Dead fun

The Dead Sea is as much fun as it looks - and this incredibly warm, bizarrely situated (400 metres below sea level in the middle of an arid desert) is impossible to leave until the salt in the water starts to make you start to sting all over. The presence of US-style resorts here that wouldn't seem out of place in a Hollywood depiction of Miami is strangely at odds with the locals; many of the women retain their body-covering garb while sitting by the pool or paddling in the water down at the beach. Another example of the strange collision of "East" and "West" in the region, but one that seemed to be a hit, as what would otherwise be a very unwelcoming place has become quite a destination for local families and travellers alike.