THE SPA EXPERIENCE

Tourists are becoming increasingly selective when it comes to the gratifying experience of the product. The emphasis is now focusing on destinations that offer an enticement of particular interest i.e. health, fitness and beauty; among other attractions. And as people move towards more healthy ways of living, the popularity of the spa vacation has increased.

With the full understanding that the spas of today should be more diverse, Jordan has embarked on various projects that feature health and fitness as well as beauty, thus presenting to the visitor a unique in–depth relaxing experience.

One of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the whole world – the Dead Sea eastern coast in Jordan – is steadily evolving into a major new hub of tourism in the region. A series of new roads, hotels, and archaeological discoveries are converging to make this region the lowest spot on Earth, at 410 meters below sea level as enticing to international visitors as it was to kings, emperors, traders, and prophets in antiquity.

The leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the hot, soothing super salty sea water itself – some ten times saltier than seawater, and rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, bromine and several others. The unusually warm, salty, buoyant and mineral rich water has attracted visitors since ancient times, all of whom have floated effortlessly on their back while soaking up the water's healthy minerals along the gently diffused rays of the Jordanian sun.

The Dead Sea's total attraction is due to its unique combination of several factors: the chemical composition of its water, the filtered sun rays and oxygen – rich air, the mineral – rich black mud along the shoreline, and the adjacent freshwater and thermal mineral springs. All of this has been enhanced by luxurious accommodation and fitness facilities with the opening of the new 5 – star Movenpick Hotel and Resort and the Jordan Valley Marriot combined with the existing 4-star Dead Sea Spa Hotel.

At 120 meters below sea level and in one of the most breath-taking desert oasis in the world, lies another natural wonder: the Ma'in Springs (Hammamat Ma'in in Arabic ) and the hyper – thermal waterfalls that draw thousands of visiting bathers every year. The mineral rich waters that feed the 109 hot and cold springs in the valley originate from winter rain falls in the highland plains of Jordan. Through the years, this water slowly seeps into the lower bedrock layers. Most of this water, however, becomes heated to hyper thermal temperatures of up to 63 C by underground lava fissures before it pours out of the mountain and into the Zarqa – Main river.

Situated in this exquisite spot is the 142 rooms Mercure Ma'in Thermal Spa Hotel offering a wide variety of services such as, mud wraping, jet shower, under water massage, hydrojet bed, mud facial, electrotherapy and comprehensive cosmetology treatment.

Other places of interest that are Afra springs in the south near Tafila, and Al Himmeh mineral spring in the North