Eilat
May 3, 2000
When winter's cold winds blow,
the warming sun of Eilat beckons. However you spell it, Eilat, Elat, or
Elot -- not even the town seems to know, this lovely resort is now one of Europe’s
favorite winter getaways. It’s also a holiday retreat for Israelis at
Passover and New Year's, and a fun place to visit off-season before the summer
heat arrives.
Eilat
is on the Red Sea at the southern-most tip of Israel, a long drive or a short
flight from anywhere in Israel. The airport is right IN town; a plus if
you fly, but a minus when you’re sunbathing on the balcony. Eilat is
sized friendly, the tourist area spanning about a mile along the beach and just
a couple of hundred yards inland. With its 10 large, upscale hotels, it’s
small enough to be cozy but large enough to have a good selection of
restaurants, plenty of souvenir stands and a nice new mall. There’s a
paved promenade for walks and some interesting tourist attractions nearby.
On a 1-5 scale, we’ve rated it a 4. In part, that’s because the beach
at the water’s edge is rocky and drops off rather quickly, making it difficult
to walk in the water.
When
I first visited Eilat thirty-some years ago, there wasn’t much here: just one
main street with a few small motels. I came because of the fish, and also
because I had a relative I could mooch off of. (Not much has changed on this
front!) Back then, a longish snorkel / swim from the main beach got you to
the coral reef, which was chock-full of colorful tropical fish. There was
even an occasional little sea horse to be found -- just like the plastic ones in
fish tanks. What a sight! Today, the reef has deteriorated some,
although it’s now protected and recovering. It was a bit too cold (for
me anyway
)
to snorkel; instead we took a submarine dive at the Underwater
Observatory. The exhibits
and aquaria at the Observatory Park were great and well worth the admission
price. There are still loads of exotic fish to ogle at – angel fish,
parrot fish, sharks, butterfly fish, lionfish, turtles, black tails, and
more. Apparently the sea horse population has declined; sadly, we didn’t
see a one. Still, it's a lovely way to spend a day.
Just a little ways up the coast
from Eilat are Egypt on one side and Jordan on the other. Fascinating
places to visit if time permits. We ventured into the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan this time to see Petra.
Home
Eilat
is on the Red Sea at the southern-most tip of Israel, a long drive or a short
flight from anywhere in Israel. The airport is right IN town; a plus if
you fly, but a minus when you’re sunbathing on the balcony. Eilat is
sized friendly, the tourist area spanning about a mile along the beach and just
a couple of hundred yards inland. With its 10 large, upscale hotels, it’s
small enough to be cozy but large enough to have a good selection of
restaurants, plenty of souvenir stands and a nice new mall. There’s a
paved promenade for walks and some interesting tourist attractions nearby.
On a 1-5 scale, we’ve rated it a 4. In part, that’s because the beach
at the water’s edge is rocky and drops off rather quickly, making it difficult
to walk in the water.
