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Major city · Israel

Eilatאילת

Go for 3 nights if you dive or want winter sun; skip if you came for Israel's history — Eilat is beaches, reef and desert, 5 h by bus from Tel Aviv.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
ILS
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (40°C highs), major Jewish holidays
Airport
ETM
Nights
3
Not field-verifiedbasic guideadvisory country
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
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Rules in force · 5Security advice in this region can change within a dayCheck your own government travel advice for Israel before…
  • Middle East ↗Security advice in this region can change within a day; re-read your government's page before departure and again before any border or regional flight.
  • Middle East ↗Public drunkenness, public displays of affection and offensive gestures or online posts can lead to arrest in the Gulf states and Iran; dress modestly outside beaches and hotels.
  • Israel ↗Check your own government travel advice for Israel before any booking; advice depends on your passport and changes without notice.
  • Israel ↗Entry rules, including any pre-arrival authorisation, depend on your passport and on the current border and security position; check the Population and Immigration Authority.
  • Israel ↗Confirm that your travel insurance and medical evacuation cover apply to Israel before you rely on it.

Eilat is Israel's only Red Sea city, a resort strip on 7 km of coast between Egypt and Jordan. It is 320 km from Tel Aviv and has no rail link, so you commit to a 5-hour bus or a flight. In exchange you get a coral reef, warm winter water and a duty-free-style tax break on hotels and shops.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Eilat, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee₪10–18
  • Street or quick mealHummus or falafel plate₪35–60
  • BeerBeer: draught in a bar / can at a shop₪25–40 / ₪8–14
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across townAgree the fare first; night and Shabbat surcharges apply.₪40–60
  • Metro or bus rideLocal bus ride₪4.20
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week₪40–80
  • Museum or sight ticketCoral Beach Nature Reserve entrycheck
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personILS 90
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomILS 650
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomILS 1,400

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ILS 250 · Mid ILS 450 · High ILS 900

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Coral Beach Nature ReserveUnderwater ObservatoryRed Sea diving and snorkellingWinter sun and desert day trips
Airports
ETM Ramon International Airport (Ilan and Assaf Ramon) (20 km north of the city; shuttle bus to downtown about ₪4.20, taxi about ₪100. Ovda and the old city airport are closed to commercial flights.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Eilat: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

21°C

10°C

2 rd

Feb

22°C

11°C

2 rd

Mar

26°C

14°C

2 rd

Apr

31°C

18°C

1 rd

May

35°C

22°C

0 rd

Jun

39°C

24°C

0 rd

Jul

41°C

26°C

0 rd

Aug

41°C

26°C

0 rd

Sep

37°C

25°C

0 rd

Oct

33°C

21°C

1 rd

Nov

27°C

16°C

1 rd

Dec

22°C

11°C

2 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Central Eilat is walkable, but Coral Beach is 7 km south and dive sites need a bus or car. Local buses cost ₪4.20 a ride; a day pass is ₪6.70 and needs a Rav-Kav card. Bus 15 runs to Coral Beach and the Taba crossing, bus 30 links the airport, bus station and Coral Beach. Taxis are unmetered in practice — agree the fare first.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Mitzpe Ramon and the Ramon Crater

overnight

Door to door: 2.5–3 h each way

Bus 392 or 340 from the Central Bus Station, or drive Highway 40

Too far for a return day; sleep there or stop on the drive north.

Sde Boker

caution

Door to door: 2–2.5 h each way

Drive or bus north on Highway 40

Works as a stop on the way to or from Be'er Sheva, not as a day return.

Taba, Egypt

caution

Door to door: About 30 min

Bus 15/16 to the Menachem Begin–Taba crossing, 9 km south

Exit fees, re-entry visas and stamps change; check your own government's advice first.

Aqaba, Jordan

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

Taxi or bus to the Rabin (Arava) crossing, 5 km north, then a taxi

Jordanian entry rules and fees change often; the crossing puts Jordanian stamps in your passport.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

North Beach and the Tayelet promenade

Hotel strip, 2 km of beach, walkable to the centre; best for a short trip without a car.

City centre (around the Central Bus Station)

Banks, post office, buses and cheaper rooms; 10–15 min walk to North Beach.

Coral Beach (south)

7 km south, next to the reef and dive clubs; you need bus 15/16 or a car for everything else.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
₪250–400 excl. bed
Mid
₪400–700 excl. bed
High
₪700+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 3 nights × ILS 650ILS 1,950
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × ILS 450ILS 2,700
Bus Tel Aviv or Jerusalem → Eilat, one way2 × ILS 70ILS 140
Rav-Kav day pass, one day2 × ILS 7ILS 13
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ILS 60ILS 120
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeILS 492
Trip total≈ ILS 903 per person per day, bed includedILS 5,415

2026 estimate in shekels; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee₪10–18
Hummus or falafel plate₪35–60
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop₪25–40 / ₪8–14
Local bus ride₪4.20
Taxi across townAgree the fare first; night and Shabbat surcharges apply.₪40–60
Coral Beach Nature Reserve entrycheck
Two-tank guided dive₪250–400
eSIM or data SIM, about a week₪40–80

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Eilat is a resort town and generally calm, but read your own government's travel advice for Israel before booking — this desk does not plan around it. Day-to-day risks are heat, sunburn, reef cuts and unmetered taxis.
  • Shabbat: from Friday afternoon to Saturday night many shops, buses and restaurants stop; plan arrivals and departures around it.
  • Summer heat: July and August highs near 40°C; do reef and desert activities before 10:00 or after 16:00.
  • Taxis: insist on the meter or fix the price before you get in; rates rise at night, on Saturdays and for luggage.
  • Border crossings to Egypt and Jordan are close but rules, fees and stamps change often — check before you go.
  • Book intercity buses days ahead: seats are assigned and services sell out.

Emergency numbers

Police
100
Ambulance (MDA)
101
Fire
102
Home Front Command
104

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

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Eilatאילת

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

לכתובת הזאת, בבקשהTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police100
  • Ambulance (MDA)101
  • Fire102
  • Home Front Command104

Embassy

No embassies in Eilat; most are in Tel Aviv, some consulates in Jerusalem. Check your own government's list.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Ramon Airport → downtown, shuttle bus: about ₪4.20, 06:00–20:00 every 30 min except Shabbat
  • Ramon Airport → downtown, taxi: about ₪100
  • Bus Tel Aviv → Eilat: about ₪70, 5–5.5 h, reserve ahead
  • Local bus ride: ₪4.20; day pass ₪6.70 with Rav-Kav

Say or show

  • שלום — Hello / Peace (shalom)
  • תודה — Thank you (toda)
  • כמה זה עולה? — How much is it? (kama ze ole?)
  • אפשר לשלם בכרטיס? — Can I pay by card? (efshar leshalem be-kartis?)
  • איפה החוף? — Where is the beach? (eifo ha-chof?)
  • בבקשה תפעיל מונה — Please use the meter (bevakasha taf'il mone)

Shabbat runs Friday afternoon to Saturday night: buses thin out and many restaurants close.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Eilat. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (40°C highs), major Jewish holidays
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ETM: shuttle and bus 30 timings, taxi fallback, late-arrival rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: North Beach and Tayelet, city centre and bus station, Coral Beach.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Coral Beach reserve, Underwater Observatory, Dolphin Reef) and eat pages with Shabbat closures.
  4. Shabbat and holiday fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Israel

Sources