Syria
Middle EastLevel of surfing
Beginner
Quality of surf
Average
Call code
963
Net code
sy
Area
185180
Coastline
193 km
Climate
Mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast
Hazards
Difficult Access, War / Conflict, Coup / Civil Unrest
Best Months
November - December
Population
20314747
Currency
Syrian Pound (SYP) Syrian pounds per US dollar - 51.689 (2006)
Time Zone
EET (UTC+2) DST EEST (UTC+3)
Special Requirements
Private Beaches, Special Pass / Permits, Lengthy VISA Process, Non tourist Friendly, Strict Religious Observance
surfing
NASA: Syria; 2004
Tartus and Al Hamidiyah to the south of syria have really only now been discovered by Australian surfers travelling to Syria to visit distant relatives. The points around these towns are being watched with much interest to assess long term surfability and frequency.
The main timings for the sirocco and mistral swells and winds are in the Northern Hemisphere Autumn and Spring (March and November) This would probably be the best time to plan your Mediterranean surf trip, though sitting this far east in the sea will give you the best chance of catching any swell generated from favourable weather systems.
Another source of swell is the storm cells of the North Atlantic. Many of these cells descend along the Irish coastline and then outwards along the Atlantic Coast. Occasionally certain cells in Winter (Dec-Jan) can sweep across southern Spain and into the Med. This is a rare but notable event that can send swell hurtling in a 360 degree radius, lighting up points and reefs that see rideable surfing options maybe once or twice per year.
what to pack
Superm401: A 1.5 liter bottle of water; 8 January 2008
A small backpack
makes a good carryon bag and will be useful in daily life. Women: remember to take a good flat pair of shoe's.... And for everybody: pair of comfortable walking shoes will
be great for sightseeing. Better to avoid shorts and clothing where there is too much skin revealed - this is part of respecting the culture there.
Definitely take along some bug repellent spray, good sunscreen and sunglasses! Better take your medicines with you (esp. anti hastamine tablets), as the brands can
be unfamiliar and cost more. By the way, getting medical
insurance for the trip would be a good idea.
And take a good protection for your camera from the sand.