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  Travel & Recreation:
Near East Destinations:
Jordan
Lebanon

Syria

North Africa: Al-Maghreb Al-Arabi Destinations:
Egypt
Morocco

Tunisia
Arabian Peninsula Destinations:
Kuwait
Oman

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

American Destinations:
Boston
U.S. Virgin Islands

Lebanon
Lebanon combines the East and the West, the modern and the ancient, the traditional and the liberal, the rich and the poor, all under one tent! The capital Beirut, is an ancient Phoenician port, in Roman times was famous for its law school and in the 19th century as a center of trade. The Phoenicians established the several thousand year old cities and kingdoms, they were later ruled by the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Crusaders, the Ottomans and in the twentieth century the French mandate, until independence. The country is the product of all these influences.
Internet: Available at Internet Cafés and Internet Service Providers.
Language: Arabic, French and English spoken.
Climate: Mediterranean, hot in the summer, sunny ¾ of the year , cold and rainy on the coast in the winter and snow on the mountains in the winter.
Best time to visit: Spring and Autumn, as the weather is moderate.
Places: Archeological Sites: Baalbek Roman Temple and ruins ; Aanjar Arabic Castle ruins; Byblos or Jbail Phoenician ruins and port

Tripoli or Trablos: old city and citadel; Sidon or Saida 3rd millennium BC old city: old city and crusader castle and Phoenician Echmoun Temple; Tyre or Soor another 3rd millennium BC Phoenician city with Roman ruins; Palace of Beiteddine of the early 19th century

Caves: Jeitta

Museums: Beirut: National Museum, American University Museum
Night life: Beirut & Jounieh
Beaches: Use resorts with pools in & around Beirut not the beach
Mountain Resorts: Several & Bekaa valley
Brochures: Tourist office, Ministry of Tourism, Beirut
Health: Medical Insurance: needed, otherwise expensive medical care by cash, check the details of the coverage and get Travel Insurance
Hospitals: See Hospitals page on our site, Doctors speak English or French, good number trained in the West, Medications over the counter available in pharmacies, also can get medications for minor illnesses. Food choose cooked, wash fruits and vegetables, avoid fresh salads Water use bottled, avoid ice.
Women: Few annoyances, loose clothes and long sleeves outside major centers.
Children & Babies: Diapers, foods and tools available in major cities.
Equipment & Clothing: Sunglasses and a hat in the summer and warm clothes and a rain coat in the winter.
Toilets: In some tourist sites and in restaurants and hotels, otherwise have toilet paper with you.
Laundry: Dry cleaning in all major cities.
Financial: Credit Cards & ATMs wide spread; Money Exchange at banks or money exchangers, check rates.
More Information: Contact Ziyara.com

 

Syria
Syria In history included present day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. Damascus the capital of Syria may be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The people are friendly, hospitable and tolerant. Syria is one of the most interesting countries in the world in terms of civilization and history and the different people that have inhabited and ruled the area. There were the Phoenicians on the coast, the Canaan cities inland, then came the Babylonians, Egyptians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, the Arabs with Damascus as the center, Ottomans and the French mandate in the twentieth century, then independence in 1946.
Internet: From major hotels through telephone and a portable computer, Assad national library. Syria is starting to get connected.
Language: Official Arabic, English and French spoken.
Climate: Mediterranean Summer hot, sunny Winter mild to cold and wet on the coast, drier and more seasonally extreme inland.
Best time to visit: Spring and Autumn, as the weather is moderate.
Places: Archeological Sites: Damascus; Lattakia: Ugarit or Ras Shamra site of the earliest known alphabet; The 11th century Castle: Krak des Chevalier and Castle of Salladin or Qalaat Salah-Addin; Aleppo

Palmyra or Tadmor: 2nd century AD Queen Zenobia's capital

Mosques: Damascus: Umayyad or Amawi and Taqiyya As-Sulaeimaniyya, Aleppo's Great Mosque

Museums: Damascus, Aleppo
Beaches: Contamination a risk
Brochures: Tourist office Damascus
Health: Medical Insurance needed, otherwise medical care is expensive using cash, check the details of the coverage and get Travel Insurance
Hospitals: See Hospitals page on our site
Doctors: Good number trained in the west and speak English or French
Medications: Over the counter available in pharmacies, Food choose cooked, wash fruits and vegetables, avoid fresh salads Water use bottled, avoid ice
Women: Loose clothes and long sleeves outside major centers.
Equipment & Clothing: Summer sunglasses and a hat in the; Winter warm clothes and a rain coat
Toilets: Have toilet paper with you.
Laundry: In main cities, check with the hotel.
Financial: Credit Cards: in major hotels/stores/airlines, Money Exchange: Commercial Bank of Syria.
More Information: Contact Ziyara.com

 

Jordan!
Jordan has experienced many of the powers that governed the region, and the country is home to ancient cities including the capital Amman, Jerash, Madaba and the carved Nabataean city of Petra. The people are friendly, hospitable and tolerant.
Internet: Internet Café's and Internet Service Providers
Language: Arabic, English spoken.
Climate: Summer hot Winter mild
Best time to visit: Spring and Autumn, as the weather is moderate.
Places: Archeological Sites: Petra: the 3rd century BC city carved from rock, Jerash the Roman city

Amman: Roman Amphitheater

Museums: National Archeological museum, Folklore museum
Desert Sights: Wadi Rum
Sea Resort: At Aqaba
Health: Medical Insurance: needed, otherwise medical care is expensive using cash, check the details of the coverage and get Travel Insurance
Hospitals: See Hospitals page on our site
Doctors: good number trained in the west and speak English
Medications: Over the counter available in pharmacies, Food choose cooked, wash fruits and vegetables, avoid fresh salads Water use bottled, avoid ice.
Women: Loose clothes and long sleeves
Equipment & Clothing: Summer sunglasses and a hat Winter: warm clothes
Toilets: have toilet paper with you
Laundry: Dry cleaning: available, public laundry machines available in Amman
Financial: Credit Cards & ATMs: Available, Money Exchange: at Banks
More Information: Contact Ziyara.com

 

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