The bay of Eilat, Israel. It doesn’t look like much, but it is a watersport heaven.
Writing this description I had to ask myself “Why would you go to Eilat, Israel?”
The best answer I have is this – If you like to scuba, snorkel, jet-ski, parascend or banana tube, then this is for you. There is also lots of great food. That is it – Sunshine, watersports, diving, fish and restaurants. If you like that list then this is a great place to go. If you don’t like that list then stay in Jerusalem instead.
A week was long enough for me in Eilat. During my stay in Eilat, I actually took a 3 day trip to Cairo in Egypt. That may sound kind of strange, but the trip over the border into Egypt and the journey across the Sinai Desert is an experience in itself.
I don’t think this area or the trip are particularly dangerous, but if travelling here you should pay attention to the USA embassy status to make sure that there are not any warnings.
Eqypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan all share this Northern most point of the Red Sea. Things remain tense and flare up from time to time when various groups make claim to disputed land. There are various visa issues here that you will need to research before planning your trip.
Personally I see Eilat as a place to relax and get some sunshine before heading North in Israel. From Eilat, heading North, you can hop up the country to Jerusalem, Jericho, Galilee, Masada, Nazareth and Bethlehem. That would be the Christian Bible Trip for want of another description. However, Israel is well known as a THE religious melting pot. If you are interested in this rich history then I would recommend staying in Jerusalem for a week.
While staying in Jerusalem, I would personally recommend a recognized hotel chain outside the old city and then take trips into the old city to visit the markets and the central district which includes the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque), Western Wall, (or ‘Wailing Wall’), Ethiopian Catholic Church and various street markets.
A great place to learn about the history and conflicts over this much disputed and often thought of as the spiritual center of the world. Some of the richest stories, history and conflicts begin and end here. The most obvious sign of the conflicts can be seen when you enter through any of the gated entrances to the walled city – peppered in gunshot and rocket holes.
Jerusalem is a wonderful place to visit, but only when the USA embassy reports that it is safe to do so… conflict and violence erupts from time to time due to the extreme importance that Jerusalem represents to so many faiths. This makes it an amazing place to visit, but sometimes might feel like standing too close to a boxing match. I have written more about Jerusalem on its own post, but Eilat is a good place to visit Jerusalem from if you do not want to stay too close.