The Israeli Coastal Plain (Hebrew: מישור החוף) is a region in Israel that runs along the Mediterranean coast on the western part of country. The Israeli Coastal Plain stretches from Israel's northern border with Lebanon all the way to Israel's border crossing with the Gaza Strip. The fertile lands, temperate climate, many underground water areas, the relative flatness of the regions, and the close proximity to the Mediterranean sea led to the accelerated development of the region over the last century, which nowadays houses 70% of Israel's population and functions as the main economic center of the country.

The main tourist interest in this region is centered mostly on two of the major cities in it - Tel Aviv and Haifa.

Regions

Northern coastal plain the region extends along the Mediterranean Sea shoreline for 40 km, from the Carmel Range to Rosh Haniqra on the Israeli border with Lebanon, and inland across the coastal plain for 6 km until it reaches the hills of the Upper Galilee. It is a relatively isolated and tranquil region of great natural beauty, great opportunities for outdoor fun and full of historical and cultural interest.

The Sharon plain the region extends along the Mediterranean Sea shoreline for 50 km, from the Carmel Range in the north to the Israeli Southern Coastal region in the south, and inland for circa 16-18 km until it reaches the West Bank. In the recent decades the urbanization of the Sharon plain region has intensified as the Gush Dan metropolitan continues to grow northward into the Sharon plain. The Sharon plain also consists of many natural beaches with sand dunes, limestone cliffs, and several streams. The region also has various archaeological sites, including Caesarea.

Southern Coastal Plain The Israeli South Coast (Hebrew: מישור החוף הדרומי), extends along the Mediterranean Sea shoreline for 60 km, and is bound by the Sharon plain in the north, the Shfela region in the east, and the Negev region and the Gaza Strip in the south. Most of the Gush Dan metropolitan area is located within this region of the country. Nowadays the population in the Gush Dan metropolitan area consists of about 1.8 million residents. Unlike the rest of the coastal regions of Israel, the region contains a significantly larger desert area and is the climate in this region tends to be more hot and dry.

Cities

From north to south, the Coastal Plain can be roughly divided into three groups of cities:

Northern coastal plain

• Akko
• Haifa
• Nahariyya
• Zikhron Ya'akov

The Sharon plain

• Caesarea
• Hadera
• Netanya
• Herzliya
• Ra'anana
• Kfar Saba

Southern Coastal Plain

Tel-Aviv's area is also called "Gush Dan", after the biblical Tribe of Dan. This map shows cities in the Gush Dan area, and beyond

• Tel Aviv
• Bnei Brak
• Petah Tikva
• Ramat Gan
• Holon
• Rishon LeZion
• Ramla - the only town in Israel founded by the medieval Arab empires. It includes the White Mosque
• Rehovot
• Ashdod
• Ashkelon

See

Almost all of the Sharon has publicly accessible beaches. But as usual, don't swim without a lifeguard. The swimming season is usually between June and September, and lifeguards are only available during this season.