Lebanese Culture and Manners: Traveler Guide to Custom for Lebanon

Culture of warmth and hospitality

Lebanon sabi give well well. Hospitality, karam, na something wey dem take pride, and dem go treat guest almost like family. If you visit Lebanese house, expect plenty coffee, sweets and food. If you refuse everything e fit look like rudeness, so accept small.

The country mix Arab, Mediterranean and French influence, with 18 official religious communities dey live side by side. This variety dey shape everyday life for Beirut, Tripoli, Byblos and mountain villages.

Greetings and social manner

• Among friends and family, small kiss for cheek (usually three, dem go alternate) na normal thing. Between people wey never sabi themselves well, handshake safer.
• Plenty conservative or religious people, especially women, fit no wan shake hand with opposite sex. Make dem offer am first.
• Common greetings: marhaba (hello), kifak/kifik (how you dey, to man/woman), and the French bonjour and merci dem dey use am well well.
• Lebanese people dey switch between Arabic, French and English inside one single sentence.

Do and don't

• Do dress well. Lebanese people dey take appearance serious, especially for Beirut nightlife and restaurants.
• Do cover shoulder and knee when you dey visit mosque or church. Women suppose carry scarf.
• Don't discuss politics, religion or the civil war unless locals bring am up first. Na sensitive topics be dis.
• Don't snap military sites, checkpoints or soldiers.
• Do accept coffee or tea wey dem offer you; e dey seal goodwill.
• Don't surprise when dem dey argue playfully about who go pay bill. To offer to pay na politeness; if you insist too much e fit backfire.

Eating customs

Meals be like social marathon. Mezze, plenty small shared plates like hummus, tabbouleh and kibbeh, na something wey you suppose take your time enjoy. Use bread scoop am, keep your right hand for eating, and no rush, because more food go still come. Shared arak (anise spirit) with ice and water dey often follow the table.

Tipping norms

• Restaurants dey add 10 percent service charge sometimes, but e no always reach staff, so leave extra 5 to 10 percent cash na correct thing to do.
• Tip valets and hotel porters small US dollars; cash, often USD, dem dey use am well well.
• Round up for taxi drivers instead of to leave strict percentage.

Stay connected for Lebanon

HelloSIM eSIM go keep you online the moment you land, so you fit use maps, translate Arabic menus and confirm bookings without expensive roaming.