Eilat tourist information
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!
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.
History - Eilat's strategic location as the crossroads between Asia and Africa dictated its place in history. It was one of the stops of the Children of Israel as they fled from Egypt into the Promised Land, and it is believed that King Solomon's fleet was docked in the area between Aqaba and Eilat. The Nabateans, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottoman Turks, and lastly, the British, all encamped here until the Israelis took over the region in 1949 and founded the town in 1951.
International Birding and Research Center - In the city center, this bird-watcher's delight has everything you ever wanted to know about our feathered friends, as well as bird-related activities all over Eilat. Each year in March, the Center hosts an International Bird-watchers Festival, attracting "birders" from all over the world.
Jazz -- The Red Sea Jazz Festival is one of the biggest events of the year. Part of the international jazz circuit, it's held outdoors in Eilat's port during the last four days of August. The festival spills into hotel lobbies in jam sessions that continue until dawn.
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.)
Lemon Popsicle - Stickier but more delicious than air conditioning, these frosty treats are a popular way to beat the heat in Eilat. Available at many beach-side restaurants, where sunbathers can refuel and relax before heading back for more sand and sea.
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.
Ouvda International Airport - Eilat's airport for long distance flights to Europe and North America. Connects the sunny city of Eilat to the world.
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.
Queen of Sheba - Fabled Egyptian beauty arrived in Eilat from Yemen on her journey to meet with King Solomon in Jerusalem.
Red Sea Classical Festival - The international classical music event that was held for the first time in Eilat in 1993, organized by the city of Eilat and "Shira," an international cultural society. It was so successful it was made an annual winter tradition.
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. The clubs also rent and sell diving equipment, which is among the most advanced in the world. Those who are inexperienced but would like to observe the silent underwater world of Eilat have three options: snorkeling, personal introductory dive or "Snuba," an American invention that combines the ease and simplicity of snorkeling with the advantages of diving with an air tank.
Timna Valley Park - Spectacular cliffs and canyons surrounded by the Timna Mountains, whose highest peak is 2,550 feet. Millions of years of erosion have sculpted shapes of amazing beauty, such as the red-hued "Solomon's Pillars" (created by nature, not by the biblical king) and the 20-foot-high, freestanding sandstone "Mushroom."
Underwater Observatory -- Located just south of Coral Beach, the complex consists of three distinctively-rounded buildings on the beach and two amazing underwater observatories.
Village Beach - The liveliest, most happening place for weekend beach parties, pub life, good restaurants, water sports and volleyball.
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. High season is mid-October to April, although the city is also crowded during Jewish and Christian holidays. The summer heat is intense but dry, without a hint of humidity, and as the late afternoon wind picks up, the beaches, hotel terraces and outdoor cafes become crowded with loungers sipping cold drinks and watching the Edom Mountains turn red and the Saudi Arabian hills fade to purple.
Yellow Submarine - A trip to the Underwater Observatory can also include an "undersea safari" in the Yellow Submarine - one of the most sophisticated in the world. Experience the changes in light, color and fauna that occur at the various ocean depths, from the moonscape texture of the coral bed to the warm waves of color as the submarine gradually makes its way into shallower waters.
Zoo "Hai Bar" -- This Nature Reserve is home to many rare, endangered and formerly-exiled Biblical animals like the ostrich, gazelle and oryx. The Predator Center houses the fox, wolf, sand cat, Israeli leopard and hyena, plus a couple of serious vultures for fun.
Eilat aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Eilat aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Eilat.
Eilat weather forecast
Africa | Asia | Caribbean | Central America | Europe | Middle East | North America | Oceania | South America
