Winter sun on the Red Sea
As a holiday destination, many people remain wary of Israel because of the political tensions.
Yet Eilat, situated at the country's southernmost tip, has over the last 20 years developed into a popular winter sun resort, as far removed from the troubled West Bank as you can get.
Eilat provides a good variety of luxury and self-catering accommodation, plus US-style shopping malls and facilities.
Located on the banks of the Red Sea, Eilat is a reliable winter sun resort, with an average temperature of 24C/76F during the season.
It is a five-hour flight from London Heathrow, with weekly flights provided by Israel's ultra security-conscious international airline El Al.
As well as the sun, the region offers plenty of opportunities for scuba diving, snorkelling and desert tours.
The hidden beauty of the region undoubtedly lies at the bottom of the Gulf of Eilat.
Here, the semi-tropical climate has created a
n environment rich in coral and marine life.
As well as snorkelling and scuba diving, this underwater world can be explored by visiting the Underwater Observatory Marine Park, which boasts a submarine.
The local marine life can also be viewed from one of the glass-bottomed boats which regularly cruise the Gulf of Eilat. Another water attraction is the Dolphin Reef, where visitors can observe the dolphins at close quarters and help their trainers feed them. ...
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Unforgettable experience
My wife and I visited Eilat in February 2001 and stayed at the Palmyra Hotel. We were amazed at the clean streets and also the fact that one does not wait long for a taxi. There is one cruising by almost every five-10 minutes.
The weather at that time of the year was approx 26/29c but nights were somewhat cooler.
We also took in an arranged tour from Eilat to Cairo and visited the museum, papyrus institute, the pyramids at Giza, night cruise down the Nile and the bazaar and all in all was an unforgettable experience.
The Palmyra Hotel upgraded our stay to half-board and the food (on a serve-yourself basis) was better than dining in a five star hotel. Take US dollars which are in great demand and easily changed by the numerous bureaux de changes/banks/hotels etc
For the traveller with extra cash to spend you can visit the diamond factories and buy stones at 20/35% cheaper than at Hatton Garden.