AIBU to wonder why holidays to Tunisia are so much cheaper?

Am currently in Tunisia. If you want to have a relaxing holiday with clear waters, sandy beaches, delicious food and attentive staff - this is the place. We visited a souk yesterday and my blonde daughter drew some attention, but only with looks, no comments or harassment (I noticed because I was watching her like a hawk) - It felt safe. We are having a great time. Temps are high (45) but it genuinely feels cooler than 32 in the UK. And the hotel has great air con.

Naively went when I was early 20s and never would again. The men are absolute pigs and I got laughed at by a shop keeper and had my tampons that I was purchasing thrown at me.

I’ve been a few times and really like it - lots of stuff to do outside the hotels too - ancient ruins, desert trips. A bit of hassle from shopkeepers trying to sell you stuff but no worse than other countries.

2015!

I went years ago as cabin crew. It was awful and I would never go back. Felt so unsafe and we were advised at the time not to leave the resort. There are so many nicer places to go.

It’s not a country I felt remotely safe in and we’ve travelled expensively. Have you been to Tunisia?

We were there in June for a short break but all inclusive, we slept read and enjoyed the sun. I wouldn’t go back, 7 days was more than enough. We went to see the colosseum and it was people selling tat on the walk up to it, I didn’t like it. The streets are filthy and the medina was an experience never to be repeated because of the leering men. It wasn’t a holiday I’d do again. I’d rather put up with the rain in Scotland tbh. We went to an adults only that had fabulous reviews on trip advisor and on the FB groups we joined, put it this way it wasn’t to our standards. The airport is another story. It would be firm no from me.

Im interested in all the people who won’t go to Tunisia based on the beach terrorist attack. Do people feel the same about going to Harrods because of the IRA bombing that was carried out there? Do people not feel safe travelling on a London bus because of the terrorist attack? Or the London Underground? Many many more people have been killed by terrorists in London , let alone the rest of the UK, than in the two incidents that have been mentioned in Tunisia.

You should read Take A Break magazine before you go! Young African men preying on older western women for a visa are pretty common place.

My mum died 14 years ago but somewhere in the UK, there is a Gambian man, the same age as me who is technically my stepfather 😩.

The attacks on the beach were 11 years ago but it’s still not as safe as most European destinations.

The culture of hassling lone women, asking where your husband is, immediately checking hands for wedding rings, not taking no for an answer.

Hygiene standards in hotels can be hit & miss too. We got a horrendous gastro bug & only ate in the hotel.

If you choose a hotel with good hygiene standards (which is more luck than judgement) and just want a week of pure relaxation by the hotel pool then it’s probably excellent value. Not so much if you want to go out & about every day, feel safe & enjoy yourself.

It’s on my bucket list as I would love to see the Roman and Phoenician ruins, and the Sahara. I plan to go next year. At my great age I don’t expect to be bothered by men - one advantage of being older.

A terror attack on tourists has stuck with a lot of people. I for one just could never do it without fear. It’s a no from me even though it may not be logical.

I think people weren't keen on Tunisia to begin with, then as it was building its tourism the attack happened. I don't think it ever recovered since then.

I visited around 15 years ago with my partner. The hotel was the best hotel I have ever stayed in (and advertised as 3 star). It was literally a palace, marble floors, amazing rooms and facilities, on the beach. We went out to the local markets by ourselves and went on organised day trips as we had no idea about the area/country and didnt feel confident in finding our own way. Never felt unsafe, but I did notice that the cafes were only full of men, so may have felt differently if we were not all-inclusive, but i was not harassed either.

We thought the same and went last year. Supposed to be 5 star hotel. 3 star at a push. The rooms were really bad. The whole experience was like going back 30 years. For what it’s worth the beach and pools were lovely but our one trip out was pretty grim. Hassled by groups of men in pick up trucks and ripped off by cafe owners.
Im easily pleased but I wouldn’t go back.

We went just before the beach shooting (same area). We had a great time, I hired a car and we did a day road trip to see a few sites within a couple of hours' drive. I'd previously worked/ driven in non-touristy Middle Eastern counties though so wasn't fazed. My partner got more hassle than I did with his wide eyed tourist wandering while I kept walking 🤣. If youre not used to it you will get a lot of "attention" which can be scary. If you want a hotel holiday there are much closer, safer places to go!

Would never go. Has no appeal to me
Neither does Egypt or Morocco.

Went over 30 years ago with my mum and sister. Because it was cheap. Single mum with two blonde teen daughters. We got a fair amount of hassle in the souk but also saw some amazing historical sites as well as the Star Wars locations. The food was good, my mother became somewhat obsessed with couscous and Tunisian rice pudding
I remember being quite shocked at the level poverty in the towns that weren't in the touristy areas.

