The swimming season officially opened about a month ago, and 135 recognized beaches - with an overall length of 19.3 kilometers - have opened along the Mediterranean coast. However, because of instructions from the Ministry of the Interior to cut the number of lifeguards in each lifeguard's booth from three to two, the lifeguards have threatened to go on indefinite strike. Yesterday, they were on strike in Tel Aviv, today they will meet with the minister of the interior and decide whether to declare a strike on the other beaches as well.
This situation poses a danger to bathers. According to the Ministry of the Interior, almost all the drownings last year occurred on beaches without a lifeguard. But that is not the only danger. The pollution in the sea continues to be a plague. A sampling carried out by Haaretz and the Institute of Food Microbiology, directed by Dr. Irit Weiser, showed that at least the sand on the beaches is not polluted. Samples of sand taken from five beaches - the Sharon Beach in Herzliya, Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv, Argaman Beach in Netanya, Givat Olga Beach in Hadera and Dado beach in Haifa - were found to have normal levels of bacteria.
A charge for parking
Local authorities disregard the law. The instructions of the Ministry of the Interior for the current bathing season stipulate, for example: "Admission may not be charged for entry to a bathing area on the beach of the ocean, a river or lake, unless a reasonable area has been set aside in that location with easy access for free entry." Some beaches attempt to circumvent this by charging for parking.
Nevertheless, the beach remains one of the most popular summer attractions. Haaretz, in conjunction with the Keret Institute, examined the state of 20 beaches along the Mediterranean coast: from the Haifa beaches in the north to the Zikim Beach in the south.
The survey takers examined the admission prices (based on the signs at the entrance), the cost of the beverages in the kiosks (of a can of cola, a bottle of mineral water, coffee and a simple ice pop), the prices charged for the rental of sunshades and chairs, etc.), the cleanliness of the beach and the maintenance of its rest rooms, showers and restaurants. All the marks were converted into the following scale: Excellent, very good, good, poor and very poor.
Center
Hilton Beach, Tel Aviv
Mark: Excellent
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, for a fee in nearby parking lots
Access to Beach: Excellent
Facilities and services offered by beach: Very good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very good
Condition of beach and sand: Very good
The beach has handicap access (with a ramp); the sand is soft and clean, but full of shells. The cost of renting sunshades and chairs and the cost of beverages are at the mid-range level. There are two restaurants on the beach. The Topsy restaurant was found to be clean, accessorized and properly maintained, and the service was pleasant and efficient. The rest rooms and showers on the beach were pleasant, clean and equipped properly with soap, toilet paper and mirrors. There is a device to clean tar from the feet. The beach has play facilities for children and a windsurfing and kayaking club.
Rishon Letzion Beach
Mark: Very good
Admission fee: Resident - NIS 5; private vehicle - NIS 20
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Very good
Facilities and services offered by beach: Very good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Excellent
The sand is very clean, soft and pleasant. The cost of beverages and equipment is moderate to expensive. There are a number of restaurants and coffeehouses on the beach. The Calderon restaurant, which was checked, stands out. It was found to be clean and properly accessorized with pleasant, efficient service. The rest rooms were only partially equipped and particularly dirty. The showers, on the other hand, were found to be clean and properly equipped. Bathers can take advantage of shaded areas, lawns, slides for children and a device to remove tar. Access to the beach is convenient for the handicapped, too.
Gordon Beach, Tel Aviv
Mark: Very good
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, for a fee, in nearby parking lots
Access to Beach: Excellent
Facilities and services offered by beach: Very good
Food services: Good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Excellent
Access to the beach is convenient for the handicapped, too.
The sand was found to be soft and clean. The cost of beverages and equipment rental was medium to high. The Gurevitch restaurant on the beach and was found to be clean with a reasonable level of service. The rest rooms on the site belong to the restaurant and cost one shekel to enter, or are free after showing a coupon from the restaurant. Despite this, they are not clean and are only partially equipped. The beach itself offers clean and well-maintained showers. There is a device to remove tar and six volleyball nets.
