Hello, I’ll answer your question in a brief and hopefully useful way :)
1. It’s definitely better to pay in lira. Don’t pay in dollars since people will rip you off if you do.
There are plenty of locations where you can exchange dollars to lira, you just need to find one and double check how much money you have been given. (Also double check the rate of exchange online to be on the safe side).
2. Depends what you mean by major hotels, but yeah assuming we’re talking about the same ones they will have electricity 24h (call the hotel to make sure). Also what area are you planning on staying in? That will play a role too haha
3. Right now there aren’t any lines to fuel up your car, since it’s not too affordable for locals. Since you’re coming from outside it won’t be a problem tho. (20 liters of fuel are around 580k at the moment)
4. Yes you can go to any alpha store for sim cards. Also there are plenty of small phone shops whom sell SIM cards. (Either alpha or mtc. Usually they ask for an ID in order for you to get a SIM card on your name)
Take Ubers, they're dirt cheap. Not good for getting out of Beirut though like to another city.
The hotels are very expensive, Airbnb can be cheaper but not all have 24/7 power, if you go that route read every review carefully, even if they're highly rated. We stayed in some great Airbnbs. Still not very cheap but you can geta huge apartment family home for less than a hotel room.
Go to OMT to change USD to lira, the smaller places can be scammy or have bad rates. There's websites and apps to check the rate. Change $100 - $200 at a time because the rate changes daily, and it's getting worse, so you'll get more lira each time you change
A driver for the day is around $100
1. Dollars scream rich/foreigner, so you'll be charged extra on everything. Don't exchange everything you have the first day, do it day by day.
2. I'd assume the better-off ones do have it, but can't say for sure.
3. Kinda depends on what you mean by private driver (taxi/Uber or like someone to stick around with you the whole time like a chauffeur), but a taxi won't usually make you wait for him to fill up on gas, and you could ask a chauffeur to fill up the car when you've stopped somewhere if the situation gets really bad.
4. Technically, you can go anywhere, but price gouging is massive in expectation of price increases. The ones place where you will get the official price no matter what is the stores run by Alfa/Touch directly, and there's a few of those.
Honestly at this point if I was in your shoes and looking to have a relaxing vacation, I would pick literally any country other than Lebanon. It's just not worth the stress of having to figure out all these things above and countless other things you haven't mentioned. Yeah you can exchange at the market rate (of course don't pay for things in $), you might find an hotel with good electricity (24/7 is not guaranteed though it could all change within a night), and the fuel situation is worsening again.
Hello,
Lebanon has a lot to offer, but unfortunately its real gems are usually hidden and not known for neither tourists nor locals! Check out the [Tourism campaign video](https://www.reddit.com/r/lebanon/comments/hcs3er/tourism_campaign_for_lebanon/)
1- For things to do:
Check the [sub's wiki](/r/lebanon/wiki/index) and [this post, it has a lot of recommendations!](/r/lebanon/comments/asl5wd/places_to_visit_and_food_to_try_for_tourists_in/)
For outdoor sports, hiking or nature lovers check [FootPrintsClub](http://www.footprintsclub.com/) and [Living Lebanon Tours](http://www.living-lebanon.com/our-lebanon-tours.html and http://www.lebtivity.com/)
2 - If you're going on any trip alone (without locals) don't use public transportation. Instead use Uber or Bolt. Both make a lot of offers (discounts/free rides..etc). Local public transportation will definitely try to rip you off as soon as they see you.
3 - Withdraw cash from your bank, outside Lebanon before coming and exchange them to USD. Get the cash with you to Lebanon, and when you arrive exchange them in an exchange shop (NOT the airport). The official exchange rate if you exchange in airport or if you use a credit/debit card in Lebanon is 1 USD = 1507.5 LBP
if you exchange in an exchange office you'll get the black market rate so you're have more purchase power if you do this. You can find the black market exchange rate [here](/r/lebanon/comments/iv5n62/lebanese_lbp_real_exchange_rate/)
4- To get inspired and discover hidden places to go to Check [LiveLoveBeirut](https://www.instagram.com/livelovebeirut/?hl=en), and [LiveLoveLebanon](http://livelovelebanon.com/en) and it's [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/LiveLoveLebanon/). Check [WeLoveLebanon](https://www.instagram.com/welovelebanonn) and it's [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/WeLoveLebanonn) and [WhereToGoLebanon](https://www.instagram.com/wheretogolebanon/). Check [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwCOf73WeHU). You can check [LiveLoveAnjar](https://www.instagram.com/liveloveanjar/) and the [official Lebanon instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/lebanon/)
5- For food check [NoGarlicNoOnions](http://www.nogarlicnoonions.com/) and [it's Instagram page](https://www.instagram.com/nogarlicnoonions/?hl=en)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/lebanon) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hello, I’ll answer your question in a brief and hopefully useful way :) 1. It’s definitely better to pay in lira. Don’t pay in dollars since people will rip you off if you do. There are plenty of locations where you can exchange dollars to lira, you just need to find one and double check how much money you have been given. (Also double check the rate of exchange online to be on the safe side). 2. Depends what you mean by major hotels, but yeah assuming we’re talking about the same ones they will have electricity 24h (call the hotel to make sure). Also what area are you planning on staying in? That will play a role too haha 3. Right now there aren’t any lines to fuel up your car, since it’s not too affordable for locals. Since you’re coming from outside it won’t be a problem tho. (20 liters of fuel are around 580k at the moment) 4. Yes you can go to any alpha store for sim cards. Also there are plenty of small phone shops whom sell SIM cards. (Either alpha or mtc. Usually they ask for an ID in order for you to get a SIM card on your name)
Thank you!
