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As Beirut wakes up to the Mediterranean summer and beach clubs begin preparations for a peak season entertaining the city’s ‘beautiful people’, the marinas are also on standby, with a glittering selection of sleek motor yachts. polished and ready for potential rental clientele.
The Lebanese sailing season kicks off in May, after the Beirut Boat Show, and continues until the end of September, with the good weather continuing long after the western Mediterranean beaches have been left to Riviera fanatics and the elegant old ladies with well-groomed poodles. Beirut is a city that doesn’t sleep, and where looks matter, so spending the day dozing in the lounger of an 80ft Azimut is the perfect after-party spot before the day starts off right with a exquisite seafood dish and a glass of Moet in one of the trendy restaurants of the beach club.
This is Beirut on the water. Glamorous and delightfully accessible from the two main marinas: the sprawling La Marina in Dbayeh and the elite Solidere near the center. Take a yacht from a 50-foot sports to a 200-foot luxury, and plan a program that encompasses a relaxed cruise, a stop for lunch ashore, and cold cocktails served by the crew as the sun slowly slides over the horizon.
Beach clubs along the Lebanese coast are getting more luxurious with Oceana, Edde Sands and Orchid providing destinations with easy access to Beirut’s marinas. The Lebanese are smart, have a prime stretch of the Mediterranean coastline, and the lack of offshore islands and quaint little ports doesn’t stop them from embracing a yachting lifestyle synonymous with the glamorous Italian and French Riviera. With complimentary boat transfers ashore and award-winning chefs, there are plenty of good reasons to leave the yacht anchored for a couple of hours and enjoy a sensational beach experience. Think Pampelonne on the French Côte d’Azur – style is all about making a grand entrance and this beats parking any time!
Lebanon is a popular destination among Lebanese expats and visitors from across the region who love the exotic combination of the Mediterranean ambience with the flavor of the Middle East. The Lebanese’s relationship with the sea is as old as the Phoenician ruins that dot the coastline, and while the pleasures of the water are more hedonistic than commercial today, the spirit of Neptune continues to draw all who embrace this country and its unique heritage.