Alexander Stream National Park - Bet Yannai Beach

Main points of interest

• Softshell turtles – The largest population of softshell turtles in Israel lives in the Alexander Stream. Softshell turtles live in the fresh stream water, the swamps and shallow tributaries. Softshell turtles were once common in Israel’s coastal streams but in recent decades the population has declined, and efforts are being made to encourage its reproduction. You can see softshell turtles at the Turtle Bridge in the Alexander Stream National Park.
• The route of the Alexander Stream – The stream’s tributaries begin in the area of Shekhem (Nablus), and 32 kilometers later the stream reaches the sea north of Bet Yanai Beach. Until a few years ago, the stream was very polluted, but after extensive treatment, cleaning and rehabilitation, it is now a jewel of nature. Many animals live in its clean water and a wealth of vegetation thrives on its banks.
• Samara Ruins – in the heart of Alexander Stream National Park is a kurkar (calcareous sandstone) hill, at the top of which is a building from the late nineteenth century. The site apparently served as a tax depot in the Ottoman era; you can see vaults that are typical of Turkish architecture. The mining of the kurkar in earlier times created caves on the southern slope of the hill. In winter and spring the hill blooms with an array of spectacular wildflowers.
• The Alexander Stream estuary – The Alexander Stream flows into the Mediterranean north of Bet Yanai Beach. In the nineteenth century, there was a small harbor at that point from which watermelons were shipped. During the British Mandate period, illegal immigrant ships would dock at the harbor and in 1948, the ship Altalena, which carried weapons for the Etzl underground forces, docked here. However, the ship was forced to continue to the coast off of Tel Aviv.
• Bet Yanai Beach – This is one of the most beautiful and best cared-for beaches in Israel, and it draws tens of thousands of visitors every year. There are lifeguard services on the beach, open spaces and shade structures for the benefit of bathers, as well as a toilet and shower area.