TEL AVIV BY THE SEA

Relax by the sunny beaches of Tel Aviv Pull out the sunscreen, grab your ‘matkot’ and lets go play

Tel Aviv-Yafo boasts a long promenade, running alongside the seashore that makes up its western edge. People walk, jog, ride bikes, or sit on benches and fill their lungs with fresh air, all while being surrounded by a glorious 8.7 mile stretch of open views, blue horizons, and white sails bobbing on the waves.

Dozens of restaurants, cafes, and ice cream parlors are busy all day long, while pubs, discos and jazz clubs blossom after dark. Regardless of the hour, human attractions abound – clowns, caricaturists, tattoo artists, hair-braiders, magicians and of course, the ever- changing parade of people strolling by the nearby beaches beckon. Right off the promenade you’ll find clean sand, lounge chairs, ice-cream vendors, and die-hard beach-lovers that swim daily, winter and summer, no matter what. Each of Tel Aviv’s 13 beautiful beaches enjoys unique characteristics and offers a variety of services, including lifeguard stations, kiosks, restaurants, children’s playgrounds, outdoors gyms, and more.

A Few Tips

  • On Friday afternoons at the Dolphinarium beach, you can join in on an improvised drumming festival and a Brazilian martial arts/dance/music combination called capoeira.
  • Gordon beach is great for beach volleyball.
  • The religiously observant will find gender-specific swimming at Hof Hadatiyim (Nordau Beach), just south of the Tel Aviv port. Women and girls bathe Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday while men and boys are allowed in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Members of both genders are allowed on Saturday.
  • The gay-lesbian community tends to gravitate to the stretch near the Hilton, which has earned the unofficial title as the city’s most gay-friendly beach.
  • The narrow strip of sand near the Marina is less crowded and more peaceful than the other beaches, at the yacht basin, you can rent windsurfers, surfboards, sailboats, motorboats and diving equipment.
  • Surfing is popular at Hilton Beach, where a special light system was recently installed to allow for night surfing.
  • Kite Surfing is popular at Aviv Beach.
  • To windsurf, go to Dolfinarium Beach.
  • Volleyball can be found at both Aviv and Gordon beaches.
  • The city’s beaches are well equipped with changing rooms, showers and toilets. Lifeguard services are available during seasonal timing (May-October) and tourist police officers are present to provide security, assistance and information services.

Fun Facts

  • 8,500,000 bathers enjoy the beaches yearly.
  • The official bathing season is May-October.
  • There are 13 beaches along Tel Aviv-Yafo’s coastline.
  • Four beaches are accessible to people with disabilities: Tzuk, Northern Tzuk, Metzizim and Hilton (all in the northern part of the city).
  • The Tel Aviv-Yafo beaches rank highly in tests run by the Israeli Ministry of the Environment and are considered to be very clean.
  • An Israeli version of racquetball, called Matkot, is a favorite sport played along the shorelines (watch your head!).
  • Watermelon with feta cheese is a very popular beach snack. Artikim, or popsicles, are also well liked, with the banana-chocolate flavor ranking at the top of most people’s list.

Beach Guidelines

  • Bathers must comply with the lifeguard and rescue guards.
  • Bathing is prohibited when there is no lifeguard on duty.
  • Sea bathing is prohibited when the black flag is raised.
  • NO motor sports (jet skis, boats) are allowed.
  • Motorized vehicles are forbidden on beaches and boardwalk.
  • Building a fire is prohibited on beaches.

Bathing Season

The 2016 Tel Aviv bathing season opens on May 9 2016 and will end on October 31 2016.

During the duration of the season, rescue services, supervision and first aid will be given to the following beaches: North Beach Cliff, South Beach Cliff, Tel Baruch Beach, Hilton Beach, Gordon Beach, Frishman Beach, Borgashov Beach (opening delayed due to renovations), Jerusalem Beach, Charles Clore Beach, Givat Aliyah Beach.

Hours of activity:

May 9-31: 7am-5pm
June: 7am-6pm
July-August: 7am-7pm
September-October: 7am-5pm
Inspection and clearing will be provided in all beaches mentioned above, from 7am until the evening hours.

The price list of the beaches is:

Pita or bread with humus or salad – 12 NIS
Small bottle of mineral water – 7 NIS
Popsicle – 5 NIS
Reclining Beach chair for the day – 12 NIS
Beach chair for the day – 6 NIS
Umbrella for the day – 6 NIS

For More Information:
http://www.visit-tel-aviv.com/