Anyone been Tunisia?

[connor]

Jus wondering if anyone has been to Tunisia?

Me and the wife have been looking at cheapish holidays for next year after an exspensive year this year and and buyin our first house next year.

It's our last holiday as just the two of us so want it to be hot. I said to travel agents I fancied sharm in Egypt purely fir the diving aspect and also so we can go on a trip to pyramids for the wife.
We also like the thought of turkey as ppl always say it good. The travel agent woman mentioned Tunisia and it came in at great prices. I've never been and don't know anyone who has...

If you been what's it like?

Or where else would you suggest?

 

[Andy]

Jus wondering if anyone has been to Tunisia?

Me and the wife have been looking at cheapish holidays for next year after an exspensive year this year and and buyin our first house next year.

It's our last holiday as just the two of us so want it to be hot. I said to travel agents I fancied sharm in Egypt purely fir the diving aspect and also so we can go on a trip to pyramids for the wife.
We also like the thought of turkey as ppl always say it good. The travel agent woman mentioned Tunisia and it came in at great prices. I've never been and don't know anyone who has...

If you been what's it like?

Or where else would you suggest?

Dump.

Avoid.

 

[connor]

Haha straight to the point and precise...

Care to elaborate?

 

[Andy]

Haha straight to the point and precise...

Care to elaborate?

Stinks of sewerage. Food was terrible in the hotel and various restaurants we went to.

Constantly getting nagged to swap the burd for a goat.

Best thing about the place was the Celsius temperature and plane out.

 

[One Planer]

Dump.

Avoid.

Stinks of sewerage. Food was terrible in the hotel and various restaurants we went to.

Constantly getting nagged to swap the burd for a goat.

Best thing about the place was the Celsius temperature and plane out.

Honestly could not have put it better myself :thup:

 

[viscount17]

Don't know where you went, enjoyed it myself

Port El Kantaoui, all-inclusive. hotel was fine (word of warning - air conditioning does not usually go on until mid June) just outside the marina - 10 - 15 min walk, had to pass a decent course with two 18's, on a par with some of the Spanish courses. Played the inland course, one or two interesting holes.
PelK is a bit in nowhere land for trips. Dugga (Roman) is to the north nearer Hammamet, Tatouine (Star wars) is further south. The whole Sousse-Monastir area is holiday hotels - if you don't like go elsewhere. Djerba island is supposed to have some good diving spots, as does Tabarka up north.
But it is North Africa, not New York so you're less likely to get mugged but your food won't all come in cling film

 

[louise_a]

I went a few years ago and it put me off anywhere remotely 3rd world. Only time I have been ill when on holiday, the overnight trip to the Sahara was the best bit but I had the runs, which was a bit of a bummer.

 

[Garesfield ACE]

I am going there mate mid March and wont be put off by the NEGATIVE comments.Read plenty good stuff about Port El Kantoui on Trip Advisor .Going to stay in PEK All Inclusive right next to the 2 golf courses.....like you said the VALUE seems fantastic.

Kev

 

[Garesfield ACE]

Connor : My mate who works with me went to PEK,Tunisia few months ago and said it was fine.He was only in a 3 star hotel.
Turkey,love it myself,very hot,HID not so keen

 

[BrizoH71]

Honestly could not have put it better myself :thup:

Went to Port El Kantaoui with the wife a couple of years ago, just after the revolution. A few thoughts about our trip there might help you...

The street vendors in Tunisia are very aggressive when chasing your business; I'd say worse than you'd find in Turkey... there's often two or three of them all trying to crowd you at once. They are not easily dismissed and will chase you down the road.

Look with eyes, not with hands. Picking something up in a shop, unless its a fixed price shop, is often a tacit invitation to buy and you'll be expected to make purchase. Shopkeepers are like the one in Mr Benn, they appear out of nowhere to try to get you to buy. They will often try to engage in conversation about something mundane, eg, trainers and then try to sell you some. Always haggle the price, unless in a fixed-price shop.

When we were there, we'd get random folk wandering up to us claiming to be the bus driver who took the transfer from the airport, or your waiter in the restaurant. Tell them to eff off, as they'll try to steer you towards an affiliated shop with claims of their father/brother/son runs it and he'll get you a good price. Its usually a rip-off tactic, and you'll get pressurised into buying when you get there.

The shops all sell pretty much the same gear; if you can't be arsed haggling, go into the next tourist-tat shop, where you'll likely find it cheaper. You can then haggle and play shopkeepers off against each other to get a better price.

Keep an eye on your wife; the Tunisians are very forward with women, especially when alone. There were a couple of attempted sexual assaults on British travellers by Tunisians when we were there. There is a huge fountain in the centre of Port-el-K that plays music and has a light show. It triggers at 1pm and 8pm every night, although times can change depending on the time of year. Its surrounded by eateries as well (along with lots of feral moggies, don't feed them!). At night, this is where the gigolos come to chat up the women, so if you go up at night, keep a close eye on your missus. It won't deter them from trying it on though, even if you are there.

Be careful in the Souks, many are narrow and pickpocketing is rife.. its easy to get lost in them as well. There's a big market on in Sousse on Fridays which is worth a visit, but the shopkeeper tip applies. Its like that scene in Indiana Jones when Indy is chasing around the streets looking for Miriam.

The local beer is Celtia, and it comes in 330ml green & white bottles.. its very drinkable. I only saw this and Lowenbrau, and some establishments will try to pass off alcohol-free beer as proper beer. Wines are ok, but a little expensive; they are drinkable, though.

For excursions, we went to Frigua Park for a Zulu evening. Its basically a typical zoo, but afterwards theres a gathering in a big hut where you get some food, while dancers entertain with a variety of dancing from Zulu wardances to traditional Tunisian dancing and belly dancing. Its not bad, you'll get stuck on a table with other folk, usually about 12 to a table. The food isn't great and service is rushed.. the dancers are/were a bit tasty though, so be careful the missus doesn't catch you ogling.

There is a land-train that runs between Sousse and Port-el-Kantaoui, known as the Noddy train. It looks like something out of the Noddy books, but also has zero suspension and you'll be thrown about the car at every little hump and bump in the road. You can buy a return ticket, but you can only travel on a return on the same coloured train you arrived in. So if you bought a return on the yellow train, you could only return on the yellow train.

We also caught the train from Sousse to Monastir.. about 45 minutes (ask for first class, otherwise you'll be in a Wild West-style saloon car) through salt plains and some quite desperate terrain. Monastir is cracking though, the ribat (fort) used in the Life Of Brian is in Monastir and well worth a visit. There's also the burial place of Habib Bourgibba, the first president of Tunisia after it became independant from French rule which is cracking to see with its marble walkway, and boasts one of the largest crystal chandeliers in Europe.

El Djem is worth a visit also, although we were rushed round it. Its a colluseum that was used in Gladiator, and very well preserved. The hawkers outside try to flog you foreign language guide books, and you'll need to run a gauntlet of street stalls to get to the entrance.

We never did the Star Wars trip, as it wasn't running when we were there. I have heard its excellent though.

I hope you enjoy it better than I did. Although the weather was great, and some of the sights are impressive to see, it was pretty much a fortnight of dodging shopkeepers, restauranteurs and street hawkers, and I was glad to get home.

 

[Iaing]

If you're looking for cheapish go to Sharm El Sheik or Hurghada. Both are great.

If I was offered a free holiday in Tunisia I'd turn it down. We'll never go back there.