Eilat: an overview of 8 beaches in and around the city

Israel is famous for a large selection of places for a beach holiday. The beaches of the Mediterranean Sea stretch along the western coast of the country, in the south there is access to the Red Sea, where the beaches of Eilat are located, the famous Dead Sea is located on the eastern borders, and in the northern part you can relax near the Sea of ​​Galilee. Each of these zones has its own characteristics, which must be taken into account when choosing a resort in order to learn the maximum pleasure from relaxation. Consider why the beaches of Eilat are attractive to tourists.

Eilat is located in the southernmost point of Israel. Eilat Bay is surrounded by deserts and is protected from the winds by mountains. Summer is hot here, the temperature reaches 40 ° C and higher, but, thanks to the low humidity (20-30%), there is no stuffiness. The sea warms up to a comfortable + 26-27 ° C, remaining refreshing even on the hottest days.

Winter in Eilat is milder than in other regions of Israel, daytime air temperature here rarely drops below + 17 ° C, sunny weather prevails. The water temperature off the coast of the Gulf of Eilat from December to February is at + 22 ° C, so the beach season here lasts year-round. Of course, the number of vacationers on the beaches of Eilat sharply decreases in winter, but on warm sunny days you can see a lot of sunbathers, swimming and diving.

The length of the beaches of Eilat is 12 km. The northern part of the coastline is occupied by urban beach recreation areas, and the best diving beaches stretch along the southern coast. The farther south, the richer the coastal underwater world. Nowhere except Eilat, in Israel is there such an amazing diving on the beaches that amazes the imagination with bizarre coral thickets and a variety of exotic fish.

In order to avoid dangerous and unpleasant situations, every tourist of Eilat should know that:

• The desire to take a piece of coral "for memory" can result in a large fine. Corals are under strict protection, it is forbidden to even pick up their debris on the beach.
• Among the animals of the Red Sea there are many poisonous species, including corals, so it’s better not to touch anyone.
• The degree of safety of swimming and diving on the beaches of Eilat is notified by hanging multi-colored flags. Black color - a ban on swimming, red - a warning about the danger due to strong waves, white or green - there is no danger.

Within the city, the best beaches are sandy, while pebble beaches prevail outside the city, for the convenience of entering the sea they are equipped with special paths and piers.

Dolphin reef

If you ask residents and visitors of the city to name the best beaches of Eilat, then they will be the first to name the Dolphin Reef. After all, here is a rare opportunity to chat with dolphins in their natural habitat.

The dolphin reef is a protected area of ​​the lagoon with a beach and a fenced area, which is inhabited by Black Sea bottlenose dolphins. Animals are not kept in captivity and are not trained; they hunt in the open sea and sail back to the reserve, where they are fed.

Dolphin Reef is located a 10-minute drive from the city, you can get here by bus number 15. Hours - 9-17, on Friday and Saturday - 9-16.30. Admission costs $ 18 for adults and $ 12 for children (under 15 years old). This price includes the use of sun loungers, showers, beach toilets. You can dive with dolphins for an additional fee - 260 shekels from a child and 290 from an adult. Children are allowed only accompanied by adults.

Buying a ticket does not guarantee contact with dolphins, because they are not forced to anything. Employees only show how to call bottlenose dolphins to themselves, but communication takes place spontaneously. All the more attentive is each token received from these cute animals.

On the territory of the Dolphin Reef there is everything necessary for a comfortable stay - showers, toilets, sun loungers, two cafes, sun umbrellas, a souvenir shop and snorkeling equipment. Nearby are two parking lots - free and paid. To take a free seat, you need to arrive early.

In addition to diving with dolphins, here you can do snorkeling, use the services of a diving instructor, and relax in special pools with underwater music. Master classes are taught for children, contests are organized and interesting lectures are held. Peacocks walk freely on the territory. Reviews of visiting the Dolphin Reef are usually enthusiastic, it is considered to be the best.

Coral beach

Coral Beach - a paid beach belonging to the coral reserve. Located next to the Oceanarium. You can get here from the city by the 15th bus route. The entrance fee to the territory of Coral Beach is 35 shekels, it includes the right to use a sunbed, toilet, hot shower. Equipment rental and diving instructor services are charged separately.

The coast here is sandy, the coral reef comes close to it, therefore you can enter the sea only by hinged ladders and swim exclusively along fenced paths. The beach is well equipped - there are sunshades, showers, toilets, a first-aid post. There is a cafe. Coral Beach is usually crowded, especially on weekends. They clean well here - sand, showers, toilets are always clean.

The coral beach in Eilat is very popular, it is considered one of the best family vacation destinations on the south coast. It works daily from 8 to 19.

Princess (Princess Beach)

Princess Beach is a small free beach located near the border with Egypt. Once an hour, a bus number 15 travels here from the city, the ticket price is 4.2 shekels, the trip takes about half an hour. Due to the remoteness, usually there are not many people here, with the exception of holidays.

