Sousse, Tunisia

Advantages: Good Bargains At The Medina
Disadvantages: Industrialised, Hassle From The Locals

...You could be forgiven for missing Sousse off the itinerary whilst visiting Tunisia. After all it is Tunisia's second largest City, but unlike Tunis the Capital, Sousse has a reputation of being a lot more industrialised. During my recent visit to the Country I stayed in a Holiday Resort called Port El Kantaoui, which is a purpose built Resort just 12 Kilometres from Sousse. FIRST IMPRESSIONS My first glimpse of Sousse was from the transfer Coach from the Airport at Monastir en route to Port El Kantaoui. Sousse seemed like a bustling, lively, place with plenty of traffic and People, but it did look rather run down and not the sort of place where one would spend a Holiday. THE LOCATION The City is located on the Coastline but sprawls inland for several Kilometres and the Coast is only a relatively short stretch of around 3...

micksheff 01.08.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Sousse (Tunisia)

  Tunisia - I Came Home For A Rest!

Advantages: Great Spring weather. Loads to see and not a mozzie in sight
Disadvantages: Local dishes a bit thin on the ground and insipid international cuisine

...?Bin ?ere before? We luv it, it?s our fiff time?, said the guest next in to queue to register at the hotel we had just arrived at, adding ?the staff are luvly, and the beer?s real cheap?. I was tempted to see if they knew which country they were actually in, but held back. Tunisia?s like that, operating on two levels, one as a ?holiday destination? for the ?sun, sand and cheap booze? set, and secondly as a North African country with one foot in the past and enough sights to keep even the itchiest-arsed amongst us occupied. It really all depends on whether you can actually be bothered to move away from the pool. Anyway, if it?s a tan and cheap beer your after, why not see if the British Legion can rent you a room to install a sun lamp? There?s no denying that the sun and sand are superb. I?ve just got back from a week there...

BNibbles 13.04.2004 (14.04.2004) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Tunisia - Tunisia in general....

HAMMAMET (tunisia)

Advantages: great weather. amazing beach.
Disadvantages: some areas need modernising.

...We went to Tunisia in June 2004 and stayed at the Sheraton in Moncef Bay, Hammamet Plage. i have written a seperate review on the hotel. Moncef bay has many bars and restaurants. There is the London pub. English music, very lively, good if you are feeling home sick ! Latino bar was one of our favourites. Great food, great music, a pool table, and friendly staff. There was a club called Manhatten, which looked quite dodgy, so we didn?t risk it. Maybe if there had been more than 2 of us we would have given this a try?possibly. It is possible to walk from Hammamet Plage to the Medina in Hammamet town center. It took us just under an hour. Its not an amazing walk, you go through some run areas, and there?s not much to see on the way. We suggest you take a taxi ? its very cheap ! However, walking allows you to pop in to some...

randhawa 01.11.2004 (03.11.2004) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Tunisia

Tunisia - Land of sun, sea and great scenery

Advantages: Sun nearly all year round
Disadvantages: Avoid getting hassle from the locals!

...If you are looking to visit Tunisia on holiday you'll be nearly guarenteed sunshine all year around - just avoid November - February - it's as cold as the UK! The scenery is brilliant if you choose to go outside the hotel and on the many trips - be sure to book with your hotel rep if possible as this is usually the cheapest option and you are guarenteed not to be conned. Tips to having a good holiday in Tunisia: 1. As Tunisia is a closed currency country (you can't exchange sterling into Tunisian Dinar before entering the country) it is advisable that you exchange money in the airport - if this is Monastir airport the exchange bureau is in the luggage claiming area - beware, if you are on a late flight the hotel exchange bureaus usually close at 9pm. 2. Tunisia is a muslim country - although they accept European ways in certain...

jayne0910 01.11.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Tunisia - Holiday (Tunisia)

Tunisia - a mini guide

Advantages: Short flight, hot, cheap, lovely people
Disadvantages: Poor country, Poor food

...We booked a week in Tunisia because the hotels are luxurious for a cheap price - I won't go on about the hotel - that's a separate review - we were not impressed. I'll advise you on the general bits we found about tunisia Weather We went in September and were told our weather was not at all typical, which judging by the weather here and in France I can believe. We had very bad thundery rain storms 3 days out of the 7. It was very warm (32-35 degrees C) the rest of the time, although it goes cooler in the evening, so best to take a cardi perhaps. Most hotels have air conditioning through the summer months. Money Tunisian Dinas (TD) can only be bought once you're in the country. We took English notes, hotels also deal in dollars, Euros, travellers cheques for a small extra charge. We got £100 changed at the airport while we...

