Travel in Tunisia

[sgnelson]

Hi , I am planning a two week backpacking trip around Tunisia in Nov.
Does anyone reading this have experience travelling there, if so please share any advice that may be important. Also are there spots I should head for that may not be in the guidebooks?

[CanuckAbroad]

Absolutely! I went there a few years ago and it was a blast. Super nice people.

Is it your first time traveling in this part of africa?

I flew into Monastir and then headed south via several cities, looped back up via Douz and through to Tunis before going back down to Monastir to fly out.

The tourist resorts are full of Germans and French, but as soon as you start going south the tourist population is pretty sparse. I didn't meet a single other person who spoke English as their native tongue. French is the way to go, and in some tourist areas German is good to have too. English not so much.

The camel treks in Douz are good, but make sure you get there in the morning to get a ride - It's illegal for them to take you into the desert in the afternoon because it's too hot (maybe not so in the winter).

What kind of stuff did you want to see?

[sgnelson]

Hi
I've never been in North Africa before. I was thinking about working my way along down the coast from Tunis to Sfax before going inland to Douz possibly. How much did you pay for your camel ride? Did you do an overnight stay in the desert? Also I was wondering what the night life is like since it's a Muslim country.
I'm really keen on seeing some of the ruins as well and plan on going to Carthage and hopefully El-Jem.

Thanks.

[CanuckAbroad]

That's a good plan. I found catthage a pain in the butt to get to and a little boring quite honestly - there's not much there. However if you're interested in the history then it's well worth a look. El-Jem is awesome - I went there in the late afternoon and basically had the whole place to myself. WAY better than the colosseum in Rome.

I don't remember how much I paid for the camel trek - It was just a simple overnight thing. But really nice. The guide was a nice guy too. Bring water though! In that part of Tunisia I was easily drinking 5-6 litres of water a day and barely going to the washroom. It's really hot and dry.

I didn't find much in the way of night life. In Monastir and other tourist resort cities you'll find some night clubs which are basically only for tourists. Most bars you find will probably be full of men, and if there are any women, they will most likely be prostitutes.

I'd like to go back again and spend more time, I was only there for about 8 days.But it was definitely memorable.

[AllyssaJen]

Hi there,

I lived in the north of Tunisia for a year. It is a fabulous country with genuinely hospitable people. Definitely take time to get out of the normal tourist zone -- Sousse, Monastir, Tunis, Carthage, Douz, Matmatta. These are very touristy places. Fine, if that's what you want, but you can be surprised at the richness elsewhere!
Travelling by train is very affordable and probably the most comfortable way to get from A to B. You can also choose a luage (8 passenger van) but you often have to wait for quite a while for these to fill up (they only leave the station once all 8 seats are filled).
I loved the Roman ruins throughout the country. By far the best ones I saw were in Bulla Regia -- up in the north-west corner of the country (about a 20 minute drive from the Algerian border). Another amazing sight, though more touristy, was Dougga. If you are looking for ruins you don't want to miss El Jem -- it has the largest Roman Colosseum ever built except for the one in Rome.
You gotta try a true Tunisian meal -- couscous, and salata mishwya. Delicious! In Tunis a great place for real Tunisian food (though a bit more pricey) is le Capitol. It is close to the port du France on Habbib Bourgiba. Taxi drivers in the city will know it!
Have a great trip and Rubbi My-ik ("The Lord be with you" in the local Arabic dialect!)

[Afia]

Hi,
A camel trip is cost around 30 $ and if you want to see roman ruines, you would not miss Dougga.
We did an overnight stay in the desert : it was quite a good experience. Also, I recommand to visit Matmata, even if it's full of tourists : the view is incredible and the Berberian houses are unbelivable,
Tunisia is muslim country, but they are relax. In the South, you will feel a difference, but still, it's ok. I did'nt feel bad at any moment.
We enjoyed our trip : it's a great coutnry.

[Ivana]

You must see Tunisia!