Near Eilat

The beauty of the red granite mountains that tower over Eilat matches that of the coral reefs. Many tours are organized for hiking and exploring but few are available for English-speaking tourists. The SPNI field school (see Accommodations) has Hebrew maps of paths (NIS30), and will help translate. Many of the sites around Eilat are accessible by taking northbound buses, such as #393, 394 or 397. Especially in the high season or on Sundays and Fridays, your trip will require advance planning, as these buses fill up with travelers and Israelis on longer trips. Without reservations, you may be stuck at the bus station. Even worse, you may not be able to get back to Eilat when you want to if the southbound bus is full.

Mt. Tz’fahot is a convenient hike with great views, and starts from the field school itself. The trail begins at the left end (toward Egypt) of the fence which separates the highway from the field school complex. Walk around the outside of the fence until you begin to see the green-and-white marks that indicate the official trail. A 45-minute climb takes you to the summit. From here you can follow the blue trail north which drops you back down to the Club Inn Hotel near Aqua Sport beach. A ten minute stroll down the blue trail leads to a saddle. From here you also have the option of following the wadi down to the sea. The round trip takes about two hours and makes a great evening outing in summer. Don’t wander too far on paths leading south-you may find yourself making a spontaneous visit to Egypt.

Clubs

Spiral (tel. 37 66 40), in the Red Sea Tower at the Eilat Marina just over the bridge. Pronounced “SPEE-ral.” Unquestionably the best disco in Eilat. Overlooking the water, this 2-story nightclub has an enormous video screen, unparalleled lighting,and an excellent sound system that blasts disco, funk, and acid. Must be 18 to get in (17 in summer). Admission NIS20, Fri. NIS25, includes 1 beer or soft drink. Maccabee NIS7; light fare upstairs for under NIS8. Open 10:30pm-about 5am, depending on crowd size.

Sheba’s, at the King Solomon Hotel (tel. 37 41 11). Ultra-modern, maximum-reflection atmosphere with laser sound and light show. Music a mix of disco, pop, and new wave. High-energy performing bartenders and strong drinks. Admission NIS30, includes 1st drink- Maccabee NIS8. Open Mon.-Sat. 1 lpm until empty.

Sinbad’s, at the Sport Hotel (tel. 37 33 33). Designed as the interior of a galleon ship, resembles nothing of the sort. Generally a younger crowd bopping to classic 60s rock, disco, and new wave. Admission NIS12, includes 1 soft drink. Maccabees NIS6. Open 10:30pm-3am.
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Dolphin Reef (tel. 37 42 92). Located at Dolphin Reef; take a cab. Outdoor bar on beach, lots of straw and sand. Mon. and Thurs, nights and Fri, afternoon feature dancing on the beach. Small draft beer NIS5. Open lOam-late.

Country Road, 97 Almogim St. (tel. 37 46 91). Roomy place has darts, relaxed atmosphere. Happy hour 8-10pm features local beers for NIS3, imports NIS3-5O. Open 8:30ara-late.

Teddy’s Pub, Ofira Park (tel. 37 39 49), opposite Shulamit Gardens Hotel. A staid plaitl English pub in the middle of the desert; Tudor exterior to boot. 0.5Iiter Goldstar NIS7. Live music on weekends: jazz and blues on Fri,, Israeli soul music and rock on Sat. Open 7pm until Mr. Kollek leaves.

Peace Cafe, 13 Almogim St. (tel. 37 16 29). The cheapest and most international place to hang out. Music videos by day, movies by night. Travelers come from all over to swap messages on the “Peace Board” and compare tattoos and bad hygiene. Attracts a slightly rough crowd. Goldstar NIS3.5O. Open 9am-l:3Oam. Luggage storage (NIS5 per night) and job placement available.

Yatush Barosh, Migdal Yam Soof (tel, 37 42 23) in the Marina, underneath Spiral. Features the longest bar in Eilat-over 12m of elbow room. The crowd is a mix of Israelis and tourists. If you’re lucky, or sufficiently pestilential, they’ll take your picture and add it to the hall of shame over the bar. Drinks slightly expensive, but the atmosphere is classier than most. Small draft beer NIS7. Open 8pm-3am.

Hard Luck Cafe, 15 Almogim St. (tel. 37 27 88) next to the Peace Cafe. Movie posters cover the walls. Music plays loudly and the TV shows soccer games (pray that England wins). Fish and chips, chicken, spaghetti, burgers, schnitzel, all NIS7. Goldstar NIS3 (NIS2 with food). Drinks NIS8-12. Open noon-1 or 2am.

The Underground (tel. 37 02 39), in the New Tourist Center. Eilafs up-and-coming bar has great deals on meals. Live music Fri. night. After 5pm, the first 50 customers get the meal of the day and a beer for NIS4. Meals normally cost N1S5-6 and include spaghetti, chili, and bacon. Video-bar, live bands, and managerial vision have made this a very popular bar for travelers. Open 24 hrs.

Tropicana (tel. 37 46 16), in the Shalom Center. Astonishingly hip. Features a movie even’ day at 3pm and bingo every night at 10pm (winner gets a bottle of champagne). Videos, cartoons, and Charlie Chaplin films shown throughout the day. Cheap beer (0.51iter NIS5). Free beer from 9-9:10pm, free cocktail for “ladies” 7-7:20pm. Open daily 4:30pm-late.

Yacht Pub (tel. 33 41 11), on the marina by King Solomon’s Wharf. Prime location. Live entertainment at 11pm changes every few nights. Popular Israeli folk singers in the summer, rock for the European winter clientele. 0.51iter Carlsberg NIS8. Open 9pm-3am (or later).

Entertainment

Eilat’s inspired nightlife rivals its underwater circus. Most pubs and nightclubs open at 10:30-1 lpm, start rambuncting at midnight or so, and don’t close until 5-6′dm. The discos are expensive (covers around NIS20); most are located in the lagoon area. Although most of the hotels have discos, they are sometimes open only to guests. Don’t be put off by imposing lobbies; many hotel discos have side entrances. Dress codes tend to be stricter at hotel clubs: as a rule, shorts and sandals are a bad idea.

Red Sea Sports Club (tel. 37 65 69), across the street from Aqua Sport, offers rentals at similar prices, as well as night dives for US$49- Their office on North Beach near the lagoon rents sailboats and offers waterskiing and parasailing. Upstairs from Red Sea Sports Club, the Red Sea Sport Club Hotel’s Photo Shop (tei. 37 31 45, ext. 272, fax 37 40 83) rents underwater cameras for NIS50-100 and video cameras for N1S35O per day. Coral Beach is the most trafficked reef territory on the Red Sea-for more privacy with the fishies, head south into Sinai.