Lyndsayep 26.09.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Tunisia

Tunisia...Land of Sun Sea Sand and Star Wars

Advantages: beautiful beaches, history, culture, picturesque places
Disadvantages: oh that damn haggling - and the beggars

...I had always fancied going to Tunisia for a holiday - but for some reason we had never got around to it. We'd been all across the Mediterranean, the Canaries, USA and obviously Britain, but Tunisia...well, I just don't know why. So we finally took the plunge and encountered all the Sun, Sea and even Star Wars (?) we could manage. You'll get the latter reference later! ~~~~~~ HAMMAMET Three years ago we took a Winter break in one of the country's major resorts - Hammamet - just 7 days, but we took the opportunity to see a couple of other places too. That was the fortunate part, because after a couple of days of having to haggle for everything the novelty rather wears off. And then there are the street beggars. One little lad came up to my wife, on out way across to the beach one day and gave her a flower. She thought it was...

flashpointz 02.02.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Tunisia - Holiday (Tunisia)

Tunisia - historical enthralling mysterious

Advantages: everything you could wish for in a holiday
Disadvantages: nothing - the bad things are just a state of mind

...Tunisia: historical entralling mysterious DO NOT go to Tunisia if: You are typically English and expect everything to be done ?just so?, this is not the place for you! However, if you have an open mind, a willingness to learn about a new culture and like adventures, enjoy sightseeing as well as sunbathing, then this country will definitely appeal to you. Having never visited the country before I did not know what to expect, and in our beginnings of a war with Iraq, being in an Islamic country, I was certainly edgy before I travelled there. But I needn?t have been. The Tunisian people are a warm and friendly lot right from the moment you get off the plane, porters are there to help you with your suitcase to your transfer bus as they are at the hotel. Expect to tip madly ? you will be adorned with gratitude if you do...

hogwash 03.04.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Tunisia - Holiday (Tunisia)

TALES FROM TUNISIA PART 2: THE SAFARI!

Advantages: Great sights and sun!!
Disadvantages: Some heavy storms and risk of illness in september.

...TUNISIAN TRAVELS PART 2 For those of you who have read the first part of my tales about the recent holiday I had in North Africa welcome back! Newcomers should be able to read this as a stand alone op but its probably worth having a quick read of part 1 of the op (it was just to long to put in as one!) to get a rough idea of what I got up to for the rest of the time that I was there! This section of my mammoth op is about the ?safari? I took in the south of the country for a couple of days via an organised tour operator. It cost about £140 per person to go on it and that included entry to all the places we stopped at, food, transport of which you will see there were several modes and overnight accommodation at a very nice hotel out on the verge of the desert. It was excellent value and if you do ever go out to Tunisia (or I would...

tallpaul1983 10.10.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Tunisia

Tunisia Holiday

Advantages: Sun, sea, sand in abundance
Disadvantages: haggling

...Excellent holday and well worth the money. This was my second trip to Tunisia, the first being about 15 years ago. We went at the end of Sept 04. It's come on in leaps and bounds over the years. The Govt has realised the benefits of tourist income and have put loads of money into developing resorts and infrastructure. Tourist facilities are very good and standards of excursions etc. are high. This time, we stayed in a small 3* between Port El Kantoui and Sousse. The hotel wasn't brilliant but comfortable and the staff very friendly and helpful. The big advantage was the location - right on the beach. Warm sunshine, lovely clean water and relatively little hassle from beach sellers (they're not too aggressive and go away if you are firm). Prices can be high - but that's only the starting position. If you don't mind...

magic361 30.10.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Tunisia

Port El Kantaoui Tunisia Far from home

Advantages: Brilliant Weather, people
Disadvantages: Not much to do

...without her being troublesome to the other residents. We were next to the beach and had a balcony window. It was what holidays are made of. Amazing views. The weather around this time was about 22 degrees. This was warm but not ideal. I did however come away with a tan which was surprising as I am Asian and I did no sunbathing at all! The beaches were clean and so was the water. I did manage to get in the water but it did take some getting used to. It was cold. There is not much to do in Port El Kantoui. You have the Cafes and shopping area. This area is like the whole of Tunisia's shopping area. They all seem to sell the same kind of goods, leathers, trainers (fake), toy camels etc. Traders are very pushy, they will use any tactic to get you to come in the shop to have a look and then they will sell you something. Very pushy salespeople...

G210 07.01.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Port El Kantaoui (Tunisia)