Israel trip - tips and advice

[wishaaaaa]

Hi,


Thinking of going to Israel and would appreciate a few tips on:

1) do I need a visa if going free and easy?

2) where can I change the Israeli new shekel currency or use usd?


3) SG credit cards accepted over there?


4) best route to fly to Israel?

5) recommended accommodation places

6) local customs and other things to look out?

Appreciate any other advice/suggestions. Thanks..

 

[addict951]

Wait next time you cannot enter Malaysia & Indonesia leh, you won't regret ah?

 

[wishaaaaa]

Wait next time you cannot enter Malaysia & Indonesia leh, you won't regret ah?

no worries

 

[mmchaisi]

1) do I need a visa if going free and easy?

Singapore passport. no need for 90 day visit I think.

2) where can I change the Israeli new shekel currency or use usd?

I use ATM to withdraw shekels. Hapoalim bank everywhere. DBS/POSB has $5/withdrawal charge. Some other banks no charge.

3) SG credit cards accepted over there?

Had trouble with DBS/POSB everyday card at some locations.

4) best route to fly to Israel?

No direct flight to Tel Aviv (Ben Gurion)
I took Scoot to Athens, spent a couple of nights there and then on El Al to Tel Aviv. I think you can do Turkish Airlines, change in Istanbul or some flights from Bangkok.

5) recommended accommodation places

Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?
For Jerusalem stay airbnb near Machane Yehuda market, near the light rail. Easy to get to old city.
For Tel Aviv, stay near Dizengoff square towards the beaches.

Hi,
6) local customs and other things to look out?

Don’t wave around your bak kwa sandwiches (just kidding).
Just be respectful. Remember lots of religious sites and religious people especially in Jerusalem.

Appreciate any other advice/suggestions. Thanks..

Research the Tripadvisor forum.
How long are you travelling for? Are you interested in religious sites?
There’s Jerusalem and West Bank Cities (under Palestinian control) such as Bethelem, Jericho and Hebron (can easily take up 1 week)
There’s the Dead Sea, Qumran, Masada, and Ein Gedi.
There’s Galilee and the Golan Heights in the north.
There’s the Mediterranean coastal cities, Acre, Haifa, Tel Aviv
Then there’s the south, Negev desert, Beer Sheeba and Eilat.

Our itinerary, roughly
Land at Ben Gurion, Train to Jerusalem. Get familiar with transport system and Rav Kav card (like easylink)
Airbnb near Machane Yehuda Market. Loaded Rav Kav with unlimited Jerusalem travel and rode Light Rail to Old City daily, and even a few times back and forth.
Hired car and left Jerusalem heading north. Drove to Galilee, went all the way to Tel Dan,Golan Heights, Mt Hermon. Based ourselves in an Airbnb near Tiberias.
Drove to Haifa. Using Haifa as base, visited Acre, Mt Carmel, Caesarea Maritima, Nazareth, Megiddo
Drove down to Beer Sheeba. From there visited Ein Bokek (Dead Sea beach), Masada, Qumran and Ein Gedi.
3 weeks wasn't enough.

 

[mmchaisi]

Wait next time you cannot enter Malaysia & Indonesia leh, you won't regret ah?

They don't (and won't) stamp your passport at Ben Gurion, you get a piece of paper (with your photo printed).

 

[wishaaaaa]

I use ATM to withdraw shekels. Hapoalim bank everywhere. DBS/POSB has $5/withdrawal charge. Some other banks no charge.

DBS/POSB's $5/withdrawal charge is regardless of amount withdrawn? Any ideas what are the banks that has no charge?



Had trouble with DBS/POSB everyday card at some locations.

Tks for the heads-up. Will carry other card as backup as well





Research the Tripadvisor forum.
How long are you travelling for? Are you interested in religious sites?

