Palmahim Beach National Park

We had a lovely time in late February - there were lots of other people there but it wasn't oppressively crowded. I can't imagine what it's like though in the summer in terms of crowds. Parking is 10 shekels per car or 5 shekels if you have a National Parks Pass (Matmon). The beach is cleaner than the adjacent beaches to the north and south.

When we were there, there was a lovely sandy tide pool that the kids played in, not sure if it's always there though. There is a really nice picnic area with shaded tables overlooking the view, and a kiosk selling ice cream, pizza, and other snacks. One special characteristic about the beach here is the abundance of seashells on the beach - in some parts the sand is entirely made up of shells.

Most people come for the beach (clean, basic shower and changing facilities), but there are also a couple of nice trails up on the bluffs to either side of the beach. On one side is the small outcropping of rock with the ruins of an ancient fortress at the top, on the other some nice trails through the dune vegetation. The scent of the white broom (Retama raetam) was intoxicating on the trail to the fortress - it was in full bloom when we visited. We also climbed down to the rocky outcropping below the fortress, where we saw people fishing.

Overall highly recommended in the early spring, but I might be hesitant to visit in the high season.

It's ok! Pretty clean and not too crowded. Tried to camp there but so did also half of the rest of the country - so there will not be much chance to sleep with all the partying that generally goes on there during the summer. Generally not too crowded and people from the South of Israel prefer to go here as it is one of the closest beaches for them to reach.