Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Life of brine
Dead Sea, Jordan and Israel
It does not get much saltier than the Dead Sea – the hypersalination of the water makes it around nine times more salty than the oceans and for swimmers it is almost impossible to sink. The classic photo opportunity is to read a newspaper or book as you float on the surface of the water.
But be warned, the extreme mineral content means the water will sting if you have any little nicks or cuts on your skin – and do not get it in your eyes!
The size of the sea is shrinking steadily because of water extraction from the Jordan River which feeds it – some reports say the surface has shrunk by a third since the 1960s.
Famously, of course, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth with the shores an ear-popping 1,419ft below sea level.
■ info.goisrael.com/en, visitjordan.com
Chott el Djerid, Tunisia
The largest salt pan in the Sahara Desert is a mesmerising sight of red, pink and blue hues.
It covers up to 2,700 square miles in winter, and can be crossed by boat. In summer it can be almost dry and visited on foot, but great care must be taken as the salt crust can give way.
Star Wars fans flock here to see the location of the original 1977 movie’s Tatooine location where Luke Skywalker watched the twin suns set by his Uncle Owen’s remote homestead and moisture farm.
In case you were wondering, on eBay you can buy salt cellars shaped like lightsabers or R2-D2.
You’re welcome.
■ discovertunisia.com
Saltmen, Chehrabad salt mines, Iran
These macabre salt cured male ‘mummies’ were first discovered in 1993 with the initial remains dated to 300 AD. The initial find had a long white beard, wore a gold earring and carried iron knives. By 2010, the remains of six men had been unearthed.
It’s believed they died accidentally when the galleries they were working in collapsed and they were well preserved over the centuries by the desiccating action of the salt in the mine in Zanjan province.
Three of the mummies date as far back as 220-250 BC and the head and left foot of Saltman 1 are on display at the National Museum of Iran in Tehran.
Other remains are in a museum in Zanjan.
■ visitiran.ir
Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
The largest salt flat on the planet is not just a whopping 4,086 square miles (not quite the size of Wales, the universal media measure of area, but still quite large), it also sits on the Altiplano at a dizzying 11,995ft above sea level and is one of the most spectacular, unforgettable sights in South America, with colourful lakes, bubbling geysers and dramatic rock formations.
If you like savage beauty, this is your place. Salt deposits can be up to 33ft deep and there are an estimated 10 billion tonnes of it.
But the real treasure is the lithium, the light metal used in laptop, smartphone and electric car batteries.
Around 70% of the world’s entire reserves are here: for “white gold” read “grey gold”.
Perhaps the most memorable sight among many is in the rainy season when a thin layer of water covers the flats, transforming them into what the locals call “the world’s largest mirror”, as it reflects the sky.
At night, it is truly stellar, in every sense of the word.
■ Asalardeuyuni.com