Lebanon

Is Lebanon safe?

(Last Updated On: 04/01/2024)

I didn’t know many people who have visited Lebanon, let alone solo female travelers. But this Mediterranean country has been on my mind for a long time, a missing puzzle in my Middle Eastern jigsaw.

Now, that Syria is off limits and I lost my chance to go there because of my unjustifiable fears I felt that Lebanon might be in a way what Syria could have been: hospitable people, incredible views and monuments and the most delicious food.

A couple of times before I was this close to booking a ticket and visiting Beirut but in the end, I always chickened out. Last year solo trip to Iran gave me much needed confidence and I didn’t miss the next chance – as soon as I found a good offer on flights to Beirut I booked them right away. So what that I had to wait another 9 months for the trip itself.

Byblos, Lebanon

Recent events in Lebanon

In the meantime, the situation in Lebanon has changed, or at least that’s what we’ve heard in the media. Literally few days after I booked my flights to Beirut was shook by the garbage crisis that led to the revolution (that eventually didn’t change much but banned local people from the areas around the government buildings in downtown Beirut).

A day before the tragic Paris attacks ISIS hit Beirut too, just the media didn’t cover it as widely as they gave all the attention to Paris.

On top of that there was the ongoing refugee crisis where media reports focused mostly on Europe but every now and then we could hear that still the majority of people from Syria fled to Lebanon. In a country of 4.5 million inhabitants, there are around 1.5 million refugees! This didn’t sound like the best place to travel to, did it?

Beirut street art

My concerns before trip to Lebanon

I’m a planner. For most of the time when I go somewhere I try to at least book accommodation so I can be calm I have a place to sleep every night. Yet for some reason, I postponed all the preparations for my trip to Lebanon till the last moment.

Even if I didn’t dare to say it out loud I was a little bit scared, all the bad news in the media made me feel uncertain about my trip. When I was telling people around that I’m going to Middle East again the majority just asked “is Lebanon safe?” and instead of being supporting they questioned my recent travel choice. Even my boss didn’t really want to give me days off for this trip and when he finally did he said, rather seriously, that if someone kidnaps me he will kick my ass. That was actually the nicest thing I’ve heard that day. But all these concerns made me even more worried, I only put on the brave face.

Beirut, Lebanon

A week and a half before the trip I had really bad feelings and a mini panic attack. I even googled “is Lebanon safe” only to see the warning at the website of Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as well as the similar institution of other countries). All of them said, “don’t go”.

I shared my concerns on my Facebook page and I was flooded with supporting messages. Finally, I felt that someone is on my side and don’t think I’m crazy or stupid to travel to Lebanon! Some of you even offered to connect me with their friends there or asked around about safety in Lebanon.

That was the kick I really needed! On the next day, I woke up knowing I will go to Lebanon, no matter what others say. It’s been my dream for way too long to lose it in such a silly way! And as it turned out it was the best decision ever!

is lebanon safe?

Arriving to Lebanon

My flight landed in Beirut at 3 am, a horrendous time to think properly. Yet I needed to stay focused so when asked by the border officer if I visited Israel I’d answer correctly. This is the question you can be sure of when entering Lebanon and so I kept repeating myself that no, I haven’t been to Israel.

The border officer, a guy more or less in my age, started flipping through my passport, asking about all my stamps and my solo travels. He couldn’t understand why I’m traveling on my own and asked few times an uncomfortable question if I need a friend in Lebanon. After realizing the second meaning of it and my firm “no” as an answer he finished with my visa procedure really quickly and eventually didn’t even asked me about Israel.

It was probably my weirdest border crossing but in the end, I made it and I was ready to enjoy my one week in Lebanon!

flag of Lebanon

As there was no point in going to the unknown city in the middle of the night I found a rather comfortable bench and napped till 8 in the morning. A short taxi ride later I was already at the entrance to my hostel in one of the coolest areas of Beirut – Gemmayzeh. The city seemed to be still recovering from the Saturday night fever and it was just so calm and quiet, it wasn’t Beirut I was about to experience in the next week!

After resting for a while I was ready to start discovering the city. I’m not going to lie, there was a voice in my head constantly asking is Lebanon safe and telling me to be super cautious. But as it quickly turned out there was nothing to worry about. At first sight, Beirut was just a normal city, a hectic capital and a busy Middle East metropolis. The biggest danger was heavy traffic and unpredictable drivers!

Beirut, Lebanon

Safety in downtown Beirut

Since my first day in Lebanon was 1st of May I stumbled across two political demonstrations in the downtown area. Normally I’d stay to look at the scene, after all, it could have told me so much about the place I’m visiting. But a responsible part in me won and very sadly I turned around and walk away. I felt like so many people are keeping fingers crossed for me during this trip I promised myself I will stay away from any potential problems.