Will checkout Tripadvisor forum. Thinking of a month. Yes, interested in religious or historical sites


Our itinerary, roughly
Land at Ben Gurion, Train to Jerusalem. Get familiar with transport system and Rav Kav card (like easylink)
Airbnb near Machane Yehuda Market. Loaded Rav Kav with unlimited Jerusalem travel and rode Light Rail to Old City daily, and even a few times back and forth.
Hired car and left Jerusalem heading north. Drove to Galilee, went all the way to Tel Dan,Golan Heights, Mt Hermon. Based ourselves in an Airbnb near Tiberias.
Drove to Haifa. Using Haifa as base, visited Acre, Mt Carmel, Caesarea Maritima, Nazareth, Megiddo
Drove down to Beer Sheeba. From there visited Ein Bokek (Dead Sea beach), Masada, Qumran and Ein Gedi.
3 weeks wasn't enough.[/QUOTE]

Tks for sharing your itinerary

 

[mmchaisi]

I use ATM to withdraw shekels. Hapoalim bank everywhere. DBS/POSB has $5/withdrawal charge. Some other banks no charge.

DBS/POSB's $5/withdrawal charge is regardless of amount withdrawn? Any ideas what are the banks that has no charge?

Not sure, but ICBM and Citibank seem to be mentioned a lot in the Money Mind forum. I have a US bank account which doesn’t have ATM withdrawal fees so I use that. I found that the Israel Hapoalim bank doesn’t have ATM fees and supports Cirrus cards. Select the local currency when withdrawing and let your bank do the conversion. The withdrawal appears almost immediately on my US bank app and the exchange rate is very good, very near the Oanda spot rate.

I just checked and the DBS charge is $7 for any amount up to your daily max. The Hapoalim bank ATM max is 2500NIS, so it works out to be about 0.73%, maximize your withdrawals to minimise fees. Also google maps show the location of Hapoalim ATM machines accurately.

Will checkout Tripadvisor forum. Thinking of a month. Yes, interested in religious or historical sites

You'll have a great time free and easy. Feel free to ask any questions.

 

[wishaaaaa]

Not sure, but ICBM and Citibank seem to be mentioned a lot in the Money Mind forum. I have a US bank account which doesn’t have ATM withdrawal fees so I use that. I found that the Israel Hapoalim bank doesn’t have ATM fees and supports Cirrus cards. Select the local currency when withdrawing and let your bank do the conversion. The withdrawal appears almost immediately on my US bank app and the exchange rate is very good, very near the Oanda spot rate.

I just checked and the DBS charge is $7 for any amount up to your daily max. The Hapoalim bank ATM max is 2500NIS, so it works out to be about 0.73%, maximize your withdrawals to minimise fees. Also google maps show the location of Hapoalim ATM machines accurately.




You'll have a great time free and easy. Feel free to ask any questions.

Thank you so much. Will check back if need more advice. Cheers.

 

[maxin76]

no worries

You may be 'invited' to a 'opening your chrysanthemum' and interrogation by authorities which doesn't have bilateral/ diplomatic relations with 'X' country!

Better to visit personally ICA 3rd floor and apply a Passport solely for travel to 'X' country.

 

[noontidemist]

Anyone knows any good hiking places there?

 

[mmchaisi]

Anyone knows any good hiking places there?

lots. Engedi comes to mind. Wadi Qelt from St George to Jericho. Or follow the Jesus trail from Nazareth to Capernaum. Ramon Crater hile.

 

[jen1512]

I went to Israel in May this year. Just a suggestion to bring long sleeve clothes and pants in case you decide you want to visit the holy places (like the golden dome). Some places are really strict and require you to cover your neck, wrists and ankles.

Also, no military fashion clothes should be worn on the streets. You might be asked to Lim kopi somewhere....

 

[bloodlamb]

You may be 'invited' to a 'opening your chrysanthemum' and interrogation by authorities which doesn't have bilateral/ diplomatic relations with 'X' country!

Better to visit personally ICA 3rd floor and apply a Passport solely for travel to 'X' country.

