Without a river or green spaces, residents of Amman have little option but to leave the city for outdoor activities or for a change of scenery. Away from the white residential buildings that dominate the capital, the nondescript skyline gives way to valleys that plunge below sea level — Amman sits on top of the East Bank Plateau, a series of steep hills and deep wadis. After exiting the main motorway south heading to Ma'in, there lies a collection of hot springs nestled in ancient hills just above the Dead Sea. There are over 60 springs in the area, which is 264 metres below sea level, and natural pools where people go to swim. But the warmth is not the only attraction. Muhammad Al Shurmna, manager of the main spa in the area, says Ma'in waters are “very famous” for their therapeutic qualities. “The water here is very rich with minerals,” he says, citing potash, calcium, phosphorus and iodine. “It easily penetrates the skin to the joints, increases the blood flow and relaxes the muscles,” Mr Shurmna says. It costs about $54 to enter the spa, although visitors can enter the area and view its six waterfalls for $14. While temperatures in Amman dropped to near zero this month, bathers in Ma'in were enjoying waterfalls as hot as 65°C. People have been seeking the healing qualities of the waters for millennia, when Ma'in was known as Baaras. King Herod of biblical fame is thought to have visited Baaras regularly when he was residing at his castle palace of Machaerus, in highlands 30 kilometres from the springs.