The downtown of Beirut has interesting security solutions anyway. Everywhere around you can see the police or army, patrolling the streets. While a lot of people might have a problem with that I actually feel much safer then and so they didn’t bother me at all.

The very central area, with government buildings, is closed and barricaded anyway and if you want to get inside you need to enter at one of few checkpoints. After garbage crisis that led to protests in September 2015 this part of central Beirut is closed to many of the Lebanese people, the policeman who guards the checkpoint decides who can get in.

Beirut, Lebanon

I also learned the hard way that it is not allowed to take pictures of just about everything in downtown Beirut. While the closed area around the clock tower and the parliament building were ok (even if you were under the constant surveillance of military people) outside of this small quarter things got more complicated.

It happened to me a few times in the places where I had thought I’m fine to take pictures that the military guys stopped me and said it is forbidden. I was always willing to cooperate, showing them the picture I took (of the buildings around) and it was always fine, I wasn’t asked to delete the picture even once. Eventually one of them explained to me that it is forbidden to take pictures of any military objects and people, and with all those checkpoints around it wasn’t an easy task!

Beirut, Lebanon

Safe (and not so much) areas of Beirut

The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it is strongly advised against visiting southern suburbs of Beirut, that’s also where the cruel attack in November 2015 happened. Even if I didn’t plan to go anywhere near southern parts of the city this got me slightly worried. After all, it is still one city and the airport is located somewhere there too.

But again, there was nothing to worry about. When you visit Beirut there will be no need to go to the southern suburbs. Even when you stay in the central areas there will be plenty to see and do, and most of all these will be safe parts of Beirut. I spent the majority of my time in Gemmayzeh, Mar Mikhael, Achrafieh, Hamra and Downtown and it was all more than fine!

There wasn’t even one situation where I’d be in some kind of danger or when I felt unsafe (well, except for crossing the street of course ;)). The same goes for the epic nightlife in Beirut – most of the events happen in Gemmayzeh or Mar Mikhael, most of the bars and pubs are located there and you will be more than fine joining the evening crowds!

Beirut, Lebanon

Safety in Lebanon outside of Beirut

My initial plan was to be based in Beirut and go to a couple of day trips around: to Byblos, Tyre, Saidon or Baalbek. I was supposed to go with Viator Tours as these were the best deals I found online.

Unfortunately, I had to change my plans, due to the health issues I’ve been dealing with I only went to Byblos, on my own. And it was really fine, local people were the nicest, taking care of me along the way so I would find my way around, go where I need to etc. And Byblos was pretty amazing!

Byblos, Lebanon

Again, the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that it’s strongly advised against going close to the Syrian border, that includes cities of Baalbek and Tripoli. But then someone wise said that if tour companies go to potentially dangerous places (and they do run tours to Baalbek on daily basis) it can’t be that bad. After all the safety of the customers is the most important for them.

I met numerous people in Lebanon, also girls traveling solo, who went to all the places I had in my plans. And they all said it was really fine, they felt safe for all the time. I only once heard of someone who knows someone who heard gunshots when visiting spectacular ruins of Baalbek. But the sound was coming from far away and no one around seemed to be bothered with that.

Byblos, Lebanon

Solo female travel in Lebanon

And how is it to do a so-called solo female travel in Lebanon?

Again, there was nothing extraordinary and besides the usual common sense and more modest clothing in certain areas, it is like in every other place. I’ve visited more demanding/annoying destinations for solo travelers (Iran or Morocco, just to name few) and Lebanon was just normal. There’s really nothing to worry about! But remember, it’s the Middle East, things can change very quickly!

Beirut, Lebanon

Is Lebanon safe?

Even if I was really freaking out before my trip now my answer to the question “is Lebanon safe?” would be yes. Yes, but… It is a normal country where people, despite all the problems, somehow live and enjoy their lives (the nightlife scene and the number of cafes, galleries, and people at the seaside just proves it) but with the current political situation and the global war against ISIS, things might change very quickly.

If you plan a trip to Lebanon research the current situation there and if you can – get in touch with local people who live there, they will be your best source of information! And when you finally visit Lebanon I bet you will love it! After all, it’s a wonderful country of hospitable people, the best food and incredible monuments that is worth all the effort!

Lebanon safety – what others say

It’s good to get opinions of more than one person and it’s been a while since my trip to Lebanon so I asked fellow travel bloggers what was their experience in the country. Below you can read what they think of Lebanon safety.