They do not stamp on your passport so it's fine. You get a little card that is your entry visa.

Sent from Xiaomi MI PAD 4 PLUS using GAGT

 

[paladin]

1) do I need a visa if going free and easy?

I cannot remember. I think I took a visa as I was there for more than 14 days.

2) where can I change the Israeli new shekel currency or use usd?

change to USD. There are money changers but depending on where you go, may not be as easily located as in Singapore. You may need to change some USD to shekels at the airport to take the airport transport to town.

3) SG credit cards accepted over there?
Yes.

4) best route to fly to Israel?
I went to istanbul and transfer to Jerusalem. My brother went direct to Jorden and then to Jerusalem.

5) recommended accommodation places
This depends on whether you stay at one place for a long time or you move fairly quickly. If you stay at airbnb for a long time, ie a few days, stay near a market or grocery store. On Sabbath in Jerusalem, ie Saturdays, many stores are closed, so you may need to cook yourself. Tel Aviv should be better as it is less historical and therefore 'religious'.

Stay near where you want to visit - I took taxi couple of times. When I was in Jerusalem in 2011, no public bus during Sabbath (fri evening to Sat evening), if you stay far, your taxi fare is going to cost you;

6) local customs and other things to look out?

Bethlehem is in Palestine territory; bring your passport and sign up for a guided tour

Israeli customs can 'chop' on a piece of white paper and not on your passport if you tell them to do so. If your passport is expiring soon and you wish to collect the stamp, you can just stamp ahead and go to ICA to get a new passport.

 

[Peony牡丹]

Hi,


Thinking of going to Israel and would appreciate a few tips on:

1) do I need a visa if going free and easy?

2) where can I change the Israeli new shekel currency or use usd?


3) SG credit cards accepted over there?


4) best route to fly to Israel?

5) recommended accommodation places

6) local customs and other things to look out?

Appreciate any other advice/suggestions. Thanks..

1. i think they give visa on arrival the last time we was there in 2018. Convenient for singaporeans. Be prepared to be asked questions on ur trip when going through customs.

2. Bring USD, change shekel at airport, or they have money changer here n there. ask ur accommodation provider, they can advise u.

3. Not really. I can use my CC at hotels but not some other airBNB locations. Cash is still best.

4. I flew Cathay Pacific, stopover at HKG. I book my SG-HKG leg and HKG-SG leg separately because it was cheaper for us this way that time.

5. Depends on what you are looking for. We only stay at hotel our first 2 nights in Tel Aviv. The rest was AirBNB all the way. We had 2 nights at Naot Farm in Sde Boker for my children to experience the desert, which is totally awesome!

6. Fri evening to Sat evening is Sabbath. No public trasnport, most shops n restaurants n malls n wahtever are all closed. So plan ur meals ahead.

 

[sCuzzZy]

am heading to israel this late nov too.

just a quick question about the customs and passport situation, do we have to explicitly tell the custom to NOT chop on the passport and use the alternative method instead?

 

[mmchaisi]

They don’t stamp the passports anymore at Ben Gurion airport. However if you enter or exit overland via Jordan you need to ask both the Israel and Jordanian officials not to stamp your passport.

am heading to israel this late nov too.

just a quick question about the customs and passport situation, do we have to explicitly tell the custom to NOT chop on the passport and use the alternative method instead?

 

[mouserabbit]

Wait next time you cannot enter Malaysia & Indonesia leh, you won't regret ah?

Malaysia and Indonesia don't ban people with evidence of travel to Israel.

 

[ronaldgohandstop]

Yeah - that’s definitely fake news haha

 

[Peony牡丹]

am heading to israel this late nov too.

just a quick question about the customs and passport situation, do we have to explicitly tell the custom to NOT chop on the passport and use the alternative method instead?

No need. They don’t even chop passports now. Just give a paper visa.

I also travel to Indonesia n Malaysia with no problem at all.