Back Home For The Holidays? Here Are 8 Things That May Have Changed In The Last Year

Whether you’ve been away for a year or two, or you’re reading this from abroad with tears in your eyes, here are a few updates on what’s changed in Lebanon.

1. Saifi is bustling once again

Places like Buco, Julienne, and Yuruba have all opened their doors, breathing life back to the quaint quarters that have been largely quiet since 2019. The restaurants there are striking a balance between upscale and cool, aiming to attract a younger clientele.

2. The Airport Road tunnel is now LIT!

Sing, Hallelujah! That lengthy tunnel from Khaldeh to Beirut is now adequately lit. Long known as the “death tunnel,” the road was notorious for accidents and frequent traffic jams. We’re pleased to share that it hopefully won’t flood every time it rains by your next visit.

3. Most places accept credit card again!

Yay. (Granted that it is a ‘fresh’ USD account.) All places also accept US Dollars at the parallel market rate, so exchanging money is probably less necessary. And speaking of exchanging money, you’ll be happy to hear that you no longer have to check the exchange rate twenty times a day to see if you’re getting a good deal. It is at a static 88,000-89,000 LL per USD.

5. Valet is anywhere between 300,000 LL and 600,000 LL

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, it’s a “2ad ma baddik”.

6. You might see the new 100,000 LL bill

Bearing resemblance to the 1,000 lira, the new 100,000 lira banknote has shrunk significantly, both in size and in value. This new nifty bill fits more easily in your wallet, and is now in circulation. More details on this, here.

7. The cool new (upscale) lounges/clubs in town are:

If you’re into that kind of thing, be sure to check out Darling Society, Club Soda, and Parallel for a fun night of music. If you’re curious about what else you’ve missed, keep your eye on our What’s New section!

8. People are noticeably less angry.

That time period between 2019-2022 (and counting) were really rough, and yet we managed to keep it mostly together. We hope you’ll find your friends and family less agitated during this trip. Our collective road rage has also improved, we think.