Before snorkeling, a judicious stop is the Coral World Underwater Observatory and Aquarium (tel. 37 66 66). The circular glass-walled underwater observatory lets you examine the coral reefs and fish at close range without getting your feet wet. Much more impressive than the observatory are the indoor tanks, which feature fluorescent fish, an amazing array of multi-colored fish from the Red Sea, huge turtles, frightening sharks, and bizarre bird-like rays. Well-labeled tanks make a guidebook (NIS12) unnecessary. The area also holds a snack bar, a same-day photo shop, a gift shop, and a cafeteria. A full day of fishy fun will cost you, though (NIS29, children NIS18; open Sun.-Thurs. 8:30am-5pm, but once you’re in you can stay until 6pm; Fri. 8:30am-3pm, once in stay until 4:30pm). Coral World runs a water shuttle from the Marina in Eilat to the Observatory. A cruise in the Coral Pearl (tel. 37 78 58) costs US$17 round trip and includes entrance to the Observatory.

Sights

Spend your Eilat afternoons underwater, in a cerebellum-addling world of coral, emperor fish, blubberfish, and arrays of other brilliantly colored species. See Underwater Adventures in Sinai for important information on snorkeling and diving.

The best places to rent scuba and snorkeling equipment are near Coral Beach Nature Reserve (tel. 37 68 29). Take bus #15 from the central bus station toward the sea (open 8am-5pm). The beach is run by the Nature Reserves Authority, and the NISI 1 (ages 5-18 NIS5.5O) entrance fee helps to preserve the area. You can rent snorkeling equipment (mask NIS5, snorkel N1S4, fins NIS6) and follow one of the five “water trails,” marked by buoys, through the reef. A “bridge” allows you to get in the water without stepping on corals. This is the cheapest way to get close to Eilat’s marine life; come and go as you like all day for the price of one admission.

Food

You’ll have to scrounge for inexpensive stomach degrumbling. By far the cheapest places to get a large meal (that isn’t falafcl) are Eilat’s many bars. The Hard Luck Cafe on 15 Algomim St. serves up big portions offish and chips, spaghetti, schnitzel and the like for NIS7. The Underground Pub in the Tourist Center has a sweet deal at 6:00pm-the first 50 customers after the hour get a free meal and large beer for N1S4. HaTmarim Blvd., uphill from the bus station, has many pizza and grill joints.

If you’re famished, try the Fisherman House (tel. 37 98 30) adjacent to Coral Beach, where all the grease you can eat costs only NIS16. (Salad bar alone NIS10. A/C and a great view of the sea. Open daily noon-midnight.) Pancake Eilat in the Shalom Center (tel. 37 36 92) across from the airport serves excellent steaks (with chips and salads) for NIS21.50. A filling meal of pancakes costs NIS7-9; choose from a full page of pancake recipes. Many hostels have 15% off coupons. Open 8am-midnight. The Maman Red Sea Fish Restaurant (tel. 37 19 58), behind the Moriah Hotel and literally on Northern Beach, serves full-meal deals for NIS16-19. (Open 8am-3am.)
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Eilat Field School (tel. 37 20 21 or 37 11 27), across from the Coral Beach Reserve. Hostel is often hill, but camping is NIS14 per person (children NIS6). Toilets and showers included. Office open Sun.-Thurs. 8am-8pm, Fri. 8am-6pm.

Caroline Camping (tel. 37 19 11 or 37 50 63), at the municipal campground opposite Coral Beach. Take bus #15. Clean institutional bathrooms and showers and a compact cafeteria. If you bring your own tent it’s NIS9, but lack of shade makes tents unbearable in July and August. Bungalows NIS50 for 1 or 2 people, lights and electrical outlets. 5-person bungalow NISI 25. Refrigerators NIS5. Will supply bedsheets and pillowcases. All toilets outside. Office open 24 hrs.

Fawtty Towers, 116/1 Ofarim St. (tel. 37 23 71). Bunks, bunks, bunks. This sleep factory churns Zs with mechanical relentlessness. The traveler is fuel for their diabolical unconscious machine. Kitchen. Entry fee of NIS15 for a dorm bed. Doubles NIS20. Washing machine NIS10.

There are two camping options in Eilat: official and expensive or unofficial and free. The latter is far more popular but also more dangerous. During July and August, hundreds of people happen not to see the “No Camping” signs and sleep on the public beach. And year after year, many of these morons are victims of theft. Possessions should never be left unguarded and women should not camp alone. Another nuisance at these camps are the rats, attracted by the garbage areas on Lagoon Beach, who will enjoy biting your ears and other appendages. To avoid these hassles, go east (toward the Jordanian border), or south of the Red Rock Hotel (toward Coral Beach). Sleeping and tent-pitcliing on these beaches is legal, and there are toilets near most of them.

The Home, 108/2 Almogim St. (tel. 37 24 03); gate is on Ofarim St. right before HaTmarim. Really is a home for people hanging out long term. Manager goes out of his way to hook travelers up with jobs, and has been known to give free board until the first paycheck kicks in. It may not be the King Solomon, but it’s Home. Free camaraderie, tea, coffee, bread, and jam all day, nightly videos. Library has English papers. Kitchen, storage. Dorm beds NIS19, breakfast included.

Eilat Field School, Ha’Arava Rd. (tel. 37 11 27 or 37 20 21), just across from the Coral Beach Reserve; take bus #15. Best location for snorkeling and frying in Eilat. Spotless complex made up of small stucco buildings surrounded by well-trimmed courtyards. Each room has private toilet and shower. Great place to stay with five friends. Lockers NIS3. Safe storage. Camping also available; see below. No curfew. Office open Sat.-Thurs. 8am-8ptn, Fri, 8am-6pm. Singles NIS132, doubles NIS145, both including breakfast. Quads NIS195. 6-person room NIS220.

Red Mountain Hostel, Hativat haNegev St. (tel. 37 49 36, tel. and fax 37 42 63) across the street from the bus station. Clean modern facilities. Outdoor bar has pool table, shows video in evening. Windowless basement dorms for NIS15; 6-person dorms upstairs with shower and bath, NIS20.

Motei haShalom, Hativat haNegev St. (tel. 37 65 44), across the street from the bus entrance to the station; look for their red and white sign. Plain rooms; one key per room. Pool table, piano, jukebox, TV, institutional bathrooms, and cheap meals (N1S5-7) in basement. Lockers NIS2 every time you open them. Dorm beds (8 per room) N1S20. Doubles NIS100. Add NIS20 for private bath.

