Reviewed by Natalie Sladek
Lebanon : Safety by City
The Republic of Lebanon is a small country located in the Middle East region, counting 3.7 million inhabitants and with Beirut as the capital city.
It boasts a rather long coastline on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and shares a border with its warring neighbor Syria to the north and the east, and a much shorter border with Israel to the south.
Unfortunately, this country is considered unsafe since its neighbor Syria is in a long war that has left consequences on Lebanon, too.
If you’re planning on traveling to Lebanon, keep in mind that this is a country of immense natural scenery from beautiful beaches to mountains and valleys.
It is one of the few countries where you can go skiing in the morning and then casually stroll to the beach in the afternoon and Lebanese people take pride in that fact, even though this is actually possible only for a few days in the year when winter shifts to spring and/or summer shifts to autumn.
Warnings & Dangers in Lebanon
OVERALL RISK : HIGH
Generally, Lebanon isn't a safe country to visit, because of its complicated political situation and turmoil that took over the country and its neighbors. Be careful when traveling to Lebanon.
TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK : MEDIUM
When it comes to transport, it isn't too safe. Generally, the roads in Lebanon are in good condition, but the problem is the number of reckless drivers. Also, street names are non-existent so be prepared to a lot of roaming around, and if you plan on mountain driving, keep in mind that it is particularly hazardous. Traffic jams are the norm in Lebanon.
PICKPOCKETS RISK : HIGH
Pickpockets do operate in Lebanon and tourists are commonly the victims of pickpocketing or bag snatching. Be careful in crowded places such as bus and train stations and keep your valuables in your accommodation.
NATURAL DISASTERS RISK : HIGH
Lebanon is susceptible to many natural disasters, like severe earthquakes which are the most dangerous threat to this country. They are probably associated with a tsunami. Minor natural hazards that hit Lebanon include floods, forest fires, landslides, and drought.
MUGGING RISK : HIGH
You should definitely be careful when it comes to violent crime in Lebanon. Organized criminal activity exists in the Beqa' Valley and includes drug trade that mostly has nothing to do with tourists, but there have been some kidnappings involving foreigners. Traveling in groups is recommended in this part of the country.
TERRORISM RISK : HIGH
Terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in Lebanon. The threat comes from Islamist extremist groups that are known for targeting the Lebanese state, security services, and civilians, and even foreigners inside Lebanon. Extremist groups have been active within the city of Tripoli, Palestinian refugee camps and in areas close to the Syrian border.
SCAMS RISK : MEDIUM
Scams exist in Lebanon and you should use your wits while in this country. Double-check your change, never pay anything upfront and negotiate everything in advance. Be very careful around ATMs and be wary of people trying to distract you.
WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK : HIGH
Lebanon isn't dangerous for women particularly, but it is advised for tourists in general, regardless of their gender, not to roam around unaccompanied by someone who knows the safe and unsafe parts of the country.
So... How Safe Is Lebanon Really?
Lebanon is a country filled with extremely friendly people, but you should know that there is a complicated political situation currently in Lebanon, which makes it unsafe to travel there.
For instance, traveling to eastern, southern, and northern areas which are close to the Syrian and Israeli borders is strongly advised against due to the spillover from the war with Syria and the conflict with Israel.
Also, you are recommended to avoid cities like Hermel, Dannie, and others close to the Syrian or Israeli border.
Lebanon’s capital, Beirut is still reasonably safe as are many other parts of the country, and the chances of something happening to you are small.
You should also be very careful in South Beirut, Baalbek, Sidon, and Beqaa valley, as they have also suffered sporadic clashes and/or had security incidents but these are sporadic events that aren’t too common and usually don’t affect foreigners.
What you should always keep in mind is that it is extremely important that you make sure to avoid any discussions related to politics or religion.
This country is home to a variety of ethnic and religious groups and any comment, and your comments might be taken as an offense even though they may not be malicious.
How Does Lebanon Compare?
| Country | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Lebanon | 35 |
| Morocco | 54 |
| Netherlands | 75 |
| Chile | 79 |
| Mongolia | 71 |
| Qatar | 84 |
| United Arab Emirates | 79 |
| Montenegro | 70 |
| Denmark | 94 |
Useful Information
- Visas - Many countries do need a visa in order to enter Lebanon. Luckily, a one-month visa can be easily acquired on arrival at Beirut International Airport or any other port of entry at the Lebanese border. Make sure your passport is valid for at least the next six months. If you are not sure about your visa status, visit www.doyouneedvisa.com which will let you know whether or not you need a visa based on your nationality and the country you want to visit.
- Currency - Lebanese pound is the official currency in Lebanon. ATMs are widespread throughout the country, and credit cards are accepted in most establishments. US dollars are also widely accepted in the country.