If there is one thing that is disturbing in Lebanon is the fact that locals cannot stop helping you! It’s a fact and one that is obviously neither annoying nor something bad. Quite the opposite as it is one of the many things that will stick in your head once leaving Lebanon. We have been to Lebanon twice and always felt safe and welcome no matter where we went and how we travelled.

by Clemens from Travellers Archive


We visited Lebanon as a gay couple recently and really enjoyed our time. Our advice for other LGBTQ travelers traveling here is that whilst Lebanon is arguably the most liberal and progressive of the Arab Middle Eastern countries, it’s still illegal to be gay here, so the usual precautions must be taken. For example, avoid public displays of affection, keep your social media accounts set to private before and during your trip and use a VPN when using the gay dating apps. There are a few gay bars and clubs here which are a lot of fun, but the owners are careful not to compromise their license, so they market them as “gay-friendly” and have a strict “no kissing” policy which is enforced by the bouncers.

Also, another tip which applies to all travelers to Lebanon is to avoid all reference to Israel. The two countries are officially at war, and Lebanon has strict laws in place banning Israelis to Lebanon, or anyone they suspect of being Israeli. As such, if you have an Israeli stamp in your passport, get a new passport before coming to Lebanon. If you visit Israel, ask them to stamp your boarding pass instead of your passport. If the Lebanese officials see an Israeli stamp on your passport, they won’t let you in. Also, it is quite likely your name will be blacklisted by the General Security at the airport Immigration. One way to get around this is to come with your birth certificate as this will show your mother’s maiden name and therefore show you’re not the blacklisted name in their system. This happened to Sebastien on our way in and thankfully he has a copy of his birth certificate saved on his phone (Lebanese passports print mother’s maiden name on passports, which we don’t have on EU passports). When leaving Lebanon, leave at least 3-4 hours for the airport experience. There are at many passport checks, each with long queues. Immigration is particularly bad with a very long queue of around 1 hour, so make sure you come very early to give yourself ample time to clear security and immigration so as not to compromise your flight out.

Finally, it goes without saying that you must have adequate travel insurance in place for your trip (as you should for any trip). If you miss your flight, or turned away on entry or have any other issues, you’ll at least have the confidence of knowing you are covered.

by Stefan and Sebastien from Nomadic Boys


When we visited Lebanon in 2011, we had to deal with the usual exclamations of shock and warnings about how dangerous it must surely be. But Lebanon had already been a safe place to visit for many years by then, and we were traveling with a guide who grew up in the country. At the time of our visit, the Foreign Office was warning against traveling to the Southern regions of Lebanon, and indeed 6 Italian soldiers were injured by a bomb near Saida only a few days before we passed through it.

Our visit to meet a za’atar farmer in Zawtor, near Nabatieh, was one of the highlights of our time in Lebanon, and we were given the warmest of welcomes. We learned that life had been hard for local inhabitants, especially farmers – both their lives and their livelihoods were hampered by the hundreds of cluster bombs dropped across the region in 2006, some of which still remain unexploded today. After the conflict ended, main roads and town centers were cleared first, but it was three years before the Mines Advisory Group were able to start focusing on lower priority rural areas.

The theme of our visit was on food, both the za’atar that Abu Kassem farms, produces and sells via farmers markets across the country and the traditional home cooking we were served at a picnic spot on the banks of the Litani river nearby.

Food is universal and is surely one of the best ways to forge friendship, understanding, and acceptance.

by Kavita Favelle from Kavey Eats


We visited the Beqaa Valley region of Lebanon in June 2018 with our 3 children. Our primary reason was to see the great Baalbek Temples – which did not disappoint! We had arranged a driver and guide for this part of our trip to Lebanon as we knew it to be an area of greater political uncertainty than other parts of the country. The Temples themselves presented no obvious safety risk but proximity to the Syrian border and the fact the area is considered a Hezbollah stronghold presents some concerns to travelers. For this reason, some international government’s classify Baalbek as an Amber Zone – reconsider need to travel.

We never felt any safety concerns during our day trip through the Beqaa Valley and our driver need only wind down his window at security checks and be seen to clearly be transporting tourists, we were never stopped or questioned further. In hindsight, the risk of traveling to this area was probably greater than we thought as some insurance policies may become invalidated if you travel into areas considered high risk.

In and around Beirut, we felt more conscious of our safety due to the number of street beggars, particularly children. This always greatly saddens me, and as we travel with young children we are, of course, targeted; to the extent that children follow us, touch, us, tug on us with their hands out. This to me, at present, was a bigger safety concern and the nuisance to be aware of than our travels to the more remote parts of the country. We are advised these are all Syrian refugees and there are very divided views in Lebanon about their presence.

by Keri from Our Globetrotters

Is Lebanon safe


Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking. They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Lebanon

Never travel without travel insurance, you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Lebanon here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here.

