The Dead Sea, and Israel in general, can be visited pretty much all year round. But setting your vacation dates will probably depend on what your own personal preferences are. For example, it’s September right now and the holiday season (the Jewish holiday season) is very much upon us. That means everywhere is packed to the rafters. It also means that prices, including hotels, are a little higher, as well as crowded. If crowds and Jewish holidays are your scene, then September/October are usually very full of action, though holiday dates will vary from year to year.

Another important factor in your decision when to visit the Dead Sea will probably be based on the weather. You’ve probably already learnt that Israel is extremely hot during the summer months, especially July-August. In the Dead Sea it gets extremely hot. Although the sun is less harmful at the Dead Sea, it is still very strong. Something you should take into consideration. If you’d prefer a cooler time to visit, the Spring (March, April and May) or Autumn (October and November) are probably better, as temperatures are a little more tolerable, around the high 20’s.

Winters in Israel and the Dead Sea are not really winters as you know them. You might see some occasional days of rain (which often leads to flash floods in the Dead Sea area, so be careful), but the temperatures are very comfortable.

To cut a long story short, avoid Israel and the Dead Sea in April (when Israel celebrates Passover, or Pessach) or September/October if you hate crowds and don’t want to be limited by numerous public holidays. These months might have the best weather, but they are choc-a-block full of tourists, both locals and from abroad. If you want a more relaxing, and cheaper, holiday, as well as not too overbearing heat-wise, we’d recommend March and late October/November.

So you’ve made it over to the Dead Sea for that dream holiday. The holiday where you pictured yourself floating away in the warm, salty waters, catching up on the latest news in the local edition of the IHT (International Herald Tribune), as a friend or loved one snapped away trying to catch that perfect holiday moment on film for the perfect memory…

But there’s one little thing those nice people in the hotel probably will forget to tell you. Or that doesn’t get too much coverage in those handy little tourist guides you probably purchased when you knew you were on your way to the Holy Land.

And that little thing is…that if you shave the same day you go for a swim, or wax your legs, or have a small cut – it’s going to sting like heck!

Take it from personal experience, it’s not much fun! I had a shave the same day I went into the Dead Sea and it burnt like, well, having salt rubbed into an open wound, which was pretty well what was happening! Don’t forget, the saline levels at the Dead Sea are extremely high, they’re what keep you afloat. You can see some of the salty deposits on my arms in the picture above, just to give you an idea of the saltiness.

We love the Dead Sea but to really make sure you get to enjoy it too, you really should take this tip to heart. We wouldn’t want you taking home that holiday snapshot of you screaming in pain as the salt sinks into those open pores…

Below are a couple of the pics, but you can see the rest in their Flickr stream over here. If you really want to get a feel for the Dead Sea, click the pictures to see them full-size. Simply stunning!

So, are you bags packed already? Sun lotion tucked away somewhere safe? Passport ready? Spare battery purchased for your camera (surely these pictures have convinced you that you’ll be taking a lot of pictures?!). Anyway, we think it’s time you came over!

And don’t forget to check out out other Dead Sea pictures!

Ah, almost forgot – before you head on in to that salty water, you might want to read this…

Established manufacturers like Deep Sea Cosmetics may charge a premium price, but your skin will definitely thank you for it. This Deep Sea Cosmetics Dead Sea Green Tea Energizing Scrub solved much of my wife’s skincare woes. If, like her, you often struggle with dry or flaking skin, I would highly recommend this affordable and effective face scrub.

This Dead Sea salt scrub basically consists of bath salts and bath oils – components that are complementary in nature. The salts have a drying, cleansing effect to eliminate innate skin impurities. The bath oils serve a revitalizing function to re-hydrate the skin, thereby balancing the drying effect of the salts.

