Lebanon
Lebanese Republic
Western Asia · LBN
Editorial Snapshot
Why Go To Lebanon
Lebanon mixes a strong food culture with coastal cities and easy access to mountain heritage sites in a compact area. It is best as Beirut plus one or two heritage day trips rather than a full-country loop.
Popular For
Things To See
- Beirut
- Byblos
- Baalbek
- Jeita Grotto
- Cedars of God
- Sidon
Best Months
Know Before You Go
- Check advisories and local conditions before planning, as access can shift.
- Distances are short, so day trips from Beirut cover most headline sites.
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Flights
Hotels & Accommodations
Compare stays across major booking options
Open hotel and accommodation options for Lebanon.
Guidebooks
📚Browse Lebanon Guidebooks on AmazonTours & Activities
Country Data
Stats At A Glance
Practical travel, safety, climate, and quality-of-life stats for Lebanon.
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Beirut
- Population
- 5,490,000
- Area
- 10,452 km²
- Region
- Western Asia
Languages
- Arabic
- French
Currency
Lebanese pound (ل.ل)
LBP
Exchange rate unavailable for USD.
Cost of Living (World Bank)
27.7
Price level index (US = 100)
- Groceries
- 34.4
- Restaurants
- 44.2
- Rent
- 14.3
Safety & Peace
higher score = safer everyday environment · derived from World Bank homicide data
lower score = more peaceful · 1.0–3.5 scale
Monthly Climate Averages
These weather averages are based on data for Beirut (33.87°N, 35.50°E).
LGBTQ+ Friendly
15/100
Traveler LGBTQ score
- Legal protections
- 4/100
- Lived safety
- 47/100
This score blends legal protections with lived-safety context so strong laws alone do not automatically push a country to the top of the ranking.
- Homosexuality legal❌
- Relationship recognitionNone
- Adoption recognition❌
- Anti-discrimination laws❌
- Employment protections❌
- Legal gender recognition❌
- Conversion therapy ban❌
Human Development Index (UNDP)
0.752
High human development
- 5-year change
- -0.022
- 10-year change
- -0.010
- Trend
- declining
- Data year
- 2023
- Gender Dev. Index (GDI)
- 0.992
- Gender Inequality Index (GII)
- 0.360
- Planetary-adjusted HDI (PHDI)
- 0.691
UNESCO World Heritage Sites (6)
- 🏛️
Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli
Inscribed 2023
- 🏛️
Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)
Inscribed 1998
- 🏛️
Tyre
Inscribed 1984
- 🏛️
Baalbek
Inscribed 1984
- 🏛️
Byblos
Inscribed 1984
- 🏛️
Anjar
Inscribed 1984
Natural Beauty (World Bank)
- Protected land area
- 7.9%
- Forest cover
- 14.2%
Source: World Bank.
Wildlife & Birdwatching
- Threatened mammal species (IUCN)
- 10
- Threatened bird species (IUCN)
- 12
Source: World Bank / IUCN Red List. Higher counts indicate richer biodiversity, typically in tropical rainforest, island, and savannah ecosystems.
Food & Cuisine
46/100
Food and dining score
Built from two layers: dining-scene breadth and open prestige signals. We combine restaurant density, cuisine diversity, distinguished restaurants, and gastronomy-city recognitions from open data sources.
Winter Sports
44/100
Ski infrastructure & alpine pedigree
Combines ski resort depth, ski resort density, and Winter Olympic skiing results. Separate from climate comfort.
Luxury Infrastructure
86/100
Luxury & premium accommodation score
Based on OpenStreetMap luxury hotel density and World Bank international tourism receipts.
US Travel Advisory
Updated to reflect ordered departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and family members of government personnel on February 23. Do Not Travel to Lebanon for any reason due to the risk of crime, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines, and armed conflict. Some areas, especially near the borders, have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory. Advisory Summary On February 23, 2026, the Department of State ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and U.S. government employee family members to depart Lebanon due to safety risks. U.S. government employee travel restrictions U.S. Embassy Beirut personnel are restricted from personal travel throughout Lebanon without advance permission. Additional travel restrictions may be imposed on U.S. personnel under Chief of Mission security responsibility, with little to no notice due to increased security issues or threats. Due to safety risks, family members cannot join U.S. government employees who work in Lebanon. The U.S. government has limited ability to offer emergency services to U.S. citizens in Lebanon due to safety risks. The Lebanese government cannot guarantee the safety of U.S. citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict. Aviation Safety The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) and a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR). This is due to risks to civil aviation operating within or nearby the Damascus Flight Information Region (FIR). The FAA advises caution for flights operating in the airspace within 200 nautical miles of the Damascus FIR due to heightened military activity in or around Syria. For more information U.S. citizens should consult the Federal Aviation Administration’s Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices. Crime There is risk of non-violent crime throughout Lebanon. Most crimes against foreigners are crimes of opportunity, like purse snatching and pickpocketing. Terrorism There is risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Lebanon. Visit the U.S. Department of State’s country reports on terrorism to learn more. Terrorist groups, including Hizballah, IRGC, ISIS, and Hamas, continue plotting possible attacks in Lebanon. Terrorists may conduct attacks with little or no warning targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, and local government facilities. Kidnapping and hostage-taking There is an ongoing risk of kidnapping and hostage-taking in Lebanon. Local authorities have warned that foreign nationals may be targeted. Americans and other travelers – including tourists, humanitarian workers, journalists, and business professionals – may be viewed as targets of opportunity. If you are kidnapped or taken hostage, the reason for you being in Lebanon is unlikely to offer protection. Unrest Drone and missile strikes can occur throughout Lebanon, including in Beirut. Hostilities can disrupt commercial flights, up to and including the infrastructure for accessing the international airport. Landmines Landmines and unexploded ordnance exist throughout Lebanon. Areas of greatest risk are the border with Syria, south of the Litani river, and refugee settlements. The locations of landmines and unexploded ordnance are often not marked or easy to recognize. Southern Lebanon Southern Lebanon is very dangerous due to risk of terrorism, kidnapping, and armed conflict. The border with Syria The border with Syria is very dangerous due to risk of terrorism, kidnapping, unexploded ordnance, and armed conflict. The Dahiyeh and areas of southern Beirut The Dahiyeh and areas of southern Beirut are very dangerous due to risk of terrorism, kidnapping, unexploded ordnance, and armed conflict. Refugee settlements Refugee settlements are very dangerous due to risk of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, unexploded ordnance, and armed conflict.
Read full advisory →Data current as of May 2026 and subject to change. Travel advisory information is sourced from the U.S. State Department and reflects conditions at the time of data collection, not real-time conditions. Do not rely solely on this information for travel decisions. Always check current government advisories for your nationality. Terms of Use · About our data