Easter in Coastal Syria

What should I do with three days over Easter in Coastal Syria?

I have been reading the debate on another recent thread between Latakia and Tartus and figured I will probably have time to check out them both.

I may have to make a stop at Krak de Chevaliers for some passengers who have not been, so what should I do/see around this area (I will be driving so no transport problems)?

If I was to go to the Krak (assuming we will arrive early afternoon from Beirut) should I push on for Latakia for the night or consider Tartus or Homs? I won't be looking for super-budget accomodation, something reasonable.

Any thoughts/suggestions appreciated!

The Safir in Homs is pretty much the only decent option, plenty of choice in Tartus and Lattakia though, the Riviera in Lattakia is a good bet, from Lattakia a trip up into the mountains is pretty cool and from Tartous Arwad Island an option.

Have fun

Our Man in Damascus

With your own car and 3 days you should be able to make it from Beirut to Krak (Qalaat al-Hosn), and I believe you can find accommodation right there at the monastery below. If not, there are a couple hotels in the valley below the castle, small family-run places.

The next day I'd try to drive up into the mountains and visit Mashta al-Helou/Kafroun (for the mountain scenery, lunch), Hosn Suleiman (gigantic Greco-Roman temple), and Safita (enormous Crusader tower). Then continue down to Tartus and find accomodation, and visit Amrit (a Phoenician-era site with fascinating a temple and tombs, more well-preserved than any Phoenician ruins in Lebanon), 6km south of Tartus, in the afternoon.

Visit Arwad Island and the old city of Tartus, then head up to Lattakia making stops at Qalaat al-Kahf (perhaps the most amazingly located castle site in all of Syria) and Qalaat al-Marqab (one of the three largest Crusader castles in Syria, overlooking the sea and built in forboding black stone).

From Lattakia the main attraction is Qalaat Salah al-Din, a favorite Crusader castle of many for it's beautiful location and the incredibly massive ditch cut straight out of the stone. North of Lattakia there are beautiful beaches and mountain scenery as I mentioned in the previous thread, which I think you read. Ugarit, about 15km north of Lattakia, was a Phoenician capital. Syria dispute Lebanon's claim, saying it is the source of the world's oldest alphabet. I won't debate that, but even though the ruins are mostly foundation walls and an entrance gateway, it's still more impressive than the Phoenician ruins in Jbail. I'd recommend to spend two days around Lattakia, if you can manage.

I second thegrayrace's suggestions, which seem very good. Also agree with recommendation of the Riviera Hotel in Lattakia, though the location is not brilliant - it is far away from the coast, on a highway on the inland edge of the city centre, and if you feel like splashing out you might prefer to go for one of the resort hotels on the coast outside the city e.g. Cham Cote d'Azur or whatever it's called.

To drive directly from Krak to Tartous, if you prefer, shouldn't take much more than an hour if you go back down to the motorway. There's no need to stop in Homs unless you want to.

If you feel like eating fish and suchlike, I'd recommend the Yamak restaurant in Tartous, which has very good food (and that traditional Syrian Soviet-style atmosphere that has somewhat gone out of fashion now). Also the Spiro restaurant on the Corniche in Lattakia is not bad. You'd want to be brave to eat in the fish restaurants on Arwad.

Thank you very much all, great ideas!

How feasible is this guys?

Day 1
Depart Beirut Early (probably around 7am) and head straight to the Krak. Last time I did not arrive untilmid afternoon last time but that was with getting lost and a very long border crossing (don't ask!).
Hopefully arrive at Krak early afternoon at the latest. Visit Krak and then drive to Tartous (approx 1hrs drive by the motorway)
Overnight in Tartous.

Day 2
Explore Tartous Old City
Mid morning depart for Latakia.
Stopping at Qal’al al-Marqab and Qal'at al-Khaf along the way.
Late Afternoon arrive Latakia
Overnight in Latakia

Day 3
Quick look around Latakia before departing for Qal’at Salh Al-Din.
Visit Qal’at Salh Al-Din
Depart directly home for Beirut

That would be Friday, Saturday and Sunday as my wife really wants Monday back in Beirut to relax. How feasible is it to consider retuning to Beirut like that in one day? I don't mind the driving but I don't want to only have time to jump out of the car at Salh al-Din and then have to take off again!

I think I will have to try to talk her into spending night 3 in Latakia. What do you guys think?

It sounds OK. You can explore Tartous old city in about 25 minutes, to be honest - it really is very small. However, I would also recommend a trip out to Arwad Island - there are frequent boats from the jetty in the small harbour in front of the old city. The cathedral/museum is also worth seeing.

The the driving back from Lattakia to Beirut in one day, you probably know better than me how feasible it is - all your problems will be in Tripoli and coming into Beirut, the Syrian highway is good and normally pretty clear all the way from Tartous to Arida. You may find yourself wishing you spoke more Arabic once you get to Arida... the last time I crossed there I had to explain myself in Arabic to a security officer (won't use the m-word...) and then read out our passport details to the border policeman who couldn't read English and looked ridiculously pleased with himself after managing to come out with "What... is... your... work?!" This was by way of contrast followed at the Lebanese border station by the following exchange:

Lebanese policeman (to me, in English): "Would you like to speak English, French or Italian?"
Syrian fellow-passenger (who had lived in Venezuela for years and had been talking with my sister in Spanish in the taxi): "They speak Spanish."
Lebanese policeman, exasperated: "I've given them a choice of three languages, why do you have to come up with another one?"

All that aside, if you decide to spend a third night away thegrayrace's itinerary might be a bit more varied and interesting.

Mistake above: the Syrian highway is normally clear and pretty good all the way from Lattakia to Arida, not just from Tartous.