Eilat is at the southern end of the Negev Desert and the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea . Eilat is Israel 's southernmost city , a busy port as well as a popular resort , located at the northern tip of the Red Sea , on the Gulf of Eilat ( or Gulf of Aqaba ) . Home to 46,600 people , the city is part of the Southern Negev Desert , at the southern end of the Arava .