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Israel as a tourist destination?

potatoarms

potatoarms

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 2, 2006
55
0
Bucks, UK
Hello

I keep seeing a commercial for Israel tourism - it's a brilliant advert as it is stuck in my head

Is Israel more dangerous to go to compared to other places in the Mediterranean?

Anyone ever visited the Dead Sea?, must be cool to float and stuff :D

Any information from real people will be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards
Potatoarms
 
I was in Israel as a tourist in 1995, a week after Rabin was assassinated. Went to the Dead Sea, which is indeed cool. Jerusalem is amazing. Yad Vashem is a must, although if you've been to a holocaust museum/site recently, you may not want to overload yourself with another. The coast is nice, like most of the Mediteranean.

Is it safe? Read about where to go and where not to go. Be aware. You'll be fine.
 
miloblithe said:
Is it safe? Read about where to go and where not to go. Be aware. You'll be fine.
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It is really NOT as dangerous as people think, in fact, it is only a few sections on the border between Israel and Palestinian occupied land that is dangerous. The security is the best in the world. For every terrorist attack we prevent, they prevent at least 40 (that's a real statistic, i didn't make it up). Pretty much all of the commercially built up areas are safe, and the very "natural" parts of Israel are safe, like the Dead Sea, etc.
 
Before the American invasion, Iraq had many magnificent ancient ruins/ archaeological sites that not many people are aware of. Such a sad waste and loss of history and culture.

Good luck in Israel, I've here they're quite racist and bitter there... ironically. Unless you're white of course, then it's half as bad.
 
And for a limited time, you can have front row seats to a cafe bombing! And for only 395 dollars more, a bus bombing as well!

Sorry, I think I'd onyl travel to asian countries at this time. Places that aren't in the middle of a holy war. I too, would LOVE to travel to Israel, I've heard it is simply amazing there...but I'd like to see if the two sides can go a week without some kind of holy death toll first.
 
Onizuka said:
And for a limited time, you can have front row seats to a cafe bombing! And for only 395 dollars more, a bus bombing as well!

Sorry, I think I'd onyl travel to asian countries at this time. Places that aren't in the middle of a holy war. I too, would LOVE to travel to Israel, I've heard it is simply amazing there...but I'd like to see if the two sides can go a week without some kind of holy death toll first.
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Its insensitive jerks like you who are the reason people arent going to Israel as much as they once were. Real classy.

If you go to Israel make sure you check out everything from Eilat (where its always 90 degrees +) to Ramatgan, which I dont even know how to describe. Eilat is far, about 4-5 hours away from Haifa, and 2-3 hours away from Jerusalem. Jerusalem is really something special, and its fun at night. Tel Aviv is basically the Manhattan of Israel so go there to.

I would not hesitate in going because of a terrorist type activity. Living in New York I face more threat then the Israelis do at this point. Its really settled down over there compared to how it used to be.
 
Onizuka said:
And for a limited time, you can have front row seats to a cafe bombing! And for only 395 dollars more, a bus bombing as well!
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It's that ignorant notion that people are afraid to travel to Israel, and why their tourist dependent economy is in a downward spiral :mad:
 
Oh, yes, I'm ignorant and insensitive because I know about all about the fued going on over there. I have a best friend who has 90% of his family over there, and every day he's worried sick about them.

Sorry, but I don't see the the granduer of becoming a casuality of war I have no side in. Did I not say I'd like to go over? YEah, I would. But I see the reality over there. Hell, I'd rather go to New York and risk being stabbed or shot then blown to bits because of a territorial dispute.
 
Well, I for one live here in Israel and I must say it's not even remotely close to what is described in the news. Israel is amazing. And yes, it is very safe. And no, it is NOT racist as someone here pointed out. I must say, calling an entire nation "racist" just like that with no real credibility is racist in itself. Don't talk if you weren't here. Israel is beautiful, fun, very welcoming to tourists, and unless you decide to go next to the palestinian border and shout "shoot me!!!", then you'll be perfectly okay.

Visit Eilat, the gardens in Haifa, Jerusalem. Ramat Hagolan is insanely beautiful, though tourists rarely know about it, so it could be great - go to a country guest room, it's just wonderful and green. Ofcourse the dead sea. Maybe a night or two in the Tel Aviv night life. and if you have time, you can drop by my city, Ashkelon, and take a stroll along the walk next to the medeteranian. Go to the marina and have yourself a cup of coffee at the Scubar :).

Enjoy your future trip.
 
I've here they're quite racist and bitter there...
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How can a country which welcomes Jews from around the world to live there be racist?
I know of one person who goes to Israel often, and she says she visits hospitals and has met people who family members have been killed by terrorist, and to the last person, they all say they just want peace and that they have no bitterness to those who have so damaged their lives.
 
