If you haven’t heard of Batroun in Lebanon, well I cannot wait to tell you about it! I personally had no idea about it. Now here I am writing an extensive list of the best things to do in Batroun!
Full disclosure, I went to Lebanon on a whim, with no plans except to hopefully relax after one of my big group trips in Egypt. So I spent more days in Batroun than typical travelers who just go for a day trip or two!
If you’re short on time or trying to see all of Lebanon, I’d recommend a day tour. But if you want a fabulous beach town vacay, stay longer! Or join our upcoming 2023 group trip to “Underrated Mediterranean Beach Towns”!
Another disclaimer: there are affiliate links in here so I can actually earn some moolah from posting my FREE tips 😉
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IMPORTANT MONEY Tip for Experiencing the Best Things to do in Batroun:
BRING USD CASH!!! Lebanon is currently in an economical crisis due to the gov being a**holes and shutting down banks! They drastically reduced the exchange rate, causing everyone to lose most of their money, and even if they still had some left, they went ahead and froze everyone’s savings accounts! It’s really messed up!
But don’t let that deter you from going to Lebanon! The money you spend there in cash will be MUCH appreciated! The exchange rate changes daily, which is weird and annoying, but everywhere takes USD anyway, so you can just use that.
SOME places accept credit cards, but for a really high fee!
I would also highly recommend getting TRAVEL INSURANCE for your trip to Lebanon, especially since the gov is unstable!
How to Get to Batroun Lebanon
First things first before I tell you what the best things to do in Batroun are; HOW to get there!
Regardless, you’ll need to fly into Beirut airport. Here’s what U.S. citizens need to enter Lebanon:
- Passport
- That’s it! Visa and Covid test are currently not required, although they did ask to see my vax card at the ticket counter in Cairo!
I usually use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights, and I use the flexible date option as well. Check this post if you don’t know how to do that!
Once you are in Beirut, you have a couple options:
Rent a Car in Beirut
I can’t fully recommend this option even though I did it. Literally everyone told me a was “brave” or a “badass” for driving in Lebanon, where apparently everyone thinks it’s chaotic. Well, it is chaotic. The government shut off electricity all over town in Beirut (more on this later) so the freaking traffic lights don’t work! There’s no lights in tunnels either which is terrifying!
But I was just super careful, and didn’t drive much in Beirut aside from getting out of it. Once you’re out of it, it’s a lot easier! Just make sure you have GPS! Ask at the airport or your car rental person to help you find a SIM card, but don’t pay more than $30 for it. If you don’t know how to use a local SIM card, check this post. (eSIMS don’t work there).
Rental car company I used was called Green Motion and it was only $26/day!
Take a Day Tour
Again, if you’re tight on time, you may want to just take a tour from Beirut to Batroun. I honestly wouldn’t recommend going for just one day, but it’s hard to find multi-day options, unless you rent a car.
How to Get AROUND in Batroun
One of my many favorite things about Batroun is that they have Tuk Tuks! You can walk, which is what I mostly did, but for some of the beach clubs, you won’t want to.
You can pay a few dollars and just hop in one of the many little Tuk Tuk taxis! Be sure to ask how much it costs first! You can also Whatsapp them to be picked up! Below are a few of their phone numbers!
Where to Stay in Batroun Lebanon
Full honesty, I only stayed in one place, so I only have one recommendation. But I really liked where I stayed and would highly recommend it! The room was clean, modern, and comfortable, with no electricity outages at all (this is a thing in Beirut).
It also has a glorious rooftop pool, and rooftop bar that opens at 7pm and is really popular on weekends! OH! And it’s right in the souk! So it’s walking distance to everything!
I found my room on Airbnb but if you want to book it without fees (and also get me a commission hehe) email Joe: feghalyjoe@yahoo.com
The name of the hotel is Batroun Suites
Best Things to do in Batroun
Finally! It’s time to reveal my list of favorite things to do and places to go! Here’s the best things to do in Batroun and then also things nearby it!
Go to the Beach Clubs and Restaurants in Batroun
I’m basically a beach club connoisseur, and I can definitely say that Batroun’s beach clubs exceeded my expectations! They’re chic, fun, and right on the glorious Mediterranean waters! I went to as many beach clubs and beach-restaurants as possible, here’s the one’s I’d suggest:
Butler’s Beach Club
It costs $25 for a chair and towel rentals, then you buy whatever food and drinks you’d like. Drinks were pretty affordable, with wine only about $5 a glass. If you don’t want to rent a chair, you can also just go sit by the bar and order drinks!
There’s a nice pool you can go in, a DJ, bottle service, and everything else fabulous you’d expect at a beach club!
Meat the Fish
This is a popular restaurant chain (there’s one in Beirut too) that many locals recommended for a beach club/restaurant. It’s very beautiful, with a lovely ambiance and pool right on the beach. But I found it to be pretty expensive!
