Batroun Beach Day Trip for Families: Where to Swim and Eat
Clear water, a Phoenician sea wall and the best lemonade on the coast: Batroun is an easy, happy beach day for the whole family.
- Region
- Batroun, North Lebanon
- Time needed
- A full day
- Best time to visit
- June to September for swimming
Batroun is a small Phoenician port town on the north coast, about 50 km from Beirut, and one of the easiest beach days in Lebanon for families. In a single day you can swim off white pebble beaches, walk an old harbour with a sea wall that predates the Romans, drink the town’s famous fresh lemonade and be home by bedtime.
The beaches here are mostly pebbles and rocks rather than sand, with clear water and a mix of free public stretches and beach clubs. The old town is compact and flat, which makes it manageable with strollers and small legs.
Where to swim
White Beach
With shallow water and a rocky shoreline, White Beach is one of the better options for younger children, who can paddle close to shore and poke around the rocks for crabs and small fish.
Bahsa Beach
Right in the centre of town and surrounded by restaurants, Bahsa is the easy choice when you want lunch, a toilet and an ice cream within a short walk of your towel.
Kfar Abida public beach
A few minutes south of Batroun, Kfar Abida has clear water and small sea caves along the shore. It is free and quieter than the town beaches, but has fewer facilities, so bring shade and water.
Joining Beach
Big natural rock formations make Joining a favourite for teenagers who like to jump into deep water. It is not ideal for toddlers, but older kids will remember it.
Beach clubs
If you want sunbeds, a pool and lifeguards, the coast is lined with clubs. Pierre & Friends is a long established spot with a pebble shore and a seafood kitchen, best for families earlier in the day before the music and crowds pick up. Batroun Village Club is a laid back resort with pools and restaurants, an easier bet with small children.
What to see in the old town
The Phoenician Sea Wall
Beside the old harbour stands a long wall of stone that has protected Batroun from winter storms since antiquity. It began as a natural sandstone ridge that the Phoenicians reinforced and shaped. Children like walking along the top while the waves hit the other side.
The Roman theatre
Just north of the sea wall, the remains of a small Roman theatre with nine surviving rows of seats are tucked between houses. It takes five minutes and gives kids a real sense of how old the town is.
Old souk and churches
The cobbled old souk is lined with stone houses, cafés and small shops. Nearby, St Stephen’s Cathedral (Mar Estephan), built in 1896 and dedicated to the town’s patron saint, faces the harbour, and the small church of Our Lady of the Sea (Saydet el Bahr) sits right on the rocks above the water, one of the most photographed spots in town.
A suggested day
Morning
Leave Beirut early to beat the traffic and the heat. Stop at Furn Merchak for manakish, then claim a spot at White Beach or Bahsa and swim before the sun gets strong.
Afternoon
Have a long seafood lunch in town, then walk the old souk, the Phoenician wall, the Roman theatre and Our Lady of the Sea while the little ones are fed and happy. Stop for a cold glass at Hilmi’s Lemonade, made by three sisters to a family recipe dating to 1888. Batroun has been known for its lemonade since the early 20th century.
Evening
Before sunset, drive a few minutes north of town to Mseilha Fort, a 17th century fort built by Emir Fakhreddine II on a steep rock above the Nahr el Jawz river, just off the highway. Then come back to watch the sun go down from the harbour before heading home.
Where to eat
Batroun is a fishing town, and the best meals are simple: fresh fish, fried calamari, fattoush and hummus. Oysters Seafood Bar overlooks the port, and Jammal Restaurant serves traditional Lebanese food in a restored stone home. For breakfast, Furn Merchak is a local favourite for manakish (see our za’atar manakeesh recipe to recreate it at home). Parents can try local craft beer from Colonel Beer, brewed by the sea in Batroun, at its brewery on the shore.
Practical tips
- Bring water shoes for everyone. Pebble and rock beaches are hard on bare feet.
- Pack sunscreen, hats and an umbrella for public beaches, where shade is limited.
- Summer weekends are busy. Go on a weekday in June or September for calmer water and easier parking.
- Watch currents and stay near shore with young swimmers, since public beaches rarely have lifeguards.
- Carry some cash for parking, lemonade and small cafés.
- Want to stay the night? Beit Al Batroun is a five room bed and breakfast in the hills near Thoum.
Nearby
Turn the day into a weekend with a drive into the Batroun hills for winery visits, or explore Byblos, about 25 minutes south, with our family day trip to Byblos. Food lovers can follow our Batroun food guide, and beach fans can compare spots in our top beaches in Lebanon list.
