According to allcountrylist, Lebanon (Arabic: لبنان ) is a country in the Middle East (Asia) bordering Israel and Syria. Lebanon has been independent from France since 1943. The capital of Lebanon is Beirut. A number of major cities in Lebanon are: Tripoli, Rayak, Zahle, Aley, Saida and Tyre.
Lebanon is known for its long history. In the country you will find several Roman buildings, temples, castles and churches. In terms of nature, the country has waterfalls, caves and long stretches of sandy beaches. There are also several places where you can dive to shipwrecks. In the winter months you can do winter sports in Lebanon. In recent years, there have been many tensions in the country, which has caused tourism to come to a standstill. See mcat-test-centers for 6 best universities in the Middle East.
Where is Lebanon?
Travel information of Lebanon
Official name: Republic of Lebanon
Continent: Asia
Area: 10,400 km²
Capital: Beirut (Beirut)
Country code: LB, LBN
Population: 5,469,612 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Parliamentary democracy
Highest point: 3,088 m (Qurnat as Sawda’)
Distance (Amsterdam – Beirut): 3,186 km
Flight time: approximately 5 hours
Travel advice
Current status: All travel to certain areas in Lebanon is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow, orange and red. Due to this status, a partial negative travel advice
is in effect for Lebanon.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Lebanon that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Lebanon, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Lebanon. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Lebanon?
Weather and climate
Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate. In the winter months the temperatures are around 5 to 15 degrees and in the summer months around 20 to 30 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Lebanon can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Lebanon can be found at Climate info.
Best time
April, May, June, September and October are the best months to travel to Lebanon. This avoids the mild winter period with a lot of (winter) precipitation and the hot summer period. January, February and December are the best months for a winter sports holiday to Lebanon.
Language
Arabic is the official language in Lebanon. In addition, part of the population speaks French and English.
Would you like to translate from or into Arabic for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 3 months upon departure from Lebanon.
A visa is required. You can purchase this upon arrival at Beirut airport (valid for 30 days).
Note: Your passport cannot contain an Israeli stamp.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Lebanon: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Lebanon in the Netherlands: lebanonembassy.nl.
Consulates of Lebanon in the Netherlands: lebanonembassy.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Lebanon it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Lebanon people pay with the Lebanese pound (LBP).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Lebanon can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Lebanon are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -15% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (27% cheaper), food (17% cheaper), imported beer in catering (20% cheaper), cigarettes (68% cheaper) and public transport (56% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Lebanon it is not customary to tip. Service costs are already automatically added to the bill.
Time difference
In Lebanon it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Lebanon is the same as in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for Lebanon can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Lebanon you must drive on the right.
To drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Lebanon, you must have an international driver’s license. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Lebanon.
Electricity
In Lebanon you need a power plug adapter. In addition, in some cases you need an inverter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Lebanon can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112
– Fire: 175
– Ambulance: 140
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Lebanon can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Lebanon can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Lebanon end in.lb.
Lebanon official websites: destinationlebanon.gov.lb and lebanon-tourism.gov.lb.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Lebanon is 00961 or +961.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Lebanon? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in Lebanon’s Yellow Pages.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Lebanon.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Lebanon.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Lebanon can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Lebanon, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Lebanon?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Lebanon. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Lebanon can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Lebanon can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Lebanon? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money, medicines and perfume. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. In addition, on this website you will find the laws and regulations regarding the importation of pets and a list of everything that may not be imported and/or exported from Lebanon.
Doing business and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Lebanon, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Lebanon, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, current sanctions, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Lebanon.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence up to 10 years.
Did you know that…
…70% of students in Lebanon attend private schools?
…The name Lebanon appears 75 times in the Old Testament?
…75% of the Lebanese population lives outside the country’s borders?
…Lebanon is the only Asian country without a desert?
…Lebanon is one of the oldest countries in the world?
