Tel-Aviv to Sharm

Hello All,

I'm going to be in Tel-Aviv on business, and am going to extend my trip a bit to do two things.

I want to do the best two tanks (maybe 4?) anywhere in Sharm. I'm an AOW diver that's been diving for 20 years.

I want to see Petra.

I'm wondering what the best way to get from Tel-Aviv to Sharm is? Is it doable by bus or cab? Seems like it's driveable in 6 hours or so? Is renting a car and driving safe?

It seems like Eilat is also a good launching point for Petra, no?

I'm a US citizen, and I've only got a few days while I'm there. Looking to do it in 3-4 days starting June 26th. Seems like the Sinai visa will cover me for the Sharm trip, and whatever visas that Jordan requires.

What do you all say? Possible? What's the best low-budget way to get this done?

Thanks!

John C.

Hi John,
it's a long way from Tel-Aviv to Sharm. It takes about 4 hrs to drive to Eilat and once you cross the border from Eilat to Taba it will take additional 3-4 hours for the taxi to Sharm. You can fly to Eilat from TA and it can save a little time.

Eilat can offer very good diving as well. So if you have limited time it is best to stay in Eilat few days for diving and day trip to Petra.
The dive clubs in Eilat also offer dive trips to Aqaba (Jordan) for 1-2 days which can be combined with a trip to Petra. But it requires a minimum number of divers

You can also consider an early morning dive in Tel-Aviv itself. of-course it is not as good as the red-sea but it can be a nice dive and will only take a couple of hours before your business day. This can be done with a private guide that will take care of everything for you (pickup, gear, etc)

I hope you'll enjoy your stay in Israel
Eran

Regarding the visa, I recommend getting a full Egyptian visa not only the Sinai one. Sinai visa is OK when your diving is limited to the Gulf of Aqaba (including Tiran) and Sharm local sites. However, to dive Ras Mohamed or the Thistlegorm you need a full Egyptian visa.

I think it is a bit rough to go all the way TA-Sharm to do 2-4 dives in Sharm (and then back north to Petra), if I understood correctly. With all due respect- amazing as Sharm dives can be- it is not worth the hassle.

Instead, I'd opt to do a variation of what was suggested by Eran: a combination of diving in Aqaba and a trip to Petra. It looks the most sensible thing to do (also budget-wise, IMHO).

Aqaba's dive sites are better than Eilat's, I am sure you can arrange with any local Jordanese club a nice diving weekend and also the trip to Petra, not necessarily in this order.

Skip diving in Tel Aviv- it is not even worth spending the time diving TA if it comes on account of time spent diving in the Red Sea. Just incomparable by any means or standards...

Thank you all very much for the feedback.

We came to the same conclusion, and have decided to do a day or two in Eilat, and then go to Petra.

We plan on renting a car to drive down to Eilat from TA. From what I understand, it's not possible to drive into Jordan / Petra.

If not, what's the best way to get there from Eilat / Tabat? I'm not a big fan of tour buses, but if it's my best option...

Thanks!

JC

johnc:

Thank you all very much for the feedback.

We came to the same conclusion, and have decided to do a day or two in Eilat, and then go to Petra.

We plan on renting a car to drive down to Eilat from TA. From what I understand, it's not possible to drive into Jordan / Petra.

If not, what's the best way to get there from Eilat / Tabat? I'm not a big fan of tour buses, but if it's my best option...

Thanks!

JC

Click to expand...

Naturally, the best way to enter Jordan is from Eilat. The border crossing is just 5 minutes drive from the Eilat, and about an additional 10 minutes from there into Aqaba. I don't see any reason to enter Taba first, and trying to get from there to Jordan.

As to the best way to visit Petra and how to get there, I'd recommend looking into a guidebook like "Lonely Planet" and/or similar ones. There are plenty of ways- I guess the taxi driver at the border will ask "Were are you going?" and offer his services to get you there by private taxi...

Again, I think you should consider diving in Aqaba instead of Eilat- or both of them.. In my opinion Aqaba's sites are much nicer than Eilat's, especially if you come for a short visit.

I too was in TA on business last year and over the weekend went to Eilat.

I recommend you arrange all this well in advance and go through a shop. I was very pleased with Aqua-Sport.......

Aqua Sport Red sea diving center

I can tell you that the diving was superb and the op was fantastic to deal with, crossing the border was not an issue - we did one day out of Taba, Egypt (3 dives), a night dive and two day dives on the Eilat side, they have a Marine Reserve there.......

The problem was the return to TA then home.......

Israeli Security did not like that a US businessman came to TA, then over the weekend went to Eilat then Egypt then back to TA.....I guess I fit the profile of someone having evil clandestine meetings........

It took 1 hour to clear security Eilat to TA and 2.5 hours leaving TA to get to the US.....my bags were 100% cleaned out and inspected, they even reviewed every picture on my camera.....I had to prove with receipts, dive log, computer and camera that I went diving, it was just not a cover............they even found a security screener who was a diver to ask me questions like "what size tank did I use, what was your ending pressure, what regulator did I use"

Had I not had a phone number of a well connected former Israeli fighter pilot, who was the CEO of the company I was doing business with, I would simply not have made my return flight to the US......

The way it was explained to me, it that Israeli security is trained to pick up on non-typical things.......my diving on a business trip is non-typical........

Use an Israeli shop, get letters and phone numbers and be prepared to answer a million questions.......

Also, Israeli dive ops need to see and review your "stamped" log and require insurance to dive

Just smile when you get the third degree........

The diving was great...............M

Jorgy:

I had to prove with receipts, dive log, computer and camera that I went diving, it was just not a cover............they even found a security screener who was a diver to ask me questions like "what size tank did I use, what was your ending pressure, what regulator did I use"

Click to expand...

Then I suggest you should be prepared for answering these questions in terms of bars and meters instead of PSI and feet.

But of course............

M

A problem with going to Sharm for one day of diving is that youll be put on a local boat for check dives. The local dives is very good, but theire not the "main attraction".