Nathan’s White House Hostel, 131/1 Rctamim St. (tel. 37 65 72), the first right after crossing Hativat haNegev St. from the bus station and go all the way down to the corner. A mural of Bill Clinton’s residence beautifies the wall-God Bless America! Unadorned convened house. Simple, clean rooms with bath. Kitchen, TV, and video. No curfew. Friendly staff sells drinks. Dorm beds (6 per room) NIS25, doubles NIS70-80. Breakfast included.

Beit ha’Arava, 106 Almogim St. (tel. 37 10 52 or 37 46 87). From the bus station, take a right at the bus entrance onto Hativat haNegev St. and walk 2 blocks to the end; it’s a ‘/zblock left from there. It’s got the view. Good veranda, kitchen, and a jukebox-foosball diner. Rooms are clean with 6 beds max. Each room locks. No curfew, 24-hr, guard.

Dorm beds NIS20-25. Doubles with bath and shower N1S70-80. Breakfast NIS10. Snorkeling gear NIS10 complete. Wash NIS10. Lockers NIS3. Taba Youth Hostel, Hativat haNegev St. (tel. 37 59 82, 37 58 15, or 37 34 05), across the street and left of the bus entrance to the station. Main building has 2 large unconnected rooms

The Garden, 75/2 HaTmarim St. (tel. 37 34 55). Between Ahnogim and Eliot St. Inconspicuous door. Yosie runs a colorful refuge from the craziness outside. Small kitchen with refrigerator. Washing machine, luggage storage. Keys given. Outdoor sofas under the mosquito nets. Free Dec. 25 party-merry X-mas! Dorm beds NIS20, doubles NIS60.

Ofarim Rooms, 116/2 Ofarim St. (tel. 37 62 89). Very clean rooms (4, 6, or 8 beds) all have attached bathrooms with shower. Friendly manager Avi (home tel. 33 02 91). More like a rooming house than a hostel. Kitchen facilities until midnight, wash (up to 5 kg) NISI2, safe NIS5 per day. Outdoor sitting area with TV. Rooms lock individually. Pay phone NISI. No curfew. Dorm beds NIS20, singles NIS40, doubles NIS60.’

Spring Hostel, 126 Ofarim St. (tel. 37 46 60), at the intersection of Agmonim and Ofarim, 1 block from the Peace Cafe. Immaculate and modern. Each dorm room has private shower and bath. Separate building in back has full kitchen facilities, refrigerator, and outdoor patio with tables. Large color TV with cable and video on front veranda. Lockers NIS5 every time you close them. Cold drinks NIS3- Outdoor bar serves sandwiches for N1S4. Free tea and coffee 24 hrs. and free use of safe. Dorm beds US$6, including breakfast.

Max and Merran’s Hostel, 130/1 Ketamim St. (tel. 37 38 17). The positive vibrations headquarters for a four-country region, and possibly the solution to world peace. Share the premises with Pamela, her friendly staff, and a furry menagerie featuring the dreaded Sneaks the Cat. Videos daily at 2 and 8pm in the pleasant kitchen/living room area. Free coffee, tea, and ice water. Free and safe luggage storage. No curfew, no visitors. Hot showers. Bunk beds NIS20 year-round. Tents in yard NIS17 per person. Snorkeling gear for rent cheaper than’at the beach.

Youth Hostel (HI), Ha’Arava Rd. (tel. 37 23 58 or 37 00 88, fax 37 58 35), on a hill across from the Red Rock Hotel. Take bus #15 or it’s a 10-min. walk from the central bus station. Safe and clean, and you pay for both. All rooms have 8 beds and private bathrooms. Lockers for guests. Office open 7-1 lam and 2-10pm. Midnight curfew. Beds NIS42, breakfast included. Lunch and dinner NIS21 each, Fri. dinner NIS28. Luggage storage NIS4 per day.

Accommodations

Finding a cheap room in Eilat is easy. Finding a safe, comfortable, and convenient cheap room is another story. As soon as you arrive at the bus station you’ll be harassed by apartment hawkers. Ignore them, yell “Lo” ("No” in Hebrew), give them the look of death, walk away. These people will tell you they just want to show you a room and if you don’t like it they’ll take you back. Don’t get into a cab, and don’t make any commitments before you see the room and its distance from the center.

Most travelers’ hostels are located within a few blocks of the bus station-walk up the hill on HaTmarim and take a right on Retamim to get to the heart. Accommodations are next to impossible to obtain during Sukkot and Passover; many hostel owners double their prices at these times and/or smugly close their doors to dusty backpackers. If you cannot find a room go to the tourist office, a travel agency, or a real estate office and they should be able to find you a place. As far as hostels go, some of the bigger ones have been known to put out backpackers in favor of large groups of Israelis. The atmosphere of a smaller hostel can add a tremendous amount to your enjoyment of Eilat. All listed hostels have air conditioning. Prices below are for the off season; expect to pay double the amount in July, August, and the holidays.

Orientation And Practical Information

Located at the southernmost tip of the Negev desert, Eilat is a 5km strip of coastline at the precarious intersection of four Middle Eastern powers: Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia; at night you can see the lights of all these countries. The city is divided into three major sections: the town itself, on the hills above the sea; the hotel area and Lagoon Beach to the east; and the port to the south. Farther south lie Coral Beach and Taba, the Egyptian border since 1989.

Just outside the main entrance to the central bus station, HaTmarim Boulevard runs southeast (left) toward the megahotels and Lagoon Beach, passing several commercial centers. Opposite the bus station at HaTmarim, the Commercial Center houses the post office, international phones, and major banks. Continuing toward the water on HaTmarim, Rekhter Center is next on the right with the Municipal Tourist Office, pharmacies, small markets, and cafes. The last center on the right, Etzion Center, frames the Etzion Hotel with eateries and camping supply stores.

Eilat

Yes, Eilat rhymes with hot. Israel’s number-one vacation spot, the city is always soaked with the sweat of rowdy Israelis, international backpackers, and European tourists. Some swear by Eilat’s sun, coral, and nightlife. Others see Eilat as a huge tourist trap attached to a nice beach. Travelers should know that in Eilat tourists are often not treated as treasures, but taken for granted by some local business-people; if one tourist leaves, another is sure to come. The obnoxiousness quotient of this city is rather high. Finding a good hostel can do a lot to help you keep your sanity.

In summer temperatures soar to an infernal 42-48°C, at which point most sopping visitors take to the ocean. Eilat’s red granite mountains, veined with copper, appear harsh and unlivable but actually shelter a number of camel ranches in their parched folds. The hot, hotter, hottest attraction in Eilat, however, is 20°C cooler and several feet under. Yes, this is the Red Sea, home of the silent, vibrant kaleidoscope of rainbow coral and fluorescent sea critters.

