Travel From Abroad

Travel Note

Travel From Abroad

For those travelling from abroad, here are a few tips to make your travels as smooth as possible. 1. Cell service - On arrival to the airport, we recommend stopping at the small electronics store just after exiting the secured part of the airport into where the public are waiting for arriving travelers. There, you can purchase a SIM/eSIM in US dollars with which you can make calls locally or use internet. We recommend at least 2GB of data per person per day for those who use their phones for more than texting and calling. You can turn on hotspot from one phone to share data with another. Whatsapp is how most people communicate. 2. Driving - Renting a car would help you get around in Lebanon, however it may be hard to drive in Lebanon for those from abroad, as not many rules are followed and there are many potholes. You can use Uber in Beirut however it may not work in the towns further north. If you have any concerns about transport, please let hs know and we can help. 3. Currency - You will need cash to fund your whole trip, as no one takes credit cards. You do not need to exchange USD to Lebanese pounds, any charge can be paid with US dollars, though they may return your change in a mix of USD and Lebanese pounds. Current exchange rate $1 = 90,000 Lebanese pounds. 4. Accommodations - For the days surrounding the wedding, we recommend staying at and spending 1-2 nights in Ehden. It is a beautiful mountain town near the venue. We have looked at several hotels in the area and two stood out to us, Mist and Hotel Ehden. 5. Safety - Lebanon's political climate has improved significantly in the last few months. Despite this, we do not recommend traveling near the southern or eastern borders due to conflict with Syria and Israel. A common tourist destination we would not recommend traveling to is Baalbek, an ancient roman ruin too close to the border. 6. Language - The majority of people speak at least some english, and many are fluent. Signs are in english.

Hotel

Hotel Ehden

Hotel Ehden is a modern and recently renovated hotel with nice rooms, though without a mountain view, for around $120/night.

Hotel

MIST Hotel & Spa

Mist is an ultra luxurious hotel with a pool, spa, restaurants and an amazing mountain/valley view at around $350/night.

Rental Car

Budget Rent a Car

Budget rental car in the airport, if you prefer to drive. Make sure to request an automatic transmission vehicle, as some are manual transmission.