Kfar Vitkin, one of the largest moshavim in Israel, lies 8km north of Natanya, a short walk from gorgeous, free beaches. The adjoining Emek Hefer Youth Hostel (HI) (tel. (09) 66 60 32) has sports facilities and impressively clean rooms. Buses #901, 857, 852 from Tel Aviv (NIS 8.3), #29, 706, 922 from Natanya (NIS4.5O), and #901, 921 from Haifa (NIS 10) travel here. Ask to get off at Tzomet Beit Yanai, then look for the hostel sign on the eastern side of the highway.

(NIS39; nonmembers NTS42. Breakfast included; lunch and dinner available NIS19, vegetarian NIS15). Reservations recommended July-Sept. Nearby is the Hanout Shohar Supermarket, which sells everything from food to artwork (open Sun.-Thurs. 8am-8pm, Fri. 8am-3pm, Sat. 9am-8pm); the Paznon (Pancake House), in the Paz gas station across the highway (tel. (09) 66 61 12; open daily 7am-lam), as close as it gets to IHOP in the Middle East (no, not in Abu-fucking-Qir); and a quiet, free beach.