Dolphin Encounter - Eilat, Israel. Dolphins are free to come and go in this Dolphin Reef sanctuary

Dolphin Reef is a horseshoe-shaped sea-pen where bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Eilat in the northern-eastern Red Sea near the city of Eilat in southern Israel swim in and out of. It is a major tourist attraction in this area.
The Dolphin Reef opened its doors in 1990. The site is home to Black Sea bottlenose dolphins that are not trained to perform and there are no dolphin shows, but they are able to interact freely with human visitors. The dolphins, known for their curiosity and friendliness, approach the observation posts and floating piers, and swim alongside the people who snorkel and dive there.

The sea-pen covers an area of 10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft), and is enclosed with buoyed nets. It is an average of 12 metres (39 ft) deep. The eastern side has a steeply sloping wall profile, giving way to a sandy slope. Many species of fish can be found in the area. Angelfish, butterflyfish, cuttlefish, bluespotted and blackspotted stingrays are common.

The Dolphin Reef Dive Center offers individual and group diving tours, as well as special therapy sessions for the disabled and seminars on animal and dolphin behavior.
Eilat is part of the Southern Negev Desert, at the southern end of the Arabah, adjacent to the Egyptian resort city of Taba to the south, the Jordanian port city of Aqaba to the east, and within sight of Haql, Saudi Arabia, across the gulf to the southeast.

Eilat's arid desert climate and low humidity are moderated by proximity to a warm sea. Temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in summer, and 21 °C (70 °F) in winter, while water temperatures range between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 79 °F). Eilat averages 360 sunny days a year.