Beaches: North Beach is a sandy beach, largely free of coral and sea urchins, making it perfect for swimming and enjoying in the calm waters close to shore. Coral Beach is a short drive away, following around the curve of the bay: this is a good choice for snorkelling and diving, as the waters are filled with coral and fish. Mountains: the nearby mountains of Hizkiyahu, Merech and Yoash can be visited on a daytrip. The Eilat Heights route number 12 will take you from Eilat to the Eilat Mountains, following the ancient road to Mecca built at the beginning of the 8th century by the Egyptian ruler, Mahmud lbn Tulun. The Negev Desert: encircles the city and makes an interesting excursion. The panoramic Eilat Mountains Nature Reserve here boasts some of the most impressive routes for exploring the desert to be found anywhere in the country. Trails in the nature reserve include historic trading routes as well as trails through the Great Rift Valley. Camel treks and 4x4 jeep tours can both be arranged. Timna Valley National Park: is a desert area located about 17 miles north of Eilat. It’s a great place for camel rides, 4x4 jeep tours and hiking and the site of King Solomon’s ancient copper mines. Hai Bar Wildlife Reserve: this very large sanctuary offers protection to many rare and endangered desert animal species. Although it’s unlikely that you’ll see many of the animals during the heat of the daytime, there is a special dark room onsite where you can observe some of the resident species. The reserve is home to cheetah, hyenas, gazelles and leopards, as well as many other animals. Masada: is situated atop a flat, isolated mountain in the Judean Desert, with views over the Dead Sea. Masada means 'fortress' in Hebrew: it was here that the final Jewish resistance against the Romans was staged. A group of Jewish zealots, who had fled together with their families to Masada, realised that they would soon be defeated and rather than surrender, all committed suicide. | 