Make sure to have the offline map always installed on your phone, they can save you so many troubles. I always use the free app Maps.Me.


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Note: I visited Lebanon in May 2016 and all the opinions are based on this trip, however, I try to update this post on the regular basis so you have the most recent info.

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75 Comments

  • Reply
    Jasilyn
    01/07/2016 at 09:36

    I love that you are so honest in your post. Safety and Russian relations with Turkey have kept me from visiting. I actually had a layover in Ataturk airport back in January, and that was the same time Russia closed the borders to Turkey because of political issues. I was in Spain and my boyfriend texted me saying they closed the border. I freaked out and couldn’t find my flight. I thought they had canceled it only to realize that I was looking at the wrong day. It’s so weird to me though that there was just a bombing there a few days ago. I’ve never been that close to an ISIS attack and I just keep thinking how busy the airport was and what could have happened. I try not to let the ISIS problem get to me though because that’s how they win, but you also have to be cautious and realize they are a threat.

    • Reply
      kami
      04/07/2016 at 22:20

      Thanks! I had similar thoughts about recent Ataturk airport attacks – I had layover there twice last November and it was crazy busy. I just couldn’t stop thinking what if this would have happened then… It’s not easy to keep the ISIS problem away from our minds, I’m dealing with it as well but, just like with Lebanon, it gets me every now and then

  • Reply
    Romantic Vagabonds
    02/07/2016 at 00:23

    We have the same feelings about safety but still a little bit afraid… :( Our dream is to visit Lebanon and Jordan it’s something that we really, really wanna do, but we still don’t have the courage to do it. Anyway your trip was so great and you are so brave! :*

    • Reply
      kami
      04/07/2016 at 22:22

      Thank you! I don’t think there’s anything to worry about in Jordan, there’re so many tourists visiting every day and it’s just fine, I actually haven’t heard about any terrorist attacks there. Lebanon is more tricky but still rather safe. I really hope you will go to both countries soon!

    • Reply
      DJ
      16/08/2019 at 13:01

      I live in Jordan, and it is extremely safe. Don’t worry about doing there!

  • Reply
    Agnieszka
    03/07/2016 at 00:41

    I remember your post on Facebook, where you were considering your trip to Lebenon – go or stay at home? I completely understand you, but now you have to be very proud of yourself that you finally went there! As you said – when somebody goes to some place, it’s very important to make a research and talk to local people, cause they are the best source of information. What’s more, people shouldn’t consider TV as a god and then they will understand that not every east country is dangerous and they will stop frighten you before your trips :) Kamila – you are the best and keep going!

    • Reply
      kami
      04/07/2016 at 22:24

      Thank you! I try to stay away from media (I’ve been living without the tv for some 13 years now and don’t miss it) but sometimes we’re surrounded so much with all the tragic news that they still play with our mind. But most important is to keep the distance from media and do a proper research in other sources!

  • Reply
    Aleksandra Makulska
    03/07/2016 at 18:04

    Good research is a must! One cannot only relay on one-sided information. I am glad you decided to go and see for yourself how Lebanon feels like. And I am glad that you returned safe and sound :)

    • Reply
      kami
      04/07/2016 at 22:24

      Thank you! :)

  • Reply
    Stephanie Pelser
    03/07/2016 at 17:54

    Interesting that they asked you so many questions at immigration! They simply stamped mine without questions (and I have a lot of stamps in the passport) – German passport. My gf is HK-Chinese with a British passport though, and the lady at immigration asked her if she doesn’t need a visa to visit Lebanon, and if she was sure she landed at the correct destination ;) We also walked away from potentially “dangerous” demos during our time in Beirut, to learn one was simply a religious celebration and the other one a student gathering, but not a demo. The closed off area wasn’t closed off and very busy in June 2015, and we took pictures of just about everything!

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 06:50

      haha, that’s so funny about the correct airport :D must be so unusual for someone to travel to Lebanon ;) apparently the downtown area was closed after garbage crisis in autumn last year – too bad as it looked really depressing

  • Reply
    Joshua Cummings
    03/07/2016 at 20:52

    People here in the states ask me all the time about the “safety” when we travel especially when we went to Ukraine, Bosnia, and South America. People have a pretty irrational fear of the unknown and the rest of the world. My parents and my wifes parents are always worried for us but i still feel safer than back here in the states with all the gun crime. Thanks for the update!

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:25

      I think this comes from the lack of knowledge and, like you said, fear of the unknown. But these are normal places like any other, people live there! I actually feel safer in Ukraine or Bosnia than let’s say France or UK!

