Practical Information » Africa » North Africa » Tunisia »

Tunisia

Getting Started & Practical Information

WARNING: Tunisia is currently unstable, please read this travel warning before going!

When to Visit

Tunisian summers, especially in the desert, are incredibly hot and bordering on the edge of dangerous with daily highs of about 105°F (40°C) in the desert. The coasts, however are cooler, but still hot as they can easily be in the 85-100°F (30-40°C), but tend to be about 72-80°F (23-27°C) with a cooling breeze off the Mediterranean coast, however this location also tends to bring high humidity. Winters don't ever reach the opposite extreme, but desert nights can fall to near freezing. The coasts during the winter months tend to have daily lows of about 50°F (10°C) and rain is more common during this time. Desert winter days remain hot, but not to the extreme experienced in the summers. Temperatures in the spring and fall (autumn) tend to be in between, in the area of 60-70°F (15-20°C).

Most tourists (primarily from Europe) visit the coasts in the late fall, winter, and early spring, with peak months from November to March; this time also brings higher prices at coastal resorts and hotels. The desert is best visited during this time, but the coast can be visited year round, although winters bring rain and summers extreme heat.

A final point to consider before planning your travel is local holidays. Holidays can make travel either more attractive, such as for large festivals, or less attractive due to tourist site closings and more expensive transportation options, so make sure you look into this before booking your trip. One holiday to be aware of is Ramadan (ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which rotates every year compared to the Gregorian calendar) as this month tends to close shops, restaurants, and coffee shops.

Weather

Although weather can be generalized based upon years past, for more up to date weather patterns and predicted future weather patterns, visit weather websites like weather.com; many local news sources also have information for international weather forecasts.

Tours & Cruises

If you're looking for a pre-arranged trip, that involves little effort on your part, then you should consider going on an organized tour or cruise. Organized tours and cruises vary from all expenses included to only daily tours and perhaps hotels included in the price, but all the options below will help you arrange all the details so you don't have to worry about finding the best deal or right hotel.

Experience It Tours: A tour company focusing on North Africa, Experience It Tours rarely gets a poor review from travelers.

Holland America Cruises: Cruises for all ages and families.

Intrepid Travel: Boasts more "off the beaten track" destinations; do your research though since some tours are very adventurous and involves camping and local hotels.

Kensington Tours: Only offers personal tours for you and your family/friends, which allows greater flexibility, but also means slightly higher prices.

Guidebooks

If you are just traveling on business and have little free time or are already familiar with Tunisia, you may not need anything more than SafariTheGlobe.com's Mini Guide to Tunisia! However, if you need more detailed and up to date information, there are a couple guidebooks available for travel in Tunisia.

Lonely Planet: Great maps and updated often with comprehensive housing information, restaurants, & transportation options. Backpackers and adventurers love these guidebooks.

Rough Guides: Cover various aspects of travel from culture to getting by on the cheap.

Visas

Many foreign nationals need a visa to enter Tunisia, however the requirements for citizens of different nationalities varies. To learn more about who need visas, what type of visa is needed, what requirements are needed to obtain a visa, and visa costs, please visit the Official Website of Tunisia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (not all information is in English; available in French & Arabic) or contact your nearest Tunisian Embassy.

Health & Insurance

Every part of the world has different health concerns and diseases, including Tunisia. Before traveling, consult with a physician to learn more about your destination and what steps you can take to prevent illness. At the time of writing, Tunisia didn't have any health immunizations that are required prior to arrival, although a number of immunizations are strongly recommended.

Many health insurance providers don't cover health care that is provided outside your home country. Before going abroad check with your health insurance to see if they cover international care. If not, consider purchasing an international medical insurance option, preferably from a company that specializes in international medical insurance.

Transportation

Unless you're on an organized tour or working with a travel agent, you will have to arrange some transportation. The below links can greatly help you start your planning, first by finding a flight to Tunisia, then with car rental agencies. If you don't know where to begin, try the "Flight & Rental Car Search Sites" to learn competitor's prices during your trip.

Largest International Airlines: Air France, American Airlines; British Airways; Cathay Pacific; China Southern Airlines; Delta; Emirates; KLM; LAN; Lufthansa; Qantas; Singapore Airlines; United Airlines.

