What you need to know about Tunisia
- No visa is required. Russians can enter without a visa for up to 90 days. Upon arrival at the airport, a note is stamped in the passport.
- The beach season is from the end of May until the end of October. At this time the air temperature is about 35C and the water temperature is about 28C. In the off-season it is more comfortable to walk around the cities: the temperature is about 15C, but the sea is cold — about 10C. The warmest and southernmost region of the country is Djerba.
- Language: Arabic and French. In tourist stores and hotels, English and a little Russian are usually well understood.
- Currency: Tunisian dinar (TND). 1 TND = 0.32 €.
- The country is Islamic, but there are no prohibitions on the sale of alcohol here. It is safe to go to any grocery store and buy alcohol.
- Ural Airlines, Royal Flight and Azur Air have direct flights from Moscow. A ticket costs about 10,000 roubles one way. The flight takes 4 hours. Flights from Russia arrive at Enfidah-Hammamet Airport or Habib Bourguiba Monastir International Airport.
The most popular resorts in Tunisia are Hammamet with its spa centers, Monastir with its historic districts and sights, Sousse with excellent beaches and the relaxed secluded island of Djerba. I will tell you more about them.
Hammamet
A relatively small town in the north of Tunisia, 60 km from the capital, in summer increases in population 4—5 times because of tourists. This is Hammamet, a popular beach and spa resort in the country. The city is stretched along the Mediterranean Sea, so the strip of its sandy beaches is the best advertisement for tourists.
The city is divided into 3 parts:
- The medina is a historic district: oriental souks and labyrinths of winding and narrow alleys that preserve the color of Tunisia and its traditional architecture.
- Residential neighborhoods are modern, consisting of low buildings where locals live. There are also poor neighborhoods, where it is better not to go — it is unsafe and theft is common.
- Yasmine Hammamet is a tourist area and is mostly lined with hotels and inns for tourists. I recommend staying here when traveling to Hammamet — everything is designed for tourists and it is the safest place to stay.
All neighborhoods are connected by bus routes, which also connect Hammamet to the capital, Tunis.
The city is rapidly growing and developing, new hotels, entertainment centers and golf courses are opening. In the evenings, nightclubs and casinos are open in Hammamet. The resort is considered respectable and not cheap.
Hammamet is considered the thalasso center of Tunisia, because even its name comes from the word «hammam» — Turkish bath. Thalassotherapy procedure includes: bathing in sea water baths with aromatic essential oils, visiting a steam room, and then visiting a contrast shower and wraps.
The most famous thalassotherapy center in Hammamet and one of the best in Tunisia is Glamour Thalasso & SPA. It has fresh and sea water pools, hammam, whirlpools, solarium, wraps, massage and Charcot shower.
I can recommend a couple more 5* hotels in Hammamet, on the first line and with a good thalasso center:
- Alhambra Thalasso 5 is quite a budget option, rooms for two with breakfast cost from 50 €, but the hotel has a good thalasso center.
- Radisson Blu resort & Thalasso 5 is a global hotel chain with high level of services and thalasso center. Rooms from 100 € for two persons with breakfast.
Sousse
A large tourist city on the coast, the third largest city in the country and the most party resort in Tunisia. There is a huge number of historical sights, night entertainment, a long beach strip with white sand and hotels with excellent service.
Sousse is bustling with nightlife, young people come here to the largest disco in Africa — Bora-Bora (Bora-Bora), and gambling enthusiasts — in the popular casino Casino Europe.
Sousse is a major port city, so I recommend a boat trip. You can rent a yacht or schooner in the port of El Kantaoui, which is located 10 km from the city center. A ride will cost 80 dinars, but you can always bargain. While tourists swim in the open sea, admiring the underwater world through the portholes, on the yacht they are prepared a delicious lunch.
Another popular place in Sousse is AquaSplash water park with 14 attractions. It is located in Thalassa Sousse Resort & Aquapark 4* hotel. The adult zone of the water park consists of 13 slides, and the children’s zone consists of small slides, waterfalls and a pool. There are restaurants and bars on the territory where you can have a snack.