The beach is pebble, the entrance to the sea is rocky, there are two piers from which it is convenient to dive or watch from above the fish that willingly swim to the tourists. It is forbidden to feed the fish, but by clearing small algae from the ropes, you can feed the fish in the authorized way. Here, the coral reef is represented in all its beauty and diversity. On Princess Beach, as well as on other southern beaches of Eilat, photos of the underwater world turn out incomparable.

The beach is equipped with a shower, toilet, awnings, a cafe. You can rent a sunbed and snorkeling equipment. The water here is clean, but the sand and toilets, judging by the reviews of vacationers, could have been cleaner.

Migdalor Beach

One of the southernmost beaches of Migdalor is located 8 km from the city and a couple of kilometers from the Egyptian border. Here is the lighthouse, which gave the name to the beach. You can get here from the city by bus 15 of the route, get off at the next stop after the Underwater Observatory. The fare is 4.2 shekels. The pebble coating, the entry into the sea is rocky, besides, sea urchins come across, so you need rubber shoes. Entrance to the territory is free.

Migdalor Beach is equipped with a shower, toilets and umbrellas. You will have to pay only for sunbeds (€ 3) and chairs (€ 1.5). On all days except Saturdays, a cafe is open, prices are not high. The cafe has rental equipment for snorkeling. Nearby there is a trailer parking lot and a tent city in which hippies live.

The main thing that attracts Migdalor Beach is the wealth of the underwater world. This is one of the best places in Eilat for diving and snorkeling. A variety of exotic fish are surrounded by swimmers, which are clearly visible in clear water. Corals grow close to the shore, but are surrounded by buoys.

When scuba diving, you can see coral thickets of different species, floating among them colorful fish and other inhabitants of the Red Sea. It’s strictly forbidden to touch corals, you can’t even pick up their debris from the beach, this is punishable by a fine of 720 shekels.
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Dekel Beach

Dekel Beach is located on the southern outskirts of Eilat, a 15-minute walk from the city center. You can also get the city bus number 15. Entrance to the territory is free, for cyclists and motorists there is free parking.

Dekel Beach is covered with clean sand, but the entrance to the water is slippery, in addition, there are many sea urchins at the bottom, so several underwater tracks were built for descent. But the presence of beach shoes is required. The underwater world is very colorful, the water is clear.

Along the coast there are canopies that can be used for free, there is enough shade for everyone. You need to pay only for the use of sunbeds and chairs. Free showers and toilets are available. There is a cozy cafe with relatively low prices, drinks are distributed along the beach. Bringing food with you is prohibited.

According to vacationers, this is one of the best beaches in Eilat. There is a lot of space, and not as crowded as in the city, but on Saturdays it is better to arrive early. Rescue service is not working.

Dekel Beach is open daily from 8 to 19. You can rent a beach cafe for private events.

Mosh Beach

Mosh Beach is located next to Dekel Beach, from the city you can get here on foot or by bus number 15. Free parking is available. This small cozy beach was chosen by locals, so on weekends it is crowded. The sandy coating closer to the water turns into pebble, the entrance to the sea is rocky. The depth here is shallow, there are several entrances cleared from sea urchins.

Entrance to Mosh Beach is free, but, according to the rules, you need to order something at the beach cafe, after which you can use pillows for sitting and sunbeds. Free clean showers and toilets are provided. Prices in the cafe are quite high, in the evenings it often hosts live music concerts and literary evenings. There is a diving club nearby, where you can dive under the guidance of an instructor.

Aqua beach

Aqua Beach is located near the Coral Beach, you can get to it from the city by the 15th bus route. This is one of the best Elite beaches for exploring the amazing coral world of the Red Sea. Aqua Beach is sandy, but there is a strip of stones at the entrance to the water, so it is advisable to grab beach slippers.

Admission is free, the beach is relatively sparsely populated, equipped with umbrellas, showers, toilets, only sunbeds are paid. There is a cafe in the form of a Bedouin tent, built bridges from which through the clear water you can watch coral gardens and the life of exotic marine life.

Nearby there is a paid parking lot, a shop and two diving centers where you can rent scuba equipment, use the services of a diving and snorkeling instructor. You can take a five-day diving course. Diving allows you to see rare fish such as stingrays, moray eels, igloos, parrots and many others. There are a lot of youth on this beach of Eilat, a friendly atmosphere reigns.

Hananya Beach

Hananya Beach is located in the city center, it is one of the best urban beaches of Eilat. It is located near the promenade, so it is always noisy and crowded. Hananya Beach can often be seen in Eilat on the photo of beaches and the city. The beach is sandy, with a convenient entry into the sea. Admission is not charged, renting a deck chair costs 20 shekels, this amount also includes the cost of one drink from the bar.

The beach infrastructure is well developed, there are tents, free showers, toilets. Rescue service works. A large assortment of water activities is presented, you can ride a catamaran, an inflatable boat, water skiing, a glass bottom boat, take a boat trip on a boat. The beach is open daily from 8-19.

Eilat beaches will appeal to all lovers of beach vacations, but they will especially please those who are fond of diving and love interesting excursions. This is one of the best places for outdoor activities in Israel.

All the beaches of Eilat described on the page are marked on the map in Russian.