Princess Beach
Best for. Snorkellers who want the reef without a gate, a quiet free beach at the southern tip of Eilat by the Taba border, with iron walkways out over a healthy coral wall and clear, fish filled water.
Best spot. The end of the iron walkway in the early morning, dropping straight onto the reef wall before the day warms and the few other visitors arrive.
Know this. Facilities are limited, so this is a bring your own shade, water and supplies beach, with the reward a free reef the equal of the paid reserve next door.
Princess Beach is the local snorkeller's answer to the entry fee, and reading it honestly means saying it plainly, this free beach at the very southern tip of Eilat is the equal of the paid reserve next door for the reef itself. Tucked by the Taba border with Egypt, it has iron walkways built out over the water so you can step straight onto a healthy coral wall, clear and fish filled, without crossing as much awkward rock. The crowd is thinner than the central beaches and the reserve, the mood is quiet and end of town, and the snorkelling is superb.
What you trade for the free reef is the comfort. Facilities at Princess Beach are limited, so this is a bring your own day, your shade, your water, your snacks and your snorkel gear, with little on hand once you arrive. For a traveller who treats the beach as one part of a wider day, that shapes the rhythm nicely. Snorkel the reef in the cool of the morning while it is clearest and quietest, then drive the short way back towards town for the proper lunch, since there is no taverna here, only the reef and the quiet. The marina and the promenade hold the Red Sea fish and the hummus that an hour over the coral earns.
The food and culture wanderer's verdict is enthusiastic with a caveat. Princess Beach gives you the best free snorkelling in Eilat and a calm, edge of the country feel that the busy central bay cannot, and it pairs beautifully with the Coral Beach reserve for a southern coast day spent largely under the surface. The cautions are the limited facilities, the rocky reef entry that rewards water shoes, and the protected, fragile coral that you must never stand on. Bring everything you need, tread lightly, snorkel early, and carry the appetite back into town. For the reef without a gate, this quiet southern beach is the pick.
A free reef, not a club
Princess Beach is a quiet, free snorkelling beach with limited facilities, not a daybed scene, so the club day belongs on North Beach in town. What sits here is the reef and the walkways, and the lunch you carry back into Eilat. We name what is real and mark anything we cannot verify as to be confirmed. To reserve a lounger and a table, start with the Eilat clubs guide.
Photo: Manuel Huaman via GoogleThe reef and the walkways
The draw at Princess Beach is free and natural, iron walkways out over the water to a healthy coral wall, clear and fish filled, the equal of the reserve next door without a gate. There is no lounger or booking, only the reef, so bring your own gear and supplies, and treat the protected coral gently. Conditions vary by season and are to be confirmed.
Coral Beach, the paid reserve
A short way north, the Coral Beach Nature Reserve offers the same reef with more comfort, gear rental, shade, marked trails and a small entry fee that funds the protection. It is the natural companion to a Princess Beach morning for a full southern coast snorkel day, with hours and the fee set by the reserve and to be confirmed.
Lunch back in town
There is no food on Princess Beach itself, so the meal waits a short drive north on the promenade and at the marina, where the Red Sea fish houses and hummus counters are. Snorkel early, then drift into town hungry for a long lunch by the water, with venues and hours to be confirmed.
South coast, by the Taba border
Princess Beach sits at the very southern tip of Eilat, hard by the Taba border crossing with Egypt and named for the hotel beside it, a ten to fifteen minute drive south of the central hotels with parking nearby. It is the last beach before the frontier, beyond the Coral Beach reserve, so it folds naturally into a southern coast day with the reserve and the Underwater Observatory, snorkelling in the morning and returning to town for the evening.
Bring everything you need, a mask, water shoes for the rocky reef entry, reef safe sunscreen, your own shade, water and snacks, since the facilities here are limited and there is no food on the beach. Come in the cool of spring or autumn for the clearest, calmest water, snorkel early, and carry the appetite back to the promenade for lunch. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed, and the reef is protected and fragile.
Photo: Manuel Huaman 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 North Beach side of Eilat, the social shore for a club day. We reply by email.
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Common questions about Princess Beach
Is Princess Beach in Eilat free?
Yes, Princess Beach is free, with no entry gate, which is much of its appeal. It sits at the southern tip of Eilat by the Taba border and offers reef snorkelling the equal of the paid reserve next door without a fee. What you trade is comfort, since the facilities are limited, so bring your own shade, water and snorkel gear in exchange for the free reef.
Is the snorkelling good at Princess Beach?
Yes, it is superb and among the best in Eilat. Iron walkways reach out over the water to a healthy coral wall, clear and full of fish, so you can step almost straight onto the reef. The crowd is thinner than the central beaches and the reserve, which makes for quiet, fish filled snorkelling. Conditions vary by season and are never guaranteed, and the reef is protected, so never stand on the coral.
What facilities are there at Princess Beach?
Few, and that is the honest catch. Beyond the walkways there is little on hand, so this is a bring your own beach, with your shade, water, snacks and snorkel gear all best carried in. There is no food on the beach itself. The limited facilities keep the crowd thin and the mood quiet, which many snorkellers count as part of the reward.
Where do you eat near Princess Beach?
Not on the beach, which has no taverna or kitchen, so plan to drive the short way back towards town for lunch. The promenade and the marina hold the Red Sea fish houses and hummus counters that make the best post snorkel meal in Eilat. Snorkel early at Princess Beach, then head into town hungry and eat slow by the water.
How do you get to Princess Beach?
It is at the southern tip of Eilat, by the Taba border with Egypt and named for the hotel beside it, a ten to fifteen minute drive south of the central hotels with parking nearby. It is the last beach before the frontier, beyond the Coral Beach reserve, so many travellers fold it into a southern coast snorkel day with the reserve and the Underwater Observatory.
Is Princess Beach better than Coral Beach?
They are close, and the choice is about gate or no gate. Princess Beach gives you a comparable free reef with iron walkways and a quieter crowd but limited facilities, while the Coral Beach reserve charges a small fee for marked trails, gear rental, shade and basic comforts. Many snorkellers do both in a single southern day, and which you prefer comes down to whether you value comfort or a free, quiet reef.
