Maayan
Abraham “Pitch” Maayan has been a guide in Israel for more than 30
years. He spoke with TravelAge West Publisher Michelle Rosenberg at
a recent seminar co-hosted by TAW and the Israel Ministry of
Tourism.
What are some basic recommendations you have for the
first-time traveler to Israel? Let’s say I have five to seven
days. First, increase your time with 10 more days. The
highlight of Israel is obviously Jerusalem. You need one day for
the Old City, Mount of Olives and the attractions on the eastern
side of Jerusalem and another day for the western side of
Jerusalem. Another day out of Jerusalem would definitely include
Masada and the Dead Sea. For Tel Aviv you need two days and you
need at least two days for the area around the Sea of Galilee.
Would you recommend renting a car or hiring a
driver?
You can rent a car with one of the major rental agencies in
Israel and if you are willing to take a risk to drive the Israeli
roads, then it is fine. If you drive yourself you have to know your
way around. There is a GPS system that tells you where to go. If
you have a guide who drives for you, he knows the way and you save
a lot of time commuting from place to place.
Old City, Jerusalem
We have seen this market growing very fast and there is a lot to
do in Israel. The country is located between the Mediterranean Sea
and the desert. In between those areas there is a lot you can you
do, from snow skiing to water skiing to scuba diving. There are
more indigenous fish in the Gulf of Eilat than on the Great Barrier
Reef.
Tell us about health-and-wellness travel to
Israel.
The Dead Sea is the biggest spa in the world. Once you go in the
water you are in a spa because you are in water which is 10 times
more concentrated than any water that you know, and there’s hot
springs too. The hotels have developed spa treatments with hot and
cold mud.
Are there any programs that allow a visitor to really
get close to the local culture?
One of the great experiences in Israel is intermingling with the
people. It is doable if you make the arrangements ahead of time.
There are volunteers in major cities that are more than willing to
host people for coffee and cake, just to have an opportunity to
chat. The kibbutz movement has changed but they are more than
willing to host groups or individuals.
