Look While not technically in Tel Aviv, the trip up to Herzliya is well worth the 30 minute bus ride (Dan bus #90) it takes to hit Herzliya's endlessly wide and spotlessly clean main beaches. Arcadia Beach is one of the largest, nicest and widest in the area.Thick sand, clean water' and fewer crowds than you'd find in Tel Aviv, make Arcadia Beach a recommended spot to spend the day. Feel Arcadia is a mix of local glam rich kids and their middle aged parents (though not seated together, dun!). It'sa great place to relax, getsome sun and swim in peace. The atmosphere is usually quite laid-back and the day flies by leaving you feeling rejuvenated. Exception: During high season, Saturdays tend to be significantly less Zen, so don't show up after lunch expecting peace, quiet or too much personal ! space. In addition. Arcadia is also where 's surfers, wanna-be surfers and their groupies make the most of the 1 to 1.5 meter waves. So when the surfs up, Arcadia, with its good-look-clean ing, fun, young crowd, turns into Israel's Tel answer to LA.'sZuma Beach. Eats With several restaurants. Arcadia's noshing optionsare plentiful. And it's a good thing, because eating on the beach is second favourite notseat- only to playing matkot (see further down, , get Jerusalem.Ceula Beach). For a cold drink and asmall snack, Adosh Bar - a small hut-shaped establishment right in the middle of the beach -is the place to go. Other spots to choose from include: Dabush (with lots of outdoor and indoor sea ting), Arcadia Restaurant, and overlooking the beach, Terrasa .and Yum Bar, which are both a bit more upscale. For those who want to work up a sweat before indulging in a richmeal, six tennis courts are located behind Terrasa. After Sundown The aforementioned snack hut, Adosh Bar, lets its hair down at night and after a couple of drinks this place turns into a Middle Eastern 'Cocktail' with bartenders giving Tom Cruise a run for his money. It is also the site of various beach parties. Listen for the sound of the thumping base as you drive by way.
Nordauimg The Separate Beach Look Somewhat ironically located right next to each other and separated by a huge wall. Nordau and Hilton (see below) Beaches are miles apart on the politica 1 and religious spectrum. Nordau is Tel Aviv's religious beach; wfagemmaad women swim and sunbathe on alternate days. The women get the run of the beach on Sunday, Tuesdav and Thursday, while men liave control onMonday. This beach used to beopen to the public on Saturdays while the usual suspects were busy observing the Sabbath, but these days it isa lonely walled-off stretch No doubt the local pmefaantfor littering caused the diange. Apart from the huge wall and j segregation of thesexes, Norclau Beach is notall that different in the end - a nice stretch of thick sand, calm, small waves and lifeguards on duly. Feel This beach was, of course, designed to cater to me religiously inclined, butseveraloh soclever secular women see the 'no men' rule asa brilliant opportunity to sun-bake topless without being leered at by members of the opposite sex. What the Orthodox is anotherissue altogether! If you're curious to see what a religious beach is like, but you don't feel comfortable going in, a great peeper's viewisavailable from the cliff just behind the beach... not that this sort of behavior is being encouraged, of course! E ats With no cafe and closed off to the friendly ice-cream man (the one shouting 'artic, artic, j choco, banana, limon!') tliis is a bring-your-own kosher stamped edibles affair only. After Sundown Let's just say that after intended customers go home for the day, the walls are yours for the climbing (you didn't read tliis here, though!). Hilton Beach Look The somewhat secluded Hilton Beach, perched underneath the Hilton Hotel, is known j as Tel Aviv's gay beach. Though a fairly shallow stretch, it is nonetheless one of the nicest and cleanest of Tel Aviv's beaches. During the -winter, this stretch of shore gets some big waves, causing the already narrow strip of sand to shrink and attract the surf crowd Feel While you will certainly see your fair share of muscled men. you'll also find all sorts of people -gays. Acouples. There is anoticeable absence of families witli boisterous chi ldren, but nobody's complaining about that! With the
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weekday crowds being relatively quiet. Hi lton Beach is a great alternative to the more central beaches, if you are looking toenjoysome peace and quiet Along with the gay scene, the beach has also captured the niche water-sports market, with the Sea Center Club (03-5242139) offering wind-surfing and kayaking classes. A two-person kayak will set you back NIS 120 per hour, whilea single kayak is NIS 80 per hour. Eats Topsi (named after Shamai Topsi' Kan-zapolski, the Israeli Surf father), is Hilton Beach's one and only restaurant. They offer typical breakfasts, salads, toasted sandwiches, ice-cream, popsicles, and the classic summertime trea t - watermelon. with salty Bulgarian cheese. After Sundown With the daytime crowd off dancing the night away at one of Tel Aviv's gay clubs, the beach is normal ly pretty quiet. Once in a while Topsi brings in DJ's in the evenings, so check in during the day to see if anything is going on.
