2012 Eilat Festival
About Eilat - the city
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!
Eilat, the southernmost city in Israel is
Israel's leading tourist resort. Tens of thousands of visitors annually
come to enjoy the clear blue waters, the brilliantly colored fish and
coral.
Tourist Atractions include:
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
Underwater Observatory -- Located just south of Coral Beach, the complex consists of three
distinctively-rounded buildings on the beach and two amazing underwater
observatories.
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.
by Israel Ministry of Tourism