
Japanese Garden
Eilat · Israel
Eilat's most celebrated reef dive site is a shallow, intricately structured hard coral garden where decades of strict Israeli marine reserve protection have produced coral colonies of exceptional age and density in water so clear that the full reef panorama is visible from the surface. Table corals, brain corals, and branching Acropora create a three-dimensional labyrinth at 5-18 metres that shelters an extraordinary diversity of reef fish — lionfish, stonefish, moray eels, and dozens of chromis and anthias species weave through the structure at every depth. The site's designation within the Eilat Coral Beach Nature Reserve means no anchoring, no touching, and no fishing, policies enforced since 1964 that explain why this reef looks so different from almost every other easily accessible
Conditions
Depth
5 to 18 m
Good for beginners
Current
Usually still
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
20 to 28°C
3mm wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 |
| Vis (m) | 15 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| Current | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still | Still |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Red Sea Anemonefish
Last confirmed Jun 9, 2026 · 51 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
House Crow
Last confirmed Jun 24, 2026 · 53 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Greater Flamingo
Last confirmed Jun 4, 2026 · 50 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Masked Puffer
Last confirmed Jun 24, 2026 · 17 records
Very likely
Most dives
Indian Lionfish
Last confirmed Jun 21, 2026 · 31 records
Very likely
Most dives
Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray
Last confirmed May 16, 2026 · 12 records
Very likely
Most dives
Giant Moray
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear