Lebanon

Lebanon feels instantly welcoming: Mediterranean light, mountain backdrops, and a mix of Arabic and French echoes in the streets. For a first visit, most travellers base themselves in Beirut, then add day trips to Byblos, the Chouf Mountains, and the Bekaa Valley.

Start with a rough plan of neighborhoods rather than a rigid schedule. Use Hello trip planning to map out clusters: Hamra and Ras Beirut for café culture, Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael for nightlife and street art, and Achrafieh for elegant architecture.

A few practical tips:

• Season: Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are ideal for hiking the Cedars and swimming in the sea on the same day.
• Language: Arabic is official, but English and French are widely understood in cities and tourist areas.
• Local etiquette: Dress is generally relaxed in Beirut, but more conservative in rural areas and religious sites—carry a light scarf and avoid very short shorts when visiting mosques or churches.

Buy and activate a Hello eSIM before you land to handle airport taxis, maps, and last-minute bookings without hunting for Wi‑Fi. As you refine your plans on the ground, you can update your Hello itinerary to keep track of reservations, transport, and must-visit spots.

Lebanese food alone is reason to visit. You’ll quickly get used to tables covered in mezze: small plates like hummus, baba ghanouj, tabbouleh, fattoush, and crispy sambousek. In Beirut and Tripoli, look for busy local places rather than polished tourist restaurants—crowds are a good sign.

For a classic meal, order mixed grill (lahem meshwi, taouk) and share everything family-style. Don’t skip manoushe (thyme and cheese flatbread) for breakfast, or knefeh—sweet cheese pastry—served in bread with syrup.

Useful tips:

• Street food like falafel sandwiches run around 120,000–180,000 LBP (roughly $1–2 USD), while a mezze feast for two in a mid-range Beirut restaurant might be 900,000–1,500,000 LBP ($9–15 USD).
• Many places are walk-in friendly, but book ahead for popular spots in Mar Mikhael and Gemmayzeh on weekends.
• Tap water isn’t always recommended for drinking; most travellers stick to bottled.

If you’re travelling with friends, use Hello’s expense splitting to keep track of who paid for which dinner, and budget tracking to see how much you’re spending in Lebanese pounds across café stops, late-night shawarma, and that inevitable extra round of mezze.

Lebanon is small enough that you can reach most highlights in a couple of hours from Beirut, but transport can feel informal at first. Inside the city, you’ll rely on taxis, ride-hailing apps, and a lot of walking. Shared "service" taxis follow loose routes; agree on a price before you get in and specify whether you want private or shared.

For intercity trips—Beirut to Byblos (Jbeil), Tripoli, or Zahle—private drivers and tour operators are common, especially if you want to combine multiple stops like Jeita Grotto and Harissa in a single day.

Practical pointers:

• Always confirm whether the fare is in Lebanese pounds (LBP) or another currency.
• Traffic around Beirut can be heavy; plan extra time for airport runs and sunset drives.
• Hiking and village explorations often mean limited connectivity, so download offline maps in advance.

Activating a Hello eSIM before landing makes it easier to use navigation apps, translate directions, and message your driver without worrying about roaming charges. You can also log planned routes in Hello trip planning, keeping all your day-trip details—pickup times, meeting points, and costs—in one place.

Lebanon has experienced significant economic shifts, so it’s wise to stay flexible with money. Many everyday purchases—street food, small shops, local taxis—are paid in Lebanese pounds (LBP), while some hotels and tour operators quote prices in USD. Ask which currency is expected and whether card payment is possible; smaller businesses often prefer cash.

ATMs can have varying fees and exchange rates. Consider bringing a mix of cash and using ATMs mainly from major banks, and always keep some small notes for tipping and short taxi rides.

To avoid hunting for SIM shops at the airport, install a Hello eSIM before you fly. It gives you data for maps, messaging, and currency-converter apps right away, useful when checking live exchange rates or splitting restaurant bills.

Hello’s budget tracking can help you understand how much you’re actually spending per day in LBP on food, transport, and activities, while expense splitting keeps group costs transparent. Combine that with a simple note of what’s paid in cash versus card, and you’ll navigate Lebanon’s money landscape smoothly without letting logistics distract from the sunset over Raouché or your coffee at a Beirut seaside café.