The Palms Island Nature reserve, also known as “Rabbit Island” consists of three flat, rocky uninhabited islands: Al-Nakhl Island, Sanani Island and Ramkeen Island, of eroded limestone and the surrounding sea area, located 5.5 kilometres offshore and northwest of the city of Mina El Mina, Lebanon, to the west of Tripoli, Lebanon.
The island is believed to have been inhabited by the Phoenicians and other ancient civilizations and it is an interesting place of rich history, home to endangered turtles and monk seals and a resting and nesting site for migratory birds from Europe. The island has remains of a church built during the Crusades, in addition to an old freshwater well that has been restored and is used today to irrigate the island’s 300+ palm trees.
As well, on the regional and global level, the reserve was declared as a “special reserve of Mediterranean importance” and it was classified by the World Council of Birds as an important area for birds.To visit the Island, you may take a short boat ride from El-Mina in Tripoli!