Eilat Attractions - Worth Seeing

Before arriving at the resort, it is advisable to ask how you can have fun there. In Eilat, for example, beach vacations can be combined with diverse excursions. Despite the fact that Eilat cannot offer historical sights, there is something to see here.

Conventionally, all the attractions of this resort are divided into those that are within the city and those that are located 20-40 km from it. So what to see in Eilat and the surrounding area?

Botanical Garden

There is a botanical garden right at the entrance to Eilat - we can say that this city of Israel begins with an oasis in the desert.

The garden is small, it can be seen in an hour and a half. Here you can stroll in the shade of outlandish trees, sit on comfortable benches and ride on a swing, and also drop in Rain Forest, where every 9 minutes there is an imitation of rain.

The Eilat Botanical Garden is one of those attractions in Israel where the photos are especially colorful and impressive. Interesting pictures can be taken against the backdrop of a small waterfall, near a huge cactus and African baobab. An excellent background will be panoramic views of the Red Sea and the Edom Mountains, which open from the observation platforms - there are three in the garden.

• The Botanical Garden is located at: Carmel St, Eilat 88118, Israel.
• Entrance for adults to the territory of this attraction costs 28 shekels.
• Opening hours: Sunday - Thursday - from 8:30 to 17:00, Friday - from 08:30 to 15:00, Saturday - from 09:30 to 15:00.

City embankment

Eilat embankment is known as a popular tourist center and one of the most populated pedestrian sections of the city. Eilat Marina stretches from coastal hotels to the coast of the Gulf of Eilat. Throughout its length, there are many souvenir shops, small restaurants and cozy cafes, playgrounds and attractions.

Life on the embankment of Eilat does not cease even after dark: bright lights turn on, numerous bars and discos open.

Musical fountain

What else to see in Eilat is the musical fountains that appeared in 2015. Of all the musical fountains in Israel, these are the largest: 350 jets of water rise to a height of 30 m, and 400 colorful LED lamps illuminate them.

During the show, which lasts 15-20 minutes, a melody sounds (classic, modern compositions), and to the beat of it the water jets change their strength and direction, the backlight also changes.

The show of singing fountains can be watched on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 20:30.

You can find this attraction at: Derekh Yotam | Gan Binyamin Central Park, Eilat, Israel. The location is very convenient - not far from the main city park, within walking distance from most hotels. This factor also played a significant role in the fact that a lot of people are always going to see a musical performance in the city of Eilat.

Isrotel Theater

Isrotel Theater occupies the premises of the Royal Garden Hotel - it is in the city center, at: Antiv 5 | Isrotel Royal Garden Eilat., Eilat 88000, Israel. Six nights a week, in addition to Sunday, there is a show known as the “Wow!” Show, the “Wow!” Theater, and a WOW show.

A fascinating performance with the participation of acrobats, actors, dancers, athletes, comedians takes place on the stage. Sparkling humor, phantasmagoria, complexity of tricks, magnificent optical special effects, bewitching musical accompaniment - these are the words of those viewers who in Eilat (Israel) managed to watch the show at the Isrotel Theater.

A ticket costs 130 shekels. It is better to buy it in advance, since there are only about 600 seats in the hall. It is better to take seats from row 9 and above: if you sit closer, it is difficult to catch a glance at a rather large scene.

Shopping and entertainment center Ice Mall Eilat

Modern Ice Mall Eilat waiting for its guests at: 8 Kampen, Eilat 8851318, Israel.

The main attraction of Ice Mall is the 1800 m² ice rink. Here you can always go for a drive with skates for hire (by the way, only skates need to be paid, and the entrance to the ice platform is free). Despite the fact that visitors have to leave the ice rink every hour due to ice processing, it remains a popular attraction in Eilat.

For children in the mall there is another entertainment: a huge "Luna Park" (1200 m²) with many different attractions.

Ice Mall has about 20 cafes and restaurants with different cuisines. Shopping lovers will not be disappointed either - in the center there are boutiques of well-known trading companies.

• Experienced tourists claim that the Ice Mall is just such an attraction in Eilat that is definitely worth a look. The center operates according to the following schedule: Sunday, Thursday and Saturday - from 9:30 to 23:00,
• Friday - from 09:30 to 22:00.

Free skating shows of professional skaters are often held at the rink. On the official Ice Mall website icemalleilat.co.il/ you can always see the show schedule.

Camel farm

"Riding a camel (only females on the farm) is super! The camel goes quietly and sways steadily. And when you sit on top of it, you get the feeling that you are taking off! This is a complete delight!" These are the impressions of tourists who visited a camel farm.

