Travel to Tunisia
My family and I are considering a trip to Tunisia, possibly early next summer before it gets too overwhelmingly hot. I've been looking for less crowded destinations with interesting sights and nice beaches, and we're also big fans of North African cuisine. All in all, this seems like it could be a good option. I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations for traveling there with a preteen? I know there have been some safety concerns in the past, but is it safe to go now? What I'm seeing online is a bit mixed. Do we need to go with a guide, or can we go solo? We do speak French, if that matters. Thanks for any insight!
Aug 21, 2024
Parent Replies
I last went in 2013 so it's probably very different, and I was in my 20s traveling with a friend. It felt very safe the entire time. I speak French so it did make things a bit easier but not everyone speaks French there. That being said, people were friendly and willing to help so we didn't have any issues getting around. We went to Tunis, Douz (as a jumping off point for the Sahara, where stayed a couple nights), Carthage, and other places I no longer remember :)
Highly recommend eating some Lablabi while you're there, served everywhere pretty much.
We went a number of years ago, so my safety info is out of date but at the time, it felt like a very safe place for foreign travelers—I’ve travelled extensively in Latin America, Europe and SE Asia, and would compare it to Southern Europe with regard to safety.
In terms of other tourists, a huge number of French people, from retirees at the beach resorts to overlanding aficionados in the desert, were there. Also present were a fair number of Italians, probably due to the fact that Tunisia was also an Italian colony.
The food was ok—we are spoiled in the Bay Area with the quality of everything as you know, and also the portion sizes of the main dishes tended to be small. The ubiquitous appetizer of tuna (canned), olives, harissa and half a baguette per person were a major part of our sustenance.
In terms of language, French will help in the north and most coastal areas, but the farther you go inland and south, Arabic is more common. English was not prevalent anywhere.
We stayed for three and a half weeks in the fall, and honestly, I could have stayed longer. There’s a ton to see in terms of history, it’s easy to get around on trains and busses, and it’s a spectacularly beautiful country from the desert oases to the coastal Fatimid forts to the Roman baths at Carthage.
If I went again (and I want to!), I probably would not get a guide for the whole trip, but there are areas that are difficult to access without a driver so consider the transportation element of a guide as well. Although site-specific guides were not required at most public historical sites, it’s often a courtesy to the local economy to engage a local person for a short overview. Make sure to agree on a price beforehand, of course.
Hi,
You may want to look at Dumaexplorer.com. Stacy Readal, the founder, went to UC Berkeley and has an MBA from UCLA. She lived in Africa for 15 years and now lives in Piedmont. I went 3 years ago and had amazing time.