Almog Beach
Best for. Snorkellers and slow travellers who want the southern reef and a calm, low key shore rather than a resort scene, happy to bring their own shade and supplies for a quiet day under the surface.
Best spot. The water itself in the cool morning, a few strokes out over the fringing reef where the fish gather, with the desert mountains of Jordan across the gulf and almost no one around.
Know this. Facilities are modest, the entry crosses rock and reef so water shoes help, and the reef must be treated gently and never touched, so come prepared and tread lightly.
Almog is the beach I send quiet snorkellers to when the headline reef feels too organised. Its name means coral in Hebrew, and that is the whole story, a low key shore on the southern coast where a stretch of the fringing reef sits just off the sand, part of the protected coral coast that runs down to the Underwater Observatory. It is calmer and far less developed than the central beaches, with clear water, reef life and a peaceful feel that the busier spots have lost. You come here to put your face in the water and let the day slow down.
Read it honestly and you will arrive prepared. This is not a resort beach. The shore is coarse sand and stone rather than soft powder, the entry crosses rock and reef in places so water shoes earn their keep, and the facilities are modest, which means bringing your own shade, water and gear is the safe plan. The reward for that simplicity is real, calm and clear water, healthy reef and a fraction of the crowd you meet at Coral Beach next door. Treat the reef as the living thing it is, never touching or standing on it, and the snorkelling repays the care.
The food and culture wanderer's verdict is to read Almog as the under the surface half of a southern day, then bring the appetite north. Snorkel here in the cool, clear morning, pair it with the Coral Beach reserve or quiet Princess Beach along the same coast, and when the heat builds drive back toward the centre, where the marina and promenade hold the best Red Sea fish houses and hummus counters in town for a long, late lunch. Come for the reef and the calm, accept the simple setup, and Almog gives you the quietest, clearest water on this shore.
The quiet southern coast
Almog is a reef beach rather than a club shore, so the scene here is the water, the reserve and a short hop to the organised facilities next door. We name the real, established features along this coast and mark any entry or rental, which varies, as to be confirmed. To arrange a lounger or a southern day, start with the Eilat clubs guide.
Photo: yotam b via GoogleThe reef and the reserve
The real draw at Almog is the fringing reef just off the sand, part of the protected coral coast, clear and fish filled and quiet. There is no club to book, only the water and the care it deserves, so bring a mask and treat the reef gently. Any rental or guided snorkel along this coast varies and is to be confirmed.
Coral Beach next door
A short way along the coast, the Coral Beach nature reserve is the organised companion to Almog, with marked trails, gear rental, shade and a small entry fee. When you want facilities and a guided run of the reef, this is the place to base, then walk the quieter Almog water for calm. Fees and hours are set by the reserve and are to be confirmed.
The Underwater Observatory
At the southern end of the reef coast, the Coral World Underwater Observatory lets you descend below the surface to see the reef without getting wet, the easy way to round out a snorkel day, especially with children or a non swimmer in the group. It has cafes and refreshments on site. Tickets and hours are set by the park and are to be confirmed.
The southern coral coast
Almog sits on the southern coral coast of Eilat, the stretch of reef beaches that runs down toward the Underwater Observatory and the Taba border, roughly a ten minute drive south of the central hotel district. The coast road links it with Coral Beach, Dolphin Reef and Princess Beach, so the whole southern reef is easy to string together, and local buses and taxis run down from the centre. There is parking along the coast, busiest in the morning when the snorkellers arrive.
Pack as if facilities are modest, since they are. Bring a mask, water shoes for the reef entry, your own shade and plenty of water for the desert heat, and keep nothing you cannot carry. Snorkel in the cool, clear morning, rest through the hot middle of the day, and drive back to the marina and promenade for a late lunch of Red Sea fish. Come in spring or autumn for the kindest weather, and remember to treat the reef gently. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Photo: yotam b via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help arrange a lounger or a southern reef day around Almog Beach and the coral coast. We reply by email.
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Almog Beach
Is Almog Beach in Eilat worth it?
Yes, for snorkellers and anyone who wants the reef without the crowds. Almog Beach sits on the southern coral coast, part of the protected reserve near the Underwater Observatory, and it is calmer and less developed than the headline spots, with clear water, reef life and a peaceful, low key feel. The honest trade is facilities, which are modest, so it rewards travellers who come to snorkel and relax rather than for a polished resort beach. Bring your own shade and supplies and make a slow day of it.
Is the snorkelling good at Almog Beach?
It is some of the best on this coast. Almog means coral in Hebrew, and the beach fronts a stretch of the fringing reef that runs along the southern shore, with clear, fish filled water a few strokes out. The entry crosses rock and reef in places, so water shoes and care help, and the reef must be treated gently and never touched or stood on. Come in the cool morning when the water is clearest and the light best, and conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Where can I eat near Almog Beach?
The southern coral coast is quieter than the centre, so plan your eating around it. The marina and the promenade in central Eilat, a short drive north, hold the best run of Red Sea fish houses and hummus counters, ideal for a long lunch after a morning under the surface. Closer by, the cafes and kiosks along the reef coast and at the Underwater Observatory cover drinks and a light bite. Bring your own water and snacks too, since facilities at the beach itself are modest and to be confirmed.
How does Almog Beach compare with Coral Beach?
They share the same reef and sit close together on the southern coast, but they feel different. Coral Beach is the headline nature reserve with marked trails, gear rental, shade and a small entry fee, busier and more organised. Almog is the quieter, lower key companion, calmer and less developed, which suits travellers who want to snorkel and relax without a scene. Pair the two for a southern day spent largely under the surface, and treat the reef gently at both.
Are there facilities at Almog Beach?
They are modest, which is part of the appeal and the catch. Almog is a low key reef beach rather than a resort shore, so do not expect the full run of bars, loungers and showers you find on the central bay. Bring your own shade, water and snorkel gear to be safe, though some rental and refreshment may be available nearby and is to be confirmed. The reward for the simple setup is calm, clear water and far fewer people than the central beaches.
When is the best time to visit Almog Beach?
The cool morning, and the shoulder seasons of spring and autumn, roughly March to May and October to November, which give warm sea and bearable heat. The water is typically clearest early before the day warms and the wind lifts, and the southern reserve is quietest then too. Winter is mild and still swimmable in the warm Red Sea, while high summer is very hot, so snorkel early and rest in the shade through the middle of the day. See our Eilat season guide for the detail.