Dimona and Mamshit

Some people will tell you that Dimona is Israel’s best kept secret. Others will tell you to ignore the glowing reports you hear and not to believe every Tom, Dick and Mordekhai you talk to. The city boasts a fusion of ethnicities; Indians, Ethiopians, Russians, and even a few sabras can be seen walking the streets. You can practice your French on the mushrooming North African population.

Dimona is famed for only two things, really. The first seems to be officially named the “Nuclear power plant? What nuclear power plant? Who, us?” This is no time to play spy; the only real reason to visit Dimona is to see the Hebrew Israelite Community. Better known as the Black Hebrews, the members of this curious sect of English-speaking emigrants from the midwestern United States believe that die his torical roots of their ancestors can be traced to Israel.

Sights The most interesting places in the crater are typically several kilometers into the pit. This means it’s desirable to have a method of transportation to the trail-head, such as the bus. The bus to Eilat will take you along the main highway through the crater and spit you out wherever you choose. You’ll have to consult the visitors’ center to get detailed directions about where to get off and where to go once you do get off. Places you should inquire about are the Carpenter’s Workshop (a wood-like rock formation), Ein Saharonim, Ramat Saharonim, and Ardan Stream. Hitchhiking is a possible solution to the problem of getting out of the hole, so to speak, and back into town; women should never hitch alone.

Of course, if temperatures are bearable you can walk from town. A footpath leading down into the crater starts at a huge metal ball and its offspring on the canyon rim, southwest of the visitors’ center. Follow the promenade past the youth hostel to the big balls, then get onto the trail with the green and white markers. At the floor of the crater you have several options; ask at the visitors’ center beforehand.
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Accommodations and Food Across from the Makhtesh Ramon visitors’ center is the Mitzpeh Ramon Youth Hostel (HI) (tel. 58 84 43 or fax 58 80 74), one of Israel’s best hostels. It rests on the rim of the canyon and is conveniently close to the crater promenade. The rooms are spacious and immaculate, all with toilets and showers. There are classrooms, a TV room, and, of course, a disco in the bomb shelter. Reception officially open 4^>pm, but someone is usually there. Tap on the door if it’s locked. No kitchen facilities and no curfew. Checkout 9am. (Dorm beds with six per room NIS44, triples NIS53 and doubles NISI 18. Members less NIS3 per night. Large breakfast included.) Kosher lunch and dinner are available for NIS20 (Fri. NIS22) in the roomy, comfortable dining room.

The cheapest accommodations in the area are the flats rented out by The Art Colony, 6 Mahle haDkalim St. (tel. 58 89 50 or 58 89 33). From the visitors’ center walk down the street to your right, make a right at the swimming pool; turn left at the pedestrian lane, Mahle haDkalim, at the white stucco synagogue on the corner; the guest house is the sixth building on the right. The rooms are furnished with modern paintings and carpeting and all come with kitchens and bathrooms. (3-bed-room flat for 10, NIS150.) Another relatively inexpensive place to stay is the hostel in the field school (tel. 58 86 15/6), which has clean rooms and a kitchen, although the long walk from town makes it a bit inconvenient. The hostel is often filled with school groups so call ahead. Office hours are 8am-5:3Opm. Dorm beds (6 per room) N1S140. Breakfast NIS14, meat meal NS26.
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Practical Information The shopping center on your right as you come into town from Be’er Sheva includes Bank HaPoalim (open Sun., Tues., Thurs. 8:30am-noon and 4-6pm, Mon. 8:30am- 12:30pm, Wed. and Fri. 8:30am-noon) as well as the post office (open Sun.-Tues. and Thurs. 8am-12:30pm and 3:30-6pm, Wed. 8am-1:30pm, Fri. 8am-noon), supermarket (open Sun.-Thurs. 9am-lpm and 4-7pm, Fri. 8:30am-lpm), and a fabulous indoor pool with a large waterslide (open daily 10am-6pm; admission NIS20, children NIS5). Bus #60 runs from Be’er Sheva to Mitzpeh Ramon (5:30am-9:30pm every 1-l^hr., N1S13). Bus #392 continues to Eilat, and #391 to Tel Aviv. Call (03) 537 5555 for Egged intercity information.

The large rock and glass structure that teeters on the edge of the crater houses the new visitors’ center (tel. (057) 58 86 20 or 58 86 91). Inside, a circular exhibit displays reconstructions of the rock beds and provides information on the flora and fauna of the surrounding area. (Open Sun.-Thurs. and Sat. 9am-4:30pm, Fri. 9am-3pm; admission NIS10, children NIS5.) The free maps aren’t very descriptive, but good topo maps are available at the gift shop for NIS10. There you can also find the Guide to Ramon Park for NIS12. The visitors’ center is the best place to start if you want hiking information. The staff is more than willing to suggest the best places to go, and point out trails and places of interest on your Hebrew map. The SPNI field school (tel. 58 15 16) is also an excellent resource for hiking information. The school is 3km outside of town or a 0.5km hike. The SPNI offers guided hiking tours but you must arrange in advance. Maps are available.
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Avdat

The magnificently preserved ruins of a 3rd-century BC Nabatean city are perched upon a hill, 1 lkm south of Sdeh Boker in Avdat. (The sizable oasis just below the ruins grows out of Israeli experimentation with ancient water techniques borrowed from the Nabateans.) At the intersection of caravan rotites from Petra and Eilat, Avdat once thrived as a stopping point for travelers and as a strategic base for the Nabateans’ notorious raids: from Avdat they could see caravans as far away as (present-day) Mitzpeh Ramon or Sdeh Boker. Romans captured the city in 106 AD and exploited the agricultural expertise of the region’s former rulers. The city flourished again during the Byzantine period, and most of the visible ruins date from this time.

7th-century Islamic marauders protected the Roman baths, but not much else. The most important Nabatean remains are a handsome esplanade on top of the hill, a winding staircase which led to a Nabatean temple, and a potter’s workshop; all date back to the first century AD. The best of the Byzantine remains include a 20-ft. high wall, a street, a monastery, two churches, and a baptistry, all from the 6th century AD. (In the 20th century AD, the site was resurrected on celluloid in the movie version of Jesus Christ Superstar.)
The park is open daily 6am-7pm (admission NIS5, students NIS4). Drinking water is available near the bathrooms. Bus #60, which also runs to Sdeh Boker, makes the one-hour trip from Be’er Sheva 12 times daily Sunday-Thursday and six times on Friday. Make it clear to the driver that you want to go to the archeoiogical site and not Ein Avdat, the mid-desert oasis. Near the bus stop is a gas station with restaurant (tel 55 09 54). Bring water for the 15-minute hike to the ruins; the summit is dry.

