Israel is a real beach nation and the question of which are the best beaches in Israel is one of great controversy and debate. From the urban beaches in Tel Aviv to the rural beaches of the Western Galilee, every Israeli has their favorite beach, and Israel’s beaches come to life throughout the year with every conceivable watersport, beach sport and beach activity taking place. Israel has a long coast on the Mediterranean Sea which is one long beach, as well as beaches at the Dead Sea and in Eilat on the Red Sea. Whilst everyone has their own favorite beach, here is our selection of Israel’s most amazing beaches.

Bedouin hospitality experiences including camel riding, Bedouin food, and staying overnight in traditional Bedouin tents are an increasingly popular experience for tourists in Israel. The Bedouins are a group of nomadic tribes who have lived in Israel’s Negev Desert for many hundreds of years, tracing their heritage back to the traders on the ancient Spice Route which crossed the region. Today, many Bedouins in Israel continue to live in traditional ways, with more and more opening up their traditions for the Israeli and international public to see, experience, and understand.

Mount Gilboa, located in the Lower Galilee region, south of the Sea of Galilee is one of Israel’s most beautiful spots. Whilst spring saturates the mountains in pretty wildflowers, no matter what the season, Gilboa is a stunning, tranquil area to explore, offering a break from the intense summer heat with a cool breeze. The Gilboa Scenic Road is your access point into this array of hikes, viewpoints, picnic sites, bike paths, and stunning outlooks, and is a great path to follow when exploring the area.

The Ramon Crater in Israel’s Negev Desert is the world’s largest erosion crater, or makhtesh. A landform unique to Israel’s Negev and Egypt’s Sinai deserts’, a makhtesh is a large erosion cirque, created 220 million years ago when oceans covered the area (the word crater is therefore a misleading translation of Hebrew to English.) The Ramon Crater measures 40km in length and between 2 and 10km in width, shaped like a long heart, and forms Israel’s largest national park, the Ramon Nature Reserve.

Mount Arbel located in Israel’s Lower Galilee region stands sharply and prominently over the Sea of Galilee. Its graceful stature and steep slopes, particularly on the eastern side, provide magical views across the Sea of Galilee and beyond, to the Golan Heights, and Israel’s tallest peak at Mount Hermon. Designated as Arbel National Park and Nature Reserve, the mountain has beautiful observations, hiking trails, archaeology and Biblical history, and is the only place approved for base jumping in Israel.

Extreme sports in Israel are ever popular and wide ranging, and from sea to land, high to low, and even beneath ground, almost every extreme sport conceivable is possible in Israel. With its varied geography and good year-round climate, Israel is well suited for many sports: watersports are immensely popular on the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Sea of Galilee coastlines, caving, canyoning, and the like, take advantage of the rocky Negev Desert, especially in the Dead Sea area, as well as the Galilee and Judean Hills, whilst you can also ski, paraglide, snowboard, sandboard, kayak, dive, climb, mountain bike, ATV, and even more.

Biking in Israel is a great way to see the country. Israel has a comprehensive selection of bike trails across the country, including extensive off road trails covering large areas of the country. A National Cycle Trail set to run from Metulla in the north to Eilat in the south is currently under construction, however elements are open, as are many other official trails which have been created by other organisations and individuals who love the sport.

With the help of our friends at The Kotel, people around the world are able to send their prayers to the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Now, as well as taking prayers through Twitter and via Tourist Israel, you can send their own short prayer to Jerusalem with a free Android or iPhone app. All prayers are printed and carefully placed within the cracks of the Western Wall as in this custom.

Beautiful Mount Carmel stands tall alongside the Mediterranean Coastline of Israel, just to the south of the city of Haifa. In December 2010, the beautiful forests were hit by terrible forest fires. Now, a three hour program allows tourists, as part of their trips to Israel, to reforest the Carmel. Running every Sunday through Thursday, this unique thing to do in Israel is totally free.

A jeep tour in Israel is one of the most amazing and unique ways to experience the country. Taking a tour or safari in the depths of the Negev or Judean Deserts near the Dead Sea, Ramon Crater, or Eilat, beyond where normal cars can go, or in the green hills of the Galilee, is an experience that will remain with you forever. With such a mass of trails only accessible to jeeps, and professional and well equipped guides waiting to take you, make sure you don’t miss the experience to take a jeep tour in Israel.