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 Old and new, exotic and traditional, the captivating north-African country of Tunisia sits at the heart of the Mediterranean, caught in a cleft between Algeria and Libya, offering the world’s travellers some sumptuous modern seaside resorts set side by side with a treasure trove of ancient Roman, Arab, Berber and Phoenician sites.
Tunisia has a thousand miles of coastline to the north, where luxurious resorts like Hammamet and Nabeul nestle amid citrus orchards. Vacationers relish the sandy beaches and crystalline waters along the waterfront, where the only alternative to lazy bronzing is to indulge in a round of golf or take the plunge with some watersports. Tunisia Resort reviews
Djerba: The Isle of Djerba is situated in the south-east of Tunisia on the Gulf of Gabes. Jerba or Djerba (Arabic) has been called an island of ten thousand palm trees rising from the sea like a mirage. This small island in the Mediterranean is ringed by miles of fine sandy beaches and luxury hotels ready to welcome the traveller. The magnificent weather, clement in winter, warm in summer lends itself to a variety of sports and activities including year round windsurfing. There's plenty to do on Djerba, which offers a variety of sea sports, Roman sites and even a pirates castle, the ancient synagogue of the Griba , and fortress like mosques. Ferries from the mainland run every 20 minutes during the holiday season but there are direct flights in to Djerba which can be found by selecting Djerba from the dropdown "Island/Region" box on any of our other pages on Tunisia.
Hammamet: On the coastal motorway sandwiched between the Mediterranean and the Sahara desert, 40 miles (64km) south of Tunis, lies the pride of the 'Tunisian Riviera': the sophisticated resort town of Hammamet with its perfect sweep of beach, ancient and exciting medina, healing mineral baths and renowned top class modern hotels. Once a sleepy fishing village, Hammamet (the name comes from the Arabic al-hammamat, meaning 'the baths') was awakened to its tourist potential back in the 1920s when a flock of wealthy and arty Americans and Europeans decided to make the beautiful bay their playground. Today it has become a destination mainly for middle-to-upper range package tours from Europe, the streets abuzz with scantily clad holidaymakers speaking Swedish, German, English and French.
Mahdia: On the eastern coast of the Mediterranean, 200 km south of Tunis and 60 km south-east of Sousse lies the town of Mahdia (Mahdi in Arabic). Tucked away like a precious jewel between Sousse and Sfax, this lovely port modestly conceals its prestigious and adventurous past. Proclaimed the capital of Tunisia in 921, Mahdia was long the center of a power struggle but the Mahdia of today is that of the fisherman mending his nets and the silk weavers in the Rue Sidi Jaber.
Port El Kantaoui: One could be forgiven for imagining that the quaint blue and white village of Port El Kantaoui had been built as a Hollywood stage set and simply uprooted and plonked down on the Tunisian coast, flanked by two long stretches of perfect clean sandy beaches. In fact, this is not far from the truth: El Kantaoui is a chic, purpose-built resort, which owes nothing to history, but everything to catering for the up-market tourist, seeking leisurely luxury in an enchanting setting. The El Kantaoui complex is built around a modern marina, which can accommodate more than 300 vessels, most of them moored by millionaires. Its complex of hotels centres on the cobblestone streets of the perfect reproduction of a typical medieval medina, abuzz during the day with souvenir hunters. In the evening the action switches to the bars and cafes opposite the marina.
Monastir & Skanes: The resort of Skanes, with its beautiful and seemingly endless sandy beach, is a suburb of the Tunisian Mediterranean port town of Monastir, particularly popular with British holidaymakers. Monastir has happily given itself up totally as a tourist Mecca, centred on a modern marina and a revamped Medina crammed with souvenir shops and restaurants. Just a few miles from the centre of Monastir lies the extravagant stretch of grand hotels that have been built along the coast in the area known as Skanes. The Skanes hotels are well connected to Monastir and other nearby resort towns, like Sousse, by a tourist road train and a plethora of cheap taxis. Monastir also has the advantage of having its own international airport. Parasols mushroom on the beaches in between watersports equipment stands and local vendors parading with a variety of wares, particularly pottery.
Sousse: The captivating resort town of Sousse lies on Tunisia’s east coast, about two hours drive south of the capital, Tunis. The proliferation of modern resort hotels along the beachfront has not detracted from the charms of the inner city, and Sousse is still regarded as having probably the finest (though not the largest) old city, or Medina, in Tunisia. Sousse offers its many package-tour visitors all the facilities and surroundings of a relaxing seaside holiday, overlaid with the undeniably foreign and exotic atmosphere of North Africa, all at extremely affordable prices.
Tunisia Basics
Time: GMT +1.
Electricity: 230 volts, 50Hz. European-style, round, two-pin plugs are used.
Language: The overwhelming majority speak Arabic and French. English is taught in all schools and is increasingly spoken especially by younger people. Some German and Italian are also spoken.
Health: No vaccinations are required for entry to Tunisia and no serious health risks exist. Travellers' diarrhoea and other parasitic infections may be contracted, but is unlikely in the modern seaside resorts. Visitors travelling outside these resorts should ensure they drink only boiled, purified water and eat well-cooked food. All medical costs must be paid for immediately after treatment in Tunisia, and costs can be quite high. The availability of medication is limited. Visitors should bring adequate supplies of their own medication. Health insurance is a necessity.
Tipping: Tipping is not a requirement but appreciated for good food and service in local establishments. Waiters in resort and hotel restaurants expect a tip of around 10%.
Safety: Tourist areas in Tunisia are regarded as being at risk of being targeted by international terrorism, but there have been no incidents since a car bomb attack on the offshore island of Djerba in 2002. Visitors should be vigilant and keep a check on official travel advice. There is little violent crime, but petty theft and pick-pocketing does occur. An increase in bag snatching has been noted in tourist areas and visitors are advised to keep bags close at all times. Travellers are advised to avoid the border areas with Algeria, and be extra cautious if travelling alone in the southern desert areas.
Customs: Tunisia is a Muslim country and visitors should respect the local sensibilities, especially during the month of Ramadan. Visitors, and women in particular, should dress modestly outside of the beach resorts. Homosexuality is illegal. Only married couples are allowed to share rooms.
Business: Tunisians like to get to know the person with whom they will be doing business and negotiations tend to be prolonged and very sociable occasions. As with other Arab countries, one is expected to dress conservatively and formally in Tunisia. French is the common language of business and interpreters will be necessary otherwise. A firm handshake is the accepted form of greeting and the Arabic 'Salaam Aleikum' works better than a simple 'Hello.' Business hours are generally 8am to 12pm and 3pm to 6pm Monday to Friday.
Communications: The international dialling code for Tunisia is +216. The outgoing international code is 00, followed by the relevant country code (for example 0027 for South Africa). City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)1 for Tunis. For mobile phones, dial (0)9. The country is covered by two GSM 900 mobile networks. There is widespread internet coverage and internet cafes in the main cities and towns.
Duty Free: Travellers to Tunisia do not have to pay duty on the following items: 200 cigarettes, or 50 cigars, or 400g tobacco; 1 bottle of alcohol; a reasonable amount of perfume; and gifts to the value of 10 Tunisian dinars. |
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