I’ve got a 5-6 days to burn next month, so thinking of a little solo trip abroad. Morocco was on the list, but Israel has also got me interested.
Land in Tel Aviv and maybe do a day trip to Palestine, followed by heading up to Galilee for a day or two and maybe some other bits.
What are peoples thoughts? Israel seems pretty expensive.
I’m wondering if it’s a bit too western.

Any other suggestions for places within 5hrs-ish flight form the UK with a polarizing culture? I hate tourist traps. I’d be much happier in quiet towns with culture, etc.

Check this lot out before making your mind up: https://bdsmovement.net/
I travelled a bit in apartheid South Africa and the racism and discrimination just got me down. I wouldn’t be too enthusiastic to repeat the experience.

Bloody great idea IMO.

Go even if everyone else says No.

a polarizing culture

Syria?
Crimea?
Iran?

I’ll be there in May, spending a few days in Tel Aviv and a few in Jerusalem. I say do it!

I wouldn’t pay good money to go to any country in the Mediterranean or Levant in winter, they can be miserable, dirty, gloomy, cold and wet. Budget hotels won’t have good heating either, as I discovered one miserable week in Tunisia and have also found in Jordan and Syria. At a pinch I’d consider Morocco but depending on the cost of the flights I’d head for somewhere cheap with really nice weather like Botswana, a really super and little-visited country. Definitely more than a 5 hour flight though.

Edit: I’ve just looked at flights to Gaborone and unfortunately they all go over JNB, adding too much time. If that’s the case you might as well go straight to Cape Town and have a really fantastic holiday.

No for me, had the chance with work a few times but just not interested in supporting the regime there. Sure some bits are nice if you have blinkers on.

I have family in Israel, no way would I visit there under current political conditions. Iran would be good, difficult to get a visa but all the people I know who’ve been there say Iranians are really welcoming.

Thanks for the advice all.
I did think Israel would have this sort of response.
I’m certainly not comfortable supporting the regime, but equally it would be eye opening.
I guess similar situation in Iran and Turkey (to an extent).

Botswana is a little far for 5/6 days I think. I’d lose 2 days to travel.

You can go visit a place and see it with your own eyes, meet the people, forget politics for a few days. People are still people, they don’t all agree with their government, just like we don’t. That’s my opinion anyway.

I spent a while on a kibbutz and some time in Haifa, fascinating place and yes I would say worth a visit.

Echo what Kilo said about Iran, I know 4 people who have been there and said it was amazing.

Went to Israel back in the mid 90’s simply to see what it was like, after a day in Tel Aviv moved onto Eilat which I liked, great nightlife unfortunately one of my mates was rolled and lost all of his cash, after pooling our money we crossed the border at Taba and had a mooch down to Dahab, Dahab was quite sparse back then but fantastically cheap friendly and lively. The experience back then in 95 was great, can’t really comment on what its like now but if you don’t try it you will never know.

Id say go. I had a fortnight there through work staying in Tel Aviv. Great food (I mean really great) and nightlife. Only had one free weekend so drive to Dead Sea, Massada and the Negev. Really enjoyed it. Unfortunately didn’t get to Jerusalem mainly as was 40c in September and couldn’t face it.

It’s expensive for accommodation. Food wasn’t too bad from memory but it was in expenses anyway. Israelis a bit of an acquired taste, but to be honest they were very welcoming and felt very well looked after.

Ps, nice article on the BBC website about the Bauhaus architecture of Tel Aviv, if that’s you’re thing.

Getting into Palestine for a day-trip isn’t like catching the ferry to bologne.
But yeah, tel aviv is great, I’d base myself there – near the beach in an airbnb flat – and probably go to Jerusalem for a day on the train.
Food is excellent. People are interesting. And there are plenty of Israelis who disagree with the political situation.

there are plenty of Israelis who disagree with the political situation.

there were plenty of South Africans who disagreed with apartheid.

in the end it’s a personal decision about giving tacit approval to a government by visiting a country (‘we can’t be that bad – look how many tourists we get to give us foreign currency each year’) or if you see there beign no connection between visiting a state and it’s system of government beign a good/bad thing.

Cheekyboy, I did the same as you around that time, great days in Dahab although for some reason I have trouble remembering it in detail 😉
I say go for it, Jerusalem is one of the most fascinating places I have ever been. The history combined the religious emotion of many visitors was humbling to my then 19 yo self. I wouldn’t in any way condone the acts on many sides of a complicated situation but I always think that an opinion based on experience is better than one based on the media.

Some good food for thought.
Cheers all! Will have a think.
It sounds amazing, but it boils down to a moral decision weather I want to ‘support’ Israel by visiting though.

opinion based on experience is better than one based on the media.

Agreed.

opinion based on experience is better than one based on the media.

We’ve not all been to the North Pole but accept it might be a tad chilly based on media reports.

Gambia. Lots of my mates visit to chill.
Tarifa in southern Spain and take a ferry over to Tangiers for a night.

