Tour & Activity Scams in Byblos, Lebanon

How it works

At the entrance to the Byblos Ruins (Jbeil Archaeological Site) on the seafront near the Crusader Castle, individuals posing as official guides approach visitors before they reach the ticket booth. They offer personalized tours of the Phoenician temples, Roman colonnaded street, and Crusader fortifications at prices that appear reasonable ($10–20 USD), but the tour quality is poor and the guides are not licensed by the Lebanese Ministry of Culture. Some operate a follow-up where they lead visitors to a family souvenir shop at the end and apply significant social pressure to purchase.

How it works

From the Byblos Old Port fishing harbour, small boat operators offer tours along the coastline, to nearby sea caves, or fishing trips. The posted or quoted price for a 30–45 minute coastal tour is often $15–20 USD per person for a group, but operators use several techniques to increase the final charge: quoting a per-boat price that sounds like a per-person price, adding fuel surcharges mid-trip, or stopping at a point of interest and requiring an additional payment to continue or return. Some operators collect the full payment upfront and return significantly earlier than the agreed duration.

How it works

The Byblos Fossil Museum (Musée de Fossiles de Byblos), located near the Old Port, is a private collection exhibiting Cretaceous-era marine fossils found in the Lebanese mountains. At the entrance, visitors are sometimes told by museum staff or associated individuals that the basic ticket does not include the best exhibits, and that a private guide or premium access is required to see the most significant fossils — at an additional cost not advertised outside. After the tour, visitors are directed to a connected fossil and souvenir shop where guide-endorsed items are presented as certified specimens at inflated prices.