What's tunisia like?

Question

i'm off to tunisia 'sousse' in april for a week's half board holiday.

does anyone know what the weather is like in april?

how much does a beer cost?

can you do an day trip to either libya or algeria and if so, how much it would cost?

how much money should i take with me for a week's half board holiday?

much thank's

Answer 1

in april you can get either wind or rain, but is not freezing cold, you will still be able to go around with a t-shirt, but take a rain jacket just in case.

You might like Tunisia BUT take my advice:-

Negotiate on prices, do not pay on the asking price, beer is about £1- £1.50 per pint. DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER OR EAT FRUIT..WATER CAN TEND TO BE CONTAMINATED. if you ask for water make sure that the bottle is sealed.

better eat dry food such as nuts.

for one week i would say that £350 should be enough...depending on whether you are going to buy any goods..leather jackes...carpets..etc.. once in sousse take a cab or get on foot (20 minutes) to port el kantaoui, it is a very nice port.

take a couple of bottles whisky...and you can trade them for easily...

algeria is not that safe especially with the tourists, i wouldnt recommend libya neither...

there is lots of places where you can go in tunisia:-

cartage, sidi bou said, hammameth, tunis,

if you are a female and traveling on your own, tunisian males might bother you.

if you are a male and have a female partner you have to shadow her from the insiduous pestering of males.

if you are taking your mother in law...you can strike a deal...exchange her with 10 camels....

JOKING OF COURSE...GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!!

Answer 2

I really liked Tunisa, we stayed at Hammamet. We went on a over night trip to the desert which was good . We dressed up Tunisian style and rode on a camel.The only problem were the people when you leave the hotel you have to be careful cos you will get ripped off and hasseled non stop. You just got to say no thank you and walk away not easy as we had two small boys who wanted to look at everything.

Answer 3

Hi Sammmy, I went last year to Yasmin Hammemmet and loved it. Yes the blokes can be very 'friendly' but certainly not offensive, and in the souk, found that a smile and a firm 'no thanks' or 'il be back next week' worked a charm. Even though it was Ramadam, everyone I met was very friendly and helpful.

I found that alcohol was expensive but that wasnt a problem, if id wanted a party hols, I would have gone somewhere else lol.

Hope you have a great time

Answer 4

1.) In April, the weather can be either way. It is usually warm, but not terribly hot. I have seen a few brave souls venture out into the Sea, but honestly, the Sea really is not warm enough until May at the earliest. You could always try though. You might be able to stand colder water than others, or we might experience hotter than normal weather that would make the Sea comfortable to swim in early - you never know unless you try.

You could check this site as it gets closer to your arrival day for up to date info:

http://www.accuweather.com/world-index-f...

You can click to see temperatures in Celsius or Fahrenheit.

Weather Underground will search historical database for weather conditions in past years. The results will help you plan accordingly telling you how hot, cold, wet or windy it will be. http://www.wunderground.com/tripplanner/...

Another fun site to view is: http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-gu...

It gives the averages on different things from outside temperature to Sea temperature to hours of sunlight and more for different parts of Tunisia. Temperatures are listed in Celsius, but to view them in Fahrenheit, just hover your mouse over the temperature you would like to see.

2.) Beer and alcohol prices will probably cost you about 5TDN (£2.26, €2.83, $4.17) for one bottle in a hotel, and around 3TDN (£1.35, €1.70, $2.50) in a restaurant.

3.) You could do a day trip to Libya or Algeria, but it would be entirely on you to come up with the schedule and plan for transportation. Hotels and tour companies do not offer excursions to other countries.

If you want to take a trip to either place, you can take a louage or train to a neighboring city, then you will need to take a special louage that will take you into the next country. I do believe that there is a train that runs between Algeria and Tunisia. I am not sure on prices though.

4.) You will not need much money. I would say to bring about 300 (£, €, or $). This will give you plenty of money to buy souvenirs, eat out, visit places, etc.

The way the money system works is this:

1 Tunisian Dinar (TDN) = 1000 millimes.

Paper money is in denominations of 30, 20, 10 and 5.

Coins are in denominations of 5 &1 TDN, and 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 millimes.

Here is some conversion for you:

1TDN = £0.45, £1=2.214TDN

1TDN = €0.57, €1=1.777TDN

1TDN = $0.83, $1=1.200TDN

http://finance.yahoo.com/currency

(Currency rates as of 09:15 GMT on 25 August 2008)

If I can be of any more help or assistance, please feel free to contact me.

Answer 5

I think April would be the perfect time to visit Tunisia because it won't be unbearably hot yet and the tourist spots and services won't be packed like they are in the summer. Usually in April it is pleasantly nice and warm. It will likely still be too cold to swim at the beach (unless you are a bit brave and cold-hardy), but you can take pleasant beach walks and stay in a hotel with an indoor pool at off-season rates.

I am not sure what other users are on about regarding fruit and water. Most people avoid tap water because it is too high in calcium and doesn't taste great, but it is not contaminated or unsafe. And I eat fresh fruits every single day in Tunisia and have never had a problem, nor have I ever heard of anyone else having a problem.

It would take far longer than a day to travel to either Libya or Algeria! Those places are long long drives from Sousse. Also, this is not typically a side trip that tourists to Tunisia take for several reasons. For one thing, you require a visa to visit both countries. They are expensive (for myself, a Canadian national, it would cost between $75-$100 for each country just to make the application), require a considerable amount of paperwork (interviews, photos, notarized copies of all legal documents, etc), and you are likely to be turned down anyway. I have tried to get a visa for Libya and learned that just going for tourism or shopping is not considered a valid reason to be granted a visa. You either have to have purchased a package deal from an authorized agent in your home country, or else you have to have letters of invitation from contacts within Libya that you can prove have solid connections to you and are willing to sign for responsability for you. That being said, some people slip through without the proper documents if the consulate employees happen to be in a good mood that day. The rules seem to change daily so you never know what to expect. In any case, it is very complicated, time consuming, and expensive to process the paperwork to visit Libya (and perhaps Algeria, but I know less about the process), and these aren't the most foreigner friendly countries to visit anyway. As others suggested, you can certainly fill your time by sightseeing within Tunisia without crossing any dangerous borders.  