  • Reply
    Karolina Wudniak
    03/07/2016 at 23:49

    Tak. Nie pojechaliśmy do Wenezueli, bo tam spory kryzys jest od dłuższego czasu, choć byliśmy blisko granicy. Dodatkowo utrudnił nam dotarcie tam fakt, że tę bliską nam granicę Kolumbii z Wenezuelą zamknięto ze względów bezpieczeństwa.

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:50

      aj, szkoda bardzo! nie wiedziałam, że tam az tak niebezpiecznie jest!

  • Reply
    Karol Werner
    04/07/2016 at 06:05

    Ciągle poluję na jakąś szaloną środę i loty do Libanu. Coś widziałaś może ostatnio? :)

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:33

      nie, nic. ale pamiętam, żeby miec na uwadze ;)

  • Reply
    Marta Gawrychowska
    04/07/2016 at 06:19

    Zdecydowanie tak, chociaż czasem warto się przełamać, bo moze się okazać, że byliśmy w błędzie.

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:32

      bardzo często sie okazuje, że byliśmy w błędzie ;)

  • Reply
    Marcin Wesołowski
    04/07/2016 at 06:32

    W tych czasach, w których żyjemy, ludzie szukają informacji a propos tego, czy rzeczywiście miejsce, do którego jedziemy jest bezpieczne, więc takie wpisy są ważne! Zazdroszczę miejsca, zrobiłaś mi ochotę na Liban! :)

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:33

      to może warto się wybrać? ;)

  • Reply
    Darek Jedzok
    04/07/2016 at 06:33

    Oj, wielokrotnie. Ale też kilka razy jechaliśmy w różne miejsca tuż po jakimś zamachu lub zamieszkach, bo nie było innego wyjścia :) Tego Libanu zazdroszczę, przyznam się, że miałem zerowe pojęcie o tym, jak to tam wygląda – dopiero teraz odkrywam go dzięki Twoim relacjom…

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:51

      jeszcze zdążycie Liban odwiedzić, wszystko w swoim czasie :) też w sumie niewiele wiedziałam przed wyjazdem, musze przyznać ;)

  • Reply
    Evi Mielczarek
    04/07/2016 at 07:52

    Nigdy nie musiałam przekładać podróży z uwagi na bezpieczeństwo na miejscu, ale też nigdy nie wybierałam z góry miejsc “ryzykownych”. Trzy razy załapałam się na powódź w Tajlandii, ale nie dotknęła mnie ona praktycznie w ogóle.

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:31

      gorzej jak się sytuacja zmienia już po kupnie biletów, jak u mnie ;)

  • Reply
    Karolina Groszek
    04/07/2016 at 08:42

    Pamietam jak pytałaś czy jechac. Dobrze ze pojechałaś :)

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 07:51

      też się cieszę :)

  • Reply
    Dorota Czerniakowska
    04/07/2016 at 10:06

    My ze względów bezpieczeństwa ominelismy niestety Wenezuelę i większe miasta Hondurasu ( jak znane z morderstw San Pedro Sula), ale w tym drugim przypadku mam wrażenie, że raczej nic nas nie ominęło

    • Reply
      Kami and the rest of the world
      06/07/2016 at 06:49

      na tej części świata póki co słabo się znam, więc wierzę na słowo, chociaż Honduras raczej mało ciekawie mi sie kojarzy

  • Reply
    Ewa
    05/07/2016 at 20:18

    I guess I have never travelled to any place which would be considered unsafe. Well, once I went to South Sudan, and many people looked at me saying “are you out of your mind?” but i had friends there and knew it would be safe. It was even funny to be accompanied by a goverment bodyguard with a pistol while going to Imotong Mountains. But if I had bad feelings I would never force myself to go anywhere that might be considered unsafe…

    • Reply
      kami
      21/07/2016 at 20:16

      So you did go to the supposedly dangerous place after all ;) I don’t think I know anyone else who have been to South Sudan!

  • Reply
    Gadulec
    06/07/2016 at 09:53

    I try to visit only quite safe place and to be honest trip to Lebanon isn’t my dream. Maybe in the future it will change… :) Anyway you are really brave but I know you are a good planner which is very important in those kind of travels.

    • Reply
      kami
      21/07/2016 at 20:17

      Thank you :) and who knows, maybe at some point you will change your mind about travels to Lebanon too :) ?

  • Reply
    Life Good Morning
    09/07/2016 at 21:07

    Ty potrafisz zachęcić do miejsca, o którym przeciętny człowiek nawet nie pomyśli.

  • Reply
    Alex
    13/08/2016 at 00:36

    This is a great article! I’m really hoping to travel to Lebanon with my mother in December since we both love middle eastern culture and roman ruins, but she’s a bit wary of the security situation. Our other option for December is Iran, which she feels more comfortable with. I’d be happy with either!

