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People like Eilat a lot. Eilat has a lot of sand, a lot of sun, a lot of
scenery and ....... many hotels!
Situtated at the southern tip of Israel on
the Red Sea, where its borders meet those of Egypt and Jordon, Eilat may
well be the most popular off the beaten path location in the world.
Eilat is Israel's best known resort town. Less than 50 years old, (Eilat
was founded in 1951), the city has grown from being an isolated police
outpost to a busy tourist center attracting tens of thousands of guests from
all over the world throughout the year. The average rainfall in Eilat is
about 19 centimeters (7.5 inches) per annum and its average winter
temperature is about 21 degrees centigrade (between 70 and 75 degrees
farhenheit). During the summer, Eilat's dry daytime heat often reachs over
40 degrees centigrade (90 degrees fahrenheit), and an average summer night
can be quite warm, even balmy. Don't bother bringing jackets or sweaters in
the summer, although a light colored umbrella could be used during the day
to keep away from the direct rays of the sun. Otherwise, sunglasses and a
hat are a must if you are going to walk around. And make sure to smear on
an effective sunscreen lotion.
Each year the city of Eilat, whose economy is based on tourism and its port,
adds additional hotel rooms and tourist activities.
There is much to see
and do in Eilat, especially if you enjoy water sports. There is plenty of
swimming, snorkeling, water skiing, para-sailing and sunbathing.
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Perhaps you enjoy the proximity to water but prefer to remain dry. Then
take a walk along the 2 1/2 k. (1.6 m.) Promenade, beginning at the King
Solomon Hotel. During your walk you'll find plenty of shopping and, if you
feel hot, you can stop by Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream for something cool. If
you are a little hungrier, then check out the Promenade's Pninat Eilat, a
gallery of fine eateries. At the northern end, there are small boats for
hire. You can also spend most of the day, including lunch, on a commercial
yacht which takes you on a pleasure cruise around the harbor. When the
yacht anchors south of Taba, off the coast of Egypt, you can dive off the
side and swim in the Red Sea.
In Eilat you'll find the Coral Reserve, one of the finest in the world.
Just south of this is Dolphin Reef, where you can actually swim side by side
with bottlenose dolphins. Eilat's famous Underwater Observatory is a must.
It is only one of four such facilities in world. A spiral staircase in the
round observatory takes you 3 meters (15 feet) below the water surface
allowing you to comfortably observe actual life along the coral reef. The
thousands of multi-colored exotic fish and variety of coral are breathtaking.
From Eilat you can take a guided tour, in a bus or in jeeps, of the
surrounding dessert mountains. You can visit the Hai Bar biblical wildlife
preserve or Timna Valley Park and King Solomon's Pillars. Timna was mined
for its copper in biblical times. Today you can hike or drive through the
60 sq. km (23.2 sq m.) protected area, which is best done in the winter
when its considerably cooler.
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The Red Sea