage of salt in the Dead Sea makes it unique and allows bathers to effortlessly float on the sea. Aside from floating bodies, another interesting element of filming at the Dead Sea is the mud with Dead Sea minerals that visitors can smear over their bodies. This practice is depicted in a scene in Eytan Fox’s Walk on Water when the main character and his guest spend the day at the Dead Sea; a segment that also inspired the film’s title.
Because of the special therapeutic effects of the Dead Sea minerals, there are many spas and hotels lining the seaside, and the Dead Sea is a popular site for scientific and medical studies. The actual size of the sea is 67 kilometers (42 miles) long and up to 18 kilometers (11 miles) wide, and the eastern side of the sea borders Jordan.
The Dead Sea is also ideal for shooting because it boasts 330 full days of sunshine a year. The Dead Sea is conveniently located around an hour’s drive from Jerusalem, and near other sites of general interest, such as Masada and Ein Gedi.