15 Best Sights in Eilat and the Negev, Israel

Words simply cannot do this natural wonder justice. This immense depression is 40 km (25 miles) long, 10 km (6 miles) wide, and, at its deepest, measures 2,400 feet. Because it's a phenomenon known only in this country (there are two others in the Negev), the Hebrew term makhtesh is now accepted usage. By definition, a makhtesh is an erosion valley walled with steep cliffs on all sides and drained by a single watercourse.

You can take a 1-km (½-mile) walk along the Albert Promenade, which winds westward along the edge of the crater from the Mitzpe Ramon Visitor Center to a cantilevered observation platform hanging over the rim. This is not the time to forget the camera—the view is overwhelming. The promenade is fashioned from local stone, as is the huge sculpture by Israel Hadani, the back of which faces the town and represents the crater's geological layers.

With the crater as a magnificent backdrop, the Desert Sculpture Park exhibits a collection of 19 huge contemporary pieces. The park took shape in 1962 with the work of a group of prominent national and international sculptors under the direction of Negev artist Ezra Orion. Their idea was to add to the natural stone formations with geometric sculptures of similar design. Ibex often wander through the area. To reach the sculpture park, turn off the main road (Route 40) near the gas station at the sign marked "Ma'ale Noah."

For a look at one of Makhtesh Ramon's geological wonders, drive down into it to see the Carpentry Shop, a hill of black rocks that appears to have neatly sawed edges. Long ago, the sandstone was warmed by volcanic steam and split into the shapes seen today. A wooden walkway protects this fascinating area from travelers' feet.

Another of nature's works is the Ammonite Wall, on the right as you finish the descent into the makhtesh. The rock face contains hundreds of ammonite fossils, which look like spiraled rams' horns. From here there's a 5-km (3-mile) hiking trail, suitable for more experienced hikers.

This one-of-a-kind museum focuses on the Bedouin people, who have long populated the Negev and whose traditional way of life is changing in the 21st century. The study center (marked with an orange sign) is named for the late Colonel Joe Alon, a pilot who took a great interest in this area and its people. Housed in a circular building designed by Israeli architect Tzvi Lissar, the museum tells the story of the Bedouin's rapid change from a nomadic to a modern lifestyle through tableaux of life-size mannequins. They are grouped by subject: wool spinning and carpet weaving, bread baking, wedding finery (including a camel elaborately decorated for the event), donkeys and camels at work, and toys made from found objects such as pieces of wire and wood. The tools and artifacts—most handmade and many already out of use in modern Bedouin life—form an outstanding collection. Another wing of the museum explores the Bar Kochba revolt of the Jews against Romans in the 2nd century AD. Admission includes a cup of thick coffee in a real Bedouin tent, where the sheikh performs the coffee ceremony over an open fire.

Running northeast from the intersection of Durban and Arava streets, North Beach is what comes to mind when most people think about Eilat. This part of the beach is convenient if food and drink are on your agenda. Here you’ll find kiosks selling drinks, ice cream, and other snacks, and along the Promenade are many more options for fuller meals. Adventurous types can go paragliding or rent a paddleboat. Across the bridge—opposite the Queen of Sheba, Royal Beach, Dan, and Herods hotels—lies a beautifully landscaped series of beaches.

Walking south, you'll pass several mellow beaches, including Kochav Hayam and HaZahav, before you come to Royal Beach, where white-shirted attendants rent space on private platforms. Very expensive drinks can be ordered from the nearby Royal Beach Hotel and vendors sell popsicles and sodas. Head past the marina, where you can enjoy a ride in a glass-bottom boat, and you’ll encounter family-friendly beaches with names like Tarshish, Leonardo, Rimonim, and HaPnina, where hard-core sunbathers oil themselves for maximum exposure. North Beach comes to a natural end by Le Meridien Hotel, whose beach is the only private one. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; showers; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunset; swimming; walking.

