Is Tunisia really as bad as some say?

[MyNewRoom]

I'm going to Tunisia next week with my 18 year old dd.
I've just made the mistake of searching old threads. It seems it's dirty and dangerous and we will be stalked and harassed everywhere we go.
We are in a nice hotel, all inclusive so don't necessarily need to leave the resort.
But I love exploring and would really like to leave the resort.
Is it really bad? Any tips please.

Op I've been to the Morocco twice, marrakech and essouria and didn't have any of this, one horrid hassler once

It's not. There is no indication that Tunisia, while on Palestinian side, would be dragged into the conflict. There are small protest happening, which one should obviously stay clear off, but there si no reson to not to travel there. It's far, it's not in war, it is not looking that it will be in war.

I was in Tunis last week, we were safe but VERY closely guarded. The day after, the FCO advice changed. But Tunisia is an Arab country and may be a bit pissed off with the West this morning. Just because they are not involved, it doesn’t mean they have no interest.

The only place I've travelled to that makes me shudder at the memory. Anytime we went out and about we were grabbed at, shouted at. Public toilets were absolutely vile and unusable. Raw sewage was flowing down our beach. And this was a supposedly nice hotel.
Wouldn't go back for any money.

I’ve been 3 times and honestly it’s not that bad if you use your common sense. My DD is very pale skinned and almost platinum bone and I took her for her 21st. She was told she was “ beautiful fat khaleesie” and milky white, like the cheese 😂🤷🏼‍♀️. Guided tours are 100% fine and so are local markets, you just need to keep moving, don’t linger or they will pester you for a sale.

Tunisia isn't going to be dragged into a conflict on a different continent! I don't think they'd have the capability even if they wanted to.

Iran is majority Shia and Tunisia majority Sunni, fwiw.

Just don't hang around the American embassy in Tunis, which one assumes you'd have no reason to visit anyway.

I didn't even know Tunisia had public toilets, that's not a plan of action I would recommend in most countries in the region.

I agree. That's why I'm sticking to holidaying in the western world.

Tunisia isn't going to be dragged into a conflict on a different continent! I don't think they'd have the capability even if they wanted to.

no, it isn’t, but don’t forget where their sympathies lie.

I was in Port el Kantoui, hated it

I didn't just "go on a package holiday for 10 days". While there we also visited friends who lived there, they've since left (after being there nearly 20 years) due to an escalation in open hostility towards foreigners.

I have been to Sousse and Port El Kantoui. Both absolutely fine.

I agree that organised tours are the best option. I didn’t have any problems.

Tunisians have a historically strong dislike of political Islam, have in the past severed diplomatic ties altogether with Iran, and where they have taken a role it has been in mediation between Iran and Saudi. Relations have thawed slightly recently, but remain superficial.

Or if you mean re. Palestine then you might as well not visit Spain.

I am not sure how this is relevant to OP's minibreak next week. Unless you're just spreading Islamaphobia. I think you'll find 'their sympathies' as complex as in most places.

I wouldn’t go back, the level of harassment every time we tried to do something completely normal like walk through the market and just look at something (not picking anything up, but literally glance at anything and you’re surrounded and harassed).

We did a couple of organised tours but I like having a wander, going for a lunch/meal outside of the hotel but we couldn’t be bothered after trying to leave the hotel a couple of times, it was exhausting and irritating.

I got physically grabbed round the waist by a man trying to sell me something, it was years ago and I’ll never forget how violated I felt.

Plenty of other places I’d rather visit so have no inclination to return.

Had 2 holidays there, separate places. Hired a car went out and about. Caught the light rail and went to Museum. by ourselves. We are middle aged. Caught the local buses. If you speak some French it might be useful. Most locals are bilingual with their Arabic. Women and teens on scooters in the Bazar were a pest.
Enjoy

Morocco is dreadful!

People have different expectations. Some of the critics here would have thought that living in Whitechapel or Poplar was hell on earth. We were there for 5 years and enjoyed it. No theft, No burglaries near us.

I can’t believe some of the comments on this thread. Tunisia is a lovely country - we’ve been there countless times over the years. It’s not remotely dangerous, and is no dirtier than most other countries. You will get harassed to an extent, but it’s nothing like as bad as the level of harassment in some other countries and the likelihood of physical violence is very very rare. Im quite grey now, but was blonde for most of our trips to Tunisia, and whilst it can be tiresome at times, it’s good natured and you get used to it. We’ve taken our daughter to Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt at various stages in her life without a problem. Dress reasonably respectfully outside your hotel and laugh off comments made with a smile and a firm ‘no thank you’. I can’t imagine not leaving my hotel at night, as has been suggested, and in 60 years of visiting the country, the first time as a seven year old, , I’ve never felt remotely threatened anywhere at any time, or walking alone at night. In contrast, I wouldn’t walk to the shop down my road at home after dark.

My husband and I went on one organised trip on our first visit together when we were young and naive and on our honeymoon 45 years ago, and it was dreadful, and we vowed we would never go on another organised trip again. The next day we went to the train station and took ourselves off to El Djem for the day, and have been exploring the country, and every other country we’ve ever visited, on our own ever since. The last couple of times we’ve been, we hired a car, and were able to get to some really interesting places off the beaten track, and went right down to the border in the south. The Tunisian islands, particularly Kerkennah, are so peaceful and tranquil, and are really worth a visit.

Tunisian food is really under rated and it’s really worth getting out of your hotel to eat in some of the wonderful local restaurants. We’ve only ever booked hotels on a bed and breakfast basis so thst we can avoid the hotel food, apart from Kerkennah where restaurant options are really limited.

if you go with an open mind, you will have a wonderful time!

That’s disgusting
what is wrong with these animals? Seriously?

I would honestly change it. Never going there again. Sorry.

But asking how many sheep you want for your daughter or wife is just standard tourist banter - it’s always very tongue in cheek and is meant as a joke. The only time my daughter ever got offended by anything like that was when my husband said he would sell her for ten chickens, when he wanted camels for me.

Tie a shit hole full of Leary men and dodgy hotel food

So don’t eat in the hotels! Go to some of the wonderful restaurants that are almost everywhere.

@Growlybear83we tried that, my adolescent daughters were harassed and followed to the toilets by men.
weve been lots of places around Africa and the Middle East and this place was literally just fucking awful… it’s the worst country I have ever had this misfortune of stepping foot it and the men are absolutely disgusting

We went for the first time in 2003, said we would never go back again

Been back 3 times since

The first time we were a tad naive , having been used to Turkey we thought we would handle Tunisa just fine and to be honest it was a LOT different, the aggression with the selling was 100 times worse then Turkey and at one time we did feel very threatened having been separated in a shop and not being able to leave

However return we did and have had a few wonderful lie by the pool holidays. Hotels are very opulent looking and service is great ( tip well ) the food is extremely good in local restaurants and not too shabby in the hotels

We were in our 30/40s when we were going. I always dressed modestly leaving the hotel - long sleeves, trousers/ long skirts and tbh where as I would wear a bikini in Turkey, Id only ever wear a one piece there. Back in the day the modesty police would patrol the beaches and tell those that were going topless to cover up - there is a marked difference between the hotels beaches and the public beach - women on those were completely covered

As I say we just go for very cheap sunshine chill outs - flopping by the pool and its a great place to do that

It’s not great, plus they don’t often get many tourists now so do harass the ones which are there.

Wouldn’t compare it to Turkey which is packed out of tourists every year!