While not the cheapest country compared to many destinations on the backpacker's itinerary, Israel budget travel is perfectly possible as long as you remember to take a few precautions.

Eating, Drinking and Sleeping

If you really want to save money you'll have to stay in dorms in hostels whose prices are comparable to Western Europe. A lot of these places have a 'lived-in' feel to them and can be packed with laborers. Make sure you bargain. You can often find kitchen facilities in such places so save cash by cooking at home and not eating out. Drinking beer out is comparable in price to the UK or US so non-drinkers will have a cheaper time of it! An exception is the excellent Budah Bar in Jerusalem where you can buy shots of spirits for about US $2.50 each.

Major Sights

There's no real way of doing the major sights in 3000-year-old Jerusalem any cheaper than normal unless you opt to travel between them for less money (see below). However, heading up the Haas Promenade in the city and getting what many describe as a 'biblical' view will cost you absolutely nothing and constitute a good move in Israel budget travel.

The Beach is Free

Tel Aviv's beach culture rivals anything in Australia or the US and the great thing about it is that it is free. You might also get invited along to one of the many beach or house parties that Israelis seem to love throwing. Again this will cost you only the price of buying a few beers.

Getting Around

Many travelers report that buses can be quite expensive in Israel so your best bet - especially if you are visiting Gaza and the West Bank - is to share taxis with a large group of you or use the cheaper local buses one can find in these regions. Trains are relatively cheap too and very fast - you can get from Tel Aviv to Haifa in just 1 hour on the new high-speed services that Israel has to offer.

Spa Treatments

Another often-free thing to do in the great nation of Israel is to bathe in any of the 2000-year-old health-giving spas that cover the nation. Take a dip in the Red Sea whose curative waters were once carried by camel all the way across the Sinai Desert upon Cleopatra's orders. Get some first-class skin treatment from the below-sea-level sun rays as soon as you embark on your Israel budget travel experience.