Middle East - Anthony Ham [258]
Nevertheless, the city still serves as a good base for watersports, dive courses or exploring the dramatic surrounding mountainscape, or as a hop-off point to the decidedly more relaxed Red Sea beaches of Egypt’s Sinai (Click here) and the nearby archaeological treasures of Jordan’s rose-red Petra (Click here).
Orientation
Eilat consists of a town centre, the hotel-fringed lagoon and beaches (the two exhilaratingly separated by the tiny airport and runway), and the 5km coastal strip between the town centre and the Egyptian border. The massive Jordanian flag down the coast to the east marks the Jordanian resort town of Aqaba (Click here) next door.
Information
To change money, head for the many no-commission change bureaus in the town centre. ATMs are widespread.
Capish ( 632 5977; New Tourist Centre; 24hr)Internet is available at this coffeehouse.
E-Surf ( 634 4331; Bus station; 9am-11pm Sun-Thu, 9am-4pm Fri, 4-11pm Sat) Internet access at 15NIS per hour.
Police station ( 100) Located at the eastern end of Hativat HaNegev Ave.
Post office ( 8am-4pm Sun-Thu) Located in Red Kanyon Mall.
Tourist Information Office ( 630 9111; Bridge House, Yacht Marina; 8am-4pm Sun-Thu)Well stocked with maps and brochures.
Tourist police ( 10am-3am Sun-Wed, 10am-6am Thu-Sat) This station is near the Tourist Information Office at North Beach.
Sights & Activities
The first of Eilat’s two biggest tourist treasures is the Underwater Observatory Marine Park ( 636 4200; www.coralworld.com/eilat; Taba Rd; adult/child 79/69NIS, oceanarium extra 10NIS; 9am-5pm), featuring the ‘Oceanarium’ mock submarine ride, tanks with sharks and rare green and hawksbill turtles (which live for 150 to 200 years). The highlight is the magical glassed-in underwater viewing centre – it’s like snorkelling without getting wet. The adjacent aquarium displays many of the tropical species you may have missed on the reef.
The second most popular attraction is the lovely Dolphin Reef ( 637 1846; dolphinreef.co.il; Southern Beach; adult/child 58/40NIS; 9am-5pm Sun-Thu, 9am-4.30pm Fri & Sat), on the road towards the Taba border, where visitors can observe dolphins from a floating boardwalk in a fenced-off stretch of sea, and even snorkel or dive with them. Call for dive and snorkel prices and times. There’s also a small, secluded beach, and a beautiful, strutting family of white peacocks.
For something less serene, you’ve got to hand it to the people at the Kings City ( 630 4444; East Lagoon; adult/child US$25/22; 9am-1am Sun-Thu, 9am-4pm Fri, 8pm-1am Sat) theme park for creating the loosest interpretations ever of biblical stories. Try the David Winding Slides (transparent water chutes), or King Solomon Falls (a terrifying log flume).
The crowded and cluttered hotel area at North Beach is great for a drink in the sun, but isn’t especially appealing for underwater activities. For snorkelling, your best option is the beautiful Coral Beach Nature Reserve ( 637 6829; admission 23NIS; 9am-5pm), with several underwater trails marked by buoys. There are dozens of dive, snorkel and sailing outfits all around town: they change frequently, so shop around for the best packages. Remember, though, that the diving off the shores of Eilat is nowhere near as good as in neighbouring Sinai (Click here).
Tours
A reputable choice for wilderness tours is the reputable Desert Eco Tours ( 052 276 1598; www.desertecotours.com; Zofit Centre), which offers half-day to multiday jeep, camel and hiking tours in the Negev, Sinai and southwestern Jordan. If you’re camping, plan on US$40/100 for a half-/full-day (plus any border taxes).
Sleeping
As a resort town, hotel rooms in Eilat rise in price by about