Answer 6

U went there In July and i loved it

The medina in sousse is great. You can really have a feel of the atmosphere of tunisia. The beach is fantastic! It's really hot though!

I took £500 max. You need for bottles of water definitely!

I went on a trip to El Djem to see the Colosseum and it was breathtaking and really interesting. Took great pictures.

Beer is a bit costly i think?

April is probably like 28 degrees or something

Answer 7

I've been to Tunisia numerous times and most recently went in June for 3 weeks on my own - and i'm female, blonde and 21 years old. I had no trouble what so ever and i find the locals to be nothing but friendly and helpful, be respectful to them and they'll treat you the same.

I've only ever been to Sousse for a day trip, because i always stay in Hammamet - but it was a good day out, the medina is great for getting in some haggling and you can get some great bargains - but do beware that the prices are loaded to begin with. If you dont fancy haggling then there are a number of fixed price shops, where you can browse without being bothered - the prices are reasonable, still far cheaper than the UK as your money goes so far. On todays exchange rate 400 dinars is £175.

Like anywhere, the cost of food and drink is determined by where you are - if you are in an expensive restaurant, then it will be more than a bar in the medina for example. Hotels also tend to be more expensive. But around a £1 is the average.

Advising on how much money to take with you is tricky because, everyone spends money different  - and of course going to Tunisia is great opportunity to stock up on leather goods, ceramics and herbs and spices, not forgetting dates and olives!

I havent seen trips to Algeria or Libya advertised, and i have only been to the borders of both of the countries - i dont know what it is like in the countries themselves.

However, there are so amazing trips to do in Tunisia:

TUNIS MEDINA

Tunis Medina, the 12th Century old town, is a site not to be missed. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and home to bustling souks, a maze of colourful streets, as well as the revered Zitouna Mosque, where worshippers have been called to prayer for than one thousand years.

The town is enclosed by ramparts, with gates for communication with the outside. It is entirely self-sufficient, with its own houses, palaces, cemeteries, hammams, schools, bakeries, handicraft workshops, courtyards and gardens. Each street in the Medina represents a different trade. The noble trades such as jewelers, silk-merchants, perfumers and book-sellers are located around the central mosque and the less refined trades are pushed towards the outskirts of the city

CARTHAGE

Carthage was one of the great cities of the ancient world and was added to the World Heritage List in 1981. The hill of Bysra, where in the 8th century Princess Elissa-Dido founded the city, carries a wealth of history. In 202 BC Carthage fell to the Romans after the second hard fought Punic War against Hannibal. Little remains of Phoenician Carthage, however there are still many Roman sites to be seen including baths, villas and an amphitheatre which houses the Carthage International Summer Festival.

EL Djem

El Djem represents the glory of the Roman Empire. It is the third largest colosseum in the Roman world, dominating the local town and nearby countryside. The construction of this building was an amazing feat, particularly considering there was no stone to build it in the immediate vicinity, as the nearest quarries were than 30 kilometres away!

During the third century gladiators fought their bitter contests in this magnificent amphitheatre, which is better preserved than the one in Rome.

SAHARA DESERT

One of the popular attractions of Tunisia is the chance to combine a beach holiday with the adventure of a trip to the Golden South. The Sahara Desert covers most of the south of Tunisia.

Shimmering salt lakes and luxuriant palm tree oases combine with tantalising mirages and seductive sunsets to create an unforgettable experience.

For the adventurous it is possible to visit the film locations of Star Wars and The English Patient, ride a camel into the desert or for those who prefer some speed, you can go-kart or quad-bike through the sand dunes.

TOZEUR

With its own airport, frequent flights to Tunis and excellent hotels, this is the ideal base for exploring the wider desert region. Tozeur is only a short ride by four-wheel drive from the film locations of the Star Wars trilogies and The English Patient. Nevertheless it is also well worth taking the time to explore the town centre, with its ornate brickwork and huge oasis, as well as the local market. Alternatively a visit to the Dar Cherat museum provides an insight on Tunisian culture.

NEFTA

A short drive from Tozeur, Neftas 450,000 date palms lie hidden in a huge basin, hemmed in by cliffs and nourished by than 150 natural springs. The basin, or La Corbeille as it is known, also contains a hot spring, which offers bathing pools for men and women alike.

KEBILL and EL HAMMA

Until the 19th Century, these sister towns were renowned trading centres for slaves from the south. Today, Kebili is better-known for its hot springs and annual date festival.

DOUZ

The oasis town known as the Gateway to the Sahara, where each Thursday, which is market day, nomads gather for the cust

Answer 8

I've been in April and managed a couple of days of sunbathing, but it was typically just under 20 degrees where we stayed.  The beer was just under a £1 a bottle in our hotel.  We stayed half board too, the food was all right although a few people did have dicky belly's...  Sorry, didn't go on any excursions to Libya or Algeria but did go on a super camel ride in the Desert (about £45)...  

One thing worth mentioning is we didn't feel overly safe there and I'm not sure we would return.  Western women were viewed as sexual objects and there was a lot of inappropriate behaviour.  The police were even called to the hotel bar/disco one night after a group of local men came in for a drink and started groping women on the dance floor!