Farm guests are offered excursions to the desert for 1 hour and 4 hours. You can also take short walks (10 or 30 minutes) around the ranch - but this is if the camels are in place, and not on a longer hike.

Camel Farm is located at: Shlomo River | Pob 1553, Eilat 88000, Israel. It is only 10 km from Eilat, in the picturesque riverbed of Shlomo. But public transport does not go there, so either a taxi or a rented car.

You can visit this attraction, see its inhabitants and if you want to ride a camel on any day of the week except Sunday from 08:30 to 19:00.

Park "Underwater Observatory"

The underwater observatory is a large-scale complex of several sections. Therefore, a map of the territory of this Eilat landmark with a photo and a detailed description will be very useful, and you can take it immediately at the entrance. The map is also convenient because it indicates the time of feeding the fish (although you can see it in advance on the official website of the park (www.coralworld.co.il/russian/).

For tourists, the oceanarium is a contradictory experience - from delight to disappointment. Most people who have visited similar places in other states note some "poverty and faded assortment" of the Eilat park. This fact becomes especially relevant if we mention the very high cost of tickets to the Underwater Observatory.

The main tower is a 23-meter-high structure that resembles a lighthouse and stands right in the sea. You can get to the tower via a wooden 100-meter bridge.

The most interesting thing that awaits tourists here is an underwater aquarium located at a depth of 8 m. Having gone down the stairs, visitors find themselves in a hall where they can see the underwater beauty of the Red Sea. This Eilat aquarium is a special attraction. In fact, this is a large glass capsule with air in which visitors find themselves, and fish swim around in the natural waters of the Red Sea.

Having examined everything that the internal halls provide, you can climb the narrow spiral staircase to the very top of the tower, to the observation deck. From it you can see the coast of four countries at once: Israel, its closest neighbor Egypt, located across the Gulf of Jordan, and hidden in the foggy haze of distant Saudi Arabia.

The spacious area of ​​the park with indoor and outdoor aquariums is located on the shore.

The most popular is the pool with sharks. It holds 3,000,000 liters of water, and 20 predators and many small fish inhabit it. You can watch sharks through a huge glass wall (10 mx 4 m) or from a 15 m long glass tunnel.

Of no less interest is the exposition "Coral Reef of the Red Sea", the exhibition "Rare Fish" from 35 aquariums, the pavilion-terrarium "Amazonian Cabin".

A separate attraction of the park is the Coral 2000 ship with a transparent bottom, on which excursions to the open sea go. As almost all tourists note, a trip on this ship is a dubious pleasure for several reasons:

• excursions are conducted only in Hebrew;
• there are almost always a lot of people that creates discomfort;
• all fish that can be viewed through the transparent bottom (if you're lucky) are in the stationary bathyscaphe;
• extra charge: 35 shekels for an adult and 29 for a child.

This attraction of the city of Eilat in Israel is one of the most expensive aquariums in the world. The prices are as follows:

• for adults - 99 shekels,
• for children 3 to 16 years old - 79 shekels.

Officially it is believed that children under 2 years old are not allowed in the park, but many tourists refute this information and claim that they passed with their young children. It is most advantageous to buy tickets at the box office at the entrance to the park, because when buying online, payment is charged in shekels and, due to the conversion conditions, you can still argue about savings.

The observatory is located at a distance of 8 km from the city center, on the west coast of the Gulf of Eilat. Address: Highway 90, Eilat 88106, Israel. The location is convenient, you can go there from Eilat on your own and see everything without haste. You can get on buses No. 15 and No. 16 (there are flights every 30-50 minutes, and a ticket costs 5.9 shekels) or by taxi (depending on the distance, the trip will cost 30-50 shekels).

In order to have time to see all the expositions of the park, you need to take into account that it works from 8:30 to 16:00 (daily).
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Nature Reserve "Coral Beach"

The coral beach is located on the coast of the Gulf of Eilat, just 100 meters from the Underwater Observatory Park.

In this protected area of ​​Eilat (Israel), the main attraction is the thick coral settlements with a length of 1200 m.To conveniently observe the corals, two swimming lanes (150 m 250 m long), to which special bridges lead, are marked. The reef is fenced, the guard ensures that no one swims over the fence.

Diving equipment can be rented on the beach: a mask, flippers and a wetsuit will cost 38 shekels. As tourists note, the quality of the masks leaves much to be desired, so it is advisable to have your own inventory.

The beach is always quiet and not crowded, since the entrance is paid - 35 shekels. The entrance ticket allows the use of sunbeds, chairs, umbrellas, toilets, showers, as well as taking drinking water from coolers. Beach infrastructure adapted for people with reduced mobility.