Tzuk Beach, Tel Aviv
Mark: Very good
Admission fee: NIS 21 per adult, NIS 8 per child
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Poor
Facilities and services offered by beach: Very good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Excellent
A paved path leads from the parking area to the beach, but steps make it impossible to access for the handicapped. The sand on the beach is soft and clean, there is a device to remove tar and there are clean, well-groomed lawns. The price for the rental of beach chairs and to purchase beverages is medium to high, but sunshades are provided free of charge. The Me'ever Lakatze restaurant was found to be clean, orderly, with an abundance of chairs and sunshades. The service was pleasant and efficient. The rest rooms on the beach were a bit dirty.
Hasela Beach, Bat Yam
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Very good
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very poor
Condition of beach and sand: Excellent
The beach is handicapped accessible.
The sand is soft and clean. The price of renting equipment and purchasing beverages is low to medium. However, it was not possible to rent a chair without a sunshade. The Toot restaurant on the beach was found to be clean, properly equipped and its service was courteous. The rest rooms on the beach were dirty and were poorly maintained; for example, the doors to the stalls were broken and falling apart. There were no showers, facilities or lawns on the beach. The tar-removing device was broken.
Tel Baruch Beach, Tel Aviv
Mark: Good
Admission fee: NIS 10 per resident; vehicle on weekday, NIS 17; on Saturday, NIS 21
Parking: Convenient, for a fee
Access to Beach: Accessible to handicapped.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Excellent
Food services: None
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Good
The sand is very dirty and full of broken glass, cigarette butts and garbage. There are no restaurants or any other food facilities on site. There are free shade facilities, but no chairs or sunshades for rent. The rest rooms are reasonably clean and there are expansive lawns. The changing rooms also serve as the maintenance warehouse and there are no showers. The showers are located outside on the beach. There is a device to remove tar, and the beach is handicapped accessible.
North
Dor Beach, south of Haifa
Mark: Good
Admission fee: NIS 22
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Excellent. Access for the handicapped is convenient.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Very good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very good
Condition of beach and sand: Poor
While the sand is soft and pleasant, it is dirty and covered with garbage, despite the fact that on the day the examination was carried out, there were very few visitors at the beach. Beverages were inexpensive. The cost charged for a chair is average, although there were not enough chairs and no sunshades. Alongside a stand selling Druze pita and labaneh, there is also a Fish Bar restaurant, which was found to be clean and had pleasant and efficient service. The rest rooms at the beach are small and difficult to find, but they are clean and properly equipped. The showers were not as clean. There is a device to remove tar, a large playground for children and kayaks for rent (NIS 25 an hour).
The Quiet Beach, Haifa
Mark: Good
Admission fee: NIS 20 per adult, NIS 10 per child
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Poor. Handicapped accessible.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very good
Condition of beach and sand: Good
The sand is soft, pleasant and very clean. The cost of beverages is low as are the prices of renting chairs, but no sunshades are offered for rent. The Haverim restaurant on the beach was clean and the service pleasant. However, the survey takers noted, "The restaurant is outdated, offers a very meager variety, there is no menu and no beverage refrigerator." The rest rooms are small and clean, but only partially equipped - there are no mirrors, and on the day of the visit, there was no soap either. The shower area was clean, but is also old-fashioned and its walls peeling. There was no device to remove tar.
Dado Beach, Haifa
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Excellent. Handicapped accessible.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very good
Condition of beach and sand: Poor
The sand on the beach is soft, but filled with sharp stones. Despite the large number of bathers on the day of the examination, the sand was relatively clean. The beverages are moderately priced, but there were no chairs or sunshades for rent. On the beach, food and beverages are sold. The Makom Shel Eliyahu restaurant was found to be clean, properly equipped and the service was pleasant and good. The rest rooms are large, spacious and clean, but only partially equipped - there were no mirrors and on the day of the examination there was no soap and only a little toilet paper. The showers are properly equipped and maintained, but the floor was very sandy. There are devices for the removal of tar. There are lawns and excellent play facilities for children.