- Weather - The climate in Lebanon is the Mediterranean with long, hot and dry summers and short, cool and rainy winters. Lebanon's location the African continent and the eastern Mediterranean area determine the climate of the country.
- Airports - Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport formerly known as Beirut International Airport, is Lebanon's primary airport. It is located 9 km from the city center.
- Travel Insurance - Just like anywhere else, we recommend getting travel insurance when traveling to Lebanon, since it covers not only the costs medical problems but also theft and loss of valuables.
Lebanon Weather Averages (Temperatures)
Average High/Low Temperature
| Temperature / Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 17 | 18 | 20 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 28 | 23 | 19 |
| Low °C | 11 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 20 | 16 | 12 |
| High °F | 63 | 64 | 68 | 73 | 79 | 82 | 86 | 88 | 86 | 82 | 73 | 66 |
| Low °F | 52 | 52 | 54 | 59 | 64 | 70 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 68 | 61 | 54 |
Lebanon - Safety by City
| City | Safety Index |
|---|---|
| Beirut | 54 |
Please relook at the risk number
Please look into the actual facts on the ground.
The risk should be at 60, but 35 is too low based on my many years of experience.
As a woman I can freely walk and hold my bag and no one will approach or try to steal.
Please fix the nunber to encourage tourists.
What about Jews?
Jessie, Lebanon is known to be very hostile to Jews, I actually agree with this site’s review.
I can’t imagine a Jew walking around for a long period of time with more than a dew signs of being Jewish and not being attacked in any sort of way.
How will they know you are a jew? don’t be ridiculous.
Maybe that’s because Jews have a history of genocide. The Armenian/Greek/Assyrian genocide, the Holodomor, and the Palestinian genocide. I could go on. They are probably smart enough to know that as Israel’s neighbors, they could be next.
Fairy tales
Wow what fiction are you reading? “Palestinian genocide”? Fairy tales.
are you going to put a sign around your neck and say I am a jew? if you will do that, then this is called being provocative. If you walk around normally no one will actually tell you anything and they will be the friendliest around! stop spreading false new and false assumptions
lebanon is not pariticularly bad to jews. they are at war with Israel but I never heard stories of anything bad. if you have Israeli stamp forget getting in but that goes for everyone. Lebanon does not target specific people.
I have been around europe and i am always scared to visit even a single middle eastern countries for many reasons but i guess Lebanon will be my first choice.
Every season has a flavor in Lebanon don't miss it
I actually live in Lebanon and I think that maybe you should come and visit Lebanon then I am sure you will change a lot of what is written.
Thanks
How is Lebanon 35 lol? It’s safer then most of the countries out there. Just avoid political and religious talk and you’re super safe. Rating should be like 65-70.
that aint true
no cause from the bombing
You mean 65-70 bombings? None of what you said correlates to a single fact about Lebanon. When you set peoples expectations high they hate it even more because you have to lie.
Increase the rating
Beirut is a safe country in general and 35 is a very very low rating. Also Beirut is the capital of Lebanon and not Israel.
Beirut is not a country. It’s a city which the article mentioned that it’s relatively safer than the border areas.
When people visits a country, they don’t usually stick to one city always. Tourists wants to explore other cities within the country and I think this article is reasonable.
Amazing Place to visit
My husband and i visited Lebanon in March 2019. At no point did we feel that we were in danger. We walked the sheets of Beirut. We rented a car and drove to the interior of the country including Bylbos, Bcharre, Zahle, Qaraoun, and the Bekha Valley. Traffic in Beirut is crazy, but outside the city it was fine. Roads were well marked. I cannot stress enough how safe we felt this entire time. As Americans, we were concerned that we would face hostilities. It was the opposite. The people were warm and welcoming. All over the country I saw optimism and hope for the future of the country. There was evidence of young entrepreneurs everywhere, especially in businesses related to tourism. This country is a jewel. Do not be scared off by biased reports.
Wrong rating
natural disasters risk is high? I think the one who wrote that shit ass article is high. Lebanon is one of the safest countries in the middle east and rating it 35 is really unjustified…
e
nice place but because of the explosion, it isn’t nice
Mafia country
I think Lebanon is a mafia country from the smallest person to the big leaders!
But it’s a safe country I can assure you, the women are open-minded! They are intelligent people but at the same time a bit naive because they destroy their beautiful country by stealing everything in it!
They don’t steal from you directly like in Egypt for example, but they scams you in everything, from the person who sells sandwiches to the big leaders of the country, they try always to save money and earn big money from you by giving you low-quality products but in the at the same time showing to you that this product is the best quality in the world.
