8 spots in Lebanon that beat overseas travel

Forget about the travel agency billboards that taunt you in the middle of a traffic jam. Never mind your insensitive Facebook friends who post photos from a sea cave in Capri, while you bathe in the fluorescent light of your office cubicle. Grab a car, grab a friend–preferably a friend with a car– and explore. Yes, the country is tiny, but it's diverse, it's beautiful and you should really see more of it. Start with any of these heavenly locations...

This magical old village in the Koura district, north of Lebanon, will kind of make you feel like you're in Mykonos, Greece. Known for its beautiful picturesque setting, the village is home to small white houses, windmills, historical monuments and old churches, making it one of the most underrated destinations in Lebanon.

This mountainous town located in the central northern side of Mount Lebanon is just magical. It is a favorite among locals in the summertime, because its high altitude (1,500 m) allows you to escape the heat...and your worries.

This is the Southern-most tip of the Lebanese coast, and his heavily populated by UN peacekeeping forces. But the turquoise seas will make you forget your on a geopolitical faultline. Naqoura is home to clean beaches, beautiful guesthouses and some of the best fish in the country! The best part is that it has been practically untouched by the recent trash crisis, owing to its remoteness (it's still not even that far--just a 90 minute car ride from Beirut).

The 250 meter deep sink hole in Tannourine is one of the most spectacular destinations in the country. Walking 300 meters to reach this open cavern is so spectacular, no photo can do this magnificent feat in natural architecture any justice.

No, this isn't the tropics. It's the Chouf district, and specifically Baakline, which is one those towns loaded with history. Further down the mountain is Nahr Baakline which is a real sight to behold.

It's sometimes been compared to the mountain ranges of Portugal...only much more epic. Located in the Bsharri district of North Lebanon, Wadi Qannoubine is home to some of the earliest Christian communities in the world. It is currently part of a World Heritage Site, which means there is virtually no construction in the area, and the tiny village of Qannoubine must make do with donkeys instead of roads. Qannoubine runs only on hydraulic power. The caves are home to hermits, including one from Columbia and chapels carved out of the mountain rock.

The Palm Islands Nature Reserve consists of three flat islands, one of which is Rabbit Island. Located in the city of Mina El Mina, the place is filled with eroded limestone that looks like intricate sculpture.

One of the most picturesque places, Jannet Chouwen (translates into: the heaven of Chouwen) is the place you have to go to if you want to be one with nature. From oak trees to various plant species, it truly is heaven.