Levant

Levant (orthographic projection) - The Levant

Levant is an imprecisely defined region in the Middle East south of the Taurus Mountains, bounded by the Mediterranean Sea on the west, and by the northern Arabian Desert and Upper Mesopotamia to the east.

Regions of Levant

The term Levant is employed to refer to peoples, states, or parts of states in the region, namely:

• Israel
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Palestinian Territories
• Syria

Turkey's Hatay|Hatay Province and the southern "panhandle" of the nation extending towards Syria, may be considered part of the Levant due to its geography, history and culture.

Cyprus is also geographically close but in other matters, it is much more connected with Europe.

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Cities

• Amman — this modern city is a great launching point for many of Jordan's attractions
• Aqaba — a popular vacation city located on the Red Sea, well known for its wonderful scuba diving and marine life
• Beirut — a coastal city with a French influence formerly known as the "Paris of the Middle East"
• Damascus — considered by some to be the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, Damascus contains several world-famous Arab souqs
• Eilat — a vacation city on the Red Sea, known for its underwater observatory
• Occupied Jerusalem — quarreled over by Yahudi and Arabs alike, this famous city is the site of many holy sites of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism
• Tel Aviv — a coastal city that is known for its vacationing possibilities, beaches and resorts

Levant Halal Explorer

The media might lead you to believe that the Levant is a volatile and unfriendly region; in fact and the opposite is true. While there are occasional confrontations throughout the region, tourism is big business and Muslims are welcome with open arms. The dominant Arab culture's welcoming and hospitable attitude is a nice change from the sometimes indifferent cultures of European and GCC countries.

The region includes many wonderful and distinct cultural and ethnic groups, including the Arabs, Jews, Circassians, Armenians, Iranians, Assyrians, Maronites, Bedouins, Kurds, Druze and Turks.

The Levant is a fantastic destination for enthusiasts of both ancient and modern history. Known by many as the Cradle of Civilization and the Levant contains a multitude of attractions and sites, many of which have been made interesting from many religious texts and traditions..

Local Language in Levant

While Arabic is the official language of most Levantine countries (except which utilizes both the Arabic and Yahudi languages) and the spoken dialects vary from place to place. To address these varying dialects, some individual phrasebooks have been created.

• Lebanese Arabic phrasebook
• Jordanian Arabic phrasebook
• Hebrew phrasebook

Travel to Levant

There are a number of international airports that facilitate entry into the region.

• Beirut International Airport - Beirut, Lebanon
• Ben Gurion International Airport - Tel Aviv, Israel
• Damascus International Airport - Damascus, Syria
• Queen Alia International Airport - Amman, Jordan

Arrival and departure by sea is an alternative to air travel, at a variety of seaports throughout the Levant. Ports are located on the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea.

How to get around in Levant

The Levant region is comprised of a handful of small countries, making transportation from place to place fairly accessible. Taxis, services (pronounced "ser-veeses"), and buses are the main forms of inter-regional transportation. The cost and destination of such services will vary from country to country.

Top Muslim Travel Tips for Levant

Visit historical places such as old churches and masjids.

Experience smoking hubbly-bubbly in a coffee shop or restaurant, this training became imbedded in the culture.

Wear the traditional dress in order in immerse yourself in a cultural experience.

Halal Food & Restaurants

Regional cuisine will vary depending on the nation. Lebanon, for example, will provide a blend of Arabian, French, and Western styles, while Jordan and Syria will showcase traditional Arabian fare consisting heavily of lamb, Chicken, Rice, and vegetable dishes. Beef dishes are available but are more rare (no pun intended) than in European or GCC countries. Pork products, being forbidden for religious purposes by both Muslims and Jews, are practically nonexistent except in some areas of Lebanon.

Every visitor is encouraged to experience Levantine Arabic cuisine. For the few who never develop the taste for it, however and there are plenty of Asian-style restaurants to choose from.

Drinks and night life

Wherever you are in the Levant, be prepared to be offered plenty of cups of tea. Hot tea is a staple beverage in the Levant and is offered as a symbol of hospitality to guests. Strong Coffee, such as espresso is often available too.

For those who like to visit a bar or two on vacation, be prepared to select from a wide variety of cafes and pubs. Liquor stores can be found almost everywhere in the major cities, while home made is found in some villages of Christian majority such as Fuhais in Jordan, just ten minutes drive from Amman. Local can be purchased from any stores or bar, and is of high quality grapes and competes with the best Italian fruit cocktails.

If you like night life and there are a lot of clubs and good yearly events and raves. Amman and Beirut and have a lot of Western musical influence in clubs and events presented all year long along with especially Tel Aviv. To help you get around in the Levantine countries, you can find weekly and monthly magazines with event listings and restaurants.

• For visitors to Amman, and throughout Jordan, you can check out Jordan Today.
• To get an idea of the night life style in Beirut, and Amman, Layalena magazine has a lot to say.

Stay Safe

The Levant region has suffered from violence in the past, and active conflicts are going on in some areas today.

• Lebanon: Syria's civil war has spilled over to parts of Lebanon, so people with plans to visit Lebanon should exercise caution and check on current conditions in the areas they plan to travel to before they go.
• Syria: Though most Syrians are extremely friendly and hospitable and there is currently a civil conflict taking place in Syria. Travel to Syria is, to say the least, not recommended at this time.
• Israel: Tourism is big business in so both Yahudi and Arabs are accommodating to visitors. Both cultures, however, occasionally clash as they vie for the land. Visitors who stick to well-known and reputable locations and lodgings should not have any trouble.
• Jordan: Jordan is well known for being the safest country in the Middle East. There is no internal turmoil of any sort in Jordan, and the government keeps a close eye out for trouble. Visitors can travel anywhere throughout the nation with ease and in safety.
• Palestine: Gaza has been in a state of active hostilities with interspersed with tense and sometimes violated ceasefires since Israel's unilateral withdrawal from the land. The West Bank is less conflict-ridden, but travelers should check on current conditions and need to allow extra time to get through Israeli settler checkpoints.

Travel Next

Exiting the Levant is generally as easy as entering. International airports are generally the common form of transportation out, one may choose to travel affordably by bus, car, or ferry from Aqaba to Egypt.

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