Eilat: between the sea and the desert

In the very south of Israel there is a wonderful resort town in which there is everything that the soul desires. At the same time, some never heard anything about him! And this is not surprising: we suspect that Eilat lovers are trying to keep it a secret, so that there are fewer tourists and the city remains accessible only to the elect and dedicated. But we are not like that. Moms taught us to share. We will tell everything we know, because such treasures cannot be hidden. But first things first.

Photo by Dafna Tal

What kind of place is this - Eilat ?!

Firstly, the southernmost resort of Israel. This means that it is always warm and dry. Do not laugh, this, however, is a big plus, because even in winter the water temperature is not lower than 21-22 degrees, that is, you can relax all year round. Eilat is an ideal option for those who did not manage to take a vacation in the summer, especially since from September to May direct charter flights run to Eilat, prices for which are usually lower than regular ones to Tel Aviv.

Secondly, it is located on the shores of the Red Sea. Coral reef, exotic fish, snorkeling, diving, you understand.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Thirdly, endless adventures await you here. Eilat is the sea, mountains and desert at the same time. All the entertainments that we usually find individually in different parts of the world are collected here. You can wallow on the beach and sunbathe, engage in water sports, fly, climb mountains, cross the desert and canyons, take pictures with wild animals during a safari, swim with dolphins and feed sharks (well, watch how the sharks are fed).

And finally, crazy Israeli cuisine. Eilat has some of the best chefs in the country. Fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, seafood, juicy meat and beans, coffee with cardamom and oriental sweets - why not a feast of the stomach ?! Vegetarians will also have something to eat: different types of hummus, falafel, shakshuka and much more.

Beaches

There are a lot of beaches. You can choose sandy or pebble, at the hotel or city - everyone will be good. On some you can enjoy solitude in the shade of tall palm trees, on others you can take an active beach holiday, on others you can listen to light music and drink a couple of cocktails from misted glasses.

One of the best city beaches is Kisuski (Red Rock Beach, which is next to Mall Ha Yam) and Migdalor (south beach Mayak at the Underwater Observatory). Take a walk there, you won’t regret it.

Photo by Dafna Tal

In Eilat there are jet skis, motor boats and turbines - you can drive them. In addition, kitesurfing, windsurfing, parasailing, water skiing and biking, kayaking and all that jazz are popular. By the way, on the beaches there is the opportunity to play beach volleyball or soccer. If this is not to your liking, build sand castles or ride a yacht, you will not lose.

Toward evening, some beaches turn into open-air dance floors. There are colorful sunsets, fiery rhythms, strong drinks and dances until the morning.

Photo by Dafna Tal

sights

There are many of them, but we will only talk about the most freaky ones.

Underwater Observatory (Underwater Observatory Marine Park)

The Observatory Tower is located in the center of the Coral Reef, two rooms go to the sea to a depth of 12 meters. This means that the inhabitants of the Red Sea can be seen in their natural environment, for this you do not even need to wear scuba gear.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Special pools are also located on the territory of the Underwater Observatory. Sharks live in one of them. By the way, this is the largest pool with sharks in the entire Middle East - its area is more than 1000 square meters. You can watch predators through a 6-meter panoramic window, moving along a stunning 15-meter tunnel with transparent walls and a ceiling. Around tons of water and hundreds of fish, amazing.

To see how sharks swim by you is priceless, but every day at 11:00 they are also publicly fed. The diver goes down under the water, takes out the hidden food, feeds him, and even makes fun of them (he should not do this).

Photo by Dafna Tal

In another pavilion with the talking name "Amazon" live crocodiles of various sizes, well-fed piranha fish, a huge anaconda and other predators. Girls usually go crazy with delight in the next room, where they open pearl shells. Restless children are best taken to the "adventure garden" where you can pet and feed the carps. The main thing is to ensure that nothing happens to them - with the fish.

This marine park has more than 800 species of fish, as well as stingrays, large turtles, seahorses and other inhabitants of the underwater world. Here you can easily spend the whole day. At the very top of the tower from the observation deck offers a magical view of the bay and the golden mountains surrounding Eilat. Toward evening, visitors to the Underwater Observatory rush to admire the sunset there, so you will understand that it is time to round off.

More information about the Underwater Observatory: //www.coralworld.co.il/

Dolphin Reef (Dolphin reef Eilat)

Photo by Galit Amiel

Bottlenose dolphins and their babies, born right here in the reserve, live their usual lives: they play, communicate, eat, joke and care for each other. When people descend into the water, they can swim nearby, dive or continue their activities. No need to be offended, we ourselves sometimes get bored with ourselves.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Dolphins are wonderful creatures, and if you have never swum with them, be sure to go to the Dolphin Reef. If you already had such an experience, dive with dolphins wearing a special suit. Under water, everything looks and feels completely different. Well, if this happened to you, then something special we had in the end - underwater relaxing massage (Stalbet). No dolphins. But here. The complex has three beautiful pools (with different water - fresh and from the Red and Dead Seas), surrounded by a green botanical garden. Inexpressible sensations. In the pools you can swim, relax and get such an unusual type of massage.

