Eilat The City


 

Legend has it that after the creation of the earth the angels were busy painting it. After a while they became tired and accidentally spilled the paints. The blue became the water of Eilat, and the other colors became its fish and the corals. Add to this spectrum Eilat's year-round golden sunshine and superb red-orange mountains, combined with its idyllic seaside location - and you have the ingredients for a first-rate, modern resort!
Eilat, the southernmost city in Israel is Israel’s leading tourist resort. Tens of thousands of visitors annually come to enjoy the clear blue waters, the brilliantly colored fish and coral.

Tourist Atractions include:

Aquarium -- Stand smack in the middle of the aquarium at the Maritime Museum as the fish swim all around you in a huge circular tank. The observatory tower rises 20 feet out of the sea, and since the water in the gulf is generally crystal clear, the views of the magnificent marine life are unparalleled.

Beaches -- Most are free and have a club-like atmosphere, with thatched-roof restaurants and lively pubs, beach chairs, music and dancing day and night.

Coral Reserve -- A great place to observe the fabulous fish and corals. Qualified divers can explore a special area called the "Japanese Gardens," so named for the way in which the closely-packed, multi-colored corals overlap each other

Dolphin Reef -- Dive with dolphins using snorkel equipment. As you swim in the area designated for humans, you can watch the dolphins being fed or frolicking just beyond the roped-off swimming zone. Or take a walk on the wooden observation pier in the dolphins' area for a closer look. The adventurous can join in a guided group of snorkelers for a 20-minute swim among these intelligent, playful animals.

Entertainment -- In almost every hotel in the city an entertainment troupe performs nightly in the lobby, and has become the focal point of many easy evenings. Numerous leading Israeli television and movie stars have gotten their start in show business this way.

Food -- When splashing in the Red Sea and frolicking on the sandy shore has worked up an appetite, dive down to the Red Sea Star underwater restaurant where you can continue communing with the ocean while enjoying sumptuous gourmet meals. The restaurant is 20 feet below the sea's surface, and panoramic windows give diners a new perspective on Eilat's beauty. For the pure and simple taste of Israel, take a walk to Shauli and Guy for unparalleled hummus served with mushrooms and their home-cut french fries.

Glass Bottom Boats -- Boats leave from the jetty just north of Coral Beach and from North Beach near the Neptune Hotel, offering wonderful views of Eilat's fairy-tale marine world, with its mounds of corals and clusters of rainbow-colored fish.

by Israel Ministry of Tourism
 

Kids - Eilat is a kid's paradise. It's youthful spirit and sea- and sand-centered activities make Eilat an ideal family vacation spot. The kids will love snorkeling, swimming with the dolphins, and peering at the "fishies" from a glass-bottomed boat. Not to mention watching the awesome sharks in action at the Underwater Observatory (from safely behind a big glass window.)

Marina - A wonderful place to watch the brilliant Eilat sunset as the boats return to dock after a day at sea.

Nightlife - It is hard to resist the temptations of "night-time Eilat." A free-wheeling feeling sweeps over the city from the late afternoon until daybreak. When the sun sets and the last sunbathers leave the beach, the city takes on a more intimate and romantic look. Nightspots begin to fill, a profusion of colored lights are reflected in the waters of the Gulf, and an air of enchantment settles over the city. Eilat's nightlife is dynamic and surprising, and has a long-held reputation as tops among Israelis.

Promenade -- Take a stroll along Eilat's 1.5-mile-long Promenade, beginning at King Solomon's Hotel at the northern cave of the Lagoon where the yachts are anchored. Wind your way past colorful shops to the Dutch Bridge, which opens to allow passage to the tall ships.

Scuba Diving and Snorkeling - Eilat's diving clubs provide a wide range of services to divers, from intensive diving courses for beginners interested in obtaining an international license, to organized cruises in selected diving sites.

Underwater Observatory -- Located just south of Coral Beach, the complex consists of three distinctively-rounded buildings on the beach and two amazing underwater observatories.

Weather - Divine in winter and good in summer, with an average yearly rainfall of a mere 7.5 inches and an average winter temperature of 70 degrees F, Eilat is a winter haven.