The massacre in Sousse wasn't even the only terrorist attack in Tunisia in 2015. There was another attack at the Bardo Museum with 22 tourists killed after being taken hostage. Dozens more injured.

There's armed patrols on beaches in more tourist areas which isn't really the most relaxing thing . And as a Jewish family we just wouldn't feel safe there as there's a long history of anti Semitic terrorist acts and targeting of Jews. That's not going to apply to most people who no longer want to visit but it is a definite factor for us. There's also huge issues with anti-Black racism which will also deter some British and French tourists. And it won't attract gay and lesbian tourists due to it being illegal.

It's such a historically rich country but the poverty and the power of Islamists terrorist groups has made it very unfriendly to much of the world which has in turn damaged its economy

We did that too! Salt flats, star wars set.

I came back to the hotel with the worst gastro event I've had in my life. It was 27yrs ago and I still remember the pains in my stomach and the view of the bathroom door as it's all I looked at for two days 😭

The worst holiday I’ve ever had was in Tunisia. The beach was full of Russians who decided to stub out their cigarettes into the sand, so you couldn’t even build sandcastles without the bucket looking like an ash tray. Our AI was 4* and what we ate at breakfast, if it wasn’t used up, it reappeared for lunch and dinner. The beach toilets were foul with broken sinks and taps, dirty and just grimy.
We went on a tour and there were loads of these souvenir sellers peddling tat. One called me a bitch because I said ‘no thank you!’ A swift ‘fuck off!’ was retorted back to the old fella.
I’m ex cabin crew so have travelled extensively and I’d never go back there again. It can stay in its lane.
Book elsewhere!

Dd19 and I went two years ago. I got harassed in the hotel by some vile men who, I think worked there as maintenance crew. I was all ready to kick arse but dd begged me not to make a scene. I didn’t say anything but it opened up a great opportunity for us to discuss misogyny and what should,and shouldn’t be acceptable.
we only left the hotel twice. We didn’t get harassed but the area was really manky and not nice to walk around. Outside of every cafe there were large groups of men all day, every day. We left at 5.30am and they were all there. already.
The weather was great and the hotel clean. Loads of stray cats and kittens in the hotel grounds but we didn’t mind that and fed them daily.

probably wouldn’t go back but it was ok.

I am a lover of ancient history so was excited to go to Carthage but there’s almost nothing there. Definitely not worth a special trip to Tunisia

@DallazMajor it was the worst holiday we’ve had - food at the hotel was crap, hassle everywhere, everything outside the hotel was really dirty. It felt really 3rd world

We were going to go last year. Dd’s friend went and the family was scammed in an actual bank. They enjoyed the holiday otherwise but dodnt leave the resort. We dont want a holiday where you have to stay in the hotel grounds. So we went to agadir, morocco instead and loved it. and it wasnt much more expensive.

Ive been to Tunisia many times and it’s a country I love. I wouldn’t choose to stay in one of the big resorts, but if you go to the less touristy resorts, it’s lovely. I particularly love the Kerkennah Islands and Zarzis. Of course there’s harassment when you’re walking around resorts like Sousse but in all the times Ive been to Tunisia Ive never felt remotely threatened and it’s far less intense than places like Luxor in Egypt. I’ve walked around on my own late at night and feel far safer than I do walking round London after dark. The terrorist attack a few years back was terrible but incidents like tjst are extremely rare - far rarer than attacks in the UK over the years. I would rate Tunisia as one of the safest countries Ive been to, and say that as a reasonably attractive woman with long blonde hair who has travelled with a teenage daughter several times. I’ve seen the way some people speak to local people and the way some female tourists dress when they are walking around outside their hotels, and it’s important to remember that Tunisia is a Muslim country and visitors should be respectful of the culture.

Tunisian people are warm and welcoming when you take the time to get to know them and Weve been welcomed into many homes over the years. Tunisian food is wonderful and I think it’s very under rated. There are some amazing historical sites, but I think it’s worth making your own way to most of them rather than being rushed in and out in half an hour on a coach tour. We’ve hired a car on several occasions - the roads are generally good and the standard of driving isn’t too bad. Having a car gives you the freedom to try some of the gorgeous boutique hotels that are scattered around the country. Tunisian trains are also really good.

if you like excellent beaches and almost guaranteed perfect weather, you can’t really get better value.

Murdering innocent tourists on the beach in the name of religion tends to have that effect.

Tunisia is a Muslim country as are many other tourist type places like Egypt and so on. I avoid any country where the women are relegated to cleaning the toilets and the men are out front hassling tourists into restaurants and carpet shops etc. and hassling women overall.

I include Turkey in that too. Mostly because of Erdogan's regime, even though the country is nominally secular, but the same male behaviour towards female tourists happens there too.

Europe all the way for me. It isn't perfect but I feel more comfortable as a woman there.