Pierre and Friends
Pierre and Friends is said to be the seaside restaurant that put Batroun on the map! It’s located a bit further south of the main area, so you’ll need to drive or take a taxi. It has many traditional Lebanese dishes (which for some reason is hard to find), as well as fresh seafood.
Once you finish eating, you can also walk down to the little pebble beach area for a swim or to relax!
Ray’s
This cute little blue restaurant is tucked away behind bigger buildings in the souk area, but worth a visit, especially if you just want to go for a swim! I found it hard to find public beaches without having to go to a beach club or restaurant, but there’s access to one in front of Ray’s.
You can also rent chairs from them (or just use your own towel), and they can bring you drinks on the beach! Or again, you can just go to the beach and not buy anything!
WARNING: This little beach is where I got BIT by tiny fish! If you feel something small bite you, keep moving around!
Casa Cartel
There’s a Tulum-ey style beach club just north of the souk area called Casa Cartel that was pretty chill. It’s in a very quiet area, and I felt a little sketch walking there, so definitely take a Tuk Tuk! The hotel it’s in has them as well and will bring you back to town in them.
Watch the Sunset in Style
The sunsets in Batroun are ALWAYS stunning! But they’re even more stunning in certain ambiances! Like rooftop restaurants or seaside lounge spots! Here were my favorites:
Niu Rooftop Restaurant
This rooftop restaurant in Batroun was SO my style! Everything was pink, rose gold, and tropical, with thoughtful artistic touches all around! They also have a small clear balcony you can walk on (like the floor is clear).
I had tuna tataki and it was a bit pricey but definitely worth it! Try to go as soon as it opens at 6pm so you can catch the sunset!
Bolero
Most locals recommended Bolero, and it seems to be a popular local spot for sunset. It has a massive lawn and then a cute staircase by the sea with little tables set up on them! The view from there reminds me of the Italian riviera, especially since you can have a view of the old town from it!
Tavern
I stumbled upon this one randomly, because I was starving and about to miss sunset, but it was pretty cute! It’s next door to Niu and a bit cheaper, but if I had to choose one, it would be Niu!
Stroll Around Old Town (AKA the Souk)
So if you’re beach-ed out (impossible), if it’s raining, or if it’s early evening, and you’re looking for things to do, definitely take a stroll around the old town souk! It’s not like souks in Cairo or Marrakesh that are absolute mayhem. It’s very clean, pretty, calm, and organized!
There’s many shops, restaurants, and cafes you can check out along the endless winding pathways!
Do a Wine Tasting at Batroun Mountains Tasting Room
One of the evenings I was in Batroun, I went and did a wine tasting at Batroun Mountains tasting room in the souk. It was amazing! Probably because we tasted about 12 different things, from wines to local liquor!
You’ll need to send them a whatsapp message to arrange the tasting, it’s definitely worth it!
Stroll Down to the Harbor
Also tucked away is the actual harbor in Batroun! It’s very cute, and the perfect place to stroll around sunset! You can see a beautiful church there, the fishing boats, and a small lighthouse. I also randomly met the son of the people who own Oyster’s, and he said to tell you all to go there!
Have Lemonade at Hilmi’s
I’m not like a lemonade fanatic or anything, but I have to admit that Hilmi’s lemonade was really freaking good. Hilmi’s lemonade is something every blog and person who has gone to Batroun will recommend. And I’d have to agree!
Hilmi’s is another place that put Batroun on the map, and you can learn all about it in the world’s only lemonade museum!
Have a Hookah at B Rooftop
B Rooftop is the rooftop of the hotel I stayed at that I mentioned. I had hookah there almost every night, and on the weekend, they had live music!
If you’ve never smoked hookah before, yes, it is tabacco, but it’s flavored and delicious. It’s also normal to have your own hookah. I always thought they were meant to be shared, but that’s actually not normal!
Go Up to Ixsir Winery
One of the most popular local Lebanese wines has a winery and tasting room in Batroun! The Ixsir winery was a nice little escape and change of scenery as well, since it’s all the way up in the mountains!
A tasting of 8 wines was about $10! And you can do a full winery tour and tasting for about $20.
Take a Day Trip to Anfeh (The “Santorini” of Lebanon”)
If you have a car, I’d definitely recommend going up to Anfeh! It’s only about 45 minutes away and well worth the visit! Anfeh is popularly known as being “the Santorini of Lebanon”, and although it’s no where near as posh, it has a lot more access to swim spots in the Mediterranean!
Have lunch at Wassim’s, which is the most popular restaurant there, and he will also likely be there.If so, tell him I said hello! I had the BEST seafood of my entire trip here! Plus you can leave your stuff at the table and jump straight into the water!
Be Sure to Stop By Byblos!
Byblos is an ADORABLE an historical seaside town on the way from Beirut to Batroun. Their souk is really beautiful and sells really nice handmade crafts as well! Stop by for a snack or drink on your way up to Batroun!
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xx, Alyssa
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