The
Baatara Gorge Waterfall or the Baatara Pothole Waterfall (one of my favorites,
if not the most), is located in the village of Balaa, between the cities of
Laqlouq and Tannourine, Lebanon. The location is also known as the “Three
Bridges Chasm” (in French “Gouffre des Trois Ponts”).
This unexpected waterfall drops
255 metres (837 ft.) into a cave and falls behind three natural bridges, which
raise one above the other and overhang the chasm descending into Mount Lebanon.
It can only be seen during the months of March and April, when the snows are
melting.
The area is very popular for
sport activities and you can find lots of people with climbing gear on the
surrounding hills.
It is also possible to climb to
the various levels of the cavern with no special equipment. But you have to be
very careful exploring it as the ground is slippery at some parts.
Tips
and Advices
The best time to go there to see
the waterfall certainly is in spring, when the melting snow makes the waterfall
flows stronger.
Although it is possible to camp
there, you may prefer to book a hotel since it’s an easy drive from Byblos or
Batroun by car.
Nearby hotels like the Douma
Hotel and Byblos Sur Mer can surelly provide you excursions and all info
needed.
The best time of the day for
taking pictures (possibly) is in the afternoon. The first half of the day the
waterfall appears against the sun, which gives you a hard time to take good
pictures of it.
