North Beach
Best for. Travellers who want the easy, sociable side of Eilat, a central bay backed by hotels, a promenade and a marina, with restaurants and the duty free town on the doorstep and the reef a short drive away.
Best spot. The promenade and marina end of the bay in the early evening, when the light softens, the boats come in and the Red Sea fish houses fill, the best of North Beach by far.
Know this. Be honest about the swimming, it is a calm shallow bay rather than the clear reef water Eilat is famous for, so come for the scene and the food and drive south for the coral.
North Beach is the part of Eilat most visitors meet first, and reading it honestly is the single most useful thing this guide can do. This is the lively heart of the resort, the central bay backed by the big hotels, the promenade and the marina, easy and central and full of holiday life. The trap is the water. Many travellers book a central hotel, walk onto North Beach picturing the coral they have seen in photographs, and feel let down by a calm, shallow, ordinary bay. The reef is real, but it lives a short drive south, not here.
Take North Beach for what it actually is, though, and it is a fine base for a sociable trip. The pleasure of this stretch is not the swim, it is the rhythm of the town around it. Spend the hot middle of the day in the shade of a lounger or escape into the duty free shops and the cool cafes, then come alive in the late afternoon when the promenade fills, the marina boats slide in and the Red Sea fish houses, the hummus counters and the easy holiday kitchens get going. This is where Eilat does its best eating and people watching, and it is all on the doorstep of the central hotels.
The food and culture wanderer's verdict is simple. North Beach is the social and culinary heart of Eilat, not its underwater jewel, so plan your day in two halves. Snorkel the coral coast in the cool morning, then bring the appetite back to the promenade and the marina for a long lunch or an early dinner by the water, with the red Edom mountains of Jordan turning gold across the gulf at sunset. Use North Beach for the scene, the shopping and the food, accept that the swimming is plain, and you will read this town exactly right.
The club scene of Eilat
North Beach is where the beach club scene of Eilat actually lives, a run of lounge beaches and hotel fronts along the central bay rather than a row of exclusive clubs. We name the real, established beaches here and mark lounger and food prices, which move by season, as to be confirmed. To reserve a sunbed or a table, start with the Eilat clubs guide.
Photo: Ziv Sagi via GoogleRoyal Beach and the hotel fronts
The promenade hotel beaches such as Royal Beach run sun loungers, parasols, showers and waiter service to your deckchair, the comfortable, polished pick a short stroll from your room. They are easy and central rather than a scene, and the lounger sets and any minimum spend are set by each beach and are to be confirmed.
Mosh and Dekel, the lounge beaches
A short walk along the bay, Mosh brings a fashionable, eco minded kitchen and a fine view, while Dekel runs a floating bar, beach volleyball and weekend DJs for a younger, social crowd. They are the heart of the North Beach scene, easy going holiday spots rather than exclusive clubs, with prices to be confirmed.
An evening on the promenade
The best free seat on North Beach is the promenade itself at sunset, walking the marina, choosing a Red Sea fish house or a hummus counter and watching the boats and the Jordanian mountains turn gold. No lounger and no spend beyond your dinner, just the town at its best hour.
Central Eilat, the resort bay
North Beach is the central bay of Eilat, the stretch directly below the main hotel district, the promenade and the marina, so it is the easiest beach in town to reach, often a short walk from your room. The airport and bus station are minutes away, and the reef beaches of the southern coast, Coral Beach, Dolphin Reef and Princess Beach, are a ten minute drive south, which makes the central bay the natural base for a trip that mixes the scene with the snorkelling.
You need to carry almost nothing here, since the hotels, shops, restaurants and bars line the bay, though sun cover and water still matter in the desert heat. Use the cooler mornings and late afternoons for the beach and the hot middle of the day for the shops and shaded cafes. Come in spring or autumn for the kindest weather, and remember the swimming is calm and plain, so save the mask for the coral coast. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
Photo: Dan M via GoogleBook a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help line up a lounger or a table on North Beach, the social heart 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 North Beach
Is North Beach in Eilat worth it?
Yes, if you take it for what it is. North Beach is the lively central bay backed by the hotels, the promenade and the marina, the social and culinary heart of Eilat, easy and full of life. The honest catch is the swimming, which is calm, shallow and ordinary rather than the clear reef water Eilat is famous for. Come for the scene, the shopping and the food, and drive south to the coral coast when you want the real Red Sea.
Is the swimming good at North Beach?
It is easy but plain. The central bay is sheltered, calm and shallow, pleasant for a cooling dip and fine for children, but it lacks the clear water and reef life that make the southern beaches special. If a good swim or snorkel is your priority, head to Coral Beach or Princess Beach a short drive south, and use North Beach for the atmosphere instead.
Where is the best food near North Beach?
The promenade and the marina, both right on the bay, are where Eilat eats best, lined with Red Sea fish restaurants, hummus counters and relaxed holiday kitchens. The scene comes alive in the late afternoon and evening as the boats come in and the light softens, so plan a long lunch or an early dinner by the water and let the town do the rest.
Is North Beach free?
Yes, the public beach is free to enter. You pay only for a lounger, a parasol or what you eat and drink at the hotel and club fronts along the bay, and several lounge beaches here are free to walk onto with a charge only for the sunbed and food. The reef beaches south of town are the ones with an entry fee or limited facilities.
What is there to do around North Beach besides the beach?
Plenty, which is the point of basing here. The duty free shops, the promenade, the marina and a row of restaurants are all on the doorstep, the Underwater Observatory and the reef coast are a short drive south, and the Negev desert canyons sit behind the town. A good North Beach day mixes a little sand with shopping, a boat trip or a desert excursion and a long dinner by the water.
When is the best time to visit North Beach?
Spring and autumn, roughly March to May and October to November, give warm sea and bearable heat, the sweet spot for the central bay. Winter is mild and popular with sun seekers, with the Red Sea still swimmable, while high summer is very hot and crowded, pushing the best of the day to mornings and evenings. See our Eilat season guide for the month by month detail.
