Middle East - Anthony Ham [352]
Laundry
Most Beirut budget hotels can arrange laundry loads for around US$3 per four to five kilograms; the higher-end hotels will charge this just for one item.
Laundromatic (Map; 03-376 187; Rue Sidani, Hamra; load under/over 4.5kg LL4000/5500, dryer per 10 min LL2000; 9am-7pm Mon-Sat) Service wash and ironing services are also available for an extra charge.
Media
Beirut’s two foreign-language newspaper dailies are the French language L’Orient Le Jour (www.lorientlejour.com; LL2000) and the English Daily Star (www.dailystar.com; LL2000). Online, the very best source of independent news is Ya Libnan (www.yalibnan.com).
The Guide (LL5000) is a useful glossy monthly that reviews the latest hotspots (including bars, cafés and restaurants) and details of forthcoming gigs, concerts, shows, exhibitions, festivals, and events for kids. Though its production is often beset by problems, Time Out Beirut (www.timeoutbeirut.com, LL5000), when it does appear, is an invaluable source of local information.
Medical Services
American University of Beirut Hospital (Map; 350 000, 354 911; Rue Sourati, Hamra) Considered one of the best hospitals in the Middle East, with English and French spoken.
Money
There are ATMs all over the city, most of which dispense both US dollars and Lebanese lira. Moneychangers are dotted plentifully along Rue Hamra.
Amir Exchange (Map; 341 265; Rue Hamra, Hamra; 8am-8pm Mon-Sat). One of the very few moneychangers accepting travellers cheques, it charges US$2 to US$3 per US$100. Bring your passport and original purchaser’s receipt.
Sogetour (Map; 747 111; www.sogetour.com.lb; 1st fl, Block A, Gefinor Center, Rue Maamari, Ras Beirut; 8.30am-4pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-1pm Sat) The best place to change Amex US-dollar travellers cheques (2% commission).
Post
Libanpost, the national post office, has plenty of branches scattered through town. Standard opening hours are 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 1.30pm Saturday. There are two convenient branches, Hamra (Map; 344 706; Matta Bldg, Rue Makdissi, Hamra) and Gemmayzeh (Map; 422 902; Zighbi Bldg, Rue Gouraud, Gemmayzeh).
Tourist Information
Tourist information office (Map; 343 073; www.destinationlebanon.gov.lb; Ground fl, Ministry of Tourism Bldg, 550 Rue Banque du Liban, Hamra; 8am-1.30pm & 2-4.30pm Mon-Thu, 8am-3pm Fri, 8am-1pm Sat) Enter by the back door, through a covered car park, to find helpful staff, informative brochures, and LCC bus route maps.
Tourist police (Map; 752 428; fax 343 504; 24hr) For complaints or problems (including robbery), contact this office opposite the Tourist information office.
Travel Agencies
The following are just two of the many Beiruti travel agencies:
Campus Travel (Map; 744 588; www.campus-travel.net; Maktabi Bldg, Rue Makhoul, Ras Beirut) Travel agency focused on student travel, which can arrange trips into Jordan and Syria, along with Lebanese ski jaunts.
Tania Travel (Map; 739 682; www.taniatravel.com; Rue Sidani, Hamra; 8am-6pm Mon-Sat) On the 1st floor opposite the old Jeanne d’Arc theatre, this agency offers daytrips all over Lebanon, as well as to Damascus.
Visa Extensions
See Visas (Click here) in the Lebanon Directory for details of how and where to extend your tourist visa.
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DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
The biggest danger – and annoyance – in Beirut is the traffic. Rules both on and off the road are nonexistent, and pedestrians should take particular care when crossing the road. As with everywhere in Lebanon, it makes sense to keep abreast of the news and to avoid political demonstrations (at the time of research, the Hezbollah encampment on Place des Martyrs was also somewhere to avoid) and unaccompanied travel to Beirut’s Palestinian refugee camps.
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SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
National Museum of Beirut
This must-see museum (Map; 612 295/7; www.beirutnationalmuseum.com; cnr Rue de Damas & Ave Abdallah Yafi; adult/student/child LL5000/1000/1000, guide US$15; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun, except