Americans are well known for not going anywhere even slightly hairy.

Europeans, and us Brits in paticular, have a much more devloped sense of adventure.
 
odedia said:
Well, I for one live here in Israel and I must say it's not even remotely close to what is described in the news. Israel is amazing. And yes, it is very safe. And no, it is NOT racist as someone here pointed out. I must say, calling an entire nation "racist" just like that with no real credibility is racist in itself. Don't talk if you weren't here. Israel is beautiful, fun, very welcoming to tourists, and unless you decide to go next to the palestinian border and shout "shoot me!!!", then you'll be perfectly okay.

Visit Eilat, the gardens in Haifa, Jerusalem. Ramat Hagolan is insanely beautiful, though tourists rarely know about it, so it could be great - go to a country guest room, it's just wonderful and green. Ofcourse the dead sea. Maybe a night or two in the Tel Aviv night life. and if you have time, you can drop by my city, Ashkelon, and take a stroll along the walk next to the medeteranian. Go to the marina and have yourself a cup of coffee at the Scubar :).

Enjoy your future trip.
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That's the point i was trying to get at...by the way where is Ramat Hagolan, i haven't heard of it?:)
 
zimv20 said:
you don't get out much, do you?
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No, I do. Trust me, I think I have just about as much of a chance of being stabbed or shot in Denver as I do in New York. I was just disputing what others called as being "insenitive."

I've seen pictures (granted, pictures are never as good as the real thing) of Israel, and I agree it looks like a beautiful place. The architecture alone amazes me (much like a lot of Italy).

I'm just not going to take chances with all of this World War III going on the other side of the world. Maybe when we get a new President and things calm down a little bit. It's one of the places (along with Japan, Italy, and Scotland) that I would love to visit.
 
Onizuka said:
It's one of the places (along with Japan, Italy, and Scotland) that I would love to visit.
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all fine places (though i've not been to italy). scotland was awesome, but japan was just magical. and nyc is a great, great city. i've been countless times and haven't once received even a whiff of trouble.
 
rockthecasbah said:
It's that ignorant notion that people are afraid to travel to Israel, and why their tourist dependent economy is in a downward spiral :mad:
Click to expand...

Actually, tourism is up 22% since last year, and it's at nearly pre-2000 levels.
 
Onizuka said:
I'm just not going to take chances with all of this World War III going on the other side of the world. Maybe when we get a new President and things calm down a little bit. It's one of the places (along with Japan, Italy, and Scotland) that I would love to visit.
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Our president has very little to do with what goes on in Israel. The violence was much worse when Clinton was in power, so there's really no correllation.
 
All the bad mouthing of Israel sounds exactly the same as my friends when I said I would be visiting Egypt. Probably one of the safest places I've been and had an amazing time. People just put to much trust into what they see on CNN when it comes to foreign travel.

Just avoid the West Bank and I probably wouldn't ride any public transportation.

jon
 
zimv20 said:
all fine places (though i've not been to italy). scotland was awesome, but japan was just magical. and nyc is a great, great city. i've been countless times and haven't once received even a whiff of trouble.
Click to expand...

Did you ever go see Letterman while otu there? That's also the one thing I really wanna go to NYC for (along with the Statue of Liberty). I would also like to have their Pizza (New York Style in Denver is good, but, I don't think it's really what you'd get in NYC, just like Authentic Japanese here isn't the same as what's in Japan).

I was actually watching the History Channel about New York and hwo the skyscrapers and stuff started to get built, VERY interesting. Really paved the way for modern cilization as far as office building and high rises.
 
Onizuka said:
Did you ever go see Letterman while otu there? That's also the one thing I really wanna go to NYC for (along with the Statue of Liberty). I would also like to have their Pizza
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lots of pizza, yes, and it's damn good. but i'm not really playing tourist while i'm there. most of my friends there are in brooklyn, and i've got family in queens. the most "touristy" things i've done have been going to the MoMA and central park. otherwise, it's for specific event. for example, i was there in november for a birthday party and a friend's art opening, before that it was in august for the fringe festival.

definitely did a lot of touristy things in japan, though.
 
Do the bus bombs still happen? Thats like the worst way to die, catch a bus to go down town and boom! Travel there? With the current events? With Sharon on the way out..etc. I dont think so!
 
rossoUK said:
Do the bus bombs still happen? Thats like the worst way to die, catch a bus to go down town and boom! Travel there? With the current events? With Sharon on the way out..etc. I dont think so!
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Unfortunatly they do. A couple of months after I left Egypt there were about three bombs that went off. It's a sad experience to think about. Also, apparemtly there was a bombing in Tel Aviv today.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/01/19/mideast/index.html

jon
 
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