Level: Free shore access This spot have a free shore access: you can go snorkeling there freely and without having to book a tour or pay an entrance fee.
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Last updated on September 7, 2023
Snorkeling at EAPC Beach in Israel offers a unique and enjoyable underwater experience along the Mediterranean coastline. EAPC Beach is situated in Ashkelon, a city known for its beautiful beaches and coastal attractions.
While the underwater environment at EAPC Beach may not be as renowned as some other global snorkeling destinations, it still provides opportunities for snorkelers to discover marine life and vibrant underwater ecosystems. Snorkeling enthusiasts can expect to see a variety of fish species, such as damselfish and wrasses, as well as occasional sightings of crabs, sea cucumbers, and other marine creatures.
Located in the shadow of a pipeline, EAPC Beach does not offer the best scenery for beach snorkeling. Even so, it is one of Israel’s underwater gems. Its translucent waters are indeed visited by inquisitive bottlenose dolphins, and the many submerged pillars found near the beach support vibrant sea life.
While not as famous as some other snorkeling destinations, EAPC Beach in Israel offers a pleasant and accessible option for those looking to explore the underwater world of the Mediterranean Sea.
EAPC Beach, also called Katza Beach, Pipeline Beach or Pipeline Open Beach, is located halfway between Eilat city center and the Egyptian border. From Eilat, drive about 2 miles south toward Taba border crossing. Just after the Dolphin Reef, which is well marked with signs, there is a large parking lot on the left that allows parking next to the beach.
You can also reach the location by bus (line 15 or 30). Mitsrayim Road/Dolfin Reef bus stop is the closest to the spot, only 4 yards from the shore.
You can enter the water wherever you want from the beach. If you want to explore the pillars or try to see dolphins, it is recommended you get in the water at the north end of the beach (on your left when you face the sea), near the rocks.
EAPC Beach includes several points of interest:
In front of the beach, you can snorkel shallow pebble areas in which wrasse, puffers, spinefoot and many other small fish abound (↕1-6ft). On the right there is a coral area protected by a buoy line. In its surroundings, you may spot yellowtail surgeons, several species of butterflyfish, as well as small moray eels.
At a distance of approximately 32 to 55 yards from the beach, pebbles give way to a sandy slope. In the deepest areas (8-10 yards), you might spot garden eel colonies or a visiting stingray.
The pipeline pillars are covered with soft corals, hard corals and sponges. This area is called home by a diversity of fish and invertebrates. Swim from pillar to pillar to encounter a lionfish, a spotbase burrfish, or small groups of sergeant majors.
The swimming distance between the 1st pillar (↕6ft) and the 5th pillar (↕30ft), the last pillar included in the swimming area, is about a 109 yards. Near the shore, in the shade of the pipeline, clown coris, parrotfish, cornetfish and Sohal surgeonfish can be seen in shallow rocky scree (↕1-6ft).
EAPC Beach is visited by the bottlenose dolphins from the Dolphin Reef, the nearby dolphinarium. Initially kept captive, their enclosure is now partly open and the dolphins are free to come and go between the park and the open sea. We do not recommend visiting Dolphin Reef, which is a controversial attraction where dolphins are fed and conditioned to interacting with humans. EAPC is a great alternative area to spot them without being part of the semi-captive dolphin business.
To get the best chance to spot the dolphins, get to EAPC Beach very early, around sunrise. It is at this time that the dolphins usually come out of the enclosure to wander around.
The area visited by the dolphins extends between the pipeline and the Dolphin Reef enclosure, but most of the time they are seen along the enclosure (see map). This area includes sandy bottoms punctuated by coral heads. About 55 yards from the pipeline, large pillars stick out of the water (↕26-30ft). The submerged parts of the pillars, encrusted with hard corals and beautiful examples of Dendronephthya, attract lots of fish.
Closer to the Dolphin Reef enclosure, several pillars support a small platform on which you can see dolphin signs. The pillars and the adjacent structures (↕60ft), covered with coral, are popular with wrasse, Red Sea clownfish, and schools of small fish hunted by voracious lionfish.
It is in this deep area, around the pillars, that you will have the best chance of spotting dolphins. These dolphins are used to interacting with humans, and can be very inquisitive. It is forbidden (and dangerous) to enter the dolphin enclosure.
There is a large shaded area and a chemical toilet on the beach. The closest restaurants are a mile north of EAPC Beach (in Dekel Beach and Mosh Beach), or in the hotel zone, 1.5 miles south of the spot. The U Coral Beach Club and the Reef Hotel are the closest accommodations to the spot.
These snorkeling spots are accessible to beginners and kids. You will enter the water gradually from a beach, or in a less than 3ft. deep area. The sea is generally calm, shallow, with almost no waves or currents. These spots are usually located in marked and/or monitored swimming areas. It is not necessary to swim long distances to discover the sea life. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
