Beirut Gay Travel
wolfyy’s Beirut gay travel guide to hotels, things to do, gay bars, clubs, parties, & local gay life.
The Gay Travel Experience: Beirut, Lebanon
While Lebanon is a relatively conservative country, Beirut’s gay life is easy to find. It’s a ton of fun, too! All of Lebanon’s LGBT community and events concentrate in Beirut gay bars, parties, and gay-friendly clubs.
My lovely local Lebanese friend Saleh helped me explore Beirut. He also showed me the best beach towns and countryside villages up the coast.
Saleh introduced me to his gay friends and I was fortunate to get a first-hand understanding of what gay life in Beirut and the rest of Lebanon is truly like.
Lebanon is a pretty small country, and while being gay in Beirut may be slightly easier, the country is still quite conservative regardless of the region. wolfyy’s north Lebanon guide has an in-depth explanation about what it’s like being gay in Lebanon.
Visiting Beirut After the Port Explosion
I visited Beirut in August 2021, so my experience is surely different in comparison to those who’ve seen the city before the 2020 Beirut port explosion and ensuing economic collapse and fuel crisis.
All of Beirut’s waterfront mega clubs were reduced to rubble and large segments of the city are now undergoing infrastructure repairs. Amid the fuel shortage, electricity rationing, and economic crisis, visiting Lebanon wasn’t an easy task.
Thanks to my friend Saleh, we were able to navigate these troubles. If you can find a local in Lebanon willing to help you with travel arrangements, fuel/transport, and obtaining local currency, visiting Beirut and the rest of Lebanon is doable.
Otherwise, I’d recommend a visit as soon as the economic and energy situation improves, and tourism to Beirut increases.
Is Beirut Safe for Tourists?
Understandably, travelers interested in visiting Beirut tend to wonder about how safe the city is to visit. The truth is that Beirut is completely safe for tourists, with the exception of a few neighborhoods.
Most of the uncertainty about Beirut’s safety stems from memories of Lebanon’s Civil War (1975-1990) as well as the South Lebanon Conflict in the early 2000s.
Moving beyond 2020, Beirut is much safer to visit. Tourists must remember only to avoid areas where Hezbollah operates.
If you’re only traveling around Beirut, then the Bourj El Brajneh municipality south of the city is the only notable neighborhood to stay away from.
Outside Beirut, travelers are advised to avoid all of the South Governorate region and the Nabatieh Governorate region. These areas are far in the south of Lebanon, quite far from Beirut.
Gay Beirut: Hotels & Where to Stay
Until Beirut’s port area and downtown fully recover from the 2020 explosion, hotels in central Beirut are not always the best option. Many are still not available to book given they are under renovation.
But many Beirut hotels have been completely renovated and reopened since the blast. For example, the Four Seasons Beirut is one of the most glamorous newly-renovated hotels.
Beirut hotels near Hamra Street are what I’d recommend travelers choose for now. The area here is still a relatively bustling part of Beirut.
While browsing these hotels, it’s important to verify a few details with the property given the area’s electricity issues. Check hours the hotel expects to have electricity and/if they have a private generator.
Hotels east of Beirut are an alternative to staying in, which may provide a better experience if they are available.
Also consider hotels in Jounieh, which is roughly 30 minutes northeast of Beirut by car. For more unique hotel options in seaside towns along the coast in north Lebanon, see hotel recommendations in wolfyy’s gay guide to northern Lebanon.
Beirut Gay Travel Experiences
Since the Beirut Port explosion, the city has lost a lot of its buzz. Many locals head to nearby towns in northern Lebanon for things to do and nightlife. But, there are still some great things tourists can experience in Beirut while the city repairs itself.
You may naturally still be curious about central Beirut, even if you’re not staying at a hotel in the city. Here are some places you can still explore during your visit.
Hamra Street
Hamra Street is one of the most popular areas of central Beirut. Along this trendy cobblestone street, you’ll find tons of cafes, tattoo shops, clothing, and specialty goods stores.
This area of Beirut has a particularly youthful vibe. Lots of students from American and Lebanese universities hang out in Hamra street.
Eat at Barbar
Barbar Restaurant is one of the most delicious and popular places for shawarma in Beirut. Close to Hamra Street, Barbar is the perfect place to grab an afternoon snack.
There are actually two Barbar restaurants, one across the street from the other. You can take food to go or sit down inside their casual seating area.
Beautiful Local Architecture
The city of Beirut has quite a few unique, modern buildings worth visiting.
Take a walk to see the Zardman Wave Building, the Beirut Terraces building and the (still unfinished) Zaha Hadid building dubbed the North Souks Department Store.
The Old Souk area in Downtown Beirut is also nice to see, although it’s mostly empty while storefronts are being renovated after damage from the port explosion. However, there are various luxury stores that have already reopened.