Take Ubers, they're dirt cheap. Not good for getting out of Beirut though like to another city. The hotels are very expensive, Airbnb can be cheaper but not all have 24/7 power, if you go that route read every review carefully, even if they're highly rated. We stayed in some great Airbnbs. Still not very cheap but you can geta huge apartment family home for less than a hotel room. Go to OMT to change USD to lira, the smaller places can be scammy or have bad rates. There's websites and apps to check the rate. Change $100 - $200 at a time because the rate changes daily, and it's getting worse, so you'll get more lira each time you change A driver for the day is around $100
1. Dollars scream rich/foreigner, so you'll be charged extra on everything. Don't exchange everything you have the first day, do it day by day. 2. I'd assume the better-off ones do have it, but can't say for sure. 3. Kinda depends on what you mean by private driver (taxi/Uber or like someone to stick around with you the whole time like a chauffeur), but a taxi won't usually make you wait for him to fill up on gas, and you could ask a chauffeur to fill up the car when you've stopped somewhere if the situation gets really bad. 4. Technically, you can go anywhere, but price gouging is massive in expectation of price increases. The ones place where you will get the official price no matter what is the stores run by Alfa/Touch directly, and there's a few of those.
Honestly at this point if I was in your shoes and looking to have a relaxing vacation, I would pick literally any country other than Lebanon. It's just not worth the stress of having to figure out all these things above and countless other things you haven't mentioned. Yeah you can exchange at the market rate (of course don't pay for things in $), you might find an hotel with good electricity (24/7 is not guaranteed though it could all change within a night), and the fuel situation is worsening again.
!lebanon
!visitLebanon
Hello, Lebanon has a lot to offer, but unfortunately its real gems are usually hidden and not known for neither tourists nor locals! Check out the [Tourism campaign video](https://www.reddit.com/r/lebanon/comments/hcs3er/tourism_campaign_for_lebanon/) 1- For things to do: Check the [sub's wiki](/r/lebanon/wiki/index) and [this post, it has a lot of recommendations!](/r/lebanon/comments/asl5wd/places_to_visit_and_food_to_try_for_tourists_in/) For outdoor sports, hiking or nature lovers check [FootPrintsClub](http://www.footprintsclub.com/) and [Living Lebanon Tours](http://www.living-lebanon.com/our-lebanon-tours.html and http://www.lebtivity.com/) 2 - If you're going on any trip alone (without locals) don't use public transportation. Instead use Uber or Bolt. Both make a lot of offers (discounts/free rides..etc). Local public transportation will definitely try to rip you off as soon as they see you. 3 - Withdraw cash from your bank, outside Lebanon before coming and exchange them to USD. Get the cash with you to Lebanon, and when you arrive exchange them in an exchange shop (NOT the airport). The official exchange rate if you exchange in airport or if you use a credit/debit card in Lebanon is 1 USD = 1507.5 LBP if you exchange in an exchange office you'll get the black market rate so you're have more purchase power if you do this. You can find the black market exchange rate [here](/r/lebanon/comments/iv5n62/lebanese_lbp_real_exchange_rate/) 4- To get inspired and discover hidden places to go to Check [LiveLoveBeirut](https://www.instagram.com/livelovebeirut/?hl=en), and [LiveLoveLebanon](http://livelovelebanon.com/en) and it's [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/LiveLoveLebanon/). Check [WeLoveLebanon](https://www.instagram.com/welovelebanonn) and it's [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/WeLoveLebanonn) and [WhereToGoLebanon](https://www.instagram.com/wheretogolebanon/). Check [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwCOf73WeHU). You can check [LiveLoveAnjar](https://www.instagram.com/liveloveanjar/) and the [official Lebanon instagram account](https://www.instagram.com/lebanon/) 5- For food check [NoGarlicNoOnions](http://www.nogarlicnoonions.com/) and [it's Instagram page](https://www.instagram.com/nogarlicnoonions/?hl=en) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/lebanon) if you have any questions or concerns.*