Want to float without effort? Head to the Dead Sea, where the salt content is about 10 times higher than the ocean—enough to keep you buoyant like a cork. Despite the name, it’s actually a lake, and it’s salty for a reason.

The Dead Sea is a terminal lake, meaning water flows in but doesn’t flow out. With intense heat, water evaporates quickly, leaving minerals behind—mainly salt. Over millions of years, this cycle has made it one of the saltiest places on Earth, with 33% salinity.

There’s no fish or seaweed—just a few salt-loving microbes. But people flock here not for the wildlife, but for the therapeutic mud and mineral-rich waters, believed to be great for the skin.