    • Reply
      kami
      31/08/2016 at 12:04

      Actually both countries are great but so different! Food wise I’d definitely go for Lebanon but architecture was better in Iran. I loved both places, maybe Lebanon slightly more. No matter where you go you will love it for sure!!

  • Reply
    Marie-France
    23/09/2016 at 17:21

    I’ve never been to the Middle East proper (just Egypt and Turkey which are not geographically considered Middle East) but this will change in March when I’m planning to visit Israel (for a conference) and Jordan. Funnily enough, I was looking at a map last night wondering: could I also “hop” into Lebanon? It’s so close. However, if border officials are so concerned about you having been to Israel, what do they do when you’re crossing into their country from the Israel side?? Great post by the way.

    • Reply
      kami
      30/09/2016 at 08:15

      Thanks. You will love Israel and Jordan, I’m sure of it! Unfortunately you’re not allowed to cross the border or Israel and Lebanon so the only way is to fly from Amman, Jordan. And remember to avoid stamping your passport both in Israel and Jordan so the officials at Lebanese border won’t know you were in Israel – the same story goes for entering Iran.

      • Reply
        Tadek
        04/09/2017 at 19:24

        That’s true. I did not get the stamp on Ben Gurion airport, but unfortunately I got one on Izzak Rabin crossing between Elijat and Akaba from Jordanian authorities
        I have to change my passport now

        • Reply
          kami
          05/10/2017 at 10:52

          Ah, that’s so bad! I’ve heard that recently they’ve started stamping passports there – back in 2014 I was still lucky and didn’t get any!

    • Reply
      Ymor
      28/10/2016 at 11:41

      Hello!
      Lebanese girl over here!
      Well, sadly, you cannot get in lebanon if you have an Israeli stamp on your passport, because Israel is considered the enemy by the lebanese government. However, lots of lebanese people travel to Israel by going to jordan, then Israel, then back to jordan and then lebanon. And while they are in Israel, they don’t get their passport stamped, they only get a paper or smtg. I had been told that the Israeli people are fine with that and don’t mind not stamping your passport. However, I’m not sure… never tried it before.
      Andd, based on your name… I think you speak french, so you’ll be fine over here. Lots of people speak french, it is like our second language. While others have english as their second language. So if you speak both, you’ll be more than fine.
      Annd… well I guess that’s it.
      Oh and if u ever visit us, make sure you eat a man’oucheh and bzourat. You won’t regret it.
      Best regardss!

      • Reply
        kami
        01/11/2016 at 21:51

        Thank you for this amazing comment! I miss man’oucheh and Lebanese food sooo much!!! ;)

  • Reply
    piotr
    27/10/2016 at 17:32

    Jak widzisz możliwość podróży do Libanu motocyklem ? Jak wygląda tam biwakowanie?

    • Reply
      kami
      01/11/2016 at 21:48

      Przyznaje, że na motocyklach sie nie znam zupełnie. Ale wydaje mi sie, że łatwo nie będzie – wąskie uliczki, ruch ogromny, jeżdżą jak wariaci… Podobnie z biwakowaniem, nadźgane tam zabudowań wszędzie, wiec może być ciężko. Ale i nie interesowałam się za bardzo tematem.

      • Reply
        piotr
        02/11/2016 at 13:35

        Ok. Dzięki. Ale może nie tak postawiłem pytanie. Czy jest w Bejrucie port do którego przyplywają statki z np. Grecji albo skąd indziej. To że mają conajmniej 2 cempingi to wiem z internetu. Oba nie daleko od Bejrutu. A wogóle to może powinienem zacząć od tego że bardzo zazdroszczę Ci podróży tam. Kiedyś może i mi uda zrealizować marzenie żeby dotrzeć tam motocyklem. Póki co, inna droga niż morska odpada ze względu na sytuację w Syrii.

        • Reply
          kami
          04/11/2016 at 22:50

          Aż poszukałam w internetach, bo mnie temat zaintrygował, i wyszło mi, że było połączenie z Turcji do Tripoli na północy Libanu, ale obecnie wygląda na to, że jest zawieszone… także chyba póki co podróż lądem do Libanu odpada niestety :( ale może zdecydujesz się bez motoru, naprawdę warto!

