Syrian Coast and Mountains Voyage Tips and guide

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The Coast and Mountains of Syria is a region in the west of the country. It is green and fertile, relatively Christian, somewhat liberal, and dominated by Phoenician and Crusader history.

• 35.18222235.9402781 Baniyas — small city with an impressive Crusader castle
• 35.35972235.9213892 Jableh — ancient city with a Roman theater
• 35.52361135.7916673 Latakia — a major port city, Saladin's Castle, Fronloq Forests and Al Samra Beah near Kasab
• 34.88333335.8833334 Tartous — a historical port city and historical small island called Arwad

The region has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• 34.75736.2951 Krak des Chevaliers (Crac des Chevaliers). The archetypal Crusader castle, magnificently preserved and not to be missed. 
• 35.59636.0582 Saladin's Castle. A quiet gem in a valley with pine trees about 37 km inland from Latakia. 

As of 2020, the most accessible way of reaching the Syrian Coast is overland, either with car, taxi or long distance bus. While the route from Damascus is generally safe, conditions can change rapidly. From Aleppo, a long detour is needed to avoid conflict areas. The border crossing with Lebanon, at Arida, is open while the border with Turkey remains closed.

There are no passenger trains from outside the region, however rehabilitation of tracks are underway and a limited number of trains might return in 2021.

There is one major airport in the region, SyrianAir operates a highly irregular service from Damascus.

• 35.40083335.9486111 Bassel Al-Assad International Airport (Just north of Jablah, along highway M1). (LTK ^IATA) (updated Nov 2020)

As one of the few regions in Syria that has been spared the violence of the Civil War, public transport infrastructure are still somewhat functioning. Long distance buses are available between cities and the national railway operator CFS runs daily passenger trains between Latakia and Tartous.

• Hike Saydeh Mountain. A scenic hike to a popular mountain in the region. See the link for the GPS track and video of the route. Start at the main square in Mashta heading southeast out of town, passing by many restaurants and views of the valley. Stay on the wide sidewalk as the road descends. At the large intersection, there is a small zoo to the left. Continue straight slightly to the left. Follow the winding road all the way to the top. Initially, olive trees hug the road with an occasional fig tree. As you get closer to the top, the trees give way to full views of the villages. Often, you can see Safita Tower and the Lebanese Mountains. From the top, either walk back down, or schedule a taxi to drive you. 
• Hike Mashta to Kafroun. The most scenic and quiet hike in the area. See the link for the GPS track and video of the route. Very few people drive on this road let alone walk it. Start at the main square in Mashta heading southwest on the narrow road going uphill. Take the first right and follow this road all the way through. Beautiful views all the way through. At the end of the hike, take a taxi back from Kafroun. The main road back to Mashta is busy and dangerous. 
• Geocaching. Find geocaches in the area.