Chouf towns fall into two bands: a coastal strip in Iqlim el-Kharroub south of Damour, and a string of interior towns climbing toward the Barouk cedars. This guide sets out where each major Chouf town sits, how far it is from Beirut by road, and which route gets you there.
Two roads connect Beirut to the Chouf. The coastal highway runs south through Damour and serves the seaside Iqlim el-Kharroub towns — Wardaniyeh, Jadra, Mazboud, Jiyeh, Ketermaya, Baasir, and Bsaba all sit off this stretch. An inland road forks at Damour and climbs into the upper Chouf, reaching towns such as Deir el-Qamar, Baaqline, Moukhtara, and Barouk. A few interior towns — Baqaata, Daraya, and Kfarhim — sit on the slopes between the two, reached by continuing inland from Damour.
Wardaniyeh sits in the coastal part of the Chouf, in Iqlim el-Kharroub, directly above Rmaileh at about 350 m elevation. From Beirut, take the coastal highway south past Rmaileh, then a short climb inland — about 40 km and 35 minutes' drive. Wardaniyeh is known as a model of Muslim-Christian shared life in the area.
Jadra sits directly on the coast, in Iqlim el-Kharroub, on the same Beirut–Sidon coastal highway, at near sea level. It's one of the closest Chouf towns to Beirut — no need to leave the highway — about 44 km away. Its municipal area includes the Wadi el-Zayni strip, and its farmland is known for fruit trees and grapevines.
Mazboud sits in Iqlim el-Kharroub at about 439 m elevation, a short climb inland from the coast. It's about 41 km from Beirut, roughly 35 minutes via the coastal highway with a turn inland. It is the seat of the Union of Municipalities of northern Iqlim el-Kharroub, and is known locally for its waterfall.
Jiyeh sits directly on the coast at sea level, south of Beirut on the same coastal highway toward Sidon. It's one of the closest Chouf coastal towns to the capital, about 30 km away and roughly a 25-minute drive with no turn off the highway.
Baqaata sits in the interior Chouf, at the meeting point of Jdeideh, Semqaniyeh, and Ain Wzein, at about 750 m elevation. From Beirut, take the coastal highway to Damour, then climb inland east — about 46 km and 45 minutes' drive. It has become a fast-growing residential and commercial hub, even without separate municipal status.
Ketermaya sits in Iqlim el-Kharroub, close to the coast on the Iqlim's main road, near neighboring Baasir and Mazboud, at about 374 m elevation. It's about 31 km south of Beirut in a straight line, reached from the coastal highway with a short turn inland.
Baasir sits in Iqlim el-Kharroub too, administratively paired with neighboring Haret Baasir, at about 357 m elevation. It's about 27 km south of Beirut in a straight line, off the coastal highway via a short inland climb from the coastal plain. Its Syriac-rooted name recalls the olive-oil and carob-molasses presses once common there.
Daraya, also known as Dheira, sits at about 800 m elevation, between the coastal Iqlim el-Kharroub towns and the upper Chouf. It's about 28 km south of Beirut in a straight line, reached via the coastal highway to Damour and then inland.
Bsaba, or Bsaba el-Chouf, sits in Iqlim el-Kharroub at about 806 m, in the hills above the Iqlim. It's about 51 km from Beirut, reached either via the Wadi ez-Zeina junction on the coast or via the inland Damour–Beiteddine–Ghrayfeh road. Olives are its principal traditional crop, followed by grapevines, figs, and wheat.
Kfarhim sits in the interior Chouf at about 600 m elevation, between the coast and the upper Chouf. It's about 34 km from Beirut, roughly 30 minutes via the coastal highway to Damour and then inland. Local agriculture includes fruit trees, figs, pears, vegetables, and pine.
Deir el-Qamar sits at the heart of the upper Chouf at about 800 m elevation, about 5 km from neighboring Beiteddine. From Beirut, take the coastal highway south to Damour, then turn inland onto the Damour–Deir el-Qamar road that climbs through the Chouf — about 41 km and roughly an hour's drive. It served as the capital of the Emirate of Mount Lebanon, and keeps its cobbled alleyways and preserved feudal architecture today.
Baaqline spreads across seven hills overlooking the Chouf coast near Damour and Khalde, bordering Iqlim el-Kharroub to the south and Deir el-Qamar and Beiteddine to the north, at 850–920 m elevation. It's about 43 km from Beirut, roughly 40 minutes via the coastal highway to Damour and the inland climb from there. It was the first capital of the Maan emirate, and is today one of the Chouf's leading Druze towns.
Moukhtara sits in the interior Chouf, east of Baaqline and Deir el-Qamar, with a mixed Druze and Christian population. It's about 50 km from Beirut, roughly a 50-minute drive via Damour and the inland road climbing east. It is the seat of the Jumblatt family and hometown of Walid Jumblatt, leader of the Progressive Socialist Party.
Barouk sits at the top of the interior Chouf, at about 1,000 m elevation, east of Moukhtara and Baaqline. It's about 46 km from Beirut, roughly a 40-minute drive via the coastal highway to Damour and the inland road climbing into the upper Chouf. Its forests form part of the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve, Lebanon's largest nature reserve.
Deir el-Qamar sits in the upper Chouf at about 800 m elevation, roughly 41 km southeast of Beirut. The route runs along the coastal highway to Damour, then inland on the Damour–Deir el-Qamar road that climbs through the Chouf — about an hour's drive.
Baaqline is about 43 km from Beirut, roughly a 40-minute drive via the coastal highway to Damour and the inland road that climbs from there. The town spreads across seven hills overlooking the Chouf coast near Damour and Khalde.
Moukhtara sits in the interior Chouf, east of Baaqline and Deir el-Qamar. It is the seat of the Jumblatt family, about 50 km from Beirut and roughly a 50-minute drive via Damour and the inland road east.
Barouk is about 46 km from Beirut, roughly a 40-minute drive via the coastal highway to Damour and the inland road climbing into the upper Chouf, where Barouk sits at about 1,000 m on the edge of the Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve.
Jiyeh sits directly on the coast at sea level, on the same coastal highway toward Sidon. It's one of the closest Chouf coastal towns to Beirut, about 30 km away and roughly a 25-minute drive.
Wardaniyeh is about 40 km from Beirut, roughly a 35-minute drive. It sits directly above Rmaileh in the coastal Iqlim el-Kharroub area, at about 350 m elevation.
Mazboud sits in Iqlim el-Kharroub at about 439 m elevation, about 41 km from Beirut and roughly a 35-minute drive. It is the seat of the Union of Municipalities of northern Iqlim el-Kharroub, and is known locally for its waterfall.