What else is on the Dolphin Reef? Beautiful nature, secluded beach, restaurant, center for activities with children, center for underwater photography and a souvenir shop.

More information about the dolphinarium: //www.dolphinreef.co.il/

Entertainment

In Eilat, there are many ways to spend time in an unusual, fun and entertaining way!

Birds

The migratory bird observation station is perhaps the strangest (in the best sense of the word) entertainment in Eilat. Previously, all we knew about birds was from Angry Birds. Now there is a way to find out about everything better.

This Eilat Ornithological Center (International Birding & Research Center) is one of the most important bird watching sites in all of Israel. Due to its unique geographical location, Eilat has become a stopping place for millions of birds migrating south through the Sahara and back, in autumn and spring.

Photo by Dafna Tal

In the public part of the park you can watch the birds, learn a lot about them and see how they ring. Where else would you see something like this ?! We do not know.

Animals

Exotic adventures await daredevils who go to the fantastic camel ranch "Hawat Gmalim" on the Shlomo River or stay overnight at a campsite on the Antelope Ranch "Zufar". To see these animals close by and to live among them is not such an opportunity every day. Recommended.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Undersea world

A lot of people come to Eilat, including snorkeling and diving. Still, because sea foam hides about 150 species of coral, and the number of fish is not worth talking about. Diving centers of the city will advise both beginners and experienced divers. The best diving centers: Isrotel Manta, Aqua Sport, Divers Village, Marina Divers Dive Center, Sigala, Deep Siam and NEMO.

Sport

Rent a bike and go for a drive. It is especially cool to ride along the Eilat promenade after sunset. Street musicians play, local artists draw, coastal cafes and restaurants exude unrealistic aromas.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Night life

The pace of the city accelerates in the evening, so unobtrusively offering to plunge into all the charms of a nightly incendiary rhythm. That sounds music everywhere, I want to visit all the places. Some Eilat bars and clubs are open all night. Dozens of hotels offer their own animation program, but outside the hotels, in the city itself, there is also something to see.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Fountains

At nine in the evening, a show of singing fountains begins in the central city park. Surely some of you have already seen similar performances in other countries of the world, but it’s worth looking at it anyway. The area of the fountains is impressive - 1500 square meters. 400 LED lamps shimmer to the beat of the music, the height of the colored water jets reaches 30 meters. This is the largest singing fountain in Israel, so take the time to go and watch the show.

Shopping

Eilat is considered a free economic zone, therefore, there is no VAT (VAT), which is usually 17%. This is worth using!

The largest shopping and entertainment center of the city is Ice Park & Mall. In addition to the variety of brands represented here, the mall has something special - at any time of the year you can skate here: on the ground floor there is a huge ice rink. Next to it is a large sphere, inside of which there is artificial snow and high "ice" slides. Grab your skates, ice cubes and go!

Another major shopping center is Mall HaYam Eilat, where more than a hundred stores of Israeli and world brands are represented.

Do not let girls and friends go to jewelry stores that sell jewelry made of semi-precious Eilat blue-green stone. Do not listen to anyone and just do not let them go there, otherwise they will inadvertently buy everything. If anything, we warned.

Festivals / Events

More than ten different international festivals are held annually in the city. One of the largest and most significant is Jazz on the Red Sea. World famous jazzmen and jazz bands come to Eilat in the last week of August. This time is already late, but every year the festival is getting steeper and larger, so do not miss next year! More about him here.

Around

Flying to Eilat and not going anywhere from there is a big mistake. You need to make at least one trip in the vicinity in order to see cosmic mountain landscapes with your own eyes or to meet the sunset in the desert. Better still, spend the night in a Bedouin tent, counting all the stars above your head. Rocks in the evenings take strange shapes there, the main thing to remember is that it is just a play of shadows.

Stunning landscapes lurk in the Red Canyon, which is no worse than the American Grand Canyon (seen, we know). You can experience the atmosphere of the true wildlife of Israel by choosing a walking route. There are simple, but there are complex. The most difficult paths are covered by steep stairs and valleys with dry river beds, so it is better to objectively evaluate your strength and skill.

In the Timna National Park, located on the edge of the Arava desert, many thousands of years ago there were copper Mines of King Solomon. Now they go there to see the majestic stone columns - the Solomon pillars, steep cliffs, an artificial lake, and even mountain goats with wild deer.

Photo by Dafna Tal

Those who travel mainly by car will appreciate the safari at the Hi-Bar Yotvata reserve, where about 50 species of rare animals and birds live. The most interesting: antelopes, leopards, hyenas, wolves, foxes, jackals and griffins. The main thing is to watch carefully and not to miss anything!

Useful information that will help you plan your vacation in Israel can be found on the website of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism: tourism.goisrael.ru

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