The granite Timna Mountains (whose highest peak is 2,550 feet) are just the beginning of this park's spectacular collection of rock formations and canyons. Millions of years of erosion have sculpted shapes of amazing beauty, such as the red-hue Solomon's Pillars (sandstone columns created by rare patterns of erosion, not by the biblical king) and the 20-foot-high freestanding Mushroom. Late afternoon provides the best light for spectators and photographers alike.

People have also left their mark here. South of the pillars are the remains of a small temple built in white sandstone by Egyptians who worked the mines 3,400 years ago, during the Egyptian New Kingdom (the time of Moses). The temple was dedicated to the cow-eared goddess Hathor. This "Lady of the Rock" was the patroness of miners, as you can discover at the multimedia presentation called Mines of Time. Inside the temple, archaeologists have discovered a snake made of copper (nehushtan in Hebrew)—according to Numbers 21:4–9, Moses made a serpent in the wilderness to heal people suffering from snake bites, and the snake remains a symbol of healing to this day. Near the temple, a path and stairway lead up to the observation platform overlooking the valley. Above the platform is a rock-cut inscription whose hieroglyph you can see clearly with the aid of a telescope. It shows Ramses III offering a sacrifice to Hathor. You can also explore a life-size replica of the biblical tabernacle the Israelites carried through the desert.

When you arrive, ask for the explanatory pamphlet, which shows the driving route in red. The park measures 60 square km (23 square miles), so we suggest driving from sight to sight and exploring each on foot. A small building just inside the entrance screens a multimedia video (with a revolving stage and 360-degree screen) detailing humanity's 6,000-year-old relationship with the Timna area. Wall panels explain the valley's fascinating geological makeup.

Experienced hikers can pick up a map detailing various serious hikes that take from 7 to 10 hours to complete. They're best done in winter, as summer daytime temperatures exceed 100 degrees. Watch out for old mine shafts, take adequate water, and be sure to let the staff at the gate know you are going and when you plan to return. You can also rent bikes and paddleboats near the small lake, where you'll find a restaurant serving charred bread cooked in a taboon (traditional oven), along with goodies and refreshing drinks.

One of Eilat's star attractions can be recognized by its tall, space-needle-like structure punctuating the waves just offshore. A short drive from Eilat, this is the largest aquarium complex in the Middle East. Plan to spend several hours here (there's a cafeteria for lunch on the premises). Twelve windows provide views of rare fish so magnificent and so Day-Glo colorful that it's hard to believe they're real; there's an unlighted room where phosphorescent fish and other sea creatures glow in the dark. And there are turtle and stingray pools, too. Don't miss feeding time (11 am daily) in the 650,000-liter Shark Pool. The anaconda snakes, poisonous frogs, and piranha are fed in the Amazonas exhibit at 3 pm. Captain Jaws takes you on a sea journey during an audiovisual show presented in a simulated-motion theater with moving seats at the Oceanarium.

A 300-foot wooden bridge leads to the Underwater Observatory. Head down the spiral staircase and into the sea—you are now 15 feet underwater, where two round, glass-windowed halls, connected by a tunnel, offer stunning views of the surrounding coral reef, home to exotic tropical fish. The Observatory Tower—reached by stairs—gives coastal views of Israel's neighboring countries. There's a café up here. You can also take a ride on the Coral 200 glass-bottom boat. Bus 16 runs to, and Bus 15 runs from, downtown Eilat every half hour.

This popular, safari-like nature preserve (you need a car to fully explore it) is a natural habitat for biblical-era animals and birds. Roaming around are stripe-legged Africa wild asses, Dorcas gazelles, Arabian oryx, and other desert herbivores. Try to be here in the morning, when the animals are most active. There are audio players available for rent if you want a 45-minute "guided tour." A second section, the Desert Night Exhibition Hall, is a darkened room where you can observe the habits of nocturnal animals such as bats and barn owls. An upgraded ticket allows you into the Predator Center, where feeding time is a highlight. Carnivores, including feral wolves, foxes, leopards, jackals, birds of prey, and striped hyenas are kept in enclosures.