Working hours:

• on Friday from 9:00 to 16:00,
• on all other days of the week from 9:00 to 17:00.

You need to get to this conservation area by taxi or buses No. 15 and 16.

Dolphin Reef Nature Reserve

The next attraction of Eilat, which is recommended for everyone to see, is Dolphin Reef Nature Reserve.

Dolphin Reef is a small beach (50 m long) and an underwater coral reef. The beach is clean, with sand and pebbles, the entry into the water is rocky, there are sunbeds and umbrellas.

The coral reef is surrounded by a net, the fence measures 100 mx 100 m. Dolphins live inside it, in the natural waters of the Red Sea.

This reserve is the only place in Israel and perhaps the best place in the world where you can mingle with dolphins in natural conditions. Dolphins here give no idea, and only at their own will play with each other or sail to visitors who are comfortable sitting on bridges that go far into the water.

At Dolphin Reef, visitors can not only look at dolphins, but also swim with them, or, accompanied by a personal instructor, dive to a depth of 6 m. Participants are 8 years old and do not even need to swim to dive. It should be noted that no one can guarantee the appearance of dolphins and communication with them.

The cost of a ticket allowing entry to the site of the attraction, as well as the use of beach umbrellas and sunbeds:

• for adults 67 shekels,
• for children 3-15 years old - 46 shekels.

Diving prices:

• for children 8-15 years old - 309 shekels,
• for adults 339.

Snorkeling prices:

• for children 8-15 years old - 260 shekels,
• for adults 290 shekels.

Dolphin Reef is open to visitors:

• Sunday - Thursday from 9:00 to 17:00,
• Friday and Saturday from 9:00 to 16:30.

It is better to arrive early in the morning when there are still few people and you can safely see everything.

Dolphin Reef is located at: Southern Beach | POB 104 Eilat, Eilat 88100, Israel. It is very close to attractions such as Coral Beach and Underwater Observatory. To get also: by taxi, rented car, or buses No. 15 and No. 16.

Park "Red Canyon"

This unique natural attraction of Israel is located in the mountains, in the northwest of Eilat. You can visit the park any day, and for free.

The canyon has 2 km and 4.5 km of hiking trails. In the parking lot, in front of the entrance to the territory, you can pre-view and study the map with marked routes.

Everyone who enters the park will get to know the fantastic nature of Israel: incredible “Martian” landscapes, mountain panoramas, a bed of a dried river, narrow gorges among red rocks. No description and even a photo of this landmark of Eilat (Israel) will not be able to convey all its beauty - this must be seen with your own eyes.

You must take water with you! Clothing is needed with closed shoulders and long sleeves, a hat. Shoes with embossed soles that do not slip on smooth stone surfaces.

The most convenient way to get to the canyon is by car, take 30 minutes. You can also take bus number 392 (departing from the central Eilat bus station), but you will still need to walk about 40 minutes from the stop along the dirt road to the parking lot, which serves as the starting point of the trip .

National Park Timna

Another attraction of Eilat is located among the Arava desert, in the Timna Valley, surrounded by sheer cliffs of various colors.

The park occupies a large territory, over which a lot of attractions are scattered. It is interesting to look at the amazing creations created by nature: massive columns of sandstone, arches in the rocks, grandiose Solomon pillars (the most magnificent local natural sculptures), Mushroom rocks. But the most interesting object, many consider the Spiral Mountain, which is diagonally surrounded by a spiral staircase.

Among the other attractions that you definitely need to see:

• Mines where copper was mined ("Mine of King Solomon"). Several mines remained open, you can even go down to them.
• An artificial lake, which has become a center of diverse entertainment.
• The ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor.
• The cave paintings left by the ancient Egyptians.

Timna Park’s opening hours vary seasonally; it’s best to check the schedule in advance on the official website www.parktimna.co.il/EN/Info/.

Cost of visiting attractions:

• for adults 49 shekels,
• for children 3-14 years old - 39 shekels.

Together with the ticket, guests are given a map-scheme of the park (available in Russian).

Public transport does not go to Timna Park. You can use a rented car - from Eilat go along the highway 90 for only 20 minutes. Many travel agencies and private guides show attractions in Eilat, so you can always book a VIP excursion or join a group excursion.

Schedule and prices on the page are for March 2019.

All the attractions described on the page, as well as the beaches of Eilat are marked on the map in Russian.

Watch the video: Eilat Tourist Attractions: 15 Top Places to Visit (November 2024).