Sights Ben-Gurion’s Hut (tel. (057) 56 03 20 or 55 84 44), only slightly larger than the residences of his kibbutz neighbors, has been left unaltered except for the installation of glass doors separating visitors from the living room and library. Visitors can see how this brilliant and idealistic man decided to set a personal example for young Israelis to follow.

Pictures and documents are on display, giving the visitor some tangible connection to the legendary leader. Only one picture hangs in Ben-Gurion’s bedroom: at his own request, Mahatma Gandhi. (Open Sun.-Thurs. 8:3Oam-3:30pm, Fri. 8:30am-2pm, Sat. and holidays 9am-2:30pm. Free.) The bus stop for the house is one stop after the kibbutz. (Ask for Tzreef Ben-Gurion.)

An easy walk on the canyon rim is to the Ben-Gurion Tombs. The grounds are beautifully landscaped and the view is classic. In 1992, ex-USSR ex-president Mikhail Gorbachev lay a wreath at Ben-Gurion’s grave and praised the success of Ben-Gurion’s style of socialism. Follow the signs on campus to get there.

Orientation and Practical Information Coming from Beer Sheva,there are three turnoffs to the left right after the Halukim junction. The first is the main gate to Kibbutz Sdeh Boker, and the second leads to Ben Gurion’s Hut. The fcrucial step for travelers is the third turnoff to the Ben-Gurion Institute for Desert Research (affiliated with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev). Here one can find accommodations, supplies, and access to the Ein Avdat Nature Reserve in the fantastic Xin canyon below.

Get off the bus at the large white gate. The Institute is famous for its research into desert food production, reforestation, and solar energy. The midrasha (college) staff conducts studies ranging from applied geobotanics to iow-water desert architecture and hydroponics. To visit you must call aheatl. As you walk through the gate continue along the road past the Ben-Gurion Research Institute and Archives. On your left you will see a shaded plaza with a post office (open Sun.-Thurs. 9-1 lam and l-2pm, Fri. 9-1 lam), gift shop, supermarket, and cafeteria.
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Sdeh Boker

Lost amidst endless Negev desert, verdant Sdeh Boker is named for the mountain behind it. Arabs called this mountain “Jabal Baqara” (Mt. Cow), which Israelis later changed to the closest Hebrew cognate, “Har Boker” (Cowboy Mt.). The kibbutz, established in 1952 on a plain, adopted the name Sdeh Boker (Cowboy Field). This aviary/oasis produces olives, kiwis, and other fruit for domestic and international markets, as well as wheat, corn, and livestock.

David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister-and a Sdeh Boker member-considered settlements in the Negev a top priority. When experts advised that developing the Negev was a waste of money and time, Ben-Gurion insisted on searching for unconventional methods of taming the desert. Referring to water preservation techniques employed by an ancient people of the region, he asked, “If the Nabateans can do it, why can’t we?” He was so taken with the young Pioneers building fledgling Sdeh Boker in a 1953 visit that he decided, at the age of 67, to resign from office and settle in the middle of the Negev desert.

Beside the plethora of Ben Gurion sites and memorabilia, non-B.G. fans will find Sdeh Boker a base for some awesome desert exploration in the nearby Ein Avdat Natural Reserve.

The Arad Visitor Center, P.O. Box 824, Arad 80700 (tel. 95 44 09, fax 95 50 52), is on Ben Yair St. across from the tourist office. This excellent resource, run by the Nature Reserves Authority, has information on the town of Arad and the surrounding area. You can obtain detailed topographical maps for hiking in the Negev or Dead Sea area (all in Hebrew, but ask them to pen in the English names), or information on nature reserves throughout the country.

The center includes a museum and a store with hiking gear, and offers an audio-visual presentation. (Open Sat-Thurs. 9am-5pm, Fri. 9am-2:30pm.) For jeep tours contact Oded Hamm, a tour guide, at P.O. Box 669, Arad 80700 (tel. 95 23 88, fax 95 84 84). Half-day, full-day, and overnight tours are run out of Arad and Ein Bokek at the Dead Sea.

Practical Information Arad’s central bus station is on Yehuda St. across from the town’s commercial center. Across from the bus station is the town’s corft-mercial center/mall, containing most of Arad’s important institutions. The tourist office (tel. 95 81 44 or 95 93 33) is located on the opposite side of die center from the bus station (open Sun.-Thurs. 9am-noon and 5-7pm, Fri. 9am-noon). The po* office (tel. 95 70 88) next door to the tourist office has Poste Restante.

(Open Sufl rues, and Thurs. 8am-12:30pm and 3:30-6pm, Wed. 8am-l:30pm, Fri. Sam-noon.) The commercial center also includes a pharmacy (tel. 95 74 39; open Sun.-Thurs. g:30am-7:30pm, Fri. 8:30am-l:30pni), a Co-op Supermarket across the street from the bus station (open Sun.-Thurs. 7:30am-l :30pm and 4-7pm. Fri. 7am-2pm). a Superso) supermarket across the street from the tourist office, and four banks (most open Sun., Tues., and Thurs. 8:30am-12:30pm and 4-5:45pm, Mon. and Wed. 8:30am-12:30pm, Fri. 8:30am-noon). Police (tel. 95 70 44 or 100 in emergencies) and first-aid (tel. 95 72 22 or 101 in emergencies) stations are on Yehuda St. The telephone code in Arad is 057.
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Arad

Located on the border between the Negev and the Judean deserts, the dry climate and unpolluted, pollen-free air of the appropriately named Arad attract asthma sufferers from all over the country. Founded as a small residential settlement in I960 for laborers from the Dead Sea Works, Arad has grown rapidly (population now over 15,000, including writer Amos Oz, an illustrious recent arrival). The discovery of a nearby natural gas field has made Arad an important industrial area as well.

At ancient Arad (Tel Arad), about 10km west of the modem town, two archeo-logical sites have been partly reconstructed: a 5000-year-old Canaanite city and an Israelite fortress dating from King Solomon’s era, with a sanctuary resembling the Temple in Jerusalem. Although the area has been inhabited constantly through the ages, this incarnation of Arad was essentially destroyed in 701 BC by Sanherib the Assur. (Open Sun.-Thurs. 8am-5pm, Fri. 8am-3pm; Oct.-March Sun.-Thurs. 8am-4pm, Fri. 8am-2pm. Admission N1S5, students NIS2.50. Take the Be’er Sheva bus (#388) to Tel Arad-tell the bus driver-then walk 1.5km to the site; get information on tours from the Visitors Center in Arad.)

