Coastal regions tilt off balance before tests (9)

'coastal regions' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both locations as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'tilt off balance before tests' is the wordplay.
I cannot quite see how this works, but
an anagram of 'tilt' is 'litt' which is present in the answer.
'tests' could be 'orals' (oral is a kind of test) and 'orals' is found in the answer.
No letters remain.
This explanation may well be incorrect...

Can you help me to learn more?