Tunisia For Holiday?

Question

My mate lives in Tunisia and he keeps asking me to go over there for a holiday.
I am a little bit put off because of certain things I have heard.
Can anyone tell me whether it is a good place or not?
I been told that at night particularly you need to be careful!
Any answers appreciated

Answer 1

I am an American living in Tunisia and I love Tunisia very much! The country is so full of history (has been under the rule of Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Berbers, Ottomans, Beys, and French; played a significat part in WWII, was the center of the ancient world with Carthage as the capitol, etc) and it has so many beatiful places to visit! It is unlike any other Arab country in that is has a lot of greenery. There are also many historical ruins in just about every part of the country you go to.

The mountain region is breathtaking! There are fantastic views and an the atmosphere is reminiscent of an old town in Switzerland. Absolutely gorgeous! The coast is marvelous. The Sea is clear and picturesque. The midland and south are terrific because they offer you the chance to peek into a forgetten society - one that holds fast to tradition. I have been all over Tunisia and have visited most cities and have loved everyone because they each have their own special charm.

The people are so warm and hospitable. They instantly welcome you as one of their own and treat you like family. Tunisia is also a very safe place. There are not many places in this world where a women can walk the streets alone in the middle of the night without fear. Yet I often take late night walks and have never had any problems and have never felt fearful.

Tunisia on a whole is a very safe country. I have lived in Tunis and Monastir and have visited other parts of the country without any problem. I do advise normal safety rules that are applicatable elsewhere, such as not dressing provocatively and to be aware of your surroundings.

I wrote an introductory blog about Tunisia on my 360 page http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-5ksVjU47eqs_12qDwPwirmLXqHA-?cq=1&p=764

Here is a little bit of what I wrote, and if you tell me where you are going, I can tell you what things would probably be most interesting to do there. Feel free to contact me with any question you may have.

Situated on the Mediterranean Sea, it is the northernmost African country, and the smallest of the nations situated along the Atlas mountain range, bordering Algeria, to the west, and Libya to the south east. The capitol city is Tunis. That is located about a 2 hour drive north from where I live, in Monastir.

Tunisia is a land full of culture, historical significance, and beauty. It has been under the rule of Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Berbers, Ottomans, Beys, and French. Tunisia gained her independance from France in 1956 and elected it’s first president, Habib Bourguiba in 1957. Bourgiba placed strong emphasis on economic and social development, especially education, the status of women and the creation of jobs. In 1987 Bourguiba was deposed by his prime minister, Zayn al-Abidin bin Ali (Ben Ali), who is still the current president.

The food is very delicious in Tunisia! A combination of traditional Berber, Middle Eastern, and French. From the urban "baguette" to the unleavened country bread "tabouna", baked in a clay domed oven, each region boasts its own specialty. Freshly baked bread is available throughout the day and no family meal is complete without it. Tunisians' pride themselves on their fine taste buds. Seafood is a mainstay of the Tunisia diet. Tunisian meals are social events and the longer the better. While most Tunisians like their food hot and spicy, restaurants and hotels prepare their menus considering the tastes of their visitors and serve harissa separately. This condiment is made of crushed dried red peppers, garlic and spices and adds a definite zest to any meal. It is a mainstay of many dishes and can be toned down by a touch of olive oil.

The official language is Arabic, with French being the official language of commerce. English is also very widely spoken, and in the tourist areas you will find people who speak German, Spanish, and Italian.

Travelers’ checks and credit cards are accepted at some establishments in Tunisia, mainly in urban or tourist areas. The Tunisian dinar is not yet a fully convertible currency and Tunisian law prohibits the export or import of Tunisian bank notes or coins. Tunisian law permits the export of foreign currency that was declared when entering Tunisia. Tourists are expected to make foreign exchange transactions at authorized banks or dealers and to retain receipts for dinars obtained. Under foreign currency regulations, a tourist can reconvert to foreign currency 30 percent of what has been exchanged into dinars, up to a maximum of 100 dollars. Declaring foreign currency on entering Tunisia and obtaining a receipt for dinars purchased thereafter will facilitate reconverting dinars to U.S. dollars. Keep all receipts of monetary transactions for presentation when leaving the country. Now that the government part is over, there are cash points (ATMs) all over Tunisia, mainly in touristicy areas, and at banks. Plenty in Sousse because it's a touristic city. I personally wouldn't bring travelers cheques as it will take a long time for them to process it when you check out because not many people use them. Really the only place that they are valuable at is a bank. And because Tunisia is still a developing country, most places aren't set up to accept cresit cards or debit cards. You'll find that only you're major stores, such as Carefour (in Tunis), and Monoprix, and Magasin General, plus a few major resteraunts are equiped to handle that. Most major hotels can handle them as well, but not your smaller local ones. My best suggestion to you is to bring the amount of money you want to have and change it when you get to the airport in Tunisia. Or bring a credit/debit card and use it at the ATMs when you need money. There is a fee for using the ATMs though, and that varied from bank to bank. Mostly the fee is between 1,500dinars and 2 dinars. Which ever way you go, keep only the necessary cash on you, and the rest in your hotel room.

