Arwad Island

Arwad is a rock a few kilometres off Tartus entirely covered by its town - Syria's only inhabited island, ancient Arados, a Phoenician sea-kingdom that once ruled this coast. Lanes too narrow for cars wind between tall houses to small squares; wooden boats are still built and repaired along the shore as they have been for millennia; and two small forts, one Ayyubid and one crusader-era, stand among the houses. The crossing itself, with Tartus receding behind, is half the pleasure.

Background

Known in classical times as Aradus, the island has been lived on since at least the 3rd millennium BC and appears in records from the royal palace archive at Ebla and later at Alalakh. Phoenicians settled it in the early 2nd millennium BC. The island measured about 800 m in length and 500 m across, ringed by a massive wall, with a man-made harbour on its eastern side facing the mainland, and walls from the Phoenician era still surround it. It lies 3 kilometres from Tartus, the ancient Tortosa. Today it is mainly a fishing town, with 4,403 people at the 2004 census. On clear days it can be picked out from high ground in the Bsharri district of Lebanon.

Source: Wikipedia, "Arwad"

The main sights

• The lanes - a car-free maze covering the whole rock.
• The boatyards - wooden hulls taking shape on the shore.
• The forts - the island's two small strongholds.
• The crossing - the short voyage from Tartus harbour.

When to go

April to June and September to November are mild with calm crossings. Summer weekends are crowded with local visitors. Winter swell can interrupt boats.

What to expect

The island is densely packed and can feel scruffy; rubbish and crowding are real on busy days. Fort opening is irregular. There are no beaches to speak of.

Nearby

Tartus is across the water, and Amrit is on the coast south.

Key facts