The picturesque Red Sea Beach stretches between two gulfs in the north: the famous Gulf of Suetz in Egypt and the Gulf of Aqaba, and borders Israel and Jordan. Southwards, the Red Sea also borders Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea and Djibouti, before it meets the Arabian Sea, through which it connects to the Indian Ocean.
Its significance as a trade route aside, the Red Sea is mostly popular worldwide as a tourist resort, specifically around its famous recreational diving sites. Its popularity has increased significantly after a Jacques Cousteau expedition in 1954, which has showcased its incredible marine life and, most importantly, its spectacular corals. A 2,000 km long coral reef, with many attractive formations, extends along the Red Sea coastline and makes for quite a sight.
he most tourist-friendly beaches of the Red Sea are situated in Egypt and Israel, as well as in Jordan’s Aqaba. In Egypt, the best known beaches are the ones in Taba and Sharm El Sheikh (in an area known as the Red Sea Riviera, commonly considered to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world), and in Israel, the beaches of its most southern city - the vibrant tourist town of Eilat.
Much like places such as Taba and Sharm El Sheikh developed and grew in the spirit of tourism, Eilat has turned into a city unlike any other in Israel and also unlike any other surrounding the Red Sea. It has truly dedicated itself to the vacation lifestyle and built itself around its beaches. The beaches of Eilat can be divided into the declared beaches, the undeclared beaches and the hotel beaches (which are also open to the general public, but do feature extra services for the hotels’ guests).
The “declared” beaches have been recognized by the Eilat municipality and are regularly maintained for the welfare and enjoyment of the general public. They are HaSchafim Beach (Seagulls Beach), HaZahav Beach (Golden Beach), Nikki’s Beach, the well-known, vibrant Papaya Beach, HaDekel Beach (Palm Beach), the Dolphin Reef Beach- in which you can swim with the dolphins who inhabit its waters, the Village Beach and the Bar Beach.
The hotel beaches are all, of course, declared as well: the Dan Hotel Beach, the Royal Beach Hotel Beach, the Hilton Queen of Sheba Beach, the Sheraton Moriah Hotel Beach, the Club Med Hotel Beach and the Princess Hotel Beach - Eilat’s most southern beach, the last one before the border with Sinai.
Finally, rounding out the list are the undeclared Red Sea beaches, which should probably be approached with a degree of caution, as they do not have any lifeguards. They are still just as good for spending a relaxed day or evening, and perhaps even better, due to them being less crowded: Mifratz HaShemesh (Sun Bay) Beach, the Electric Company Beach, the Migdalor (Lighthouse) Beach, the Kisoski Beach and finally, Eilat’s Coral Beach Nature Reserve, which attracts many divers who look for its amazing coral formations.
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