caught in the sun trap

My heart was certainly fluttering, though. None-too elegantly attired in metres and metres of shocking pink nylon which owed more to Blacks of Greenock than Chanel streamlining, I was ready to launch myself

on the jets of air blasting from a vertical

wind tunnel.

After a few false starts that confirmed my belief in gravity, I was really flying. Amazing. Head up, back arched, toes pointed, I was soaring above the Aerodium in Eilat on the Red Sea. ''I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky.'' Secure in my obvious talent, I glanced downwards for the approval of my not unattractive flying instructor and admiring companions. For a split second

I was smug. For a split second I was suspended in the air like a cartoon character about to get its comeuppance. Then the crash mat came rushing to greet my 20ft fall from grace. Back down to earth with a bump - literally and figuratively.

Body-flying is just one of the many

unusual experiences Eilat on the Red Sea

has to offer the uninitiated.

At first glance the resort looks like any congregation of concrete multi-storey hotels and neon signs built on the three wonders of the tourist world: sun, sea and sand. But there is a twist. The sunshine is year-round, the sand is the Negev Desert and lurking just beneath the Red Sea are beautiful coral reefs.

There is plenty of scope for sun- worshipping and lazing by the pool, but it is the sea and sand which set Eilat apart from more traditional beach holidays. Another pleasant aspect of holidaying here is that you don't have to be a Jacques Cousteau or a budding Lawrence of Arabia to enjoy the bounties of ocean and desert.

For those who prefer to keep their feet dry, underwater life is still accessible from the observatory at Coral Reef or you, too, can live in the yellow submarine, albeit for a 40-minute adventure beneath the Red Sea.

The more adventurous can try scuba or snuba diving, a cross between scuba and snorkelling, dreamt up in the Israeli fun and sun capital. Instead of having an oxygen tank strapped to your back, a cable connects you to one situated above you on a raft, allowing you to enjoy your dive, safe in the knowledge someone else is watching the dials.

Perhaps just as well. I didn't know breathing could be such a complicated business. The instructor's words were clear: ''Don't hold your breath, don't smile and keep your mouth shut.'' Perfectly simple you might think. But, swimming among beautiful corals and brightly-coloured fish, the temptation to gasp in wonderment is hard to overcome.

The ultimate test comes when the instructor thrusts a camera in your face. Unless you're Posh Spice the automatic reaction is to smile. And smile I did and duly swallowed a mouthful of saltwater for my vanity.

The rewards of keeping your mouth shut for half an hour are, however, spectacular. For those in search of the bigger experience, snorkelling or diving with the dolphins at Dolphin Reef is an unforgettable experience. Dolphin Reef is different to most dolphinariums around the world as it is primarily a research centre for the study of dolphins in their natural habitat. An area of the Red Sea has been netted off but there are underwater gates which allow the dolphins the freedom to swim in the wider Red Sea. They are not taught tricks and there is no showtime, although visitors can watch them being fed and will invariably be rewarded with the incredible sight of leaping dolphins.

Nothing can beat the thrill of actually getting into the water beside the dolphins, stroking them and listening to them communicate with one another.

Land lovers need not despair, however, as the delights of Eilat extend inland too.

One of the best ways to fully appreciate the desert experience is to take a four-hour camel trek from the Camel Ranch. Enthusiastic guides teach you the rudiments of camel control before leading the train into the desert. The beauty and diversity of the Negev scenery make the effort of overcoming the initial unpleasant odour from your humped companion more than worthwhile.

Don't believe anyone who tells you deserts are boring. Take an afternoon trek and watch the desert colours change from broad daylight through spectacular sunset to the eerie stillness of the desert after dark.

Huddled - and beware: the desert is a very cold place at night - around the campfire enjoying a traditional Bedouin meal cooked from scratch by your multi-skilled guides is an experience not to be missed.

For those who crave a less traditional form of transportation, then four-wheel drive safaris take you deep into the desert for a few hours or a few days, depending on what you want to see. Bicycles and quadrunners can also be hired.

Other land-based attractions include Timna Park where visitors can explore King Solomon's copper mines, thought to be the oldest of their kind in the world and once worked by the ancient Egyptians, and admire the multi-coloured sandstone formations honed into fantastic shapes by desert erosion.

Just a short distance north is the Hai

Bar Wildlife Reserve where endangered indigenous desert mammals, reptiles and birds are bred for release to the wild. Injured animals, including desert cats, lizards, foxes and snakes, are also kept at the reserve.

Eilat is situated in a prime location on the migratory path from Europe to Africa and Asia and keen birdwatchers flock to the International Birdwatching Centre which provides optimum conditions for migrating birds to feed and rest.

l El Al Israel Airlines runs scheduled flights from London Heathrow or Manchester on Mondays and Thursdays. From Heathrow flights are direct to Ovda Airport, 50 minutes drive from Eilat. From Manchester you fly via Tel Aviv to Eilat Central Airport. For further information El Al can be contacted on

0171 957 4245