Sport & Activities
Watersports
Fishing, sailing, surfing, swimming, water-skiing and yachting are all available. There are marinas in Akko, Eilat, Jaffa and Tel Aviv. All the large hotels have swimming pools. Skindiving and aqualung diving are especially popular in Eilat on the Red Sea coast with an excellent underwater observatory descending to the floor of the coral reef near the town. Eilat is a particularly good destination for winter sun for visitors from Western Europe.
Note: The Red Sea coastline has been designated a preservation area and any tourists found with ‘souvenirs’ such as coral will suffer severe fines from both the Israeli and Egyptian authorities.
Other
To many people’s surprise, there is a full skiing season at Mount Hermon, on the northern border. Among annual sports events are the Tel Aviv Marathon and the Kinereth Swimming Gala. Basketball and football are popular and many hotels have tennis courts. There is a fine 18-hole golf course at Caesarea. Horseriding is available throughout the country. There is also the opportunity to take camel rides; contact the Israel Government Tourist Office for further details. Bicycling is also popular. There are excellent facilities at kibbutz sportsgrounds and in cities. The Israel Government Tourist Office (see Contact Addresses section) can provide further information.
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