Safety in Lebanon

The situation: The risk level remains unstable, so follow the news in real time and check your own government's travel advisory before and during the trip. In the tourist districts everything looks calm and life is very much going on.

Areas to avoid: Stay out of Dahieh, the southern suburbs of Beirut. Equally, do not go near the southern border zones or into refugee camps without an escort.

Electricity: The state grid supplies only a couple of hours a day. The whole city hums with generators, so a charged power bank should live in your bag permanently.

Documents: Keep the contact details of whichever mission covers your nationality, and leave your passport in the hotel safe with a copy on you.

Dress: Lebanon is a liberal country and miniskirts are normal in Beirut. In Tripoli and religious neighbourhoods, dress more modestly to avoid unwanted attention.

Protests: Roads get blocked suddenly during political flare-ups. If you see a crowd or burning tyres, simply turn around and go the other way.

Lebanon has a strong culture of hospitality and a very unstable situation. Ordinary tourist schemes are secondary here to the wider picture.

The situation. A prolonged economic crisis continues, and fighting occurs periodically in the south and the areas bordering Israel. Many governments advise against travel to Lebanon entirely, or at minimum to the southern districts, the Beqaa valley and the Palestinian camps. Conditions change quickly.

Money is the main practical difficulty. The Lebanese pound has depreciated many times over and the country effectively runs on cash dollars. ATMs operate on a limited basis, international cards are far from universally accepted, and the banking system is in crisis. Bring cash dollars in small denominations and spread them between places.

Taxis and "service". A service is a shared taxi at a fixed low price; an ordinary taxi costs more. Foreigners are quoted higher — clarify whether it is service or taxi before getting in.

Currency exchange. Rates differ substantially between offices. Use trusted ones and ask at your hotel.

Israeli traces in your passport. Lebanon refuses entry to anyone with Israeli stamps, visas or any evidence of having visited Israel — receipts, souvenirs and photographs on your phone included. Checks are thorough, and refusal of entry and detention are real. If you have been to Israel, a trip to Lebanon requires separate planning.

Photography. Military installations, checkpoints, army vehicles, refugee camps and areas controlled by armed groups are categorically off limits. This is the most common source of trouble for foreigners.

Drones. Prohibited.

Drugs. The law is strict. The Beqaa valley is known for cannabis cultivation, but buying is a criminal offence and means contact with armed groups.

Politics. Lebanon is divided along confessional and political lines. Conversations about Hezbollah, Israel, Syria and the civil war are best not entered into at all.

Regions. The south near the Israeli border, the eastern Beqaa near the Syrian border, the Palestinian camps, and Tripoli in certain periods are areas people do not go to.

Insurance. Check whether your policy excludes Lebanon: many insurers exclude countries with active hostilities.

Vaccinations. None mandatory. Hepatitis A and typhoid are advised.

Medicine was among the best in the region — and partly remains so: the American University Hospital in Beirut (AUBMC) works to a high standard. But the economic crisis has hit the system hard: some doctors have left, equipment is wearing out, and medicines periodically disappear from pharmacies.

Bring your own medication. This is the key practical advice for Lebanon: supply interruptions are real and a familiar drug may simply be unavailable. Bring a supply with the prescription.

Electricity. Rolling blackouts are the norm and generators do not run everywhere or always. This affects lifts, refrigeration in cafes and street lighting.

Water. Not from the tap.

Heat and sun. Summer on the coast passes 32°C at high humidity. The mountains are cooler.

Paying for care. Cash and upfront. Make sure your insurance works in Lebanon — many policies exclude the region.

Emergency numbers: 140 for the Red Cross ambulance, 112 police, 175 fire.

Lebanon ranks low on the Corruption Perceptions Index, and state institutions have been weakened by the crisis.

Who controls the ground. Besides the army and the Internal Security Forces, armed groups exercise effective control in certain areas. Beirut's southern suburb (Dahieh), the south of the country and parts of the Beqaa run by their own rules. Filming there is the fastest way to create a problem.

Checkpoints. Army posts are numerous. Document checks are routine — stay calm and keep your passport to hand.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken, but do not count on an investigation.

Demonstrations. Protests and road closures occur regularly and can escalate into clashes. A foreigner should leave rather than watch.

The airport. The country's only international airport is in Beirut, and flights are cancelled en masse when the situation deteriorates. Plan with spare time and follow events.

Consular help. Register with your country's consulate on arrival — it matters in an evacuation.