Tunisian Advice
Discussion
Should still be fairly warm, but the places I went to were very seasonal. Went in May a few years ago, and it was still fairly quiet in the resorts.
Most of the places are resort driven, and you'll get hammered daily from the traders or anyone who works in a shop. Never pay what they're asking and haggle for everything you can. Except for drinks, they dont like it when you do that.
I went to Port El Kantouie. The nightlife was s
te to be honest, disco and thats pretty much it. Boat cruise and other water related activities are always available, same with camel/horse riding.
The only thing I didnt do enough of was just explore
If there's ladies with you, make sure you threaten to kill any Tunisian bloke who so much as looks at them, or you'll come home with a couple of camels, a rug and no ladies
Oh, and dont drink the water
Most of the places are resort driven, and you'll get hammered daily from the traders or anyone who works in a shop. Never pay what they're asking and haggle for everything you can. Except for drinks, they dont like it when you do that.
I went to Port El Kantouie. The nightlife was s
te to be honest, disco and thats pretty much it. Boat cruise and other water related activities are always available, same with camel/horse riding. The only thing I didnt do enough of was just explore
If there's ladies with you, make sure you threaten to kill any Tunisian bloke who so much as looks at them, or you'll come home with a couple of camels, a rug and no ladies
Oh, and dont drink the water
Edited by andyquantum on Friday 22 August 21:25
They're opposite the hotel
Keep shush and let them do their work if camels and rugs are your thing
Worth making the trip to Sousse as well, if you're on a transfer from the airport you'll go past it. Taxi's are/were dirt cheap and much easier to use them
Or ambush the chaps renting quads by the hour and go off on your own.
Keep shush and let them do their work if camels and rugs are your thing
Worth making the trip to Sousse as well, if you're on a transfer from the airport you'll go past it. Taxi's are/were dirt cheap and much easier to use them
Or ambush the chaps renting quads by the hour and go off on your own.
andyquantum said:
If there's ladies with you, make sure you threaten to kill any Tunisian bloke who so much as looks at them, or you'll come home with a couple of camels, a rug and no ladies
This reminds me of when I went about 7 years ago.Edited by andyquantum on Friday 22 August 21:25
Took a rather attractive girlfriend (air hostess) and got offered 30 camels for her, was tempted of accepting the offer one day when she did nothing but nag.
Believe me if they are blonde and half decent looking you will get loads of hassle.
One dozy tunisian guy in a nightclub asked me if he could have sex with my woman as his wife couldn't satisfy him...
My words... "thats cos she is probably a hairy, moustache wearing fat lump you t
t" "Now Feck off". 
Edited by Gsw500 on Friday 22 August 21:37
andyquantum said:
If there's ladies with you, make sure you threaten to kill any Tunisian bloke who so much as looks at them, or you'll come home with a couple of camels, a rug and no ladies
This reminds me of when I went about 7 years ago.Edited by andyquantum on Friday 22 August 21:25
Took a rather attractive girlfriend (air hostess) and got offered 30 camels for her, was tempted of accepting the offer one day when she did nothing but nag.
Believe me if they are blonde and half decent looking you will get loads of hassle.
One dozy tunisian guy in a nightclub asked me if he could have sex with my woman as his wife couldn't satisfy him...
My words... "thats cos she is probably a hairy, moustache wearing fat lump you t
t" "Now Feck off". Edited by Gsw500 on Friday 22 August 21:45
If you get the chance slide down on the overnight sahara camping trip, good do 
bit of trekking into the desert on a camel for a couple of hours, and a night in a little tent thing , lots of rustling in the dark outside 
,and they get you up really early doors for the sunrise, just watch the loon driving the 4wd drive back over the dunes the next day, i've still got a sore neck where i whacked my head on the landcruiser ceiling,
Only downside a long way south.
bit of trekking into the desert on a camel for a couple of hours, and a night in a little tent thing , lots of rustling in the dark outside ,and they get you up really early doors for the sunrise, just watch the loon driving the 4wd drive back over the dunes the next day, i've still got a sore neck where i whacked my head on the landcruiser ceiling,Only downside a long way south.
My ex wife went for a week and soon started locking herself in her wardrobe every time the porters let themselves in.
She found they were looking at the drains to see when she was showering and let themselves in to gawp.
The final straw came after a day out to find half her knickers missing, she came home.
She found they were looking at the drains to see when she was showering and let themselves in to gawp.
The final straw came after a day out to find half her knickers missing, she came home.
speedyguy said:
If you get the chance slide down on the overnight sahara camping trip, good do bit of trekking into the desert on a camel for a couple of hours, and a night in a little tent thing , lots of rustling in the dark outside ,and they get you up really early doors for the sunrise, just watch the loon driving the 4wd drive back over the dunes the next day, i've still got a sore neck where i whacked my head on the landcruiser ceiling,
Only downside a long way south.