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Entertainment

Be’er Sheva is a surprisingly lively at night, especially around Trumpeldor St. Most of the bars open at 8 or 9pm, but remain quiet until about 11pm, when an almost exclusively Israeli crowd starts pouring in. Trombone, on 18 Ha’Avot St. (tel. 27 7g 70), at the comer of Trumpeldor, is another informal restaurant/pub with a more intimate atmosphere. Beer NIS6 and main dishes from the kitchen NIS7-15. (Open nightly 8:30pm-4am.) The wildest place in Be’er Sheva is HaSimta (The Alley), 16 Trumpeldor St. Prepare for a deafening mixture of Israeli, American, and European music, and a crowd that sings along. Must be 18. (Open nightly 8pm-3am.)

If you’re too sober for the pub scene, head for one of Be’er Sheva’s several movie theaters, four of which are in the Kanion. To cool off, dive into the swimming pool at the Beit Yatziv Youth Hostel, 79 Ha’Atzma’ut St. (Open Sun.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm, Sat. 830am4pm. Admission NIS10, Sbabbat NIS12. NIS3 discount for hostel guests.) More mellow still is an annual international harmonica and accordion festival with street performers and classical, pop, blues, and soul concerts. The festival is in early July; ask at the GTIO for details.

Sights

Be’er Sheva’s chief attraction is its Thursday Bedouin Market, located just south of the municipal market and bus station (walk down Eilat St. until you see the action on your right). Trading begins around 6am and concludes by noon. These Bedouin speak relatively intelligible English and may compliment your beautiful eyes whil£ charging six times the going rate. Market rules apply (see Travel in the Region), i Hundreds of Bedouin, both the semi-settled from around Be’er Sheva and the nomads from deep in the desert, gather in the area around Hebron St. to sell sheep.

eoats, clothes, cloth, jewelry, ceramics, spices, and even digital watches. Animals rc generally traded and sold on the city’s southernmost limits, with camels strictly ‘prohibited from the market. (Security concerns make the commotion caused by hrge livestock an unnecessary risk.) The northern part of the market features tremendous quantities of scbiocky clothing, all amazingly selling for NIS 10. “More fashionable” items may be marked as high as N1S2O-3O.

Food

Old Town Be’er Sheva’s Keren Kayemet LeYisrael St. is lined with numerous excellent falafel, shwarma, pizza, and sandwich stands (MS 2.50-9). Nearby is The Bulgarian of Itzek, 112 Keren Kayemet LeYisrael St. (tel. 23 85 04), which serves outstanding Pad Thai. Just kidding. Bis LeKhol Kis, 98 Mordei haGeta’ot St. (tel. 27 71 78), offers large meat- or fish-based homestyle meals (NISI 1-15; Open Sun.-Fri. 11:30am-4pm). An excellent bakery on the corner of Smilensky and Trumpeldor St. has burekas, rolls, and other baked goodies for only NISI .50-2.50 (open 24 hrs.). ] If you need an American food fix, head to the Kanion.

A food court is on the lower floor. A womba double Bomba burger at Burger Ranch costs NIS7.50 and a hot dog is NIS4.40. The food court also offers full Chinese meals at China Town for NIS15-16. Cafe George has pastries for NIS7-7.50 and coffee for NIS3. Pizza Hut is in, too. Most restaurants in the Kanion are open Sun.-Thurs. 9am-midnight, Fri. 9am-lam, Sat. lOam-lOpm. The mall also features a Hypershuk supermarket. (Most stores open Sun.-Thurs. 9am-9pm, Fri. 9am-3pm, Sat. 8-10pm.) The cheapest place to buy drinks and fresh produce is the shuk, located just south of the central bus station and easily identifiable by its arched metal rooftops. The Thursday Bedouin market also has cheap prices for foodstuffs. For desert dessert, nothing beats Glida (ice cream) Be’er Sheva, 50 Hadassah St. (tel. 277 072), where a waffle cone with 5 scoops is NIS6. (Open daily 9am-lam.)

Accommodations

If you can avoid sleeping in Be’er Sheva, do so. Limited choices include the expensive four-star Neot haMidbar, an international youth barracks, and a collection of dimly-lit 1950s throwbacks with mix-and-match Eastern European decor. It’s wiser to arrive early Thursday morning for the Bedouin market, visit a few museums and maybe the university in the afternoon, and then head to the attractive and reasonably priced hostels at Sdeh Boker and Mitzpeh Ramon. If, however, you insist:

Beit Yatziv Youth Hostel (HI), 79 Ha’Atzma’ut St. (tel. 27 74 44), a few blocks from the Old Town. Bus #13 will take you directly to the hostel from the bus sta-tion every 45min., or you can take any bus to the town center and walk past the Negev Museum on Ha’Atzma’ut St. Clean, large complex, but spartan, stuffy rooms (the small windows open only halfway, and the fans don’t provide much relief)- Rooms contain 4 or 8 beds, a desk, and 2 small closets.

Orientation And Practical Information

Be’er Sheva is located in the middle of the northern Negev, 40km from both the Mediterranean and Dead Seas and approximately 80km southwest of Jerusalem. To reach the Old Town, walk through the main exit of the bus station (next to the information desk), turn to the left, and take any bus (signs are in English) going to the Old Town. On foot, cross the parking lot and make a left onto Ben Tzvi St. Make another left onto HaNesi’im Blvd., which turns into Herzl St.; it’s a 10-minute trip-information is available at both the town hall and the GTI0.

Government Tourist Information Office (GTIO): 6 Ben Tzvi St. (tcl. 23 60 01/2/ 3), behind the parking lot and across the street from the main entrance to the bus station. Open Sun.-Thurs. 8:3Oam-5pm. Town Hall: From the central bus station, cross the parking lot in front of the main entrance, go left on Ben Tzvi St. and walk one block to HaNesi’im. Turn right and go three blocks up. On your right an air traffic control tower stands behind a public square-wait, this isn’t the airport, it’s the town hall. Get a map for NIS5- A talking computer service says “If you need more information, go ahead, make my day” with an Israeli accent. Yitzhak Yellin. (tel. 46 38 79 or 46 37 90/1), an advisor to the mayor and former Bostonian, is eager to help any Let’s Goons. Open 24 hrs. Kanion haNegev (shopping mall): From the main entrance to the bus station look

Be’er Sheva

Tell any traveler (or Israeli, for that matter) you meet that you’re going to Be’er Sheva, and you’ll be asked why. Unless you’re a Russian immigration buff or volunteer, or you want to see pioneering first hand, Be’er Sheva’s only major attraction is the Thursday morning Bedouin market. Consider a Thursday morning trip.

Be’er Sheva means both “well of the oath” and “well of seven” in Hebrew, and the Bible (Genesis 21:25-31) offers both etymologies. The story goes that Abimdekh’s servants seized a well that Abraham claimed to have dug. The dispute ended with a covenant in which Abraham offered seven ewes to Abimelekh in exchange for recognition as the well’s rightful owner.

