I’m sitting half naked surrounded by a group of Palestinian women, many of whom would traditionally be covered with a hijab and jilbab. It feels very much like I’ve stepped into some hidden world. It’s 100 degrees (40 Celsius), and I’m sweating and drinking hibiscus tea in a hammam steam room in Ramallah, Palestine. The women are all singing and clapping. I can’t tell if this is the normal hammam experience or if they are celebrating an engagement or impending wedding. It’s an odd experience to be sitting with them like this. All of us sweating half naked as they celebrate and we attempt to speak and interact. My broken Arabic isn’t getting me far but we laugh and smile at each other through the steam anyways.

The hammam I’m in is the Turkish Bath Palestine, which is located in Ramallah in the West Bank, Palestine. It is a great spot to escape the city for some pampering and an old world hammam experience.

For reservations and more information, call +970/ (0)2 -022408281 or email turkishbathpalestine@gmail.com. You can also easily reach them through their Facebook page, where you can also check out more photos. I wasn’t allowed to take any inside. 

Getting There

The Turkish Bath is located in Al-Bireh (the town adjacent to Ramallah). If you are already in Ramallah, most taxi drivers will know how to get to the hammam. If you are traveling from Jerusalem, you can take the public bus from the East Jerusalem bus station (8 shekels). Just ask at the station which bus is going to Ramallah and people will point you in the right direction. The bus takes around 45 minutes, depending on traffic, and will take you to the main bus station in Ramallah. From there you can catch a taxi to the Turkish Bath House (around 20 shekels).

Tip: You will pass through Kalandia Checkpoint in order to go into and out of the West Bank. Make sure you have your passport and Israel visa card. When you are leaving Ramallah to go back to Jerusalem, it is likely that IDF soldiers will come onto the bus and check everyone or you will have to get out and walk through the checkpoint itself. Don’t worry too much, Palestinians traveling between Jerusalem and Ramallah are forced to go through this checkpoint all the time and they will help you if you are confused about what to do! If anything, it gives you a small insight into what daily life is like for them under the occupation.

What to Wear

The hammam is completely separated for men and women so you don’t have to worry about showing too much skin! A bikini or one-piece bathing suit are acceptable to wear. Many of the women there were in bathing suits but there were also women in shorts and a tank top. When I was in Ramallah I hadn’t initially planned to go to the hammam so I didn’t pack a bathing suit. This wasn’t a problem though. It was also fine to go in underwear and a bra!

Cost

There are a variety of packages and options offered at the Hammam. Below I’ve listed the three main packages, including the price and what is included.

120 shekels ($35): this includes access to the steam room and hot stone room, and a traditional body scrub and half body massage.

150 shekels ($44): this includes access to the steam room and hot stone room, a traditional scrub and aromatherapy scrub, and a full body massage and face massage.

210 shekels ($64): this includes access to the steam room and hot stone room, a traditional scrub, aromatherapy scrub and coffee scrub, and a full body massage, face massage and face mask.

You don’t need to tip on top of the prices listed above. In fact, I tried to tip and they wouldn’t let me!

What to Expect

When we arrived, we were greeted by Rana. She explained all the different options we could do at the hammam and I decided on the 150-shekel package. We got undressed, left our belongings in lockers (keys are provided) and headed into a steam room that was filled with the smell of tea tree oil. We rotated between the steam room and a cool pool for about 45 minutes before heading into a room where we relaxed on hot stones.

Throughout the entire time we were in the hammam we were served this amazing sweet hibiscus tea.

After the hot stone room, we went to be scrubbed down. I laid on a slab of stone as a woman washed me down with both a traditional scrub and an aromatherapy scrub. It was pretty disgusting how much dirt and dead skin came off of my body! Clearly, I need to do this more regularly.

I then went back into the hot stone room before heading into another room for a full body massage. The massage lasted about 45 minutes and was amazing!!! The woman really worked on my shoulders, which is an area that I hold a lot of tension. She also gave me a face massage and a head massage.

After the massage, it was back to the steam room and hot stone room.

The whole experience lasted about 2.5 hours but you could easily spend half the day there! I had to rush off to catch my flight back to London, which is why we spent so little time. But it was a great way to end my time in Palestine and it left my skin so clean and soft.

Is Palestine Safe to Travel Around

I know this question will come up because it’s often the first thing people think when they hear “Palestine”. So, I’ll go ahead and answer it from my point of view. You should obviously always check the local context and the travel advice of your country because things are ever changing in the region.

I love Palestine. I’ve visited the West Bank several times and have traveled all over it. Not once have I ever felt unsafe. It’s probably surprising to some, but I often feel safer and more at ease in Palestine than I do in Israel. People are incredibly friendly and open. There is a reason people talk about Palestinian hospitality – I’ve been invited into people’s home so many times, received free meals and endless coffee. When I’ve been lost, in search of the public bus or confused when trying to go through any of the checkpoints, people have always helped me. I encourage everyone I know to go and to learn about Palestine and the occupation.

Do you have specific questions about visiting either the hammam or Palestine? Please send me a message or let me know in the comments below!