We just returned from 6 days in Lebanon and 13 days in Syria. I will write a separate report for Syria.
Our time in Lebanon was short because during the planning stages there was a lot of volatility there and my wife, Jamelie, was nervous. Being of Lebanese heritage, it was important for me to visit and, once there, we both regretted not allotting more time. This was my first time in Lebanon.
We did not use any tour companies but had pre-arranged to have a driver, a cousin of a friend here in the US. We paid him a set daily fee plus the cost of gas. He, Gilbert, was at our disposal each day to take us wherever we decided. That allowed us to make a loose itinerary and adjust as we liked. We could have arranged a taxi each day for about the same money but it was much better to have consistency with someone we trusted. Gilbert also often made suggestions about where to visit, which took us to places we wouldn’t have otherwise seen.
The US dollar is the preferred currency, with change often given in Lebanese Lira. We carried both newer $100s and smaller bills. ATMs are often unreliable, or so we were told…we didn’t have to try. Hotels took credit cards, as did most restaurants, though we always paid in cash. All of our hotels were pre-booked from home.
Sufficient English is spoken in most restaurants and all hotels. Vendors in small shops and street markets may speak some basic English.