I've also written some other blogs on Tunisia and have some picture on my Yahoo Photo Album that you are more than welcome to look at. http://photos.yahoo.com/jamie_hassen

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me.

Answer 2

I went on holiday a couple of years ago, only about nine months after 9/11. Needless to say, I was quite worried about being a Westerner in an Arab country, especially with the whole Afghanistan thing going on back then. What with Iraq as well these days, things haven't really improved for westerners visiting the Middle East.

It's probably best not to admit to being an American - pretend you are Canadian. Whatever nationality you pretend to be however, don't offer any politicial opinions about the situation in the Middle East, and exercise caution. Tunisia is a very liberal Arab country. The capital Tunis has the old city with all the souks and bizarres, but also a very modern 'new' city with designer shops and wide French-style boulevards. Tunisian women enjoy a great deal more freedoms then their counterparts in other Arab nations, but that said, Tunisia IS a dictatorship - things go on behind closed doors that the west turns a blind eye too, and as a visitor, you won't be able to help but notice that every house and establishment has to have a photo of the president on display, and just like anywhere else, his smiling face can be seen smiling down upon you from posters everywhere. Naturally, don't make any comments about the president, democracy or lack thereof, as it will not win you any friends, but that advice goes pretty much for everywhere - don't insult the locals, their customs, beliefs or their system of government.

Tunisia is as safe as any other country. It is wise to stay to the designated tourist areas and towns, as the more you wander off the beaten track the less safe it becomes. Dress conservatively. Away from the beach you should wear long trousers and long-sleeved shirts as a sign of respect. If you wear shorts, then you do run the risk of insulting any locals, though most are used to Westerners and do turn a blind eye. The only time this rule is rigorously enforced is if you are allowed entry to a mosque. Single women are more likely to run into difficulties than a lone male traveller. It is rarely dangerous though.

The worst thing about Tunisia (and the rest of the Arab world) - if you are not used to it - is all the hard sell from carpet sellers and the practice of haggling, although if you have ever been to Morocco, Egypt and especially Turkey, Tunisia will seem tame by comparison. Most carpet sellers in Tunisia will at least take no for an answer!!

If you're a "Star Wars" fan then you'll love it - take one of the tours to where it was filmed! Tourism is pretty big business all over the country - you'd be hard-pressed to find a local who doesn't speak English, though some knowledge of French IS useful!!

Answer 3

I went a few years ago and yes the sellers in the souks can seem aggressive and follow you even when you say no, but they soon move on to their next tourist. Be careful with taxi drivers some will rip you off and take you to their relatives shop instead of where you want to go and then overcharge you!Hotel was great, clean and all the staff spoke a minimum of five languages. Go to the ampitheatre at El Djem, not as good as Rome but impressive all the same. Bedouin feasts are a good night ,beware of the local red wine,it's deadly.Bourgibbas tomb is also agood place to visit and of course the site where part of Star Wars was filmed. If you are worried because it's a muslim country your friend should help you with the local dos' and do nots. Just remember when in Rome etc,etc,etc, Avoid public toilets like the plague!!Do the Sahara trip if you can it's amazing!

Answer 4

A country steeped in history and culture.Go and be sensible when off the beaten track or at night.A poor country by our standards so expect a lot of pressure to buy things in the markets but lots to see and do otherwise.

Answer 5

i would definitely advise port el kantaoui over sousse, been to both and PEK is far nicer. Sousse is nice to spend a day r two in but thats about it. everyone advises dont wear short skirts/ low cut tops outside hotels but its grand we went out (2 twenty yr olds) in real revealing summer wear and we did attract whistles and shouts but n more they never overstep the boundry only with some of their comments but thats what their used to so u will get used to it too. bring a credit card cause the shopping is great!

Answer 6

If you are holidaying with him then I am sure he will not let you wander anywhere unsafe alone...
My personal experience was unpleasant as my stomach could not cope with the differing diet and hygiene standards out there- as long as you have cast iron guts you will be fine!

Answer 7

don't go its awful we were told not to go by alot of people and we didnt listen, we've never had such a bad holiday or worse food poisoning theres nothing to do and if you go out of your resort you get man handled by the locals they drag you into their shops so you have to buy there rubbish it was a complete waste of money should have stayed at home

Answer 8

i havent been there myself ,but from what i have been told ,it woulnt be safe for someone on theire own

Answer 9

its ok