It is NOT What You Think | Beirut, Lebanon
[Music] [Applause] [Music] Lebanon isn’t the most obvious travel destination. Most people who do come usually stop in Beirut, but the country is so much deeper than just its capital. I realized this when I discovered how perfectly Lebanon fits hiking with a tent, crossing the country on foot, spending days in the mountains and nights under the stars. That’s exactly what my friends and I did. A week-l long trek from north to south. So, in this video, you’ll see not only the streets of Beirut, but also landscapes from all across Lebanon. Wild nature that most travelers never get to experience. [Music] 1 2 1 2 3 Lebanon once carried a nickname that now feels almost like a legend. The Switzerland of the Middle East. It wasn’t just about its mountains or views, but about prosperity. Beirut was a financial hub, a playground for the wealthy, and a cultural capital. The nightlife rivaled Paris. The banks attracted investors from all over the globe, and people came here to study, to trade, to celebrate. But behind that shine was a fragile balance. Lebanon’s political system was built on religious compromise. Every major role, president, prime minister, speaker of parliament, assigned by religion. At first, it looked like diversity. Over time, it became a trap. In 1975, everything cracked. Lebanon fell into a brutal civil war that lasted 15 years. Christians fought Muslims. Militias rose and fell. Foreign powers intervened. Districts of Beirut turned into battlefields. The famous Green Line split the city in two, Christian and Muslim. Streets were divided by checkpoints. The scarred not just buildings but people. It left ruins where once there had been cafes and cinemas and left behind a political system that still struggles to function. Even today those sectarian divisions linger quietly shaping daily life. Lebanon is tiny but home to 18 recognized religious sects. That sounds poetic but in reality it’s complicated. Politics is divided along these lines and so is space in Beirut. Some districts are unmistakably Christian with churches, French schools, and even the sound of bells. Others are centered around mosques, and some suburbs are the stronghold of Hezbollah. It’s like a state within a state. Beirut is safe enough to walk, but invisible borders are everywhere. [Music] By 2019, decades of corruption finally boiled over. The spark was tiny. Attacks on WhatsApp calls. Yes, you heard that right. WhatsApp calls. But the anger was massive. For the first time since the civil war, Lebanese of all backgrounds marched together. Muslims, Christians, Drews side by side chanting against their government. In the chaos, symbols of the old order fell. Even a historic cinema in the city center known as the egg was set on fire. The blaze was an emotional act, a way to burn the symbols of the old Lebanon for something new to rise. But revolutions here are fragile. The protests gave hope, yet the system endured. [Music] So stability in Lebanon is still uncertain. Moreover, regional tensions sometimes erupt into rocket fire. Earlier this year, Israel targeted Hezbollah, and incidents like the infamous Pager operation made headlines, showing how quickly local and regional conflicts can flare. But for most people, life goes on much the same as always. [Music] And yet, walking through Beirut today feels surprisingly normal. The streets are lively, cafes are open, and people welcome you warmly. Strangers help with directions, switching effortlessly between Arabic, French, and English. sometimes all in the same sentence. Beirut’s downtown is the symbol of contradictions. Rebuilt almost from scratch after the war, it now boasts stone facads, broad boulevards, and boutiques that could be mistaken for a postcard from Europe. Yet, just a few hundred meters away, the streets fall strangely quiet. Prices are far beyond the reach of most Lebanese, and much of this once celebrated real estate has turned into a ghost of itself. Grand, polished, but largely unused. So now this part of downtown, it is just a curious attraction for tourists. A living monument to Lebanon’s recent history. Demand for luxury is limited and the guarded storefronts expose the gap between image and reality. A reminder of how fragile this glossy image really is. But if you really want to, you’ll find your little Dubai corner here with luxury restaurants and wildly overpriced apartments. And then there are the neighborhoods of the wealthy. High above the city, villas overlook the sea. Along the waterfront, places like Zaituna Bay still host yachts and cafes filled with rich laughter. It feels like a different world untouched by crisis. But even here, conversations drift back to politics, to corruption, to uncertainty about tomorrow. Because outside this bubble, the picture is very different. [Music] A little break from the views. Tired of generic tours and all-inclusive resorts? Have a custom journey tailored to your unique interests, schedule, and budget so you can actually experience the soul of a country, not just its hotel buffet. That’s what I do. Get in touch. Contacts in the description. Since 2019, Lebanon has lived through one of the worst financial collapses in modern history. Banks froze deposits. People woke up to discover that the money they had saved their whole lives simply wasn’t theirs anymore. The Lebanese pound lost more than 90% of its value. A middle class salary that once bought comfort now barely buys food. prices skyrocketed. A bag of rice that used to cost $2 now costs 15. Some basic products are luxury. Now, on top of this, electricity from the state comes only a couple of hours a day, barely enough to live normally. Out of this crisis, a whole shadow industry was born. Private companies with their giant diesel generators selling power to entire neighborhoods. And of course, everyone whispers the same thing. Politicians have no real interest in fixing the electricity problem because many of them are cashing in on this business themselves. At gas stations, fuel can cost half a monthly wage. Families who once lived well are now the new poor. The Lebanese pound has collapsed so badly that US dollars have taken over daily life. Now there’s the official exchange rate, which the state pretends still works. And then there’s the black market rate. Many times more profitable. And yet a small group lives untouched. The ones earning in dollars. Whether from jobs abroad or cushy state contracts. Among them are the politicians themselves. Two worlds exist side by side in the same city. One of comfort and privilege, the other survival. Corruption is everywhere. And doing business means navigating wild markets where rules bend and the law doesn’t always protect you. [Music] It almost seemed as if the gods decided Lebanon hadn’t suffered enough. And then came the explosion. The day of August 2020 shook Beirut to its core. At the port, three tons of chemicals exploded. The blast was one of the largest non-uclear explosions in history. More than 200 people killed, thousands injured. For Beirut, it wasn’t just destruction. It was betrayal. The chemicals had sat in the port for years, ignored by authorities despite warnings. To many, the explosion was the purest symbol of the corruption that brought the country down. Even now, justice remains elusive. The investigation is blocked. Politicians avoid questioning. The crater at the port is a scar that reminds everyone of how fragile life here has become. Lebanon is a country of paradoxes, a land of mountains and sea, of kindness and culture, of people who switch between languages as easily as they offer you coffee. Walking through Beirut, you feel history everywhere. Roman ruins next to French boulevards, Ottoman houses beside modern towers. And yet, the history weighs heavily. Civil war, sectarian politics, financial collapse, corruption. They slow down a nation that has all the ingredients to shine. Beirut is unusual. It breathes resilience. It veils pain behind hospitality. It carries the memory of tragedy yet insists on living with joy. That’s what makes Lebanon unforgettable. A country where history and hardship walk hand in hand, but where hope somehow never dies. [Applause] [Music] Yeah. Heat.
Lebanon travel vlog exploring Beirut – mountains, history of Lebanon, Mediterranean beaches, Lebanese food, hummus, financial crisis, Israel attacks, revolution – this is all about Lebanon. Visit for adventure and cultural travel, and unforgettable experiences. From mountains to sea, discover why Beirut is called the Paris or Switzerland of the Middle East. Lebanon tourism is chaotic, beautiful, and inspiring. Perfect for backpacking, luxury travel, or a unique travel documentary. Explore Beirut, taste authentic Lebanese cuisine, and find the best things to do in Lebanon.