I went for ten days a few years ago, best trip I have even been on. After much debate we went on a tour – Explorer Tours I think, they advertised via the Guardian (who can’t even write the word Israel without screwing up their face with distaste) so I figured it might have some balance.

Best trip I have ever been on in terms of absolutely fascinating for so many different reasons. They made a point of taking us to the different areas Palestinian Authority etc. Probably a few too many churches on the visit list.

Highlights for me were Bethlehem, Jericho, Masada (much hilarity when the Britishers cheered Peter O’Toole during the introductory film) and just all the religious nutters that mill about Jerusalem. I would skip the Holocaust Museum – I made it through about 30 mins and just had to go away somewhere and cry.

You never get used to seeing teenagers wandering about with guns, anywhere in the world.

(Political stuff aside, as I guess it is not a concern for you)

The modern bits are bland, boring, and soulless. The rest is OK, and of course, some of it is unique to the world. I would not say ‘too western’. For starters English is not that widely spoken compared to some places, and there are quite a few things that you will only see in Israel. When the food is good, it is really good, but do not take it as read. There is not the welcome that you get in some countries in the area, for me strangers are a little stand off in comparison, but once you know people they are great.

On balance yes, it is an interesting country and certainly worth visiting, but for me there are other places in the area I prefer to visit.

+ As a solo traveler prepare yourself for a grilling at the airport, and prefer not to go el al.

Am I gonna go to Israel and find out that they are not really oppressing the Palestinians like the media pretends then?

People who go there and come back saying “oh the people were really nice and it wasn’t like it looks on the news” sound like gullible saps at best, or amoral tossers at worst.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it’s an emotive issue for me.

Ben Gurion airport security is quite something. I got the full treatment, but my friend who was on a different flight swanned through. Maybe I was just unlucky. Or super early.

Have you considered visiting Jordan (the country)?

My wife went there with a friend last year for around 6-7 days and really enjoyed it. Easy to get to, great food, safe, easy to plan your own trip and avoid organised tour-bus hell, lots of interesting stuff to see and do, plus a rich history.

Her highlights were spending time in the desert/dunes and imagining being a nomad, floating / mud baths in the Dead Sea and pretending to be Indiana Jones at Petra. All of which are tourist sites and apparently worth visiting, but the country isn’t really a tourist trap type place. They travelled independently using buses and locally booked taxis, staying good hotels (mainly used by domestic/regional tourists) and avoiding tour groups.

Unacceptable, but Jaffa looks interesting.

I went for about 10 days, started in tel aviv, stayed a few days, bus to jerusalem, took a day trip into palestine with a guide, visited hebron, bethlehem. Dead Sea, then Red Sea and day trip to Petra, all amazing, I recommend it.

I have a reluctance to visiting countries where there is a civil war going on. But I’d make an exception for Beirut. That sounds a fascinating place.

Israel is the only place I’m never going back to. Go to Jordan – fabulous history, lovely people and very welcoming.

I thought Israel WAS Palestine, or at least most of it.
For those reminiscing about Dahab, it is now back in Egypt (for the time being). It was never really proper Egypt anyway and the locals have mixed allegiances.
There is often a dichotomy between the nature of the individuals you meet and the state/regime. Egyptians in my experience are super-friendly and kind, but their government is fond of slinging citizens in chokey and torturing them. Israel is pretty mild by middle east standards but somehow I expect higher standards of people with European roots (I know it’s more complicated than that), and the sense of entitlement would be too hard for me to swallow.

I’m another past visitor to Dahab (of old). It used to be an amazing place to go but not anymore I believe as it’s all developed now.

I’d sooner go to Jordan than Israel but politics aside, I’m sure Israel has its attractions. If I recall it was dead easy crossing the border around Taba/Eilat/Aqaba, so there’s an option if you want to visit Egypt, Israel and Jordan whilst you’re in the neighbourhood.

Loving the Israeli bad but Iranian and Turkish regimes are ok sentiment. Oppression is a bit media hyped, the ‘other side’ have their own oppression of their own people bullshit going on.
Israel is a great place to visit. Love Jerusalem. Being woke up to the Muslim call to prayer echoing around the old city is really something. Wife is Israeli and fully supports the oppression of the Muslims. Not really. She despises the full on Jewish religious people who are land grabbing. So yes that happens. We also have Iranian friends who fled their oppressive regime to come here. As kids they were actively taught that Israel is bad and will be wiped off the earth. Point is, extremists on both sides but most people just normal. It really is fascinating to drive down the road and see signs to Nazareth and Jerusalem. You are in the Bible!

More interesting info- thanks all for contributing!

It is an amazing country with a lot to offer. I have been several times as my wife’s family are there. There are a lot of people that live there that also don’t support the regime but I understand how tourism benefits the current idiots that are in government.

I would recommend mountain biking in the desert (the Negev) but would definitely suggest booking a guide. Swimming in the dead sea and going to the Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem are also memorable. I would also recommend spending a bit of time in Tel-Aviv and Jaffa.

Taking the time to see Petra in Jordan is also a must.