Travel tips for Israel

The Dome of the Rock sits atop the Temple Mount in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel.

This is where Mohammed is said to have begun his night flight to heaven to receive the Koran, and where God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son. It is also the final spot in Israel where Judaism and Islam might never reach agreement.

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Note: The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah guerillas in southern Lebanon has held since August 14 2006 and tourists should now feel confident about travelling to Israel, including the north of the country. All travellers to Israel should be aware that the country is subject to occasional terrorist attacks and they should accept that sometimes there are inconvenient security delays while travelling through Israel. For example, a suicide bomber killed three people in the southern resort town of Eilat in January 2007 - the first such attack in Israel in nine months. Since early 2007, settlements including the southern town of Sderot have suffered casualties from rocket attacks launched from the neighbouring Gaza Strip.

Ongoing terrorist attacks during the late 1990s and into the new millennium have sharply reduced Israel's tourist intake, providing numerous bargain airline tickets and cheap travel reservations for wily travelers to the Holy Land.

New hotels were built and other tourist accommodation was renovated to cater for tourists celebrating the turn of the millennium, but the ongoing downturn in tourist numbers has resulted in oversupply.

Travel to Israel hasn't offered better value for money in decades. Cheap airline tickets and travel reservations abound. In particular, cheap hotels and car rentals can be snapped up at discount rates.

The main domestic air service providing flights in Israel is operated by Arkia.

Many travel magnets such as museums and national parks boast excellent new facilities in the wake of the millennium event and service standards have noticeably improved as travel retailers compete fiercely for the trickle of tourist dollars entering Israel.

Israel and Jerusalem travel bargains can be found either in holiday flight packages or through classified advertisements.

Question advertised hotel room rates as proprietors are often willing to negotiate a lower price.

Bargains are also on offer at tourist markets such as the Old City of Jerusalem, where traders battle to lure the few tourists walking their beat.

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Despite being a modern country, Israel is quite cheap to visit if your travel is on a shoestring.

It's possible but boring to travel on as little as US$20 a day for food and cheap hotels or hostels. Budget for US$40 a day and you can enjoy some cheap private accommodation, food other than falafels, and maybe a bus trip to a biblical town in Israel.

Speaking of felafels, they are a tasty mainstay snack and cheap if you know where to find the best markets.

Quite a few upmarket hotels in Israel will accept US dollars as well as shekels, which can save you from a 17% Value Added Tax. You'll need shekels elsewhere.

Most currencies and traveler's cheques can be exchanged in Israel and it's easy to use your credit card to access funds.

A tip is expected in Israel for almost all services, usually at least 15% of the value, and this is on top of the VAT. It's possible but complicated to redeem the VAT if you organise the paperwork.

Bus travel is cheap in Israel, the main government service being Egged, and buses provide quick, frequent trips to just about anywhere in the country. Remember that Jewish buses usually don't run on Shabbat.

The Egged and Dan bus companies usually operate in major cities from about 5.30am till midnight, but there are no bus services throughout most of Israel from Friday afternoon till Saturday evening.

For cheap travel in Israel, it's well worth buying a pass from the Egged bus company which allows unlimited travel throughout the country.

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Jewish holidays often lure masses of pilgrims to Israel, squeezing accommodation and public transport with travel ticket prices rising as a result.

Although most taxis have meters, it's often worthwhile negotiating an agreed fare with the driver before getting into his/her cab.

If you choose to hire a car rental in Israel, be aware that you cannot drive in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem and various parts of the territories because of safety concerns which invalidate the vehicle's insurance.

Carefully check details of the travel restrictions when you sign for the car and expect to spend a lot of money as car rental is expensive in Israel, although the tourism downturn has lowered prices.

The major car hire firms are Eldan and Tamir, the minimum age for car rentals is usually 21, and it's worth booking your car reservations several days in advance. Be aware that driving in Israel can be challenging as many roads are winding and narrow, and Israeli drivers can be impatient.

The least expensive discount hotels you're likely to find in Israel will be priced around US$60 per night for a double. A double in a hostel will usually have rates around US$40 per night.

If possible, consolidate all your hotel expenses (including food and drinks) into a single bill and pay in US dollars or via credit card to avoid the 17% Value Added Tax that would otherwise be levied for hotel bills paid in shekels. Nevertheless, many hotels in Israel add a 15% service charge.

In the off-peak season and with tourist numbers still down in Israel, it's worth trying to negotiate a lower price as cheap travel reservations abound.

Travel and flight packages via airlines and group booking firms often provide quality hotel accommodation at rates well below those available from the front desk.

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The most expensive city in Israel is the tourist haven of Eilat in the far south. Venture even further south into the Sinai and you will find discount hotel prices considerably cheaper and natural wonders such as coral reefs that are even better.

Citizens of most western countries with a passport valid for at least nine months can obtain a free 90 day tourist visa at their point of entry to Israel.

Be mindful that if you intend visiting Arabic countries after leaving Israel, it's worth asking for your visa stamp to be placed on a piece of paper separate from your passport as many Islamic nations forbid entry by visitors who have been to Israel.

The Israeli winter begins with light rain in October and continues till March with occasional heavy downpours that can last for several days. Snow often falls on Mt Hermon on the Golan Heights and once every few years there's a light snow sprinkle in the Upper Galilee and in Jerusalem.

It rarely rains from March till September and the hottest months are July and August. There is a stark seasonal contrast between the brown and green landscapes of Israel.

Vaccinations aren't necessary for travel in Israel. Bird flu was detected in the south of the country in early 2006 but poses no greater risk than in other countries travellers might visit.

In recent years, the value of the shekel has varied from 4.5 to 4.8 to the American dollar. The shekel is comprised of 100 agorot and the currency is divided into 5, 10 and 50 agorot coins, plus 1, 5 and 10 shekel coins as well as 10, 20, 50 and 100 shekel notes.

If you deal with street money traders in Israel, make sure they exchange notes marked clearly as New Shequels.

Holiday tips for Israel

Israel holiday tips

Jerusalem images

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