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The multiple and various touristic riches that offer the regions of Kesrouan-Jbeil-Batroun
will make the happiness of all visitors, hikers, travelers, pilgrims and all
sorts of seekers stopping in Lebanon for a while.
1- On the cultural level
 The
numerous archeological sites, historical monuments, pilgrimage and prayer sites,
crafts shops, picturesque sites and originality of customs and traditions of
people from the region will enchant all those looking for cultural tourism.
The fish fossils are millions of years old and they come from the ground of
the Hagel and Hjoula valleys to the East of Jbeil-Byblos. The archeological
site of the city alone offers a wide open air display of different historical
periods of Lebanon, from the Neolithic till the present.
Pages of our history remained engraved on the rocky walls and steles of the
Nahr el Kalb river. An astonishing Phoenician wall sculpted in the Batroun rock
reflects one of the aspects of the maritime power of our ancestors. The vestiges,
still impressive till now, of the Roman temples of Faqra, Afqa, Yenouh and Machnaqa
recall the splendors of an illustrious empire, if there were any, and which
covered our country in all kinds of art works, such as the roman bridge in Maameltein,
the roman paved way and column in Jbeil-Byblos, the vestiges of an imposing
nymphs on the city agora… in addition to the numerous monuments of the
medieval period: the fortress and the wall of the crusades, the church of St.
John always conducting mass in Byblos, the fortress of Smar Jbeil, that of Msaylah
in the Nahr Jaous valley near Batroun, the Borj Nouhaich tower near Nahr al
Fidar, the churches with extraordinary rupestrian frescos in Bahdidat, Blate
and in Mar Saba in Edde Batroun… Finally, the Ottoman period; in fact
many villages in the region of Jbeil and Batroun have kept traditional houses
and souks, constantly animated khans and mosques.
2- On the Athletic and Ecotouristic levels:
 The
mountainous reliefs and the wild gorges, as well as the proximity of the see
along the coast, allow open air paragliding activities: cavers will be excited
at exploring the grottos of Jeita, Afqa, Roueis…; climbers will be happy
before the beautiful hills and their canyons (Lebanese ecotower - operators
volunteer to conduct initiation outings or professional ones); hikers fans of
landscapes and surprises will admire the extraordinary panoramas, the natural
bridge of Faqra and its cascade, the old mills, the old churches in out of way
open spots of rocks as well as green chains.
The amateurs of various sports shall not be disappointed: our region, alone,
has 4 of the 6 skiing station: Faraya, Faqra, Kanat Bekich et Laqlouq - the
biggest in Lebanon: Faraya, manages more than 20 ski tracks, the others being
better equipped for family skiing and apprenticeship. The amateurs of cross-country
skiing will be thrilled by the high plateaus and slopes in Sannine and Laqlouq
- tower operators propose racquet skiing and ski doo rides…
Furthermore, it is possible to find bike itineraries on appropriate tracks
at easy and professional levels. Those interested may find stands for renting
bikes in Faraya and Laqlouq… The rivers of Nahr el Kalb and Nahr Ibrahim
may offer, only in winter, kayak and raft rides for the amateurs… The
heights and slopes of the relief allow paragliding amateurs to take vertiginous
dives, at all times, towards the sea nearby… Finally, on the sea extending
to the north and the south of the region, all water sports may be practiced
such as swimming, diving, water skiing, pedalo, rides at large…also a
large number of maritime resorts and schools propose their services to all those
who come to them.
3- Rural tourism
 The
rural milieu of the region is full of surprises and riches : it has conserved
a lot of old customs and traditions - depending on the season, tourists may
get familiar with and participate in wine harvest, fruit picking, distillation
of arak… they will get to see the oil press and mills… they can
admire the olive groves, banana fields, and at the top of the mountain, the
flowering apple fields… they could visit the craftsmen village, that of
sculptors in Rachana, the Amchit basketry, the Asiyia glass making... the restitutions
of folkloric activities of a village on a holiday.
4- Religious Tourism
 Our
Middle East is a cross-road of religions. It was the cradle of the great monotheist
religions. Even though Islam is historically linked to its geographic space,
many other religions co-exist with it: 18 religious communities live here in
peace and conviviality: Sunni, Chi'a, Druze, Maronites, Greek Orthodox, Greek
Catholic… hence, you could find in our region a density of religious places
where one can worship God and revere the Saints…
Lebanon, country of the sun, of honey and milk, of water is a country of charm
and hospitality, celebrated by the Song of Songs… Christ himself stepped
on its land: (Marc 7/24, 31…)
Visiting and discovering the various worship sites will permit to get in touch
with nature, history, art and the traditions of hosting communities… The
pilgrimages are truly ways of faith towards places where God has shown himself
in a special way :Our Lady of Harissa, the hermitage of Saint Charbel in Annaya,
the Kfifane, Mayfouq and Hardine convents and Saydet en Nour in Batroun…
The three saints recently canonized, have lived in this region : St. Charbel
in Annaya, St. Naamtallah in Kfifane, St Rafqa in Jrebta…Rupestrian hermitages
dating back to the middle-age are hidden in the abrupt parishes in our mountains:
Mar Antonioas and Mar Semman in Saydet el Khayt, Mar Doumit in Tannourine, Mar
Semaan in Saydet el Bzaz… Churches, some of which are decorated with rupestrian
frescos, attract scholars and the curious: those of Bahdidat, Blat, Mar Seba
Edde Batroun, the remains of Mosaic paving of a Byzantine church from the V
century adjoining the church of St John in Jbeil- Byblos.
5- Entertainment Tourism:
 The
day life and the night life of the region allow amateurs of " idleness
" and the hyper to find what they are looking for: on the beaches which
are sunny more than 250 days a year… The boutiques of Kaslik or Jbeil-Byblos,
Metro super store in Maameltein… will be the joy of shopping lovers…
Lebanese, French, Italian, Indian restaurants … pubs and nights in Kaslil,
Maameltein, Batroun, the shows of Casino du Liban, theaters, festivals in Byblos,
Ghazir, Zouk…offer a wide range of entertainment… and the villages
of our mountains often organize nice fairs in celebration of the local saint…
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