When Israel recaptured it from Egypt in 1948, Be’er Sheva was a village of under 2000 people. Its growth since then reflects that of Israel; its unattractive housing projects are now home to immigrants from Morocco, Syria, Russia, Argentina, and ] Ethiopia, as well as the largest Albanian Jewish community in the world. Today, Be’er Sheva is doing its best to make tens of thousands of newly-arrived, frost-bitten Russians feel at home in Israel’s biggest desert town.

The Negev

David Ben-Gurion Ben-Gurion’s dream of a transformed Negev has come partially true; in between stretches of land visited only by buses and Bedouin, witness solar-powered highway lights, roadside payphones, and improbable stretches of green culled out of the desert by innovative kibbutz agriculture.

Come to the Negev to see ancient remains and austere beauty, not to part;’ (Eilat excluded). Field schools in Sdeh Boker, Mitzpeh Ramon, and Eilat should be your first stop for hiking information, guided tours, and hostel accommodations. An inexpensive way to reach most of the Negev’s natural sights is to join a Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) tour. Alternatively, a bus ride from Beer Sheva to Eilat through Mitzpeh Ramon-if you watch the scenery and not the solars or music videos-can provide an overview of the rugged terrain.

Sights The ruins at Masada were unearthed in 1963 by a team of archeologists headed by Yigael Yadin. About one-third of the ruins you see are actually reconstructed-a black line indicates the extent of the original findings. Directly in front of the entrance to the site stands a large sign with a map of the ruins, which outlines several walking tours. From the entrance, the Northern Palace, which includes Herod’s own private pad, is up and to your right. Across the site is the Western Palace; the Southern Citadel is down to the left at the far end of the mountaintop.

The best remains at the Northern Palace are the central public bath and the private palace of King Herod. The bath is well preserved, but, disappointingly, the frigi-darium isn’t working. If you linger too long, you’ll find yourself hiking out in a huge caldarium. King Herod’s palace is poised spectacularly on the rock’s prow. The lower terrace’s painted frescos and intact capitals on fluted columns suggest the splendor that Herod enjoyed. In the bathhouse of the lowest section, the skeletons of a man, woman, and child were found, along with a tallit (prayer shawl).

Look west into the desert for the remnants of the Roman attackers’ camps. The thing that looks like bleachers is not the remains of a Roman siege apparatus, but seating for the sound and light show, accessible only by car or tour bus from Arad. To see Masada lit up like a Las Vegas marquis, catch one of the performances (Tues. and Thurs., 9pm. Tickets NIS22; if you can, camp for NIS7). Inquire at the Arad Tourist Center (tel. 95 89 93).
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Accommodations and Food The first thing you’ll see when you leave the bus is the Taylor Youth Hostel (HI) (tel. 58 43 49). The 150-bed hostel has clean rooms and air-conditioning, but is often crowded. Check-in is 4-7pm, but, if you can, try to drop your bags off between 8:30am and lpm. Lockers NIS3- All rooms are scheduled to have private toilets and showers by 1994. When you check in you can order a bag breakfast to be picked up at 7:30pm. (Dorm beds N1S39, nonmembers NIS42. Breakfast included. Hearty dinner NIS21.) A concrete pavilion in front of the hostel accommodates campers for free. Lockers NIS4; buy locker tokens when you check in. The hostel will allow you to use their showers for NIS6, but they strictly prohibit use of other facilities.

The only other accommodations within reasonable distance are the campground at Neveh Zohar to the south, the youth hostel in Arad, and the facilities north at Ein Gedi (see the Near Masada and Arad sections for details). Someone roiled off Masada while sleeping on the top several years ago, so you can no longer camp up there. ‘

Next to the cable car at the base of the mountain is a souvenir shop (open 9am-3:30pm) and air-conditioned restaurants (open 1 l:3Oam-3pm). The budget option is the snack bar, with large meat or cheese sandwiches for NIS5. The shops all feature overpriced copies of archeologist Yigael Yadin’s popular book on Masada, which you can buy for much less at a Steimauky near you. Drinking water is available from a number of faucets and hoses; don’t take a sip unless it’s marked as drinking water (mayim lesbtiya,

Practical Information Masada lies 20km south of Ein Gedi, a few kilometers inland on the road to Arad and Be’er Sheva. See above for bus information.

There are three ways to reach the ruins-by cable car or by either of two foot paths. The easier of the two trails, the Roman Ramp, starts on the west side of the mountain, on Arad Rd., and takes about 30 minutes to ascend. This trail is not accessible by public transportation, and the walk around the base to the Roman Ramp is extremely arduous and time-consuming. More popular, more scenic, and a bit more difficult is the original Snake Path, named for its tortuous bends. The path has barely been repaired since the Zealots used it. The hike takes just under an hour, and if you start early enough (gates open at 4:30am), you’ll see the sun slowly rising over the Dead Sea 450m below. It is important to start hiking well before the afternoon, both to avoid the heat and to leave enough time to tour the extensive ruins. Drinking water is available only at the summit.

The hiking-averse may prefer a cable car which stops near the top of Snake Path. It runs from Sam to 4pm (summer 5pm), on Friday at 2pm (summer 3pm), leaving every few minutes for the three-minute ascent. (One way fare including admission NIS20, students NIS13-5O, youth NISI I.) A compromise is to hike up the mountain early and take the cable car down when it starts to get hot. (Site officially open 6:3Oam-3:3Opm. Admission NIS9, students NIS7.50, youth NIS5.) The site officially closes at 3:30pm but the gates are often left open and you can get in free after hours. Guards don’t usually ask people to leave until 8pm.

Masada

“Masada shall not fall again,” swear members of the armored division of the Israel Defense Forces each year at this site. The Jewish Zealots’ tenacious defense of this formidable rock, though forgotten for centuries, has been fashioned into a symbol in modern Israel, with some controversy about the implications of (hat metaphor.

The huge fortress (Metzada) was built as a refuge against marauding Greeks and Syrians by the Jewish High Priest Jonathan Maccabeus around 150 BC. The 2000 by 750 ft. fortress was expanded a few decades later by John Hyrcanus I. In 40 AD, King Herod fled to Masada in order to avoid being massacred by rival Hasmoneans backed by the Parthians. Although Herod was ultimately successful in putting down the revolts, .Masada was used once again, in 66 AD, when the Judeans rebelled against Roman occupation; a small band of the rebels, the original Zealots, captured die outpost.

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Sights David fled to this oasis to escape the wrath of King Saul (I Samuel 23:29). Ein Gedi is also mentioned in the Song of Songs. During the second Jewish revolt, Simon Bar-Kokhba sought refuge here-his hiding place, the Letter Cave, can be visited about 6km southwest of the main settlement.

