Would you recommend a holiday to Tunisia?

Posted by Eastern_Garbage8310@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 18 comments

My partner and I are in the market for a summer holiday in June. We’re on a budget and both looking for somewhere different to your typical destinations like Spain/Greece/Turkey. We’ve come across Tunisia and shopping about can see it’s fairly priced for some beautiful and highly rated resorts. But we know nothing about this country and with the terrorist attacks of 2015 it does make me a little anxious. For anyone that’s holidayed there before how did you find it? Were you able to walk around outside the resort and have a feeling of safety?

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18 Comments

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decentlyfair@reddit

Went a few years ago and I kind of enjoyed some of it but would never go back. We went to the medina and there was a brawl between two ‘guides’ who were claiming we belonged to them. We got harassed and hassled in the medina and my friend got locked in a shop and the owner said he wouldn’t let her out until she bought something, luckily she was a gobby cow so gave him what for and he must have decided she wasn’t worth the hassle. I would be looking at something and the shop owners would be shoving things under your nose that you had shown no interest in. It was all very aggressive and unpleasant. We left sharpish.

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moonshinestargalaxy@reddit

I went many years ago and it was a horrible place. We stayed in a 4-star hotel and I’d say it was more like 2-star; really unclean, food was awful, and we got harassed constantly on the private beach. After realising how awful the hotel was, we decided to go into the local town by taxi and eat there and the taxi drivers constantly ripped us off on the costs and the food was no better in restaurants. The only good thing was the weather - hot and sunny the entire time. But you couldn’t pay me to return. By far my worst holiday.

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Ceejayncl@reddit

Are you going all inclusive and staying on the hotels beach? If yes, then go for it. If you want to go around the local towns and such, stay clear. I went back in 2007 with my family, it was anything but relaxing to go out of the hotel. Every shop with people trying to literally drag you in, young kids forcing flowers in your hand so you have to buy them. We met a Scottish woman and her daughter whilst there, and on a trip a shop owner literally went into her outside and took money out of it to force her to buy an item. I know this was 18 years ago, but whenever we speak to anyone who’s been recently, they all tell the same story. In saying this, I had the best ever kebab there (from a street vendor), and the best ever lasagne there. They were the only other place I’ve ever seen who make Stotties outside of the North East, although they make theirs in a hollowed out tree trunk, I doubt Greggs are doing the same.

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Cadbury2014@reddit

I went in 2013 and would recommend it. If you want somewhere that’s different from Greece etc then this is it, I found it a lot more interesting. We felt perfectly safe walking around, you do get people trying to sell you things/eat in their restaurant/get in their taxi etc but you just say no and walk away, it was never a problem when we were there. The only reason we haven’t returned since is because we like to rent a car on holiday and explore, which is something you wouldn’t want to do in Tunisia for safety reasons. In the resorts I think you’re fine but you get the feeling that outside could be dodgy. We stayed in Port El Kantaoui which has a beautiful beach.

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cougieuk@reddit

We wanted to go there back in the day but the travel agent persuaded us that Greece is much safer and nicer. So we went there instead. Lots of islands to see.

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Ismays@reddit

I’ve been to Hammamet around 15 times with two children, and most of the trips as a single Mum. From that you can tell I loved it there. We used to go for May and October half terms, and a couple of summer trips too. We spent most of our time in the hotel but did leave the resort too. No complaints about food, staff, cleanliness etc It inspired me enough to learn basic Arabic, although in tourist areas everyone speaks English (and French which is an official language). It is a staring culture (can’t think of a better description) and that can make anyone feel uneasy, especially women. I don’t think anything is meant by the staring, there’s no actual threat. It was also somewhere with tourist scams. All that said, I never felt it was dangerous. I’ve also been to Djerba with my husband, it had the most beautiful beaches. In my experience (borne out by the replies so far) it’s a real Marmite destination. I would happily go back, but my husband wasn’t 100% comfortable there.

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buy_me_a_pint@reddit

Me and my parents went to Sousse years ago , we ate most nights even though we went all inclusive, the food in the hotel was pretty poor

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jonewer@reddit

So your review of an entire country is that the food in your hotel was poor? Have you considered working as a travel journalist?

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HellPigeon1912@reddit

Went as a teenager. Did not enjoy it. My mother was advised not to leave the hotel without a man with her. I'm male, but I still don't exactly relish walking around any place where that's a rule. Also we all got food poisoning. Sadly although it's been almost 20 years that was the last family holiday we ever had, so we did not end on a high note!

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LondontoGatwick@reddit

I went as a single mum with 2 youngish children and it was awful. I felt like a target. Maybe ok as a couples holiday though.

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Cheap_Interview_3795@reddit

I went to Tunisia with my girlfriend a few years again and it was the worst holiday I have ever had. My girlfriend is pale skinned and blonde and she was harassed every time we left the complex. It felt like every other person was trying to scam us and if you are not a fan of the bartering system, you will hate it. However, the hotel was amazing and the trips to the desert were sensational.

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SidewinderTA@reddit

Yes go for it - try Sousse. Worrying about a terror attack that happened 10 years is stupid.

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EuroAmericanPolUkFr@reddit

My friends brother and friend went there while we were in Europe. Their resort was beautiful but they said they would never return. They thought it was boring

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Dear-Cheetah-8419@reddit

There’s 9 UNESCO sites in Tunisia. Did they just…never leave the resort?

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smushs88@reddit

Went to Tunisia (Djerba) a year or so prior to the attacks. No issue walking around outside of the resort outside of the usual “come take a look in my shop” sort of stuff but nothing a firm no thanks didn’t put a stop to. Think it was fairly new on the tourist map then so less hassle from people trying to sell stuff on the beach etc compared to more established locations I’ve been too.

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turtledude100@reddit

You’ll be fine

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Fcxk_Lewis@reddit

Look on the .gov website. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/tunisia

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