Siwa Oasis is an urban oasis in Egypt, located between the Qattara Depression and the Great Sand Sea, 560 km southwest of Cairo. The economy here depends mainly on the cultivation of dates and olives. Tourists often flock here to bathe in the hot springs, admire the beautiful scenery and participate in unique desert activities.
At Siwa Oasis, the crystal clear, blue lakes are also a place that many tourists want to visit. When passing by these lakes, you will think that they are beaches because of their blue color, however, in fact, they are not ordinary lakes as you think, but salt lakes with high salt concentrations that increase the Archimedes buoyancy, allowing people to float on the water without any effort. Applying an extra layer of sunscreen, you can relax, immerse yourself in the cool water in the hot sun outside, and leisurely look up at the sky.
The ancient Egyptians understood long ago that there was a lot of money to be made in the salt trade. The Siwi people traditionally used this salt in the construction of their homes and the shaping of their tools, and especially in their salt lamps, which were believed to produce healing energy through the heat of the light source.
The salt here can be carved into many different objects such as chandeliers or souvenirs for tourists. This salt mining process has accidentally formed small salt ponds.
Here, you have to walk gently on the salt crystals and step into the water carefully without scratching your feet. Once in this clear blue water, sinking is almost impossible, because the extremely salty water will make you float easily, just like in the Dead Sea.
If visitors want to soak in these salt ponds, they need to be careful because the salt crystals here are very sharp.
In addition, visitors should wear plastic sandals to move around, salt particles can damage shoes very quickly.
Here you can enjoy natural beauty and safe swimming in crystal clear waters, as well as natural medical treatments for eye, skin and sinus problems. Along with the relaxing experience due to its location, this oasis is promoted as a medical and recreational destination.
Although it looks great to relax in the middle of a salt pond, the water is not suitable for long soaks because of its high salinity, it is best to soak for no more than 25 minutes.
Recently, the region has been producing items such as health and beauty products from salt to attract tourists. As a result, the number of tourists coming here has increased to about 10,000 Egyptians and about 500 foreigners each year.
With the exception of olives and dates, there are few crops grown near these salt lakes and ponds. This is because nearby streams flow into the salt lakes, rendering the water unusable for drinking or irrigation.
Locals would use salty soil to build traditional mud brick houses. Although the salt in the mud bricks helped to strengthen the walls, when it rained, the salt would dissolve, causing the houses to collapse easily.
Apart from visiting the salt ponds, Siwa oasis has many other places that are rich in culture and history that are worth exploring. There is also a temple that was visited by Alexander the Great, so history buffs should not miss this place.
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