Just west of Mitzpe Ramon you'll find this farm and its herd of 200 sweet-faced alpacas and llamas. Young and old get a kick out of feeding the animals, even if they receive the occasional spit in the face from these long-lashed creatures. Children weighing less than about 55 pounds can take a llama ride, and grown-ups can enjoy horseback rides. You can also weave wool on a loom, purchase items at the local factory, and enjoy a picnic on the grounds. The shearing festival, which takes place around Passover, is worth catching if you're here.

Thousands of people make the pilgrimage to this site every year. David Ben-Gurion (1886–1973), Israel's first prime minister, was one of the 20th-century's great statesmen. He regarded the Negev as Israel's frontier and hoped that tens of thousands would settle there. When Ben-Gurion resigned from government in 1953 (later to return), he and his wife, Paula, moved to Kibbutz Sde Boker to provide an example for others. "Neither money nor propaganda builds a country," he announced. "Only the man who lives and creates in the country can build it." And so, the George Washington of Israel took up his new role in the kibbutz sheepfold. In February 1955, he became prime minister once more, but he returned here to live when he retired in 1963.

Set amid the waving eucalyptus trees is Paula and David Ben-Gurion's simple dwelling, a testament to their typically Israeli brand of modesty and frugality. Commonly known as "the hut," owing to its humble appearance, Ben-Gurion's small, one-story, wooden home has a small kitchen, an eating corner with a table and two chairs, and simple furniture throughout. Visitors such as United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld drank tea with Ben-Gurion in the modest living room. Ben-Gurion's library shelves contain 5,000 books (there are 20,000 more in his Tel Aviv home, on Ben Gurion Boulevard). His bedroom, with its single picture of Mahatma Gandhi, holds the iron cot on which he slept (often only three hours a night) and his slippers on the floor beside it. The house is exactly as he left it.

Next door, in three adjacent painted-wood buildings, are exhibitions with original documents whose themes are the story of Ben-Gurion's extraordinary life in Sde Boker; his youth, leadership, and army service; and his vision for the Negev. A film showing the footage of kibbutz members actually voting on his acceptance into their community is shown in the visitor center; the shop here sells gifts, jewelry, and books about the "Old Man," as he was known locally.

This former military base is now home to plants from all over the world, as well as some grown from seeds thousands of years old. The small, family-friendly park is a green oasis in the middle of the desert. An easy walk takes you to a waterfall and an artificial rain forest that mists every few minutes. You can explore the whole garden in under an hour. The refreshment area serves coffee and ice cream.

Very popular with families, this observation point has a high admission charge, but the perks make it worthwhile. The highlight is the opportunity to walk on wooden paths extending into the water. You may see a dolphin leaping, but more likely you'll see groups snorkeling with dolphins. If you feel like trying it yourself, it costs about NIS 360 per person. The spacious, sandy beach is punctuated with billowing palms and bright tropical flowers, and chairs and umbrellas are available (arrive early to avoid crowds). There's an indoor café--bar to escape the sun, a great gift shop, and even a video you can watch to learn about dolphins.

Water flowing from Ein Avdat (Avdat Spring) has cut a beautiful, narrow canyon through the area's soft white chalk, forming a marvelous oasis that offers the ideal respite from your desert travels. Walk toward the thickets of rushes and look for ibex tracks, made with pointed hoofs that enable these agile creatures to climb sheer rock faces. It's not easy to spot an ibex—their coats have striped markings that resemble the rock's strata. Rock pigeons, sooty falcons, and Egyptian vultures (black-and-white feathers, bright yellow beak, and long, pinkish legs) nest in the natural holes in the soft rock and in cliff ledges.

The big surprise at Ein Avdat is the Ein Marif pools of ice-cold, spring-fed water, complete with a splashing waterfall. To reach this cool oasis, shaded by the surrounding cliffs, walk carefully along the spring and across the dam toward the waterfall. Swimming and drinking the water are not allowed (you'll not be sorely tempted, though—the water is swarming with tadpoles), but enjoying the sight and sound of water in the arid Negev certainly is. The trail leads through stands of Euphrates poplars, and by caves inhabited by monks during Byzantine days, and then continues up the cliff side (using ladders and stone steps), but you can't follow it unless your party has two cars and leaves one at the destination. The easier and more common option is to walk along the streambed from the lower entrance to the Ein Marif pools at the foot of the waterfall and then return along the same path. Ask for the explanatory leaflet when you pay. Lock your car, taking valuables with you.

