Orange House

Part bed and breakfast nestled in a remote location of Lebanon, part turtle conservation project, the Orange House in south Lebanon’s Naqoura is a shrine for travelers with a penchant for environmentalism. Run single-handedly Mona Khalil, the unique guesthouse is an anomaly in Lebanon: undeveloped and serene.

Booked weeks in advance, the guesthouse offers three large rooms that are arranged around an eclectic living room. A wood fire is burning during the winter months. An orchard brimming with citrus trees surrounds the house. Guests typically come to relax, catch up on reading or swim in the sea. Unlike the majority of beach resorts in Lebanon, Orange House feels truly isolated. Foreigners will require a permit from the Army barracks in Sidon to enter the grounds, so non-Lebanese looking to spend a weekend there are urged to look into visa requirements.

Also unlike elite boutique hotels, guests are permitted to bring their own food and enjoy it wherever they please. Restaurants are also a short walk away. Those with cars can also drive to Tyre and back for more dinner options. The guesthouse serves an authentic Lebanese breakfast made with fresh local ingredients, including bread, yogurt, honey, zaatar and goat’s cheese. Khalil also has a seasonal selection of freshly mad jams.

Originally set up to conserve the sea turtles native to the area, the most popular time to visit Orange House is May to October, the turtles’ nesting season. Guests, often families, typically help in conservation efforts by cleaning the beach.