With 225km of Mediterranean coastline, as well as numerous rivers throughout the country, Lebanon offers many salt- and fresh-water sporting activities. Lebanon’s rocky coastline and underwater terrain make it a unique destination for snorkelling and diving. A 600m deep underwater valley runs from Beirut to the Bay of Jounieh, creating interesting rocky gorges and underwater cliffs and dropoffs for divers to explore. Another popular diving area is at Chekka (near Tripoli), which offers some of the best marine landscapes and flora and fauna off the Lebanese coast.

Exploring the underwater ruins near Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre is another popular activity for divers and snorkelers; however, you are required to obtain a special permit to dive near archaeological sites. There are also several world-class shipwreck sites,including “le Souffleur” (a French submarine from World War II) near Khalde, for underwater exploration.