Gordon Beach 6 Frishman Beach
Look With its central location -opposite the Sheraton Hotel - this beach is among Tel Aviv's busiest. Weekdays are a little calmer- the sand is wide and mostly litter-free, and like all of Tel Aviv's teaches, the water temperature is close to perfection. With deckchairs scattered across the sand, Gordon Beach isjdejd if you feel likespoiling yourself a bit, but don't have the energy to leave the city for a more upscale location. Feel If you enjoy being amongst all the hustle and bustle and you require a lounge chair to work , on your tan. Gordon or Frishman Beach on the weekend is the perfect location to find yourself t surrounded by Tel Aviv's die hard sun worsliip-peisandarealmixofcharacters-tourists, locals, iDabies. grandparents, and everyone in between. Gordon also boasts volleyball courts as a nicer (quieter) alternative to matkot (see Jerusalem/ Geula Beach). An extra speyialattractionatGordon Beach is the lovely saltwater swimming pool surrounded by lawns to lounge on. Keep in mind that entrance to the pool does carry a stiff fee before you decide to abandon the sand. ,
Eats An array of restaurants line the boardwalk but if you're after a quick snack then head to the Gordon Beach Kiosk, located right on the ' sand. On the boardwalk you'll find London, a popular eatery serving huge portions of classics like Israeli breakfast, fresh fish, sandwiches and a wide array of salads. Be warned that Gordon Beach attracts lots of tourists andtherefore restaurant prices in the area tend to I:* unjustifiably steep.
Af ter Su ndow n Once it's time to get your party on, there is nothing beachier than the orange , lit white sofas at Hamptons. Nestled against the Sheraton, this beach bar is tota lly outdoors and provides sun-burnt parties with a DJ, an ample t bar, and most importantly, a place to keep the beach party going unti 14am. For a wi lder party, the newest addition to the area is La La Land Renovated by three veteran nightlife icons in Tel Aviv (including Uri Shtark), the buzz liasbeen buzzing t< >r the last tluee montlis since the flashy glass hive reopened on Kikar Atarim. 
Jerusalem/ Geula Beach
Look and Fool As the infamous Bryan Adams once sang "One man's nightmare is another's dream," and so it is with matkot. Matkot, for lietter or for worse, is an Israeli invention played with two paddles (similar, jf not identica 1 to. pig-pong paddles) and a hard little ball that seems drawn to the heads of innocent bystanders. The objective of the game seems to be whacking the little ba 11 back and forth as hard as you possibly can, for as long as you possibly can Fun, huh? We 11, most of Israeli society and especially the Jerusalem Beach regulars seem to think so. The 'tick tack' is ra mpant and in stereo on this beach, J so if it drives you out of your mind you'd be well advised to pick another spot. However, if you want to enjoy the pleasures of the 'sport', this is the teach for you. „ Eats The Tel Aviv location of Abulafia (the famous Arabic bakery from Jaffa) is just aa-oss Herbert Samuel St. along with Shakes Pree next door for fresh juices and shakes. Other fastfood selections include ice-cream, hot clogs, toasted sandwiches and even an Aroma coffee bar in
the nearby Opera Tower. After Sundown The beach cafe, Tzfoni BeTayelet, is spacious and a nice place to watch i the sun set after a long day of tanning and matkot. There is live musicalmostevery night of the week, including a Brazilian band every Friday that brings out the tag from here tolpanema! Bringing a little class to the neighbour-hood (they opened last spring in the Opera Tower) is Benjamin Segal, the epitome of the restaurbar. Ebne up to the nines, Benjamin Segal lias the whole nightlife package;gounnet food freshly spun beats, and one of a kind cocktails.
Banana Beach
Look When the Jaffa skyline comes into focus and a mass amount of green Heineken umbrel las appear before you, have arrived at Banana Beach. Situated between Chinky Beach to the north and the Dolphinarium to the south. Banana Beach is no match to the beauty of the Herz liya beaches, but it does offer excellent -
sightlines in a 11 directions: Straight ahead to the sea, left toancientjaffa and right to the juxtapos-ingly modern Tel Aviv hotel strip.
Feel Extremely crowded on weekends due to the surprisingly good food and miles of umbrella-ed chairs and tables at the banana
Beach basics
The do's and do not's of sun worshipping in IHHvtVTwgaifKRuw that Tel Aviv and beach culture go hand-in-hand, but it's time to learn the four golden rules of hitting the beach like a local!