Largest Rental Car Agencies in Tunisia: Alamo; Avis; Budget; Europcar; Hertz; National; & Sixt.

Flight & Rental Car Search Sites: Expedia.com; Farecast.com; Kayak.com; Orbitz.com; & Travelocity.com.

Housing

Housing options are numerous in most tourist destinations, but every individual seeks out something different when it comes to housing. The below links should help you get started, with low- to high-end hotels, hostels, and camping options.

Popular International Hotel Conglomerates: Accor Group (various price ranges); Choice Hotels (low- to mid-price range); Hilton (various price ranges); Hyatt (high-end to resorts); InterContinental Group (mid- to high-price range); Marriott Family (various price ranges); Starwood Hotels (high-end); Wyndham Hotels (low- to mid-price range).

Hotel Search Sites: Expedia.com; Kayak.com; Orbitz.com; & Travelocity.com.

Hostels: Although there are many hostel websites, some of the most popular and reputable include hostels.com, hostelworld.com, & hostelbookers.com.

Camping: Camping is still a foreign concept in Tunisia, plus camping is not safe in most locations. The desert is unforgiving and there are some extremists outside the major cities so setting up a tent is not a good idea.

Opening Hours, Expenses, & Tipping

Tunisia's local shops, restaurants, and stores generally open and close a little later than their European or North American equivalents. While many businesses work from about 9:00 am to about 6:00 pm, some places open and close much later, perhaps to avoid the intense heat. At some businesses, Tunisians don't begin work until noon and finish at 8:00 pm or even later. Lunch tends to take place in mid-late afternoon and dinner begins after work. Restaurants don't begin to fill up until 8:00 pm or later. In tourist locations, restaurants and shops tend to be open all day to cater to the foreigners. Tunisia typically follows a Saturday-Sunday weekend.

The one time of the year that shops and restaurants are closed more often than not is during Ramadan (ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which rotates every year compared to the Gregorian calendar), when fasting is required from sunrise to sunset. Due to this Islamic requirement, most shops close down and it can be difficult to find an open restaurant anywhere outside major hotels catering to tourists.

Most of Tunisia's attractions aren't overly expensive and most of the sites are still a good value for the cost. However, it seems most people's draw to the country is for the coastline and beaches and, in many resorts, guests have access to these beaches at no additional cost.

Hotels prices can range from 30 dinar ($20) for a private room to well over 300 dinar ($200) in business hotels or beach resorts on the Mediterranean Sea. Food prices also vary greatly; grabbing a quick snack from a local street-side market will only cost about 3-4 dinar ($2-3), but eating in a nice hotel restaurant can cost up to 75 dinar ($50). Transportation in Tunisia is also fairly reasonable, particularly if you travel by bus; most flights are roughly equivalent to costs associated with a flight in Europe or North America at a similar distance.

Tipping is a growing trend in Tunisia, particularly in tourist areas. At nice hotels and restaurants catered to foreigners tipping is expected; tips are expected in the form of about 10% for a meal and about 1 dinar ($1) a bag for bell hops. In local restaurants tipping is rare, but rounding up is appreciated. If you hire a tour guide, tips are also expected, however the amount is at your discretion.

Crime & Safety

Tunisia is a relatively safe country, however is more susceptible to violent outbreaks than much of Europe. Most religious and political extremists have little voice in Tunisia and there are few violent attacks by these groups, but they do exist and going to the wrong town can be dangerous. Likewise, protests have erupted in 2011 among the general public protesting the government and, although their intentions are peaceful, violence can break out at these rallies. Always check with your country's foreign (State) department for any travel warnings to Tunisia.

Pick pocketing is not extremely common except on crowded public transportation, so use street smarts wherever you are in Tunisia, particularly in popular European beach resort towns and cities.

Another annoyance to most tourists in Tunisia is from tourist touts and scams, so be careful whom you trust when it involves parting with your money. If anyone who gave you assistance asks for a tip, tip at your discretion; if they provided a service to you, it is expected you tip them, although this amount does not have to be large.

This page was last updated: November, 2011