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 Princess Beach in Eilat, Israel, offers a captivating underwater experience. Located by the Gulf of Aqaba, just a little over a mile south of Eilat, Princess Beach is one of Israel’s most visited snorkeling spot.
Princess Beach is renowned for its thriving coral reefs, showcasing an array of coral species in various shapes and colors.
The Red Sea’s warm and clear waters provide excellent visibility, making it easy to appreciate the marine beauty beneath the surface.
Its free and easy access make it a perfect spot for both beginners and seasoned snorkelers. Around the piers and coral patches, snorkelers can spot a wide diversity of reef fish, including schools of sergeants, lionfish, clownfish in their anemone, butterflyfish and surgeons.
Princess Beach in Eilat promises an enchanting snorkeling adventure in a picturesque marine setting, making it a popular destination for snorkelers and nature enthusiasts.
Princess Beach is located by the Gulf of Aqaba at the southernmost point of Israel. Only a few hundred yards from the Israeli-Egyptian border, the beach is opposite the abandoned Princess Hotel.
Access to this spot is by public buses, taxis or cars. Parking space seems limited overall. The bus ride takes approximately 20 min from the downtown hotel area in Eilat. There is no entrance fee.
The water entrance is directly from the beach, or by the two old piers that are located on the beach. Be aware that the piers may be partly closed due to poor maintenance and should be used with some caution.
The piers tend to be the easiest way to access the water and are interesting snorkeling areas in their own right. Again, just use caution on the piers. Look out for urchins if you walk into the water directly from the beach.
The snorkeling area extends along the beach, which is approximately 550 yards long. It encompasses the two piers set on the beach.
From the beach, the sand slopes gently onto large sandy beds, scattered with many coral patches (↕6-12ft). We advise you to look for the different reef patches located along the beach, where the coral is healthy and the fish gather.
The best reef patches are located north of the northern pier. Also, check out the two piers areas. There are plenty of different species of fish hiding under the piers that have coral growing from the foundations. The depth at the end of the piers is around 12-15ft.
The most common fish species that can be seen at Princess Beach include green chromis, yellowtail surgeonfish, and lionfish. Different species of parrotfish and butterflyfish, sea goldie, the Red Sea clownfish, the Red Sea bannerfish, are also in the area along with many more types of fish.
There is sometimes a small kiosk for renting sunbeds, buying drinks or ice cream on Princess Beach. Several seafront hotels and diving clubs are available along the coast, especially in Coral Beach area.
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.
