The Dead Sea is famous for being the lowest point on Earth and for containing incredibly salty water that makes you float.  The mineral rich mud below the sea also has a lot of health properties and they make some high-end cosmetics and beauty products out of it.  The sea is on the border of Israel and Jordan.  I had actually been to the Israeli side in 2000 but I was excited to go there with Amanda and check out the Jordan side.  We hired a taxi from Madaba from about $20 and he drove us through the descending canyons to get there.  It is possible to go to public beaches but because the water can be really painful if it gets in your eyes, we paid a few bucks to gain entrance to one of the resorts along the coast.  Then we spent the day swimming, floating and relaxing in the sea and nearby swimming pools.