Youth hotels with nightclub near the center of Sousse with nightclub:
- Jaz Tour Khalef Thalasso & Spa 5 is one of the most popular hotels in Tunisia, located near Port El Kantaoui. A room for two with breakfast costs from 140 €.
- El Mouradi palace 5 is a large Tunisian hotel chain, located in the center of Port El Kantaoui resort, close to the beach and 10 km from the center of Sousse. Room for two persons from 54 € with half board: breakfast and dinner.
Monastir
This resort is most often chosen by families with children and retirees. It is quieter than Sousse and offers relaxed beach vacations and historical sights.
Monastir’s main attractions:
- The Ribat Hartem Fortress, the main attraction of the city, was built by the Caliph of Harthamah Ben Ayana in 796 BC. It protected the city from Byzantine invasions for a long time.
- The mausoleum of Habib Bourguida, the first president of Tunisia — is located in the north of the Monastir cemetery. The beautiful white marble building, stylized as a mosque, holds the body of the first president, the builder of modern Tunisia.
- The Medina is an old city that has undergone reconstruction and with it lost some of its charm and authenticity. Despite this, the Medina remains a wonderful place to stroll through narrow streets where two people can barely fit together.
- El Djem Amphitheater is a Tunisian attraction worth visiting. It is well preserved, considered the third largest in the world and the first in Africa.
The beaches of Monastir are very clean and comfortable, where everything is made for beach recreation, there are restaurants and cafes. The beaches of the city along with the usual sun loungers and umbrellas offer tourists boat rides and water sports.
Family hotels in Monastir with water park and kids club:
- Iberostar Kuriat Palace 5 — hotels of this chain can be found all over the world, they are characterized by excellent service and design of rooms. All-inclusive rooms for two people cost from 130 €. The hotel is located on the first line and has its own beach.
- Royal Thalassa Monastir is a beautiful hotel with a large green area with ponds and gardens, just 2 km from the airport. Rooms for two persons from 70 €.
Djerba Island (Djerba)
The largest island on the Mediterranean coast of Africa and the southernmost of Tunisia’s beach resorts. The season here lasts longer than in other resorts — from the beginning of May to the end of October. Vacation on the island is measured, and the beaches are better than on the mainland.
What to do in Djerba:
- Gazi Mustafa Fortress is the most monumental landmark of the island. The walls of the fortress are over 600 years old. Bloody battles were fought here in the IX century BC. I recommend to meet here at sunset — the fortress is incredibly beautiful in the rays of the setting sun.
- Crocodile Farm on Djerba Island — there is a reptile park with a crocodile show. The excursion costs from 25 €.
- The excursion to the Sahara desert is quite a tiring trip for 2 days. You can see the desert on an excursion from any resort in Tunisia, but the most convenient — from Djerba: from Hammamet or Sousse go to the desert about 400—500 km. The cost of the excursion on camels or jeeps — from 120 € per person, there are three-day excursions of «luxury» level. The cost does not depend on the remoteness of the hotel. During the excursion you can ride a quad bike.
Good, tried and tested by me and my friends hotels in Djerba:
- Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalasso Djerba 5* is a global chain of relaxation hotels for vacation. It is a luxury hotel with hammam, beautiful spa center and restaurants. Rooms from 140 €.
- Tui Blu Palm Beach Palace 5* — this hotel chain belongs to the tour operator TUI. This hotel is for adult guests only. It is located in the historical part of Humt Suk, from here it is convenient to explore its narrow streets.
Tunisia is an amazing country: ancient and modern, in its cities millenary quarters are next to nightclubs and spas. Tunisia shocks the imagination and captivates you with its color. It is worth coming here for 7—10 days — to relax on snow-white beaches, wander through centuries-old streets and feel like a nomad in the dangerous and unpredictable Sahara.
