Last month a million tourists visited Lebanon. This is the first time since the end of the civil war in 1990 that Lebanon has seen such high numbers of tourists.

According to the ministry of tourism it is a record for such a small Mediterranean country. "This is a huge number, we have never seen anything like it before," said the director general of the ministry Nada Sardouk earlier this week.

The Lebanese are pleased with this season after a number of frustrating summers. “It is great, I can’t remember a summer like it. Everything is fully booked days in advance,” says Mr Wissam, the manager of a seaside restaurant in Beirut.

Lebanon is back in fashion. In January, the Lebanese capital was at the top of the New York Times' list of places to go. The Lonely Planet travel guide has given Beirut top marks for its 'charm and dynamics'. The combination of sun, sea, beach and mountains certainly makes this country a perfect destination. Tanned sun-worshipers frequent the chic beach clubs on the coast, which are busy night and day, and every weekend there are beach parties with international DJs.

Temple ruins
Summer festivals have been organised up and down the country. The Beitedinne Festival, which is located in a palace in the Chouf mountains, has again attracted big names this year, and famous artists are in the line-up to perform in the spectacular ruins of Baalbek in North Lebanon. The historic coastal resort Byblos is a nice place to visit by day, and at night it's a venue for popular bands. Rappers Snoop Dogg and Akon are also honouring Beirut with their presence this summer. The tickets are selling like hot cakes.

 
Beirut is back to being the swinging city it used to be with numerous hotels, restaurants and a lively nightlife. Alcohol runs freely, which is unique in this conservative region. In Gemayzeh, a street in the middle of the city, new clubs and bars are opening almost every week. Shiny new Porsches, Hummers and Jaguars are parked outside and there is a strict dress code.

 
Bullet holes
The trendier bars and restaurants, which are open from early in the morning until late at night, are on and around the Place d'Etoile. Guests smoke waterpipes until deep into the night on the terraces in the main street or on the splendid roof-top terrace above the Virgin Megastore around the corner. No-one seems to take any notice of the buildings riddled with bullet holes a couple of streets further on, which remind us of Beirut's violent past.

 
Although the civil war ended many years ago, Lebanon has always had to deal with its poor image. This is not surprising considering recent events and the continuing unstable political situation. At the beginning of 2005, former prime minister Rafiq Hariri was killed by a car bomb. A chaotic period followed in which a number of bomb attacks took place. In the summer of 2006, Beirut was bombed during a war between Israel and the Shiite Hezbollah movement. Last year, Hezbollah took up arms in Beirut to show the government and rival militias who is boss. This year, the city held its breath for the parliamentary elections on 7 June, but once they passed without incident, tourists soon started coming to Beirut.
 
 
Nice and cool
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese from Europe and the United States have come back to their homeland after being away for many years. The number of Lebanese in the diaspora is estimated to be between ten and 15 million, many more than the four million that actually live inside the country. A large proportion of the tourists come from the Gulf states. Compared to the temperatures there it is "nice and cool" in Lebanon - 35 degrees instead of 50. The freedom and variety of things to do in Lebanon has always been an attraction to people living in the conservative countries of the Gulf. People can enjoy the mix of east and west.

 
The manager of Jeita Grotto is optimistic about the future. "Lebanon still has an unsafe and unstable image, but that could change if we are selected as one of the seven modern wonders of the world."
 

"One of these days we will become famous for our natural beauty," says Nabil Haddad, managing director of MAPAS, the German organisation which exploits the impressive underground limestone caves 20 kilometres north of Beirut.
 
New world wonder
Jeita is competing against 27 other natural phenomena to win the title of "New World Wonder" in an online competition. Jeita Grotto in Lebanon has been shortlisted alongside Halong Bay in Vietnam, Angel Falls in Venezuela and the Grand Canyon in Arizona from 261 wonders throughout the world. The winner will be announced in mid-2011. Mr Haddad stresses that a first place for Jeita Grotto would be fantastic for the whole tourism sector in Lebanon . "Then the Lebanese will have something to be proud of."