Buildings throughout the central downtown area are a beautiful sandstone color. Even without any people here, I was glad to see this area of town.
Raouche Rocks (Pigeon Rocks)
Stop at the famous Raouche Rocks, also known as the Pigeon Rocks, while strolling downtown Beirut. These are two enormous rock formations that beautifully rise out of the Mediterranean Sea.
The Pigeon Rocks are a fantastic place for a photo. On sunny days, the water reflects a gorgeous light blue.
However, there’s not much of an area to sit and relax. The adjacent oceanfront cliff is also very dirty, littered with trash. It’s a good area to walk past, but not much of a destination to spend time at.
Visit Towns North of Beirut
Beirut has already begun to renovate and rebuild, but until more establishments are completed, it’s best to focus at least a part of your travel experience in towns like Jounieh, Byblos and Batroun.
Check out wolfyy’s north Lebanon gay travel guide for things to do in these areas!
Beirut Gay Bars & Clubs
Bardo (Now Closed)
Bardo was the most well-known gay bar in Beirut, but has recently (and sadly) closed for good. They will be missed, and let’s hope another gay community space will open in central Beirut sometime soon.
Autocar Beirut
Autocar Beirut Underground is a Beirut gay club popular with locals. I absolutely loved the venue and had such an amazing night. The entire club is on the underground level of a large tower in Beirut. The party is on Saturdays from 10 PM to 4 AM.
The space is dimly lit with red lighting and has an upscale feel. There’s plenty of room to dance, or you can choose to sit at one of the bars, a high-top table, or in a private couch seating area with a group of friends.
While Autocar is one of the best gay clubs in Beirut, there are still some simple rules you must follow. See the travel tips section below for a bit of advice on public displays of affection.
POSH
Gay locals love POSH Beirut, a huge gay club open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. It’s currently one of the most popular weekend party spots for Beirut’s LGBT community.
The venue has a ton of space to dance under phenomenally modern lighting, reminiscent of many of Beirut’s mega-clubs that existed before the port explosion.
POSH hosts lots of special and themed events, which are promoted on their social media. The club is open until 3 AM too, so there’s plenty of time to dance!
Projekt Beirut & Ego Gay Party
Projekt Nightclub Beirut is a trendy gay friendly club in the Jal El Dib neighborhood east of Beirut. On Fridays, Projekt plays lots of popular hits, and on Saturdays, they’re popular for electronic/trance type music.
Ego Beirut is the Friday night gay party hosted at Projekt Beirut. is one of the most popular gay events in Lebanon!
While the Projekt Facebook page doesn’t always advertise the latest events, you can call them or inquire via email to see what’s planned.
Reservations may also be required depending on the situation regarding Covid-19, another reason to contact ahead of time!
Machrou3 Afterhours
After the bars and clubs close, many of the gay locals head over to an after-hours restaurant called Machrou3 Cafe. It takes only a few minutes by car to go from Autocar to Machrou3.
To be clear, Machrou3 isn’t a dance party. It’s a massive Lebanese cafe where friends congregate after the party ends. After Autocar and Projekt close, people who want to carry on with the night head to Machrou3 to sit, enjoy shisha and drinks.
Beirut Gay Travel Tips
Public Affection in Local Gay Clubs
While you’re out enjoying an evening at one of Beirut’s gay clubs, bars, or other LGBT-friendly establishments, there are still a few rules you need to keep in mind regarding public displays of affection.
In private venues like the Autocar Beirut nightclub mentioned above, a certain level of affection is completely fine. Two men can kiss each other and dance together without a problem.
Be mindful not to take things too far, though. Staff that sees any overly sexual behavior will probably ask you to stop.
Using Grindr in Beirut
Grindr in Lebanon is officially banned but you can still use Grindr in Beirut with the help of a VPN app.
I use NordVPN, which makes it possible to download and use restricted apps and websites. They’re the fastest and most popular VPN provider on the market.
Most of the profiles on Grindr in Lebanon will not show face pictures. Those on the app tend to be very discreet and cautious.
Gay Hammams in Beirut: Do They Exist?
While exploring the county, I asked some gay locals about their opinions on gay hammams in Lebanon. I was naturally curious given some gay blogs mention gay cruising in a couple of hammams.
These days, gay hammams in Lebanon are not so popular. However, there is one Beirut hammam where gay men are sometimes found.
While it might sound tempting, I would not recommend visiting. Given the 2014 raid of the Agha Hammam, engaging in same-sex sexual activities in establishments like this is risky.
As a tourist, there are definitely better destinations for gay cruising. If you like Middle Eastern men, I’d recommend the gay saunas in Tel Aviv!
Next, explore more of the fabulous countryside and other coastal towns with wolfyy’s gay guide to Northern Lebanon.
Need more ideas for gay destinations? Explore wolfyy’s full list of gay travel guides.
For additional resources, see the official Visit Lebanon website.
