During my several-day stay in Lebanon, I traveled over 1,300 km. Probably many people going to this country are thinking about renting a car. There is no denying that you can guess what the temperament of Lebanese drivers is.

How does it look from my perspective? In short, Lebanon is a great place to drive!

 

Roads

 

The condition of the roads is generally very good, moreover, they are all free. Asphalt roads lead to most of the tourist attractions, while dirt roads are also not a big challenge for a standard car, the Nissan Micra I rented managed without any problems. When renting a car, you need to remember that it should have an adequate reserve of power, as Lebanese roads are often very winding and steep. However, mountain roads is the thing which makes driving around this country an incredible pleasure.

The main roads are wide, often several lanes each way. As a rule, the lanes are not marked, so it all depends on the driving skills of the drivers. In my opinion, this is an advantage, because during peak hours more cars can drive on the road. It often happens that drivers going in the direction of increased traffic force drivers from the opposite direction to provide an additional lane. However, one thing that is particularly irritating is the unmarked thresholds. Fortunately, they are not as high as, for example, in Jordan, but I have been surprised more than once by Micra’s ability to fly freely in the air.

 

Fuel

 

Fuel at the stations was available without restrictions during my stay. A liter cost around 1$. You can pay in dollars or local currency.

 

Traffic regulations

 

I will not write here a lot, the rules are practically non-existent. U-turns on the highway, using the wrong turn idicators, driving the wrong way, overtaking on a solid line (if there is one), jumping at the red light are just some of the wide range of Lebanese drivers’ maneuvers. In general, the most interesting situations occur in the right lane, so to avoid surprises, it is safer to drive on the left.

In fact, I forgot that there is one law that is respected throughout the whole Lebanon. Contrary to the rules in most countries, those entering the roundabout have the right of way. Of course, it cannot be assumed that everyone will respect this principle, but in most cases it worked. At first I laughed it off, but when I saw the roundabouts on the motorway, the rule suddenly made sense to me.

 

Checkpoints

 

Driving around Lebanon, you can meet numerous checkpoints, but you shouldn’t be afraid of them. Soldiers seeing tourists usually just wave their hand, signalling to go on. I was only checked once at the checkpoint just outside Baalbek. I was asked for my rental documents and passport, and I had to answer to some standard questions.

 

Driving style

 

This is probably the most interesting part. From my perspective, I will say briefly, I have never driven anywhere as freely as in Lebanon. True, I broke every possible law, just like the rest of the drivers, but who said that respecting the rules ensures safe driving? In my opinion, drivers in Lebanon drive very well, have reflex, are able to anticipate the situation on the road and are determined. All this means that everyone automatically adapts to the situation on the road. Personally, I prefer this option, because in this way the traffic regulates itself.

Driving around Beirut, Tripoli or Sidon, there were practically no traffic jams during rush hour, and I never saw any accident or even a bump. The maneuvers performed by local drivers are not violent, you can predict their movement in advance.

Driving in larger cities also requires determination, you often have to make your way. However, many times the drivers politely let me in. I will not hide that it could have been due to the element of surprise. Women are rarely seen behind the wheel. Many people told me that they had never seen a woman traveling alone in Lebanon let alone driving a car. After all, it had to be the first time 😉

 Driving in the city is different from driving in the countryside. Here, drivers are less predictable and you need to pay more attention to the traffic situation, especially when driving faster. Outside the city, I have often seen children behind the wheel. While traveling in Lebanon, I saw the police only once. What’s more, they even told me not to park on the highway 😉 In general, the driver control system does not seem to work well in this country.

In short, we are most afraid of what we don’t know. However, if someone knows the traffic in a larger city and is not a fresh driver, will easily manage in Lebanon. However, for mental comfort, it is worth buying full car insurance and taking into account the possibility of scratching the car.