For a long time, the Dead Sea has been regarded as one of the most famous tourist destinations in Israel, attracting countless visitors. Not only tourists, but scientists are also curious about the strange phenomena occurring in this area.
With a salt concentration over ten times that of the ocean, the Dead Sea is incapable of sustaining any form of plant or animal life. Yet, there is a tree that grows there, on an island made of salt!
In the middle of the Dead Sea lies a small island commonly referred to as the Salt Island. What makes this island particularly famous is the presence of a tree that stands tall despite the harsh conditions imposed by nature.
The Salt Island consists entirely of white salt and is located at the center of the Dead Sea, directly opposite Ein Bokek Beach, just a two-hour drive from Jerusalem.
A strange tree growing in the middle of the Dead Sea’s salt island.
The Salt Island in the Dead Sea is a small, bright white patch of “land” surrounded by stunning turquoise waters. The most famous salt island features a pool and a solitary tree planted at its center.
The tree on the Salt Island is such a remarkable sight that it leaves many astonished and often becomes a popular photo spot when visiting the Dead Sea. Witnessing a living organism thriving in an area known for its inability to sustain life is quite extraordinary.
Upon closer inspection of the tree, you can see buds on its branches and roots extending deep into the salty crust of the island. However, this does not necessarily mean the tree sprouted and grew there naturally. It’s possible that a local individual brought it and “planted” it on the Salt Island as an original art installation.
This man may have visited the tree daily, piling mud around its base to ensure it received all the necessary nutrients to survive in such an extremely harsh environment.
The tree on the Salt Island is such a remarkable sight that it leaves many astonished.
The Dead Sea is among the most popular tourist attractions in Israel, but it is rapidly shrinking as increasing amounts of water from rivers flowing into the lake are being used for agriculture, mining, and industry.
The surface area of the Dead Sea decreases by more than one meter each year, and it is now only half the length it was a century ago.
The so-called “solitary tree” serves as a metaphor for this situation, or perhaps something thriving in the middle of the Dead Sea is a metaphor in itself.
To reach the Salt Island, visitors must swim at least 20 minutes. However, this is not as easy as it may seem. The high salinity of the water makes the body buoyant, hindering smooth movements of the arms and legs, requiring a significant effort and good physical condition to swim there.
No one really knows for certain, but if you have ever visited the Dead Sea and passed by Ein Bokek, be sure to check out the tree of life and the beautiful sea island it “grows” upon.