          • piotr
            06/11/2016 at 22:51

            Dzięki Ci serdeczne za wszystkie info, ale bez motocykla ?!!! Nie da rady. Wszędzie jeżdżę motocyklem. A podróż do Libanu to takie moje marzenie i pewnie się spełni, kiedyś……

          • kami
            16/11/2016 at 12:55

            to trzymam kciuki, żeby jak najszybciej sie spełniło, chociaż pewnie łatwo nie bedzie…

  • Reply
    Grace @ Sandier Pastures
    30/11/2016 at 09:41

    Hi,

    I live in Dubai so Lebanon is right in my ‘neighborhood’. However, I do have a lot of hesitation. I’d love to see it one day since there are a lot of seat sale of budget airlines flying from Dubai. Your post is very helpful. Thanks!

    • Reply
      kami
      03/12/2016 at 21:07

      You definitely should consider Lebanon as it’s not that dangerous! You just need to talk to locals and they will advise you the best. Most of the central Beirut is really safe to visit, and so amazing!

  • Reply
    Tesa Bandiyoko
    19/12/2016 at 12:41

    Hi Kami,
    I came across your blog as I am planning to travel to Lebanon with a couple of girl friends in February 2017. I know someone who lives in South of Lebanon who has reassured me that it is safe there. When did you go there ?

    • Reply
      Hattori
      25/12/2016 at 13:12

      south of lebanon is not a place to go for vacation. it got nice villages and great food but its too religious. u need to be in cities, mainly beirut. its always safe, like every other country, there are places u should avoid. and february isnt really the vacation time in lebanon unless u like to ski, otherwise move it to the summer.

    • Reply
      kami
      25/12/2016 at 22:17

      I was in Lebanon in May 2016. And still I would recommend to stick just to the center of Beirut, there’re plenty of things to do and see there anyway!

    • Reply
      lara
      22/01/2017 at 16:54

      Hi Tesa. Lebanon is the place to visit! I have been living here for 20 years,and have been to too many places and still there is too much to see and discover. The best time to visit it is April. You can enjoy skiing in the mountains, and also you can go to the beautiful beaches and swim in the sea.At this time of the year the weather is the best in Lebanon. If you come here with your friends, you will really enjoy it. About safety, I fill here safer than in Europe.

  • Reply
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  • Reply
    Elise
    17/02/2017 at 19:18

    Hey Thank you so much for yout post. I actually am from lebanon but I live in Germany. I totally understand the fear of some people, because the media only distribute the bad news. To be honest, I feel more safe in Lebanon than in Europe. I can leave my laptop and bag on the table and go order my coffee and cake in lebanon,I cannot do that in Europe. I lost some valuable things like my cellphone .
    Also, people in lebanon are trilinguale, they speak english and french, and are open minded people, they love parties, fashion and beauty, good life in general.
    Usually people ask me where am i from and they expect me to say spanish or italian, and then they get surprised when I say lebanon. Western people have wrong idea about Lebanon, it will change completely when you go to lebanon or meet some cool people, specially young generation.

    • Reply
      kami
      21/02/2017 at 22:44

      Exactly, I agree with you so much! Lebanon is nothing like people in the Western world think! I’d love to return there, I had such a great time! And the food is to die for!

  • Reply
    Tom @ Adventurous Travels
    03/03/2017 at 15:59

    I found your blog while looking for information about Lebanon as I’m planning to go there – the places and photos are amazing. I love them. I’m intrigued by Beirut and the “triple caves”. Your blog is great – it’s so fresh that you go and describe different destinations like Caucasus, Balkans, Eastern Europe. I’m kind of sick of reading posts about Paris, London or Thailand.

    I also tried to fly to Minsk in Belarus on my way to Russia (I had been so curious about it) to spend a weekend there and me and my friends were rejected boarding at Vilnius airport due to conflicting information about visa on arrival. But I found out that recently Belarus abolished visas for a few days! I’d like to visit it on the way to Azerbaijan this summer.

    Have you visited the “triple cave” at Baatara Gorge in Lebanon by any chance? I’d love to see it.
    Also, my dream is to visit Socotra in Yemen, so if you ever would like to go there, let me now, we can organize something.

    • Reply
      kami
      03/03/2017 at 23:15

      Thank you for your kind words! No, sadly in Lebanon I was only in Beirut and Baalbek as I’ve dealt with some health issues and had to limit my plans there a lot. But Lebanon is amazing, you should definitely go there!

      Yes, last month Belarus introduced new visa rules and you can stay up to 5 days visa free if you fly in/out of Minsk airport!

      I’d love to go to Socotra one day! I’ve heard it’s rather problematic but hopefully I will make it there eventually!

  • Reply
    Sarah
    23/03/2017 at 10:44

    Thank you!!! I have been searching online for information from solo female travellers for Lebanon and have come up with nothing! I fly to Beirut in two days and feel exactly as you described – slightly anxious and worried that I’m crazy. Your post put my concerns to rest.
    I also got so much from your Iran post before I travelled there last month.
    Keep up the amazing work!!
    Sarah from Australia

    • Reply
      kami
      29/03/2017 at 15:04

      I guess you’re already there – hope everything is fine and you’re enjoying Lebanon as much as I did!

