Of course, we’re talking about Israel! Where else can you relax in one country with three seas? And if you choose one vacation spot, for example, on the Red Sea, you can also take a trip and swim in the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea! The country may be small, but it’s very warm and hospitable! To help you make an informed choice, let’s talk a little bit about each of the three options. Let’s start with Eilat. The Red Sea!
BREATHE HOT, BUT EASY. EILAT.
Eilat is the southernmost point of Israel, bordering Jordan and Egypt. The border is calm and peaceful. This city is mentioned several times in the scriptures, only under the name Elot. It is believed to be the place where the ancient Jews left Egyptian slavery. The city is located on the Red Sea, at the Gulf of Aqaba. The water temperature is always 21-23 degrees Celsius, year-round. The air temperature ranges from 22 in winter to 50 in summer. However, due to the low humidity and dry air, these temperatures are tolerable. Although when the wind blows, it feels like being blown by a hot hairdryer. In the summer, cafes on the promenade release cold steam to create a cooling effect. In general, it’s quite exotic.
Hotels
Israel has only 10 kilometers of coastline along the Red Sea, and on this small strip of land, literally wrested from the desert, there are about 340 hotels. Additionally, apartments, houses, and apartments are available for daily rent. It’s truly a resort city. So, I think everyone will be able to find a suitable option. All-inclusive hotels are available on the first, second, and third lines of the coast, but there aren’t many of them, only about a dozen. There are only four on the first line.
The most expensive hotels in Eilat
Leonardo Plaza Eilat, Rimonim Eilat Hotel, U Coral Beach Club Eilat. Hotels with private beaches include Club Hotel Eilat, Herods Forum Hotel Eilat, Isrotel Royal Beach Hotel, Hilton Eilat Queen of Sheba Hotel, Dan Hotel Eilat, Astral Seaside, Prima Music Hotel Eilat, Herods Palace, Reef Hotel Eilat, Orchid Hotel Eilat, U Suites, Isrotel Yam Suf.
Of course, it’s impossible to cover all the hotels in Eilat in a short article, but to give you a rough idea, let’s take an example. If you book a tour to Eilat from April 30 to May 13, 2023, for two adults, the price range for hotels and apartments would be from 79,000 rubles to 387,000 rubles. Breakfast is included in most hotels, but naturally not in apartments. Almost no hotel mentions transfer services, so please pay attention to that.
The Ramon Airport is located approximately 20 km from Eilat in the Timna Valley. It’s a new airport that has been operational since 2019. The old airport in the city center has been closed. You can reach the city from the airport by car, bus (running every 30 minutes, tickets available from vending machines), or taxi, which costs about 100 shekels, plus additional charges for luggage. On weekends and holidays, there is a 25% surcharge on the fare.
Sea and Beaches
People come to the Red Sea from all over the world to see the underwater world. Even if you don’t scuba dive, you can simply put on a mask and immerse your face in the water. The underwater world starts just off the shore, and the variety of shapes and colors of marine life is stunning! However, it’s important to remember that there are very few sandy beaches; most of them are pebbly, with sharp and slippery stones. It’s recommended to bring or purchase special footwear to enjoy your vacation without any injuries. By the way, the hotels in Eilat do not have a medical license. You can only rely on spa procedures, which are available in abundance. There is a city hospital, so if something serious happens, they will provide assistance and support in times of trouble.
Sights
Let’s start with the Marine Observatory, where the world’s first oceanarium is located! You can spend a whole day there as there are plenty of activities – from feeding sharks to making jewelry from pearls that you can retrieve yourself. It’s interesting for both children and adults.
In the evenings, people gather at the singing fountain on the promenade. It’s very beautiful! Generally, the promenade, like in any seaside city, is the main center of socializing and entertainment. During the day, everyone rushes to the beaches or back to the hotels with a business-like appearance, and in the evening, there’s music, lights, strolling, dining, and so on.
You should definitely visit the most unusual dolphinarium in the world – there are no trained dolphins there! Walkways are built above the water, and you walk on them and see dolphins swimming into the bay. They live in the wild but come to play with people. There are almost as many scuba divers ready to play with the dolphins as there are dolphins themselves. The coastline near the dolphinarium has been transformed into a beautiful park where you can spend the whole day walking, resting, eating, and swimming in the sea.
I want to mention the shopping center (canyon) “Aye Mall” separately. Of course, you can buy everything there! (Eilat is a duty-free zone). But what’s striking is the ICE RINK! 1800 square meters of ice in the middle of the city in fifty-degree heat! You put on skates, and… there are simply no words! By the way, about shopping – Eilat is the only place in the world where Eilat stone is mined: a mixture of chrysocolla, turquoise, and malachite. And there you can buy jewelry made from this stone – it’s incredibly beautiful! Of course, vacationing in Eilat is not cheap. But all the hotels are fully booked. So, you have the opportunity to afford it!
THE SECOND SEA – THE DEAD SEA!
Of course, everyone knows that it is alive, just very salty, so no one lives there. But oh, how it heals!!! If you are staying in Eilat, we will take you on an excursion to the Dead Sea. It’s easy to do in one day – the distance is 215 km. If you decide to stay specifically at the Dead Sea, we will tell you more about that option.
Living Dead Water
The water in this sea is so salty that you can’t even sink in it. It’s also oily and slippery. When you enter the sea to sit and lie down, the main thing is to keep the water out of your eyes and nose. The sensation is very unpleasant. But this water is alive and therapeutic. Skin conditions are treated here like nowhere else in the world!
