Dolphin Reef
Best for. Curious, slow travellers who want something different from a beach day, a green and shaded southern spot built around a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins, with a bar and piers over the water.
Best spot. The shaded floating piers and planted lawns by the bay, where you can watch the dolphins, swim and eat without rushing, an easy half day rather than a quick stop.
Know this. This is a ticketed attraction rather than a free beach, busy at peak times, and opinions on the dolphin encounters divide, so go in with open eyes and your own view.
Dolphin Reef is the odd one out among the beaches of Eilat, and that is exactly its appeal for a curious traveller. It sits on the southern coast, a ticketed compound built around a sectioned bay where a resident pod of bottlenose dolphins lives, with floating piers, lush planted gardens and a beachfront bar set among the shade. You do not come here to claim a patch of open sand, you come to slow right down, watch the dolphins from the piers, take a managed snorkel or dive session if you choose, and let an afternoon drift by the water with a drink in hand.
Read as part of a wider day, it makes a gentle, green counterpoint to the reef snorkelling further south and the resort buzz in town. The planted grounds and the shade are a relief from the desert heat, and the bar and restaurant mean you can settle in for hours without leaving. It pairs naturally with a morning at Coral Beach and an evening on the promenade, the calm and shaded middle of a southern coast day. The food here is holiday casual rather than a destination in itself, so save the proper Red Sea fish lunch for the marina restaurants a short drive north.
The honest cautions matter on this one. Dolphin Reef is an attraction with a ticket, not a free beach, and it is busy at peak times and around the Israeli holidays. Opinions on dolphin encounters divide, and a thoughtful traveller will form their own view of swimming with captive animals before booking a session, since you can enjoy the gardens, the piers and the bay without one. Prices, programmes and hours are set by the venue and shift by season, so check before you go. Taken on its own terms, as a relaxed, shaded and unusual spot, it earns a place in a slower Eilat plan.
An attraction, not a club
Dolphin Reef runs its own bar, restaurant and shaded piers as part of the ticket, so it is a managed day attraction rather than a beach club. For the lounger and DJ scene, the honest answer is the North Beach side of town. We describe what is real here and mark anything we cannot verify as to be confirmed. To book a club day, start with the Eilat clubs guide.
Photo: Aleksei T via GoogleThe Dolphin Reef bar and piers
The beachfront bar, restaurant and shaded floating piers come with the ticket and are the heart of a visit, a relaxed place to eat, drink and watch the bay between sessions. It is holiday casual rather than a polished lounge, and the prices, hours and any extra for the dolphin swims are set by the venue and are to be confirmed.
Marina restaurants in town
For the real meal, the marina and the promenade a short drive north hold the Red Sea fish houses and the easy waterfront kitchens. They turn a quiet afternoon at the reef into a full day with a proper dinner by the boats. Which places are open and their hours change with the season and are to be confirmed.
The shaded lawns by the bay
The simplest pleasure at Dolphin Reef is a shaded patch of lawn or a pier seat by the water, included once you are through the gate, where you can watch the pod and the boats with nothing else to do. In a desert town the green shade alone is worth the slow hour.
South coast, Eilat
Dolphin Reef sits on the southern coast of Eilat, between the central resort strip and the Coral Beach reserve, an easy ten minute drive or a short bus ride from the hotels with parking at the gate. Its position makes it simple to fold into a southern day with the Underwater Observatory and Coral Beach close by, so you can snorkel the reef, visit the dolphins and still be back on the promenade for the evening.
Buy your ticket in advance at busy times, bring sun cover and cash, and decide before you arrive whether you want a managed dolphin session or simply the grounds and the bay. Come in spring or autumn for the most comfortable weather above the water, and treat the food here as a holiday snack rather than the main meal, saving the Red Sea fish for the marina. Conditions and programmes are managed but never guaranteed and change by season.
Photo: Boyan Boyanov via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help line up a lounger or a table on the lively North Beach side of Eilat. 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 Dolphin Reef
Is Dolphin Reef in Eilat worth visiting?
It depends on what you want from a beach day. Dolphin Reef is a ticketed attraction with planted gardens, shaded piers, a beachfront bar and a resident pod of dolphins, so it suits a slow, curious half day rather than a classic sunbathe. If you came to snorkel a wild reef, Coral Beach and Princess Beach nearby are the better choice, while Dolphin Reef rewards travellers who want something green, shaded and different.
How much does Dolphin Reef cost?
It is a paid attraction with an entry ticket, and the dolphin snorkel and dive sessions cost more and book separately. The figures and the opening hours are set by the venue and shift by season, so we mark them as to be confirmed and suggest you check the official prices for your date before you go.
Can you swim with the dolphins at Dolphin Reef?
There are managed snorkel and dive sessions in the bay where the pod lives, booked separately from entry. Opinions on swimming with captive dolphins divide, so it is worth forming your own view before booking, and you can still enjoy the gardens, the piers and the bar without a session. Programmes and availability are set by the venue and are to be confirmed.
Where should I eat near Dolphin Reef?
The bar and restaurant on site are fine for a drink and a casual bite, but the proper meal waits a short drive north at the marina and the promenade, where the Red Sea fish houses and waterfront kitchens are. Many travellers spend the afternoon at the reef and head into town hungry for an early dinner by the boats.
Is Dolphin Reef good for children?
It can be, as the dolphins, the piers and the green grounds hold a child's interest and the bay is calm and supervised, though it is a ticketed attraction rather than a free run about beach and gets busy at peak times. Decide in advance about any paid dolphin session, keep little ones close on the piers, and check the current rules and prices, which change by season.
When is the best time to visit Dolphin Reef?
It is open year round thanks to the warm Red Sea, with spring and autumn the most comfortable above water and the quietest. Summer is hot and busy, especially around the Israeli holidays, and winter is mild and calmer. Go earlier in the day to beat the heat and the crowds, and see our Eilat season guide for the month by month picture.
