Don’t let the name confuse you – the water in this sea is not actually red. In fact, scholars cannot seem to agree why this body of water is referred to as the Red Sea.
A few of the popular theories are that it is named after seasonal blooms of red Trichodesmium erythraeum plants near the water’s surface, and that it borders a land that the ancient Egyptians had named the “red land” (Dashret).
Regardless of why it was so named, the clear and warm waters of the Red Sea touch the shores of Eilat. The Red Sea also borders on the Sinai region of Egypt and the western-most section of Jordan and is home to a unique eco system, which Israel, Jordan and Egypt collectively try to protect.
Known for its unique marine life, the Red Sea attracts tourists from all over the world who want to see the stunning two hundreed types of soft and hard corals.
You will also find one thousand and two hundred species of fish - ten percent of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world
The coral reef extends for two thousand kilometers along the coastline, and is between five thousand to seven thousand years old.
The Red Sea provides a variety of water-based entertainments in Eilat, from water sports to natural aquatic life observation, and from exploring the depths of the sea firsthand to gambling in a cruise ship casino.
Available water sports in Eilat include scuba diving, snorkeling, windsurfing, kayaking, jet skiing, water skiing, pedal-boating, and more. Eilat is also home to a Dolphin Reef where visitors can interact with live dolphins.
And for those who are not interested in the Red Sea’s wildlife at all, a cruise ship anchored at a legally maintained distance from Eilat houses the only casino in the city. There is no other gambling facility in Eilat.
