Eilat

Beach Coastal Beaches

Population: 52k

Cost of Living: High

Train Access: No

Bus Access: Yes (Egged Bus Company operates public bus service in Eilat)

Weather: Eilat has a desert climate with extremely hot, dry summers (often exceeding 40°C/104°F) and mild winters. Rainfall is minimal year-round, making it one of Israel's sunniest destinations.

Eilat sits at the southern tip of Israel where the Negev Desert meets the Red Sea, a place where the first thing you notice is the light—harsh, clarifying, unforgiving. The city has grown from a small port into a resort town of roughly 50,000 people, built on the assumption that sun and water can overcome almost any limitation. The beaches here are narrow strips of sand backed by hotels and restaurants; the real draw is underwater. Eilat's coral reefs begin just meters from shore, making it one of the world's most accessible snorkeling and diving destinations. The town itself is functional rather than architecturally distinguished—a grid of mid-rise hotels, shopping centers, and apartment blocks arranged with the efficiency of a place built quickly to serve a purpose. Yet there's an undeniable energy to it, a sense of being at the edge of things. The surrounding landscape is stark desert, mountains rising abruptly from the coast. The city serves as Israel's gateway to the Red Sea and the wider Middle East, a position that shapes everything from its economy to its character. Winter brings mild temperatures and European tourists; summer is brutally hot and mostly empty of visitors. Eilat has a transient quality—many residents are here temporarily, drawn by work or the promise of sun, and the city reflects that impermanence.

BlueCross BlueShield Global Solutions
Get Quote

BlueCross BlueShield Global Solutions (BCBS) offers global health plans for international assignments or trips lasting 6 months or longer. With access to over 1.7M medical providers in 190 countries around the world, BCBS provides members with solutions and industry-leading digital services - ensuring top-quality coverage to people who live, work, study and travel internationally.

BlueCross BlueShield Global Solutions

Keep reading. It is free.