Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, Nature reserve and Ramsar site on Mediterranean coast in Tyre, Lebanon
Tyre Coast Nature Reserve is a protected area on the Mediterranean shoreline that includes sandy beaches, farmland, and wildlife conservation zones. Within it lies the Ras El Ain springs, natural freshwater sources that emerge from the landscape and have been important to the region for centuries.
The Ras El Ain springs powered ancient Tyre with fresh water via stone reservoirs and Roman aqueducts that carried water across the region. This infrastructure reveals how critical water supply was to the city's role as a major trading center.
The beaches here are used by local fishers and swimmers who share the shoreline with natural springs and sand dunes. Visitors find people selling fresh seafood and children playing in the water, showing how daily life coexists with the nature reserve.
You can swim and enjoy the beach freely in the open northern sections, but the conservation zones require advance permission to enter. It helps to wear sturdy shoes for walking on sandy paths and to check current access conditions before visiting.
The reserve is a critical nesting ground for Loggerhead and Green sea turtles that lay eggs in the sand between May and October each year. Visitors may spot tracks and nesting activity along the shore depending on the season.
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