The Gabès Oasis is one of the highlights and unique features of the city. Gabès features the only seaside oasis in the world and part of the oasis lies between the sea and the city and the other part lies on the other side of the city, between Gabès and the desert. The part of the oasis that stretches between the city and the sea features about 300,000 palm trees. The oasis has remained fairly the same since it was first recorded when visited by the famed Roman writer, Pliny, who wrote a description and commentary on the quantity of products and plants grown in the oasis. Today about 400 different varieties of plants and crops are grown.