The Latakia countryside holds far more than beach resorts. Within an hour of the city you can be on the cleanest sand on the Syrian coast, camping on an island in a chain of seven lakes, walking a suspended bridge over a mountain river, or standing on the walls of what many consider the finest Crusader castle in Syria. Here are seven of the best places to visit, split between sea, mountain and history.
By the sea
1. Al-Samra — the village from “Day3a Day3a”
Al-Samra is the most famous village on the Syrian coast: its simple stone houses became the set for both seasons of the comedy series Day3a Day3a, until the village and the show dissolved into one another. Visitors half expect to run into Asaad in his stone house, or to see Afaf leaning out of that window.
The series gave the area some beautiful shots, but the real visit has its own flavour. This is the last point on the Syrian–Turkish border, with a view of Mount Aqra — ancient Mount Saphon — dipping its roots into the sea, and the quiet village living out its days on the shore beneath it.
South of the village, in a spot you cannot reach by car, hides a beach that deserves as much fame as Al-Samra itself: Shat al-Arman, a small opening created where the mountain pulls back slightly from the sea. It is an ideal place to camp and get away from everything — but come prepared, because the nearest inhabited point is a small seafood restaurant a kilometre away on foot over the mountain.
Seafood is not the only option: a small path drops right down to the shore, where a traditional clay oven bakes on the beach itself. And while the people of Al-Samra are every bit as unaffected as the series suggests, the flow of visitors after its sudden fame has improved the standard of services considerably.
2. Wadi Qandil — the cleanest beach in Syria
About 25 km north of Latakia, Wadi Qandil beach runs as a ribbon of sand along the shore, with water clear enough to tempt you in at any hour. Along its length are chalets, small hotels, beach party venues, inventive drinks and camping spots.
Wadi Qandil is widely regarded as the cleanest Syrian beach, thanks to local people who keep a close eye on every detail of it. You get the best swimming and the best beach services on the coast, in the easy, warm atmosphere that defines the area.
In the mountains
3. Wadi al-Muluk — the Valley of the Kings
In Egypt the Valley of the Kings is an archaeological site. In Syria it is a place where kings really would want to rest. Set in the heart of the Jableh mountains near Bani Qahtan castle, it is a narrow valley full of fresh springs that gather into a small river and a few pools, with a scattering of activities along the banks.
This is somewhere to spend a genuinely good few days: quiet, green, wrapped in mountains. And at the Wadi al-Muluk resort you can push the adrenaline as far as it goes, crossing to the far bank on a wooden bridge suspended over the lake, or on a bicycle rigged above the water. Even the food, eaten at low tables on the lakeside, has a rural flavour of its own.
4. Mashqita and the Seven Lakes
East of Latakia, climbing through the coastal mountains along the Great Northern River, a large dam near the town of Mashqita holds back a lake that looks nothing like the rest of the region. Straits divide it into seven semi-independent lakes and create several small islands.
The Seven Lakes are ringed by pine and oak woods and by farmland planted with citrus and mixed fruit, and the little islands in the middle of the water make it feel more like a Canadian lake than a Syrian one. Small hotels, chalets and wooden cabins are dotted along the shores, but the standout activity is camping on one of the islands: small boats will take you across to the most isolated spot in the area, for what may be the best camping experience in Syria.
5. Slunfeh — the finest hill station on the coast
About 45 km east of Latakia and more than 1,100 metres above sea level, Slunfeh is the loveliest summer town on the Syrian coast — limestone buildings with red tiled roofs set among green forest, closer to a European village than anything else.
Visiting in summer makes you forget it is summer at all: you wake each morning to fog rolling into the town and spreading through its streets and woods. If you are lucky enough to stand on the Nabi Younes summit, the highest point in the area, and look east over the Ghab plain, you realise you are literally above the clouds — the same view you would get from an aircraft window.
Slunfeh is defined by its summer season, but the winter visit is arguably better, especially when snow falls and buries the area in quiet white. The forests become something out of a painting, and the roads and mountain chalets get busier than they are in summer — half of Latakia turns up, and everyone wants the region’s famous maamoul with cheese.
History and archaeology
6 & 7. Saladin’s Castle and Shir al-Qaq
About 30 km east of Latakia, beside the town of Al-Haffah and on a soaring rock spur, sits a Crusader-era castle that is arguably the most beautiful and most accomplished fortress in Syria — and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The castle divides into two parts: an eastern section holding most of the towers and fortifications, with a ditch carved out of the mountain rock that makes entry all but impossible, and a lower western section with fewer towers and buildings. It is one of the largest castles by area and was exceptionally well defended, playing a notable role across several periods of history.
Its most striking features are the long stairway leading to the halls and inner ditches, and the stone needle left standing in the carved ditch — deliberately preserved to carry a movable bridge to the far side, so that it could be removed easily during a siege.
Services at the castle itself are limited, but on the opposite side, along the rock escarpment known as Shir al-Qaq, several restaurants and venues serve visitors with a superb view across to the fortress. Visiting Saladin’s Castle — Qalaat Salah al-Din, or Sahyun as locals call it — is a trip into the depths of history and a glimpse of the artistry of medieval military architecture.
Frequently asked questions about the Latakia countryside
What are the best places to visit in the Latakia countryside?
Al-Samra village and Shat al-Arman beach, Wadi Qandil, Wadi al-Muluk, the Seven Lakes at Mashqita, Slunfeh, and Saladin’s Castle with the Shir al-Qaq viewpoint.
Which is the cleanest beach in Syria?
Wadi Qandil, about 25 km north of Latakia, is widely considered the cleanest beach on the Syrian coast.
Where was Day3a Day3a filmed?
In the village of Al-Samra on the Syrian coast, at the far northern end near the Turkish border, beneath Mount Aqra.
Can you camp in the Latakia countryside?
Yes. Camping is popular at Shat al-Arman, at Wadi Qandil, and above all on the islands in the Seven Lakes at Mashqita, reached by small boat.
Is Saladin’s Castle worth visiting?
Yes. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site 30 km east of Latakia, famous for its rock-cut ditch and the stone needle that once carried a movable bridge.
When is the best time to visit Slunfeh?
Summer for the cool air and morning fog at 1,100 metres, and winter for the snow — when the town is often busier than in summer.
Plan your trip
Combine the countryside with the city: see the top attractions in Latakia, stay at the best hotels in Latakia, and eat at the best restaurants in Latakia. For more on the coast, see 6 amazing activities on the Syrian coast.