They have this mentality in everything, and they are proud that they can do this when they are talking to each other! They are very happy and proud of it when they talk: “I ripped that person and stole his money”, and “his a pure and simple person” … but they forget that they are thieves!
I give you an example: one friend of mine went to fix his car and always he keeps a recording machine in his car to hear his wife what she talk and with who, he put the car in the garage and the next day he goes back to take it, they told him cannot fix his car all the gearbox is broken and need to change all or at least at the beginning need to take it out and see if they can change a part inside and then he can save a lot of money, in the same while he sees the workers laughing behind the car when the boss of the garage talk to my friend, so he was suspicious at that time but he cannot do anything, he said ok start to fix the car but first wait for a while to go the bank to see if his client send him money to his account today, if not he will call him to let him know to send money fast because he needs to fix the car urgently. , so he asks from the boss of the garage to give him two hours to solve the problem of money and the boss he said no problem take your time, the car is safe here , then my friend he go inside his car and take the small recording machine and he go to the nearest coffee to hear what they talk , and here the surprise: he heard the mechanical talk to the boss , that the problem is one fuse is broken and we need to change it ( this fuse is an electric small part cost normally 0.2$ To 0.5$ maximum ) and the boss he was angry and he shout on him and said : are you stupid ? We need to take off the gearbox , don’t speak anything to the client , how I pay salary for you ? If change this part only & he said to him : don’t speak to the client , when he came told him to speak to me only . And then my friend he go to the nearest police station to let the police come to his garage! But here the surprise, the police officers was his best friend of this boss , so he start to to talk to my friend , you put this machine in your car it’s illegal , and when He told him the reason of putting this machine inside his car , he ask the number of his wife from him and he want to call her and he want to arrest him , then my friend he scared a lot from his wife and he said to the police ok forget the case I will not speak to the garage boss anything , then the police he obliged him to sign a paper to not disturb the garage privacy anymore and he took his recording machine and he said to my friend if we know you make any problem to the garage boss , we will call your wife and bring her to show her the recording machine !!!!! So that’s why I told you at the beginning it’s a mafia country , so pay attention if you would like to visit this country because the law in the Lebanon that there is no low , BUT still really it’s a beautiful country who I definitely advice for visit ! Just keep your eyes open everywhere every time !!!
Your friend’s plan was not too smart.
Check your info before writing
Really?
Pickpockets risk? You can walk around with all your jewels on!
Natural disasters risk?earthquakes and tsunami? Ridiculous…we haven’t have any of these in millions of years maybe!
Terrorism?
In every country you have suburbs and mafia concentrated in small places!
Be real!who the hell wrote this article?
Okay it isn’t like before but this is wayyyy exaggerated!
I’m just looking through this for school and I can tell just by reading the ratings, that this is way too over-exaggerated. Like come on why are some of these things so high, I have family in Lebanon and I can tell by what my family has told me too that it is nothing like this.
I am planning to travel to Lebanon this end of August 2022. Which is the best safest city to visit and by reading this article I am bit in two minds. Furthermore, is it too costly ?
Excellent and Best place I have ever been to
Hello,
I strongly advise to visit this beautiful country as compared to what I have seen on the comments its not the same at all.
Visit on instagram “Livelove.tyre” “Livelovebeirut” “livelove.batroun” and check how lovely this country is!
The people are super friendly, generous and food is something YOU HAVE to TRy.
Dont forget to visit the best beaches, blue crystal sea and the nightlife in beirut!!!
Lebanon is fun but score is legit
This rating system is correct and everyone claiming otherwise 100% wrong. Lebanon doesnt deserve a higher safety score and the citizens dont strive to prove that wrong, with stupid things like firing guns straight up in the air and many negligent discarges.
I love lebanon
This article is slightly exaggerated I am an American female, I went to Lebanon alone, for the first time in may of this year I was there for a month, I stayed in gymayze, rented an apartment there by myself. I honestly felt more safe in Lebanon than I do in the states. I walked the around alone during the day and night, in the us I carry a gun because of how bad crime is where I live. I never felt the need to have to be armed at all. yeah theres issues on the borders just stay away from those areas. I don’t know what information this article was based on, but in 30 days i saw more people helping people that I have ever seen in the u.s. I am actually getting ready to board a plane in a few hours to go back. I happened to meet the love of my life there. Lebanon definitely has an economy crisis lights, water all that aren’t on a lot. However as far as the people and the safety value I think this article doesn’t do Lebanon justice at all.
Scary!
The score should be lower, Hezbollah, a known terrorist organization with its own military and missiles it there, what other countries have that kind of thing? do you see that in Italy? Canda? The UK? No!
This is not a safe environment and terrorist organizations such as this should not exist, don’t travel here!
all the readers please this website is very good but do not believe the part of pickpocketing risk and natural disaster is not true