Lebanon Activities

Beaches
Lebanon has 225kms of beach which stretches the entire length of the country and offer golden sands and clear blue sea waters. Adults can relax, lie back and catch a few rays while the kids can get busy with a bucket and spade or head for a paddle. Lebanon’s beaches are clean and largely family friendly places, among the most popular public beaches are those in Jbail (Byblos), Chikka and Batroun.

Splash Mountain
Splash Mountain, situated just 10kms from Beirut, is a water theme park which offers a wide variety of exciting water-based activities ideal for all of the family. A main pool is available for older children and adults, while a kiddy’s pool is on hand for younger children. A number of giant slides provide thrills for those with the stomach for them while away from the water, there are basketball courts and an amusement centre. Phone: +961 4 531166; website: www.splashmountainlb.com.

Waves Aqua Park
Similar to Splash Mountain, Waves Aqua Park offers a variety of water based activities and attractions that are ideal for families with children. The kids and the young at heart can enjoy the wave pool and the thrilling slides while those preferring something a little more sedate can relax on the secluded island or on the lazy river. Phone: +961 4 533555.

Bird watching
Ornithological enthusiasts will find Lebanon an ideal place to indulge in their passion with various species of birds making stop-offs during their African-Eurasian migrations. Some 300 species of birds can be viewed in Lebanon with visitors getting the chance to see the likes of rarities such as Imperial Eagles and Sociable Lapwings as well as more common domestic species such as the Palestinian Songbird and the Syrian Serin.

Cycling
Mountain bike enthusiasts will find that Lebanon is the ideal place to indulge their passion with its rugged mountains, hills, and valleys that lend themselves perfectly to the pursuit of this popular outdoor activity. Lebanon's highest peak, Qornet Es-Saouda, is a popular ride and offers some stunning views of the Békaa Valley, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea. Down in the Békaa Valley itself are a number of less challenging rides with both on and off-road options available. On-road bicycles can be hired from shops in some of the small villages in the region.

Rock Climbing
Lebanon is one of the few Middle Eastern countries to offer rock climbing opportunities with routes available for climbers of varying skill levels. Bolted climbs can be found in the Aaquora, Tannourine, and Laqlouq regions and local tour operators can provide equipment and assisted tours to all of the routes available.

Skiing
Difficult to believe as it may be, Lebanon has six winter sport resorts offering ideal snowmaking conditions and slopes of varying difficulties suited to both skiers and snowboarders. The Cedars Ski Resort near Mount Makmel is situated on the country’s highest mountain range and provides the most stunning scenery while Laqlouq and Qanat Bakiche, somewhat lower down, both offer family-friendly ski environments.

Trekking
Lebanon’s varied terrain and stunning scenery make for some fantastic trekking and hiking opportunities with the Al-Shouf Cedar Reserve and the Horsh Ehden Nature Reserve near Tripoli offering marked trails for those preferring not to rely on maps and compasses. The Adonis Valley is popular trekking territory and you’ll find many clubs and local tour operators guiding groups through it while lone trekkers also frequently take on the challenge.

Water sports
Lebanon offers no shortage of opportunities for water sport enthusiasts with its 225kms of Mediterranean coastline lending itself perfectly to the pursuit of a variety of activities. Diving and snorkeling are especially popular with a 600m deep underwater valley that runs between Beirut and the Bay of Jounié, offering some fantastic opportunities for undersea exploration. The rivers of Nahr Litani and Nahr Ibrahim meanwhile, offer opportunities for rafting, kayaking, and canoeing.

Middle Eastern cuisine, or rather an outsider’s perception of it, is generally that most countries in the region present the same dishes with little variation. This is, without doubt, a misconception and the truth is that individual countries offer their own individual interpretations of popular dishes, often relying on different sources for their ingredients which can certainly add variations to the taste of the finished creations. Lebanon stands out perhaps from other countries in the region because its cuisine combines all that’s good about Middle Eastern foods with some distinctly Mediterranean and European influences. The creation of many of the most popular Middle Eastern dishes can be traced to Lebanon so from a visitor’s perspective, this is the country to visit if you are looking for authenticity.

Lebanese food relies heavily on fresh abundant ingredients such as garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and sesame as well as pulses, fresh vegetables, fish and some red meat. The national dish is kibbeh, which is best described as a kind of pâté made from ground lamb and bulgur wheat (often called cous cous). Traditionally kibbeh was made with a pestle and mortar but these days it’s generally created in electric blending devices. Tabbouleh is another highly popular dish which is essentially a salad made from bulgur wheat, tomato, mint and parsley. All the other well known Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus, baba ganoush and falafel are widely available in Lebanon.

Lebanon has an abundance of places to eat out and where and what you try depends very much on how adventurous you are. Visitors staying in reputable hotels and resorts will find restaurants on site where prices will generally be more expensive but the food not necessarily better or any more authentic. Wandering into smaller eateries in the villages and city backstreets can often present you with more traditional food at lower prices and you get the cacophony of local noise as an accompaniment to enhance the experience. Takeaways are also commonly available and are ideal for those looking to eat out on a budget.

Lebanon is one of the Middle East’s premier shopping destinations offering a plethora of products covering everything from local handicrafts to famous designer goods. Beirut is certainly the best place to head to find the largest and most varied selection of outlets and shopping addicts will easily be able to spend several days mooching around before committing to purchases of items for themselves or goods to take back home as gifts for family and friends.

Local handicrafts that are popular with visitors include trays made from hammered metal featuring Arab imagery, engraved wooden boxes, beautiful silver jewellery and various items of furniture. Unless the product has a marked price on it, you should enter into the bargaining game with the vendor in order to be sure of securing a price that you are happy with. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to ask the seller the price then offer half of that price before working up to a mutually agreeable figure.

Food items are also popular and make good gifts although you should check the customs regulations of your home country with regards to what is permissible for the import of edible goods. Halva, made from pulped sesame, honey and sultanas is a popular sweet treat and would make for a good gift while locally grown olives or locally pressed olive oil is certainly as representative of the country as anything you are likely to find.

For designer clothes, accessories and famous branded products, try visiting the chic shopping centres in the Verdun or Solidère areas of Beirut; here you’ll find everything that London, Paris or New York has to offer and more besides.