Once considered the Paris of the East, Lebanon fell off the tourist map when it disintegrated into civil war in 1975. The word is slowly getting out that travel to Lebanon is now not only possible but surprisingly free of hassles. The handful of foreign visitors now finding their way to Lebanon are mostly well-heeled package tourists.
Independent travellers are a bit of a rarity, but are made to feel welcome.
The Lebanese are genuinely hospitable towards strangers and are not shy of inviting travellers into their homes. If you're interested in the history of the region and want to see how Lebanon is striving to rebuild itself, now is a good time to visit. Warning The border between Israel, down the extreme south and southeast of Lebanon, is a highly flammable area, forever teetering on the edge of violence. It's not a good idea to go wandering around the Shebaa Farms and Fatima Gates area, as Lebanon is currently trying to wrest control of these areas from Israel. The Fatima Gates, in particular, is a popular site for stone-throwing activities with retaliatory gunfire from the Israeli camp.