Situated on the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba and home to one of the most unique and magnificent coral reefs in the world,
Eilat is renowned as a diver’s paradise and one of the most popular diving destinations in the world.
Bordered by Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, the Gulf has an average depth of 900 meters, reaching 1850 meters at its deepest point. As the northernmost tropical sea ecosystem, the Gulf of Aqaba’s oxygen-rich water has a constant temperature of 21-24 deg. C, making it attractive to a dense population of more than 100 species of corals, 800 species of fish and hundreds of species of crustaceans and molluscs in a fragile environmental equilibrium.
Coral World, Eilat’s Underwater Observatory and Marine Park, provides visitors with the opportunity to get a close-up look at the rich and enchanting life of the Gulf of Eilat, an unforgettable experience for children and adults alike.
View from the observatory. Picture courtesy Coral World.Multi-faceted in concept, the marine park serves not only as a tourist attraction, but also as a center of marine life preservation and conservation, an information center and a world-class marine life research facility that attracts scientific observations, researchers and students from all over the world.
Tasked with providing a unique encounter with the undersea world while conserving nature and the quality of the environment, the park presents visitors with the rare opportunity of experiencing the fascinating wonders of the Red Sea from close up.
A unique and innovative shark pool is the most recent addition to Coral World. The largest of its type in the Middle East, the pool houses 20 species of sharks, as well as thousands of fish and coral.
Visitors walk along a submerged, glass-enclosed walkway that in effect immerses them in the stunning and colorful marine life of the Gulf of Aqaba. Surrounded by the sharks and other marine life prevalent in the Gulf, they can experience all the excitement of scuba diving without suiting up!
The glass-enclosed walkway. Picture courtesy Coral World.Another popular attraction at Coral World is the underwater observatory. This is a tower comprised of two viewing halls constructed at a depth of 12 meters under the Red sea, offering a rare uninhibited view of the wondrous marine flora and fauna.
The marine park also offers cruises on a deep-hull glass bottom boat boasting personal viewing portholes that enable astounding views of the reef and the Japanese gardens.
Situated on the
Coral Beach Nature Reserve established by the Government of Israel south of Eilat near the Sinai border, the observatory has been a main tourist attraction fascinating hundreds of thousands of visitors annually since its establishment in 1975.