| You should also read Holiday Information for Israel or Holiday Information for Eilat , which provide general holiday information and consitute part of our booking conditions. |
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| See Airport Security Guidance >> |
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Banks
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Banking hours are 8.30am to 12pm and 4pm to 5.30pm. Banks are
usually closed Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons and all day
Saturday. Most hotels will change travellers cheques or cash. |
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| Clothing
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Eilat’s climate is desert-like, with hot days but cooler nights.
Light clothing for the day and warmer clothes for the evening and
excursions is recommended. If you intend to tour, suitable attire such as
walking shoes and a windproof jacket is advisable. |
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| Costs
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Food and drink are generally a little more expensive than
other similar countries, depending on where you eat/drink. Gourmet
restaurants can be quite costly. Falafel and Houmous (staple snack food in
Israel) are quite cheap.
Local beer - £1.50 approximately.
English
newspaper - £1.50 approximately (more on Sundays).
3-course meal with
wine - £16 approximately. |
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Currency
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Israeli Shekels (US Dollars generally accepted). |
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Electricity
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220 volts AC, 50 cycles. An adaptor is necessary (usually 3
pronged). |
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Festivals
and Holidays
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The following festivals and
associated holidays are celebrated in Israel. During these times,
resorts may be busier than usual and services may be reduced.
Jewish festivals
Festival of Lights (Chanuka) - 22-29
Dec 2008 & 12-19 Dec 2009
Joyous Festival.
Purim - 21 March 2008 & 10 March 2009
Passover (Pesach) - 20-26 April 2008 & 9-16 Apr 2009
Food restricted, no bread or beer. Shops, offices and restaurants close
early the day before Passover and the majority are closed on the first and
last days. Preparations usually commence a week ahead and restrictions
may occur earlier than the dates given.
Holocaust Memorial Day - 2 May 2008 & 21 Apr 2009
Restaurants closed, no entertainment
Remembrance Day - 7 May 2008 & 28 Apr 2009
Restaurants closed, no entertainment
Independence Day - 8 May 2008 & 29 Apr 2009
Pentecost (Shavuot) - 9-10 June 2008 & 29-30 May 2009
New Year (Rosh Hashannah) - 30 September
- 1 October 2008 & 19-20 September 2009
All shops closed.
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) - 9 October 2008 & 28 September 2009
Restaurants and amenities
closed, no entertainment. Shops, offices and restaurants close
early the day before.
Tabernacles (Succot) - 14-20 October 2008 & 3-9 October 2009
Festivals, including the
Sabbath, begin the previous day at sunset. Shops and offices
generally close at 1pm. Sabbath is from Friday evening until
Saturday sunset when hotels offer a limited menu for hot meals
and most shops will be closed. Hotels may offer only a limited
range of activities on festivals.
Restrictions may also apply on Public Holidays. Call Reservations for more information.
IMPORTANT
The Taba border closes for 24 hours on El Adha Day, December 29 2008,
and for Yom Kippur, September 28 2009. The Aqaba border closes for New Year on
19 January 2008 & September 28 2009 for Yom Kippur..
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Language
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Hebrew.
English is widely spoken. |
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Local
customs
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When visiting holy sites, such as synagogues and
mosques, you may be required to observe customs such as covering your
head, shoulders and legs. Please respect these local customs. |
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Passports
and visas
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A full ten-year passport with at least 6 months
validity remaining from the date of return is required for travel to Israel,
for all British, EU and EEA nationals. A visa is not generally required for
travel to Israel by British, EU or EEA nationals (except German nationals if
born before 01/01/28), although you are strongly recommended to contact
the Israeli Embassy prior to making your booking on 020 7957 9500. |
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Shopping
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Shops are generally open from 8.30am to 1pm and then again
from 4pm to 7pm, but department stores, restaurants and many tourist
shops stay open all day. Many do not open on Friday afternoons and
Saturdays. Eilat enjoys Duty Free status. |
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Telephones
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Most
public telephones are operated by phone cards, which can be bought
from post offices and some convenience stores. Medical emergencies:
dial 101; police: dial 100. |
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Tipping
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A 10% tip is the norm for restaurants. It is customary and
appreciated to tip guides, drivers and hotel staff. (Tipping in US Dollars is
always appreciated). |
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Transfer
times
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Approximately 50 minutes from Ovda airport to the
North Beach hotel area and an hour to hotels closer to the Taba border. |
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General
information
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Most meals served in hotel main dining rooms
are buffet-style. Guests staying on a half board basis should note that
meals must be taken in the main dining room, although an allowance may
be given against the Half Board charge if eating in the hotel’s à la carte
restaurants. Certain hotels issue half board vouchers, with only one
voucher being accepted per person, per meal.
All hotels operate a non-smoking
policy in restaurants/main dining rooms and indoor public areas.
Restaurants in hotels are Kosher, unless specifically stated. This means that
no pork products, shellfish such as prawns, shrimps or lobster will be
served and meat and milk dishes will not be served together.
Eilat is a
popular destination amongst Israeli Arabs, who often celebrate Muslim
festivals in the Resort. At these times, many facilities can become busy.
For more information, contact the Israel Government Tourist Office
on 020 7299 1111.
www.thinkisrael.com
email: info@igto.co.uk
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