DO Pay attention to- and learn to love - the M a tzi I (Hebrew for 'lifeguard'): despite, or perhaps because of. their macho affectation and non-stop, incomprehensible booming broadcasts from their imposing wooden towers, they are nothing less than cultural icons and your best chance of help in case of drowning.
DON T Be afraid of taking up new sports. Summer or winter, the long stretches of Tel Aviv's beaches and boardwalks are the perfect place to excel at Matkot (paddle-ball), learn how to play dominoes, or take up shesh-besh (baDO Get to know your neighbors. Sure, your neighbors will spread out exponentially, play free-style Matkot in your personal space, and let their dog rebuild your sandcastle.. .but they are also ready to watch your belongings when you go into the water (taking turns is the common rule), lend a willing ear to whatever ails you. and give you free advice on the where-how-and-who of anyth ing you might want to know about Tel Aviv. ,
DO Bring some spare cash. Many beaches charge for chair use (N IS 10-15). and you will need a few extra Shekels to buy water, soft drinks and the classic iced Popsicles (locally known as "Artie") that are sold by ubiquitous vendors along the shore.ckgammon). OtherLocals' pick
Formerly famous as the landmark location of a 1970s cult classic film. Mezizim Beach has come into its own in the last couple of summers, thanks to the each9B team turning it around. Having recently been renovated. Mezizim has fast become the local 20-something's favourite. Gone is the run of the mill kiosk, in its place is a cute spot offering decent food, a late night lounge bar atmosphere and a number of beach chairs scattered about. With a playground, decent toilets (a rarity!) and prime northern location only minutes from the restaurants and bars abundant in Tel Aviv Port, it's easy to understand why Mezizim has become the beach of choice this side of Thailand. In July, enjoy some extra special beats under the starry sky andcafe. This is the beach to come to if you are looking for more social interaction than relaxation. With lifeguards on patrol. Banana Beach is suitable for the sma 11 kids, but be prepared for the loudspeaker going off every five minutes informing parents that a child in a blue bathing suit lias been located.
Eats The Banana Beach Cafe tends to attract a j lot more locals than their competing cafes up the beach because it's a bit further awav fromsliakes.
After sundown The nearby Dolphinarium, unfortunately synonymous with the suicide bombings of 2001, is sti 11 not looking its best I
these day a However, if you head around the back, surprises await. Any eveningafter 11, a crowd of good looking, well dressed liipsters will be barring your way from entering summer's hottest new spots. At Clara, not only will you see and be seen, but the massive and totally outdoorbar, perched on a cliff overlooking the sea, provides a gorgeous view with a crasliing wave soundtrack to match. Also around the Dolphinarium is Loca, providing revelers with the , nighttime beach breeze and an atmosphere conducive to letting loose and 'ma king friends'. With a menu for every hour of die day, Loca is a full service beach hangout diat starts serving breakfast j just a few hours after closing up for the night. Look Set against a sma 11 cliff, Chinki is at the southern end of the Tel Aviv beach strip and boasts a great view of the city, especially from up on the large rocks. 3
Feel Known as the Drum Beach because of the music makers who gather there on Friday evening, the eclectic crowd includes youthful ' revelers and belly dancers who move barefoot J to the infectious beat of the drum circle alongwith starry-eyed couples and bouncing children. There is also a fairly high proportion of just-back-from-India 'shanti-ed out' Israelis wTho have not quite adjusted to life back home «
and may bid you namaste.
Eats Up on a hill, looking down towards the sea, the Chinki Beach Bar is your test bet for the view. Totally laid back, this is the place to grab a beer, perch yourself on a wooden sun-bleached stool and watch the sun disaooearinto the Mediterranean. Chips, sandwic les and other simple gems are available for a quick Friday night dinner. If you are looking for more of a dining experience. Manta Ray, a seafood restaurant located nearby, is well worth the fiv minute strol 1 down the rocky pa rt of the boardwalk. Serving brunch until noon and known foitheir fresh fish and seafood at night, you might want to make a reservation at this popular beachfront spot. For more casual fare check out Alma Beach next to Manta Ray. Though just a simple kiosk, it's highly popular- especially on Friday afternoons.
After Sundown Spend the Sabbath in Tel Aviv and you'll find tha t the day of rest tends to be celebrated by worshipping the sun rather tlian in a house of God. Indeed, come Friday, the
sunset over Chinki Beach and participating in the weekly drum circle. A great activity for all ages, the drum circle features local residents and musicians playing tlieir percussion instruments, clapping in rhythm or dancing alongside. Great fun tliat continues well into the night.
Note If you are set on taking part in the music, all sorts of drums can be purchased at the nearby Jaffa flea market.