Ditto- enjoy the hotels, beaches etc- but go to the Sahara- should only take 2 days out of the holiday but its well worth it.. bit of trekking into the desert on a camel for a couple of hours, and a night in a little tent thing , lots of rustling in the dark outside ,and they get you up really early doors for the sunrise, just watch the loon driving the 4wd drive back over the dunes the next day, i've still got a sore neck where i whacked my head on the landcruiser ceiling,Only downside a long way south.
we went to an oasis somewhere south and west of chenin- right on the edge of the 'stony' desert (funnily enough- its exactly what it claims to be- a desert full of stones and rocks!) and the sandy desert (where the dunes seas are)...
..and when you're out there, wait till it gets dark, and look up, and see the stars as you've never seen them before...(unless you've done extensive offshore sailing or such like...)
Only other comment- learn to say hello, goodbye, and thank you in arabic...
....they expect Europeans to speak in french to them- opening in Arabic, even if you then switch to French goes along way to getting a good reaction.. (Same as if you speak French to the French in France instead of franglais...)...
Enjoy...
TO sum it up:
Great weather
Great beaches
Stinky sewage drains/system (well, it was right outside the Hotel Emira when we were there. Walked past the stty smell every morning. get used to it though 
)
Lively, friendly people, bordering on annoying sometimes though.
Food may upset your stomach. Make sure you take some immodium
Apart from that, go see the part of the dessert where Star Wars was filmed. Do the camel ride thing. Go see the medina markets.
You'll go to Tunisia once, and it'll be one of those holidays you'll remember.
Great weather
Great beaches
Stinky sewage drains/system (well, it was right outside the Hotel Emira when we were there. Walked past the s
tty smell every morning. get used to it though )Lively, friendly people, bordering on annoying sometimes though.
Food may upset your stomach. Make sure you take some immodium
Apart from that, go see the part of the dessert where Star Wars was filmed. Do the camel ride thing. Go see the medina markets.
You'll go to Tunisia once, and it'll be one of those holidays you'll remember.
Oh, and if you're going to buy something - barter for it. However, know the price you want to pay, and pay no more. Whilst down in the Sahara we stopped at a roadside rock seller - once all the mugs from our party got back onto the coach, they realised the precious purple rock they'd bought for up to £15 was in fact painted salt! And it transpired that the coach driver, the shop keeper and practically everyone else we met were in cahoots!
Like the other posters have said, make the most of it - you won't go back. Try and see an Oasis, the Sahara, salt flats, Star Wars backdrop, where our boys fought in WW2 (near Star Wars by memory), rug auction, Antonine Baths at Carthage in Tunis, Bardo Museum, El Jem amphitheatre, ride a camel, and have a fight with a local.
And watch out for a guy called Hadem (he will describe himself as Hadem and then spell out his name, H...A...D...E...M), he'll then shaft you when you're not looking - any which way but loose!
Like the other posters have said, make the most of it - you won't go back. Try and see an Oasis, the Sahara, salt flats, Star Wars backdrop, where our boys fought in WW2 (near Star Wars by memory), rug auction, Antonine Baths at Carthage in Tunis, Bardo Museum, El Jem amphitheatre, ride a camel, and have a fight with a local.
And watch out for a guy called Hadem (he will describe himself as Hadem and then spell out his name, H...A...D...E...M), he'll then shaft you when you're not looking - any which way but loose!
speedyguy said:
If you get the chance slide down on the overnight sahara camping trip, good do bit of trekking into the desert on a camel for a couple of hours, and a night in a little tent thing , lots of rustling in the dark outside ,and they get you up really early doors for the sunrise, just watch the loon driving the 4wd drive back over the dunes the next day, i've still got a sore neck where i whacked my head on the landcruiser ceiling,
Only downside a long way south.
I went a few years ago, and pretty much hated it. The blokes bothering your missus, every bloody shop owner trying to drag you into their shop, some really s bit of trekking into the desert on a camel for a couple of hours, and a night in a little tent thing , lots of rustling in the dark outside ,and they get you up really early doors for the sunrise, just watch the loon driving the 4wd drive back over the dunes the next day, i've still got a sore neck where i whacked my head on the landcruiser ceiling,Only downside a long way south.
t food, the fact that you are seen as fair game as soon as you set foot off hotel property, the hatefull stares of some etc etc.The trip to the sahara made it all worth it. If you can, get them to tag on watching the sunrise from the salt flats (I forget its name), it is simply magnificent!
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