  • Reply
    Reh
    16/04/2017 at 16:57

    Lebanon is safe now? Im just worry because one of my friend offer me a job in lebanon, but i feel a afraid.,my destination is kleyat city.

    • Reply
      kami
      17/04/2017 at 21:26

      Most of the places in Lebanon are safe and Kleyat should be ok but it’s always best to ask the locals. I haven’t heard any bad news coming from Lebanon recently.

  • Reply
    Dania Sanon
    25/04/2017 at 23:49

    Hello Kami,

    Thank you so much for your post!I’m going to Jordan soon and just when I was wondering if travelling to Lebanon was safe, I found your article. Great info and nice tips! I already bought my plane ticket for Jordan so I just hope I can make it easily to Lebanon by bus.

    Dania

    • Reply
      kami
      27/05/2017 at 09:31

      I’m afraid you have to fly from Jordan to Lebanon as Syria is off limits now and Israel has a closed border with Lebanon… But it’s definitely worth a trip if you’re in the area and Lebanon is really amazing!!

  • Reply
    Michelle
    14/09/2017 at 12:40

    I stumbled on your post. I am planning a solo trip to Lebanon in mid October. I am having the exact same feelings that you had! It was good to hear how you processed all the information. I am going to play it by ear and day by day until I go. Thanks for the post. Michelle

    • Reply
      kami
      05/10/2017 at 10:50

      I’m glad the post helped you in any way. Have a great trip! You will love Lebanon for sure!

  • Reply
    Jossu
    07/07/2018 at 13:10

    Ive been to Lebanon, I stayed with my friend and his family for 2 weeks. I didn´t like Lebanon and the men were very annoying. Well, I guess you can`t love every country.

    • Reply
      kami
      09/07/2018 at 19:24

      Thank you for your comment and your opinion, it’s really important too! I found Lebanon and people really friendly (unlike in other countries in the area) and didn’t have any issues there but of course it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I’m sorry to hear you didn’t like Lebanon but, just like you said, you can’t love every country! Happy travels!

  • Reply
    David
    14/05/2019 at 17:09

    Thanks for sharing Kami! It is well put and well researched. If we may put it this way, it is Lebanon is much safer than people but there are still potential pitfalls to look out for.

    Safety wise for instance, if we were to look at victims of intentional homicide per 100k inhabitants a year, it is 4.0, vs Asia average 2.3 and the global average of 8.2 in 2016. So it’s somewhere in between. As for the other “major” threats, as long as one avoids the borders with Syria and Israel, Baka Valley and refugee camps, one will be pretty safe.

    However, transport is not so safe here – the traffic fatality rate here is higher than ~67% of the world based on World Health Organization stats in 2015. Though on the flipside, modern healthcare is available in Beirut which has also become a medical tourism hub, though there are some medical scams to watch out for.

    On the topic of scams, Lebanon also does well as there are really not that. Besides the usually suspects, one can perhaps look out for fake/diluted honey and olive scams and some taxi scams in Beirut.

    Hope this helps :)

    • Reply
      kami
      25/06/2019 at 16:47

      Thank you for your input David. Cheers!

  • Reply
    Chris
    13/08/2019 at 17:40

    Thanks for the blog, i had a good read because im planning a trip to lebanon in october (I am from the UK) to visit a pen friend i have known for years (from Syria, but i cant exactly go there.) So we agreed to have a week in Lebanon. I was worried about the whole safety thing and looking forward to booking trips to see Baalbek and Byblos (I love ancient history) I must admit, your blog has made me feel a lot better about the idea and i am looking forward to the trip. Thankyou!

    • Reply
      kami
      19/08/2019 at 21:41

      I’m sure you will enjoy your trip. Lebanon is a great country with friendly people and amazing places, and definitely safe is you use a typical precautious and listen to the locals. All the best and have a great trip!

    • Reply
      Teo
      23/08/2019 at 10:31

      Very useful information.
      I might go soon for 5 months to Beirut on an Eramsus exchange. And as many others, I am a little concern about the safety of the country.
      I also visited Israel but I have no stamp on my passport. So when the border officer would ask you if you visited Israel, you should tell him you haven’t, as long as you don’t have any stamp, right?

      • Reply
        kami
        15/09/2019 at 15:20

        Exactly! Just say no and you should be fine. Lebanon is a fascinating country and the food is so good! I think you should definitely go for your Erasmus there!

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