Palms Island

Palms Island ranks 1st on the list of the most beautiful islands in Lebanon. The highest point of the island is 6 meters above sea level. Its rocky coast extends from the northwest to the south while its sandy beaches lie on the north and east faces.The middle of the island is earthen, it contains evidence of past periods of human occupation such as a freshwater well, an old salt evaporation pond, and the remains of a Crusader church. Palms Island underwent rehabilitation works which included restoration of the well, its water is used to irrigate the island's 570 palm trees. The authorities also constructed a boat dock and walking trails and demarcated the island's areas of recreation and research.

The Palm Islands Nature Reserve is made up of three flat, rocky islands made of eroded limestone, as well as the surrounding sea region, located 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) northwest of Mina El Mina, Lebanon, and west of Tripoli, Lebanon. The reserve is 4.2 square kilometers (1.6 square miles) in size and has been declared as a Mediterranean Specially Protected Area under the Barcelona Convention of 1995. In 1980, the islands were designated as a Ramsar Wetland of Special International Importance, and BirdLife International designated them as an Important Bird Area. The islands are a shelter for endangered green turtles, rare monk seals, and migratory birds that use them as a resting and breeding site.

Location: Mina, Lebanon, Tripoli District, North Governorate, Lebanon

Area: 4.2 km2