Eight km southeast of Deganya, about 30 minutes from Tiberias, the hot baths of Hammat Gader (tel. 75 23 81) lie on the Jordanian and Syrian borders. Once the site of a large Roman bath complex, the hot sulphur springs have been mostly diverted to a modern pond with a house of ablutions. The Roman ruins arc partially reconstructed, with several large bathing areas and a smaller pool that was reserved for lepers. At the southwest corner of the complex is the hottest spring in the area at 51UC.

It was namedMa’ayan haGehinom in Hebrew, meaning “Hell’s Pool,” and Ain Makleb, the “Frying Pool,” by the Arabs who controlled the baths until 1967. The modern hot pooi is crowded with families on outings. The leper pool is not. There is also an area with the black mud that purportedly cures skin ailments. In addition, Hammat Gader is the site of an alligator park, where you can observe hundreds of large, somnolent ‘gators sunning themselves on the banks of their swimming area or slogging though the murky water. Having imported the first generation from Florida, the preserve now raises the young inside a hothouse at the entrance to the ponds. New additions include two waterslides and trampolines as well as a health club with cosmetic treatments, massages, and Izod shirts.

The park also contains the ruins of a 5th-century synagogue, just west of the Roman baths and past the picnic area. The synagogue is at the site of a modern border lookout station; to the northwest, spanning the Yarmoukh River, is a bridge dating from the Ottoman railroad. (Open Fri. 8am-4pm; closes lhr. earlier in winter.)

Admission to the entire Hammat Gader complex is NIS25 (Sat. NIS27), students and children NIS23 (Sat. NIS25). Bus #24 leaves from Tiberias at 8:45am and 10:30am, returning at noon and 3pm (Fri. return at noon and lpm).