Travel to Eilat
Travel to Eilat
In the southernmost tip of Israel lies the beautiful city of Eilat that has been blessed with beautiful beaches, pleasant weather and magnificent landscapes. Tens of thousands of holidaymakers from all over the world travel to this perfect vacation spot each year, which has quaint seafront bars, fantastic sites to visit, a variety of water and land activities, and much more.
Transportation to Eilat
Visitors can get to Eilat by air or road from almost any part of the world. It is probably best to fly into the international airport at Eilat and then use a car to enjoy this magnificent city and its surroundings. Eilat is about 450kms from Tel Aviv, a 4 to 5-hour drive. Israel does not have a train line running to Eilat, but there are very good bus services connecting the city with other main cities within Israel. Approximately 10 buses depart Tel Aviv a day for Eilat and vice-versa.
The Eilat International Airport, located very close to the main hotel and tourist district, handles several domestic and a few international flights each day, while Ovda International Airport, the second airport in Eilat, handles mostly international flights and a few domestic flights. Ovda has a longer runaway and is therefore able to accommodate larger commercial aeroplanes. From the airport, visitors can choose to hire a limousine or take a bus or taxi into the city.
What to see
Eilat is breathtakingly beautiful, with wonderful opportunities to explore nature. The Eilat Mountains and the surrounding deserts are worth visiting for the multitude of colours and animals that can be seen in this region. The Marine Life Centre is one of the few places in the world that has such an amazing shark display. Dolphin Reef; the Maran Pillars and Shehoret Canyon; Timna Park, the site of ancient copper mines and beautifully coloured rock formations; and the market are only some of the places of interest at Eliat.
Daytrips
The area surrounding Eilat is absolutely beautiful, and a good way of appreciating the mountains, desert and towns is to drive around. Daytrips can be made to Petra in Jordan and also to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and Massada.
Activities and leisure
As the sea is at its doorstep, Eilat offers a wide variety of water sports including scuba diving, snorkelling, jet-skiing, yachting, kayaking, waterskiing, windsurfing and much more. For land-lovers, there is just as much to do including trekking, climbing, horseback riding, camel safari, jeep safari and mountain biking. For nature-lovers, there is bird-watching. During the autumn and spring, migratory birds can be seen as they cross the continent.
Safety issues
Eilat is a safe city to visit, but like any other city, tourists must pay attention to their surroundings and be sensible in their activities with regards to the internal political situation. Pick-pocketing and bag-snatching are the most common petty crimes, usually occurring on the beaches or at the more crowded areas such as the Marine Life Centre. We advise that all travellers secure a comprehensive travel insurance policy that will protect them against unfortunate incidents.