The small harbour on the east side of the island is where the boats from Tartus arrive and where most of the island's activity is concentrated. Fishing boats tie up here alongside the passenger ferries, and the waterfront has a handful of simple cafes where you can sit with a tea and watch the activity.
The harbour has been in use since Phoenician times — Arwad was a significant trading port in the ancient world, with colonies as far away as the Spanish coast. Standing at the dock watching the fishermen unload their catch, it is not hard to imagine the scene a few thousand years earlier, much the same but with different vessels.