Click here for the best deals on Amazon for this Dead Sea salt scrub

My wife was born with mild eczema. For those who are unaware, eczema causes itching and flaking of the skin, especially during the hot summer months. The build up of dead skin cells can really add to the fatigue of a long day’s work, and definitely isn’t flattering. The exfoliating effect of this skin scrub was amazing. It left the skin on her face and neck feeling clean and fresh all day long. She swears that she just grew new skin!

Regular exfoliation is important for skin health. Pores can easily become clogged with skin cells, causing those hated blemishes and also contributing to long-term aging. Unblocking these pores allows your skin to breathe, giving it a healthy, radiant glow of youth. I had to compliment my wife on how much more lively she’s looking these days. She feels and looks much better.

The aromatic oils also have an invigorating moisturizing effect. Once the oil seeps into your skin, it starts to look moist and healthy. More importantly, it alleviates the itch for those unlucky enough to be afflicted with dry skin.

One great bonus was the scent of the scrub. It’s not as overwhelming as many other skin scrubs. There’s the pleasant, musky aroma of green tea infused with tart hints of lemon. The gorgeous scent stayed on my wife’s body for hours and gave her skin a really lovely, natural smell. In fact, I’ve almost stopped buying expensive perfumes altogether for her! The alcohol in perfumes may exacerbate dry skin, but with this Dead Sea body scrub she feels and smells awesome at the same time.

Overall, she found this Dead Sea salt scrub set absolutely perfect for her skincare needs. One caveat is that the oils do tend to be extremely greasy and overpowering, and will not suit those with oilier skin. However, the product is targeted at those with dry skin, and in that regard it fulfills its promises admirably. After just a week of use, my wife really did feel transformed.

Yes, you can relive that Dead Sea vacation from the comfort of your own home! One of the best additions to my wife’s veritable arsenal of skincare goods is this AHAVA Dead Sea bath salts set.

Bath salts are a must-have in any woman’s bathtub or dressing room. They contain beneficial minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium which help to maintain our skin’s texture and purity to ward off the ravages of time. They also reportedly stave off symptoms of nasty skin conditions.

This product is very efficacious. I could see improvements in my wife’s skin within the first week of her using it. The bath crystals come in a 32-ounce tube and you simply add a small scoop into your bathwater. The effect is astonishing. Firstly, it relaxes sore muscles almost as quickly as a full-body massage. My wife is a cubicle rat and neck and backaches are quite simply the bane of her existence. However, after a 30-minute Dead Sea bath salt bath at the end of each long day, she’d disappear into slumber land almost instantaneously without any limbering muscle pains.

Secondly, it improves skin health quite tremendously. My wife works in an air-conditioned environment and it really can wreak havoc with her skin (or at least that’s what she tells me). Dry air exacerbates the effects of ageing and laugh lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles appear much faster.

These Dead Sea bath salts restore a youthful glow to her skin and she is always telling me she has now recovered the long-lost rosy cheeks of her teenage days.

There also aren’t any side effects. There are a lot of crooks peddling imitation Dead Sea products nowadays, especially on the Internet, and I was lucky to happen upon a genuine article so quickly. As a result, the salt set I purchase for my wife left her without rashes, itches or any sort of discomfort even after a month of frequent use. The minerals are all natural, so you can cast away any paranoia about the long-term effects of chemical preservatives.

These salts are also pleasantly aromatic without being overpowering. There’s a very subtle, sexy, salty scent to these bath salts that soak into your skin and leave you smelling fresh hours after use. My wife claims the aroma actually helps to lull her to sleep!

This is pretty much the perfect Dead Sea salt you’ll want to buy if you enjoyed pampering yourself here at the Dead Sea, Israel. It is certainly at the upper end of the Dead Sea product price range, but would you want to risk your skin health for the sake of spending a few dollars less? My guess is no. Besides, it’s certainly cheaper than another flight back to Israel. So do yourself (and your partner) a favour, and get one of these today. At 32 ounces (or even better value – the 80 ounce jar), it is good value for money. Don’t forget, you can’t put a price on healthy, beautiful skin. And a happy wife/partner!