About Palmyra

Palmyra budget travel offers visitors a chance to explore ancient history while enjoying the friendly local culture in this beautiful and exotic oasis city in the Middle Eastern country of Syria.

Palmyra Budget Travel

Below is a list of Palmyra's top activities, click on the link to view all details and tours.

Palmyra City Tour

View all activities in Palmyra

Airports

Syria airports include the following major airports: • Damascus International Airport (DAM) - Damascus • Aleppo International Airport (ALP) - Aleppo • Lattakia International Airport (LTK), Lattakia • There is a small airport in Palmyra, which services domestic flights.

Conservation

As a UNESCO World Heritage site, Palmyra enjoys efforts from locals and the international community in preserving the region, however there is little conservation being done in the region for an already scarce animal and plant life, many of which species are listed as endangered. Hunting of these animals is banned, although the ban is difficult to enforce in remote areas.

Culture

Palmyra culture includes the following traditions and pastimes:
•Palmyra culture is laid-back and traditional
•Local culture relies on tourism as Palmyra itself has very little development
•Food and drink plays a major role in the average Syrian's life
•Music is also a popular culture form in the country

Health

Palmyra health info for travellers includes the following:
•The most common health risk is travellers tummy from rich foods or tap water
•Health facilities are advanced in the major cities in Syria, but not in rural areas
•Pack a basic first aid kit with medication for upset stomachs, nausea and other minor ailments
•Check with your doctor about any health risks or disease outbreaks that may have occurred recently before leaving for your trip

Languages

Palmyra languages include the following: • Arabic • French • English • Kurdish

Malaria

While malaria in Palmyra is not a risk, there may be a malaria risk within Asia in general. Travellers who are visiting malaria-risk countries before or after travelling to Malaria should consider malaria medication.

Money

Palmyra money and banking info is as follows:
•There are no banks or facilities in Palmyra itself, but there are facilities in nearby towns and cities
•Credit cards are usually accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops
•Traveller's cheques are not widely accepted and may not be exchanged even in banks

People

Palmyra people include the following groups: • Syrians • Kurds • Armenians • Turks • Circassians • Assyrians

Phrase

Palmyra local phrases include the following:
•Hello: Marhaba
•Good morning: S-bahh Al-khair
•Good evening: Masa Al-khair
•Please: Men-fadllaak (m)
•Please: Men-fadllake (f)
•How much: Gha-daish?

Plants

Palmyra vegetation is limited, as the oasis is the only source of water in this arid desert. There is a date palm forest, but apart from that the only plants to be seen are food crops and occasional hardy desert plants, such as succulents.

Religion

Palmyra religion includes the following:
•Sunni Muslim 80%
•Christian (Orthodox and Catholic)
•Jewish

Safety Tips

Palmyra safety tips include:
•Make sure valuables and money are kept out of sight
•Travel with an experienced driver
•Avoid any public demonstrations
•Treat locals with respect and take care to respect local customs and religious observations

Transport

Palmyra local transport includes:
•Car
•Taxi
•Bus

Travel Books

Palmyra recommended travel books include the following: • Lonely Planet Syria by Andrew Humphreys and Damien Simonis • Syria: A Historical And Architectural Guide by Warwick Ball • Syria: Bradt Travel Guide by Diana Darke • The Road from Damascus: A Journey Through Syria by Scott C. Davis • Culture Shock! Syria: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Coleman South

What To Buy

What to buy for holidays in Palmyra: • Spare batteries for torches and camera • Guide books and Arabic phrase books • Thick socks for hiking boots • First aid kit for travel purposes • Large refillable water bottle, or plenty of bottled water

What To Pack

What to pack for safari in Palmyra: • Sunscreen, sunhat and sunglasses • Bathing suit and towels • Headscarves for women, plus long skirts and t-shirts that cover shoulders • Comfortable walking shoes plus sandals • Casual and smarter clothes for various activities • Camera with spare batteries and memory card/film • Binoculars for bird spotting • Guide book and phrase book • Basic first aid kit

When To Go

When to go to Palmyra: • The best time to visit is Spring (March-May) and Autumn (September-November) • Summer (June-August) is the hottest time, with temperatures of 45°C/110°F • Winter (December-February) is very cold, particularly at night. • Ramadan month is not the best month for western visitors