Cruising for Scenery From Dead Sea Boat

The Dead Sea, which straddles Jordan and Israel, has a tourist boat service for the first time. The 110-passenger boat, Lot’s Wife, is named for the biblical woman who was turned into a pillar of salt.

Run by Dead Sea Sailing & Touring, the boat makes daily 75-minute trips along the shoreline, departing and returning near Israel’s Ein Gedi Spa and Nature Reserve. Sights include Masada mountain and Judean Desert scenery. The cost is about $10.50 for adults, $9 for children 13 to 16 and $6 for children 5 to 12.

For information, call the Israel Tourism Information Center, (888) 774-7723. The boat company is reachable at 011-972-7-659-4430, but tourism officials say the phone often goes unanswered when employees are out on the Dead Sea.