Beirut,Lebanon - The most dangerous destinations in the world

Beirut,Lebanon. At the crossroads of East and West is Lebanon. On a small territory , the country seems to have gathered all the diversity of nature and humanity .

From the sea to snowy mountains to arid valleys sometimes , sometimes green , watered by rivers and waterfalls, pine forests tumble down hillsides to desert areas extended by fertile plains which mixed orchards and vineyards tops , Lebanon never ceases to amaze with its natural treasures.

Lebanon keeps fingerprints and souvenirs of many civilizations it was born : the archaeological and architectural attractions galore recall that the cradle of some civilizations can be found here , and tell the roots of a shaped by a cultural ferment people.

Lebanon rises proudly from its ruins after years of civil war between 1975 and 1990 , and reopened to travelers to reveal its many gems .

Transport Lebanon

How to get around ?

Lebanon is a small country , it only takes about 3 hours to cross from one end . To move , most people use taxis , many of which follow, such as buses, fixed routes . Buses also connect Beirut and other cities, but their frequency is lower in comparison to that of collective taxis. Bus and car rental (basic) are cheap.

the bus

This is the most popular means of transport. The service is not very regular and vehicles are few. Buses are inexpensive.

The public bus network of urban Beirut are red and white . There is no plan bus routes , destinations are indicated on a sign placed behind the window of each bus.

Intercity routes serving major cities of Lebanon from Beirut (Byblos , Tripoli, Tyre, Sidon ...) from the bus station which is located in the port of Beirut ( Charles Helou station ) .

Some more comfortable coaches as Ahdab , allow for the return to Tripoli in a day. The roundabout Cola in Beirut, you can go to the suburbs or to Sidon (coaches Bosta ) Chtaura Masna (border) and Damascus .

It is not easy to take the bus from the airport to earn Beirut must leave the airport to Beirut, to catch a red and white bus LCC line 5 to stop Cocody . We advise you to take a taxi instead .

the taxi

Taxi without a meter

They are indicated by their red license plate and the yellow light placed on the roof . Overall , drivers understand French or even English , but it is prudent to have the address where you want to go , written in Arabic.

Caution! Remember to negotiate the amount of the fare before getting essential as these taxis are not metered. A taxi can be rented by the day or race .

Taxi service

Warning: cases of scams and attacks have been reported in these taxis . As far as possible, so we will avoid this mode of transport , especially alone and at night .

Popular Taxis are plentiful and shared to reduce costs . These are the famous taxis , the " taxi - service " or " services," as they are called Lebanese. These passenger vehicles can carry up to 5 passengers , each paying one-fifth of the amount of the race. It is better to negotiate the fare before departure.

The two main points of departure for intercity services from Beirut are: Cola roundabout if you go to a city in South Lebanon and the crossroads Dora if you want to go in North Lebanon.

the car

Rent a car

This solution offers a wide range and is affordable given the competition on this market and low fuel prices. You must be at least 20 years . Agencies rental cars are now located in the arrival hall of the airport of Beirut. Vehicles with automatic transmission are the most common .

The International Driving Permit is required. He gets free prefecture or sub- préfecture.Il is valid for 3 years.

Driving in Lebanon

Diesel vehicles are banned from Lebanon.

In Lebanon , driving is on the right. However, you have to drive carefully because the roads have suffered from armed conflict, they are irregular , often in poor condition . Many damaged by military operations aileurs roads are under construction as part of the reconstruction of the country . An improvement of the network is underway , but the lighting at night is still unsatisfactory . Night driving on small roads is dangerous.

By car , it crosses the country from north to south in just 3 hours , but congestion is chronic , especially in summer on coastal roads.

In town , parking is not too difficult. It is usually free , but some streets are equipped with parking meters . There are also private parking ( fee from 1 000 to 2 000 LBP ) .

Traffic lights are respected when traffic is dense. Traffic is controlled by the police ( dark gray cap and holding ) , the police ( lattice light gray camouflage, bright red beret ) , or by police motorcyclists (white helmet, gray outfit, American motorcycle ) .

Wearing seat belts is compulsory for front and rear . Attention to this rule violators face a fine ranging from 25 000 to 100 000 LBP , and a prison sentence of 10 days.

Namely: there are on Lebanese roads military checkpoints . These are positions colored in red and white guard.

When the dam is kept , the use of slow and mark off, and at night , turn on the ceiling . In rare cases ( this is the case in South Lebanon ) , a passport is required , but NEVER part with it. The integrity of the army and the Lebanese gendarmerie is noteworthy.