But the Ein Gedi nature reserve (tel. 58 42 85 or 58 45 17) is the main reason to visit this area. The climbs are not especially difficult, and there are well placed bars to hold onto in the occasional steep area. Lighten your load with the lockers at the gift shop (NIS2). Dead Sea temperatures, however, can make even inhaling strenuous, so only hike very early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Always bring at least two bottles of water (you can fill up at the faucets just outside the gate).

Ein Gedi Camping (tel. 58 43 42) is a barren, shadeless beach less than lkm south of the hostel and nature reserve (15-20-min. walk). Since nights at Ein Gedi are almost as hot as days, think twice about sleeping without air conditioning.

If you decide to camp, the reception office (open 24 hrs.) will store your valuables in a safe. If you bring your own tent, the price is NIS22 (children N1S9). The nearby caravans, which accommodate four to six people, offer A/C and bathrooms. (NIS160 per night for a couple, N1S40 each additional person.) People have been known to camp anywhere along the beach.

Accommodations The prime choice for accommodations in the Dead Sea area is the Beit Sara Hostel (HI) (tel. 58 41 65). Despite its 208 beds, this youth hostel is usually crowded and the management tends to be impersonal. Cool off at night at the outdoor bar (good music but limited selection). Don’t drink any of the tap water from the showers or bathroom; use the drinking fountain instead. A/C exists, but does little on 46″ days. The hostel is open from 7am to 9pm; if you come early (before 4pm), management will look after your bags. (Dorm beds NIS42, members less NIS3- Breakfast included, dinner available.)

Practical Information (See above for bus information.) There are several bus stops and turn-offs in the Ein Gedi area. Traveling south on the main highway, the first (northernmost) stop is at the Ein Gedi youth hostel, Beit Sara, which is visible slightly north and uphill, set back a bit from the highway. The Ein Gedi Field School “Jn by the SPNI is a short walk uphill from the hostel. The nature reserve at Nahal David is also nearby; the access road is just south of the hostel.

Farther south down the main highway is the Ein Gedi beach and campsite, which also has a gas station ^d store. Nahal Arugot nature reserve is at the end of an access road 500 miles ^uth of the youth hostel. Kibbutz Ein Gedi is up on the slope several kilometers south of the youth hostel; buses stop at the kibbutz via the access road. The spa complex is the southernmost stay at Ein Gedi, and the bus will pull out at the park-"ttg lot. There is a first-aid station at the campground.

The Ein Gedi Field School (tel. 58 42 88) has maps and information. Guided tours ust be arranged in advance, and are for groups only. The field school rents out rooms at MS138 for a double, including breakfast. Check out the museum which has artifacts and rocks; you may want to see the live snake display only after you’ve gone hiking in the desert.

Ein Gedi

On the approach to the Ein Gedi ("Fountain of the Kid,” as in goatling) Nature Reserve, strips of greener)’ cling to the barren landscape. Ein Gedi’s springs bubble in the heights and cascade into refreshing pools and streams. If you hike to the springs via die hot, dry hills, walk back along (or in) the shallow streams

Qumran

In 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd looking for a wayward sheep wandered into a remote cliffside cave and happened upon a collection of earthenware jars containing parchment manuscripts 2000 years old. These Dead Sea Scrolls have become one of the most important sources on the development of the Bible. The largest, now displayed in the Shrine of the Book at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, was a.1 7m long ancient Hebrew text of the Book of Isaiah. Encouraged by the initial discovery, archeologists searched the caves and undertook excavations at the foot of the cliffs. In 1949: they uncovered the village of the sect that wrote the Dead Sea Scrolls. Archeological evidence suggests that the site was settled as long ago as the 8th century BC, reinhabited in the 2nd century BC, temporarily abandoned during the reign of Herod following an earthquake, and completely deserted after the Roman defeat of the Jewish revolt in 70 AD.

Historians believe that the authors of the scrolls were the Essenes, a Jewish sect whose members were disillusioned by the corruption and Hellenrzation of their fellow Jerusalemites and sought refuge in the sands. T-he strict and devout Essenes believed that a great struggle was soon to ensue between the Sons of light (themselves and the angels) and the Sons of Darkness (everyone else). Excavations at Masada suggest that the members of the Qumran sect joined with the Jews at Masada in their struggle against the Romans.

Practical Information

First, a warning: if any of the Dead Sea water gets into your eyes, you’re in for sev- f eral minutes of painful blindness. Rinse your eyes out immediately in the fresh-water showers found on all beaches. Don’t shave immediately before swimming; the water will sear minor scrapes you didn’t even know you had. Since you will want to wash off as soon as you get out of the water, you may want to stick to the resorts (Ein Feshka, Ein Gedi, Ein Bokek, and Neveh Zohar), where showers are available. The three free public beaches are at Neveh Zohar, Ein Bokek, and Ein Gedi.

The Dead Sea does not have an ordinary desert climate-rather than harsh and dry it’s harsh and humid. The sticky air, especially in the summer, makes high temperatures barely tolerable. Athletes may enjoy the clean air and a 10% increase in oxygen concentration, but exertion is sane only in the early morning.

If you’re planning to stay in the Dead Sea area for a while, stock up on food. Most restaurants are overpriced, and the only grocery store is at Neveh Zohar, to the south. The same rules apply as in any desert: Bring a water bottle wherever you go, and keep your head covered with something fashionable or amusing.

The Dead Sea

This is as low as you can stoop-more than 394m below sea level, the Dead Sea is die lowest point on earth. The name was coined by Christian pilgrims astonished by the apparent absence of any form of life in its waters (kill-joy scientists have recently discovered micro-organisms in the lake’s water, but that doesn’t count). Its Hebrew name, Yam haMelah (Salt Sea), makes the point: the lake has a salt concentration eight times that of ocean water. Although there is no outlet for the lake’s water, the intense sun bearing down on the valley used to evaporate enough water to keep the water level constant. But present-day pumping of the lake’s sources, most notably Israel’s diversion of water from the Sea of Galilee for agricultural purposes, has dwindled its supply of fresh water, resulting in a gradual lowering of the water level (most noticeable in the shallow southern parts).

Israel once considered digging a canal from the Mediterranean for hydroelectric power, but the Med-Dead canal idea was too pricey; more recent ideas speak of a Red-Dead alternative, a post-peace joint Israeli-Jordanian venture to channel sea water from the Gulf of Aqaba. Until the water is diluted, swimming in, or rather floating on, the Dead Sea is like nothing else. You just bob up and down like a human cork, suspended on salts and minerals trapped by centuries of evaporation. The water is oily like an Italian dressing.
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