For plane lovers, this is a field of dreams. Housed on the Hatzerim Air Force Base, this open-air museum has more than a hundred airplanes and helicopters parked in rows. The fighter, transport, and training (plus a few enemy) aircraft tell the story of Israel's aeronautic history, from the Messerschmitt—obtained in 1948 from Czechoslovakia, and one of four such planes to help halt the Egyptian advance in the War of Independence—to the Kfir, the first fighter plane built in Israel. Young Air Force personnel lead tours (included in the price) that take about 90 minutes and include a movie shown in an air-conditioned Boeing 707 used in the 1977 rescue of Israeli passengers held hostage in a hijacked Air France plane in Entebbe, Uganda. Another attention-getting display is a shiny, black Supermarine Spitfire with a red lightning bolt on its side, flown by Ezer Weizmann, the IAF's first pilot and later president of Israel. The museum also houses an antiaircraft exhibit and a rare collection of historical and instructive films. Tours are available in English, French, and Russian.

This visitor center—named for Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who perished in the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster—is at the very edge of the crater. Interesting 3D models and other information about the history and formation of the crater makes it a good place to start your journey. The museum's panoramic view of the crater is breathtaking. There is also a restaurant and a branch of the popular Faran beauty products store.

Start at the quieter, northernmost end of Eilat's waterfront tayelet, or promenade, which begins near the Jordanian border. The 3-km (2-mile) stretch is also known as the Peace Walk, because it is hoped that one day it will continue to Aqaba, Jordan. As you head south, purple and pink bougainvillea pour down from the Royal Beach Hotel's terrace above. Add to your enjoyment by stopping for an ice cream from one of the stands. If you're here at sunset, savor the showstopping view of the Red Sea turning deeper and deeper shades of red against the backdrop of the Edom Mountains to the east and the rugged Eilat Mountains to the west. On a clear day, you can see as far as Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

A stroll past swanky hotels on one side and palm-lined beaches on the other brings you to the Dutch Bridge, which opens for tall-masted vessels. The lagoon is where yachts are anchored and various small craft are for hire; on the other side is the marina, where cruise boats of all types wait to sally forth. The promenade winds past more beaches covered with sunbathers. The scene includes artists doing quick portraits, vendors selling all sorts of knickknacks, and meandering street performers.

At the roundabout at Durban and Arava Streets you can continue along the waterfront—with the Mul Yam shopping mall on your right—until you reach a small palm-filled plaza with a tiny, cement-block-shaped building with a statue of four fighters raising a comrade aloft. This is Umm Rash Rash, where the Israelis first took control of the Gulf of Eilat in March 1949, as determined by the United Nations' partition plan. The small building—the only one that existed at that point—is a far cry from today's luxury resorts. The promenade effectively ends right before the Aria Hotel. 

Attracting a younger crowd, South Beach retains a bit of a funky vibe. Stretching for 11 km (7 miles), South Beach is actually much longer than North Beach, but Eilat Port (look for the gaudy gambling boats moored there) cuts it in two pieces. North of the port sits Dekel Beach, with a shaded Bedouin tent, tanning raft, snorkeling station, and beach bar. It's great for families during the day, and often hosts private parties in the evening. Past Dolphin Reef sits Almog Beach, a relaxation haven with a full bar and restaurant, low-slung tables, and ample parking. Farther down the shore, Aquasport Beach is a standout; local scuba divers and water-sports enthusiasts know this is the laid-back alternative to better-trodden coves, and the vibe is free-spirited and decidedly chilled-out. There's a scuba school suitable for all levels of skill and experience. Amenities: food and drink; showers; water sports. Best for: swimming, snorkeling.