"Kassab" Kassab by maykal

Kassab Travel Guide: 8 reviews and 20 photos

Kassab is an odd place. Tucked away in the hills north of Latakia, Kassab obviously used to be quite a picturesque mountain village but has now blown out into a sprawling resort for Syrians escaping the summer heat. Many of the inhabitants are armenians or Turks, so more often than not, you will not hear Arabic spoken on the streets. When I first arrived, I was treated with a bit of suspicion...I felt as if everyone was staring right at me, which is nothing strange in the Middle East but here it unnerved me to some extent.

However, Syrian/Turkish/Armenian hospitality is alive and well in Kassab, as I found out trying to find somewhere to stay...a hotel owner took pity on me and invited me to stay with his family instead of overcharging me for a room in his rather swish hotel! Later, I ran into the local police and immediately thought the worst...but all they wanted was to invite me to tea and a game of backgammon down at the station!

Last visit to Kassab: May 2000
Intro Written Nov 27, 2003
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Reviews (5)

Minibuses to Kassab Transportation (1)

Minibuses to Kassab from Latakia take roughly an hour and cost very little...on the way into Kassab, you pas a border... more travel advice

Walking... Off The Beaten Path (1)

Between Kassab and Ra's al-Basseet is a long twisty road with little traffic and great views of the coast and the... more travel advice

View from the room I couldn't afford, Kassab - Kassab

Where hospitality takes over Hotels (1)

There are several hotels in kassab, but they seem to only open during the high summer...in May, most places were... more travel advice

The old village Things to Do (2)

To get a feel for the old Kassab before developers arrived, head uphill until you see a stone-brick church with... more travel advice

Comments (5)

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craic Feb 13, 2010 at 1:47 PM

very nice
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TheLongTone Dec 2, 2007 at 11:05 AM

I've a long way to go to catch you up....Syria is on the Must Visit list
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globetrott Dec 19, 2003 at 4:47 PM

looks like an interesting place !
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MalenaN Dec 13, 2003 at 3:11 AM

Nice photos and tips! I like walking but not dogs. Have several times changed my direction because of barking dogs!
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salinhopt Dec 9, 2003 at 3:57 PM

Kassab city seems to have gorgeous landscapes! Thanks for the photos and tips! :)