Bat Galim, Haifa
Mark: Poor
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Poor. Adapted for handicapped access.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very Good
Rest rooms and showers: Very good
Condition of beach and sand: Very poor
The sand, especially near the water, is full of small stones and rocks and is dirty - perhaps because of the large number of bathers on the day of the examination. Beverages were inexpensive, but there are no chairs nor sunshades for rent. The Bekitzur restaurant was clean, and the service was courteous. The rest rooms are located centrally and are easily accessible, but they were very dirty and were not properly equipped - no mirrors, and on the day of the examination, there was no soap. The showers, on the other hand, were very clean. There are devices for the removal of tar and a soccer field and playground for children.
Sharon area
Givat Olga Beach, Hadera
Mark: Very good
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Excellent. Handicapped accessible.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Excellent
Condition of beach and sand: Excellent
The sand is soft, very pleasant to the touch and very clean. The range of prices for beverages and for the rental of equipment is low to medium. There are a number of places to buy food at the beach, and the Al Hagal restaurant was found to be clean and very pleasant. It is large and well-shaded, it has numerous chairs and tables available to bathers, and has table games. The service was pleasant and efficient. The rest rooms and showers at the beach are very clean and well-equipped, and maintained especially well. However, there is no device for tar removal. There are also lawns, water fountains and a playground for children.
Mikhmoret Beach
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Free to pedestrians, NIS 25 per vehicle
Parking: Convenient, for a fee
Access to Beach: Excellent. Handicapped accessible.
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Excellent
The sand is soft, pleasant and clean. The cost of chairs and beverages is low. There is a kiosk and a restaurant, Yam Zula, on the beach, which was found to be clean. However, it does not have tables and the shaded area it has is small. The service in the restaurant is efficient and courteous. The rest rooms were found to be fairly clean and well-maintained, but without proper accessories - no mirrors, toilet paper or soap. The showers were found to be clean and orderly. There are playgrounds on the beach for children, including an inflated castle and mountain-climbing wall. There is no device to remove tar.
Hasharon Beach, Herzliya
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Far from the beach, free
Access to Beach: Good
Facilities and services offered by beach: Poor
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very good
Condition of beach and sand: Poor
Access to the beach is especially convenient because it is paved and is accessible to baby strollers and wheelchairs, but the parking lot is very far from the beach. The sand is clean, soft and pleasant. The beverages are inexpensive, but there are no chairs or sunshades for rent. There are two cafes on the beach. One, Al Hamayim, was examined and found to be fairly clean and the service was pleasant, fast and with a smile. The rest rooms were clean and properly maintained, but there were no mirrors nor toilet paper, and they were not handicapped accessible. The shower stalls were clean, but there were no mirrors nor anywhere to put down personal effects. There was no device to remove tar. There are narrow but clean lawns and a first-aid hut.
Argaman Beach, Netanya
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Free
Parking: A bit far from the beach, free
Access to Beach: Very good
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Very poor
Condition of beach and sand: Good
The beach is about a five-minute walk from the parking lot, but is easily accessible, for the handicapped, too. The sand is soft and pleasant and generally clean, but the entry area is quite dirty. There are no chairs for rent, but permanent sunshades are available throughout the beach for no charge, and the cost of beverages was low. There is a cafeteria on the beach, Hahof Shel Charlie, which was found to be clean, shaded and pleasant, with quite courteous service. The rest rooms were dirty, the doors could not be locked and the toilets had no seats. There are no showers on the beach. There is a device to remove tar. The beach has no special facilities.
Beit Yanai Beach
Mark: Poor
Admission fee: Free to pedestrians; private vehicle - NIS 20; on Saturdays - NIS 28 Parking: Convenient, for a fee
Access to Beach: Excellent
Facilities and services offered by beach: Poor
Food services: Good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Very poor
A convenient path leads from the large parking lot to the beach. The sand is soft and pleasant, but full of stones, coals and bottles. The cost of beverages is moderate, but there are no chairs nor sunshades for rent. There are two restaurants on the beach. The Hamezach Shel Yura, which was checked, was well-shaded and pleasant, but its floor was very sandy. The service was pleasant and courteous, despite the large number of visitors. The rest rooms were quite clean and properly equipped and maintained. The showers were also clean, although not all the shower stalls worked properly. There is no device for tar removal. There are swings and other facilities in a playground for children, wooden stalls with stone tables and benches, barbecue grills and water fountains.
