Eilat · Israel · Reef · Wall
Coral Beach Nature Reserve
A fenced reef you walk into, with a slope out to 35 m
Photo: Yonatan Dodin · CC BY 4.0
A protected fringing reef inside a fenced reserve, entered from the beach and shallow enough that the reef table is no more than 4 m deep at its northern end and 6 m at its southern. East of the coral a 40-70 m stripe of sand carries small rock formations with their own coral growth, and beyond it the slope keeps falling to 35 m. Feeding fish and touching anything underwater are banned.
Also known as Coral Beach.
Where it is and how deep
29.5080° N, 34.9220° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
From the central pier you drop onto the underwater cliffs of Moses and Jesus, the two coral formations that anchor the middle of the reserve. The reef table itself is shallow, no more than 4 m at the northern end and 6 m at the southern, so the first part of the dive is spent working along the coral edge rather than descending, with red lionfish on the coral and clouds of sea goldies over the hard growth.
East of the reef the ground opens into a stripe of sand 40 to 70 m wide, dotted with small rock formations carrying their own coral growth; those isolated heads are where fish hold away from the main reef. Beyond the sand the slope keeps falling, reaching 35 m at its deepest, so the dive can be run as a shallow swim over the table or as a slow out-and-back along the contour before you come back up onto it.
Background
The reserve was established in 1964. In the past the fringing reef ran the length of the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, more than 12 kilometres of coral, before development took most of it; what survives behind the fence is a remnant of that system. The Israel Nature and Parks Authority keeps most of the lagoon closed off and protected, leaving three shallow wading pools open, and bans feeding fish or touching any underwater structure.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
Season follows Eilat: Divable all year; Mar–May and Sep–Nov are most comfortable, while July and August are extremely hot on the surface.
Know before you go
- The reserve enforces a no-touch rule and designated swim lanes: stay off the coral, keep to the marked corridors, and do not feed fish.
Dive videos
Coral beach natural reserve - Eilat · Ofir Shechter on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Coral Beach Nature Reserve?+
The reef table is shallow, no more than 4 m at the northern end and 6 m at the southern. Outside it the ground slopes away, and the deepest point of that slope is 35 m.
Do you have to pay to dive the reserve?+
Yes. Admission is 40 NIS for adults and 25 NIS for children, and the reserve keeps set hours: in summer 09:00-18:00 Sunday to Thursday and Saturday, and 09:00-17:00 on Fridays and holiday eves.
Sources
- Eilat's Coral Beach — Wikipedia
- Maps of dive-sites in Eilat: Nature Reserve — Ahla Dive
- Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve — Israel Nature and Parks Authority
- Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve: Snorkeling, Gear Rental, Guide — Nativa
Photo credits
- Aerial view of the fenced coral reef shore of the Coral Beach Nature Reserve in Eilat by Yonatan Dodin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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