Sanatorium Treatment
It’s better to buy a package tour to the Dead Sea sanatoriums with a treatment package. In the center of the Ein Bokek resort, there is the “Dead Sea Clinic” that serves people from all hotels. You will be examined by a doctor who will prescribe an individual course of treatment with water, minerals, and mud from the Dead Sea. A minibus from all hotels takes people to the clinic and back for free. The climate itself is also therapeutic. The Dead Sea is located 500 meters below the accepted sea level. The sunlight becomes so long that it doesn’t burn. The humidity is only 7%. An air dome is created over the basin, which itself has a healing effect! The Dead Sea treats skin diseases, respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous system disorders, as well as musculoskeletal system disorders.
Hotels and Prices
Except for the “Leonardo Inn” hotel, all hotels have a spa area with Dead Sea water pools, hydrogen sulfide baths, mud treatments, professional masseurs, and fitness centers. They all have children’s playrooms and children’s pools with regular water. All hotels offer buffet-style meals, but meat dishes are not served for breakfast, as it’s specific to Israel. No one will go hungry, of course. According to experts, the most comfortable hotels are “Isrotel,” “Herods,” “David,” “Isrotel Ganim,” and “Lot.” We looked at approximate prices for the same dates as in Eilat. It ranges from 87,000 rubles to 444,000 rubles. But the prices are approximate, as there may be nuances in each case. The choice is yours, of course.
Excursions
It is closer to reach the Dead Sea resorts from Ben-Gurion Airport than from Eilat. You can pre-book a transfer, and we will provide you with comfortable cars and highly qualified drivers who speak three languages. You can take advantage of our services if you want to go beyond the resort and see the sights of Israel.
In the resort area itself, attractions are mainly natural. These are the Ein Gedi National Park, where wild animals come to the spring to drink, the Judean Desert, where it seems that you are on the surface of Mars, the Qumran Gorge, where there are ruins of ancient monasteries, the Ein Bokek and Tmarim canyons, that make a lasting impression. And, of course, the Mossad fortress, where buildings of two thousand years ago have been preserved!
THIRD SEA – THE MEDITERRANEAN!
Clean, beautiful, warm! It covers a large part of Israel’s coastline. The water temperature can reach up to 30 degrees Celsius in the summer. However, along with that comes high humidity, up to 80%. From Ben-Gurion Airport, starting from May through September, stepping outside feels like entering a sauna. But if that doesn’t deter you, go ahead! Moreover, there’s also April, September, October, November—warm months with less humidity, and people enjoy swimming to their heart’s content. We can meet you at the airport and take you to any specified address.
I want to draw your attention to one of the largest resorts on the Mediterranean Sea—Netanya.
NETANYA
Netanya has been a city since 1928. It was primarily settled by immigrants from Western and Eastern Europe. To this day, there is a significant population of French immigrants in Netanya.
Netanya is located approximately 30 km north of Tel Aviv. It is a large city with a population of 200,000 people. The coastline stretches for 14 kilometers. All the beaches are open year-round. There are over 50 hotels for tourists, equipped with 9 beaches (as a reminder, all beaches in Israel are public and free), and numerous sports facilities. You will have to pay extra for a lounge chair and an umbrella on the beach. For example, a lounge chair costs 15 shekels. There are showers, toilets, drinking water fountains, and changing cabins available everywhere. Lifeguards are present on each beach. There are bars, cafes, and restaurants as well.
An interesting fact is that the city of Netanya is situated on cliffs above the sea, with heights ranging from 15 to 40 meters in different places. Therefore, be prepared to descend to the beach either by stairs or by an elevator. Two elevators operate, each capable of carrying up to 60 people. The elevator walls are made of glass. It operates from 7 am to 10 pm.
Hotels
Almost all the hotels in the city are located along the beaches. For example, the five-star “Island Suites” is right next to the main Sironit Beach. There are hotels to suit every taste, ranging from budget options to 5-star accommodations. There are also many 2- and 3-star hotels. We have analyzed the prices for the same two weeks, from April 30th to May 13th, for two adults. Prices range from 97,000 rubles for a one-bedroom apartment to 336,000 rubles for a luxurious hotel. Breakfast is included in only 11 of the hotels. There is no “all-inclusive” system..
Sights
The main attraction is the Caesarea National Park, which has been preserved since the time of Herod the Great. The scale of the ancient structures is astonishing! However, keep in mind that you will be exposed to the open sun, so wearing hats and drinking plenty of water is essential. The entrance fee for adults is 40 shekels, for children – 24 shekels, for students – 34 shekels, and for senior citizens – 20 shekels. It is recommended to book a tour in Caesarea. You can join a group tour or arrange a personal tour with your own car and guide.
Netanya itself also offers several attractions. The Independence Square Fountain, the 40,000-square-meter Utopia Park, the Parrot Farm in Kfar Hess, the nature reserve on the Poleg River where the Turtle Farm is located. There are museums of archaeology, nature, and art, municipal and city galleries, and the Netanya Cultural Center. For those interested in military history, there is the Yad Lebanim Memorial Park and the Victory Monument over Fascism.
Entertainment
сссFor tourists from countries with real winters, it will be unusual to see an open-air water park like Shefayim. Netanya also offers a golf club, go-karting, a bicycle park, bowling, jeep rides, equestrian centers, swimming pools, surfing courses, the Maya Center – a roller skating and skateboarding rink (with instructors), healing springs, and paragliding. As you can see, there are entertainment options for every taste. And it is simply impossible to count the number of cafes, bars, and restaurants. Moreover, if you have come to vacation on the Mediterranean Sea, nothing will stop you from seeing the Red Sea and the Dead Sea as well. Just give us a call and book a car with a driver.
We wish you a wonderful vacation in Israel – the land of three seas!
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