South
Nitzanim Beach
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Pedestrians - free; private vehicles - NIS 40
Parking: Convenient (not for the handicapped) and for a fee
Access to Beach: Very poor
Facilities and services offered by beach: Very poor
Food services: Good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Good
The sand is soft, pleasant and clean. The cost of beverages is moderate and there are no chairs nor sunshades for rent. The Hof Nitzanim cafeteria was found to be clean and shaded, but without air-conditioning and with very few chairs. The service was fast, but indifferent and discourteous. The rest rooms and showers were dirty, not properly equipped and did not work properly. The doors of the stalls did not lock and opened easily. There is a playground for children, go-carts and a volleyball court. There is no device to remove tar. There is no access for the handicapped from the parking lot because it is surrounded with ropes.
Zikim Beach
Mark: Good
Admission fee: Pedestrians - free; private vehicles - NIS 30; handicapped vehicle - NIS 25
Parking: Convenient, for a fee
Access to Beach: Very good, also for handicapped
Facilities and services offered by beach: Poor
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Good
Condition of beach and sand: Poor
A paved path leads from the parking lot to the beach, making it easily accessible to the handicapped. The sand is hard and rough, filled with shells and waste - cigarette butts, empty cans and tar. The range of prices for beverages and chairs for rent is moderate to expensive. The sunshades, on the other hand, are provided for free. The cafe, Nueba Haketana, was found to be clean and properly maintained, and the service was courteous and professional. The rest rooms on the beach were very dirty and stank. There are showers in a closed building and on the beach and they were clean but did not all work properly. There are play facilities for children. There is no device to remove tar.
Ashkelon Beach
Mark: Poor
Admission fee: Free for pedestrians; private vehicles - NIS 42; vehicle belonging to local residents - NIS 12
Parking: Convenient - for a fee
Access to Beach: Excellent
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Good
Rest rooms and showers: Poor
Condition of beach and sand: Poor
A paved path leading from the parking lot to the beach makes access very convenient, for the handicapped, too. The sand is soft, but in a large area near the restaurants, it is filled with garbage, remains of food and coals. There are no chairs or sunshades for rent. The beverages are inexpensive, but the variety is poor. There is a kiosk on the beach, Ganei Shimshon, which was found to be clean and orderly with reasonable service. The rest rooms are spacious and there are special stalls for the handicapped. They were clean and properly maintained, but only partially equipped. There are no showers on the beach. There is a device for the removal of tar. The beach is located inside the national park, near lawns and a grove.
Palmahim Beach
Mark: Poor
Admission fee: Private vehicle - NIS 20; vehicle belonging to residents - free
Parking: Convenient, for a fee
Access to Beach: Poor. Good handicapped access
Facilities and services offered by beach: Good
Food services: Good
Rest rooms and showers: Poor
Condition of beach and sand: Very poor
The sand is very clean, but it is very coarse and filled with seashells. The variety of beverages is quite limited, and the prices are moderate to expensive. There are no chairs and sunshades for rent, but there are stalls scattered throughout the beach. There is only one cafeteria on the beach, which was clean and reasonably equipped, with courteous service. The rest rooms and showers were very dirty and were not equipped nor maintained properly. There is a device to remove tar. Handicapped access is good, and there is a grove of trees nearby available to bathers.
Lido Beach, Ashdod
Mark: Poor
Admission fee: Free
Parking: Convenient, free
Access to Beach: Poor
Facilities and services offered by beach: Poor
Food services: Very good
Rest rooms and showers: Poor
Condition of beach and sand: Poor
The sand is soft and pleasant, but very dirty. There are no chairs nor sunshades for rent. Beverages are inexpensive. There are a number of restaurants on the beach. The Pachanga Beach restaurant was found to be clean and spacious with plenty of seats. The service was courteous but too slow. The rest rooms were only partially equipped, and they were dirty and not well-maintained. There are no showers on the beach, no device to remove tar and no other facilities for bathers. Not easily accessible to the handicapped.
