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.

In 60 years of travelling to Tunisia we’ve never had a bad experience. Yes, the men can be leary and do follow women, particularly young ones - they can be irritating if you’re not used to getting rid of them, but actual assaults on tourists are incredibly rare. Compared with some cities in Egypt, we’ve always found the level of harassment in Tunisia to be much less. But you will always get more hassle if you stay in one of the big resorts, so maybe people should consider somewhere a bit quieter and less touristy.

We had the opposite experience.
its the only place we were harassed.

Women on the beaches in Tunis and big resorts definitely do wear bikinis! Everything from bikinis to 'ensemble plage' which is a sort of leggings and tunic combo.

If you want to sunbathe topless go to Europe though. Lots of places that's considered inappropriate (including the UK).

Same here. NEVER again. And I’ve been traveling all over the world.

Tried that with my mum, we were hassled the entire time we tried to sit eating a meal, and yes you can say ‘no thanks’ and ignore but it’s wearing and boring to constantly not be able to relax, not my idea of what I want to deal with on holiday.

What’s the point of going to a market if you can’t browse what’s on sale?

Irritating? Just no. Do not put this as being the women’s fault ffs. I am VERY well travelled from a young age, and you saying that you have to be used to getting rid of men harassing is bullshit. It was assault, every day. I’ve been very much harassed in many countrles. But Tunisia was something else. Why go there.

Agreed, why should the onus be on women to get used to getting rid of leery irritating men!

Sousse was HORRIBLE. Not even the police helped us when we were attacked inside a normal grocery store.

I had a family holiday there a few years ago, we loved it! Had some day trips out really amazing to experience other cultures

Didn’t work. At all. Not even the hotel restaurant.

Went 20 years ago now. I was 15 so with parents. We are all blonde. Harassed constantly in and out resort. Wasn’t a good experience.
i hope you don’t have the same experience and have a lovely time

I've been to both and got way more hassle in Morocco. It's partly down to chance of who you encounter i guess.

OP i wouldn't go back to either but did enjoy elements of both holidays!

I wouldn't want your DD to be without you though.

Not recently but stayed in port el kantoui and we loved it. We did organised trips everywhere was safe - el jem, carthage, the zoo, sidi bou said, the star wars sets, overnight and early morning saharan camel ride.
Did go to sousse medina which was an experience.

Overall one of my favourite holidays but I think its a love or hate place

Where have I said it’s the fault of women? . I find it hard to believe that you were assaulted every day - I’m sure you were harrassed but assaulted sounds a bit over the top. There are cultural differences in many many countries, and women are treated differently, but. people cant accept that, then they should go somewhere else. On a scale of harassment, I’ve always found thst Tunisia is quite mild compared with Luxor. We go to Tunisia because we love the culture, people, food, and weather. We’ve made some really good friends over the years that we’ve been to Tunisia and have been quite humbled by how we’ve been welcomed into people’s homes.

I went last year and stayed in a resort and it was lovely. If it's all inclusive it might be easier to get the hotel to arrange day trips by cab if possible which is what we did. We explored a few different cities (sousse, monastir, sidi bou said, tunis, port el kantoui). Outside the resort you're probably better off dressing more modestly but in the resort we were at bikinis were the norm. I really loved my trip and would deffo go back one day! Really recommend a trip to see carthage and the colosseum of el jem especially if interested in history and ruins

Good for you. And like I’ve said I have travelled all my life. I am used to being harassed (coming from a Scandi country) but in most countries they come close but don’t touch you in places they shouldn’t. I went to Tunisia with two of my friends, and had men assaulting/harassing us by surrounding closely us so that noone could see what they were doing. Great that you have had a good experience. I could never recommend Tunisia, if you are a blonde woman at least.

I went last October and loved it.

there is a lot of litter but I found the people lovely. Amazing customer service. Food was brilliant. Hotel gorgeous.

We went on some amazing trips to the Sahara and ancient Carthage.

I felt quite safe and will go again.

noting that a lot of the negative comments are from people who haven’t been there recently

Tunisia is the only place I have visited where armed guards hide in the bushes both at the front of the hotel and at the back leading to the beach 24/7. Some would argue it’s safer as if anything were to happen the armed guards would soon be there, but to me it certainly didn’t feel safe. One day we ventured outside the hotel and went to Sousse. I was literally picked up, put on a camel and then they refused to let me off until we paid them. I would not return

It really doesn't sound like a holiday!

Well I am a blonde woman (or was until I went grey) and have been to Tunisia at least 12 times between 1965 and now. I’ve never had a bad experience in all of those trips and neither has my daughter. The only time I’ve ever felt remotely uneasy was when my husband and I got on a train in a fairly remote town and the entire carriage was full of young soldiers with guns. But they were lovely and were really keen to talk to us.

I think it’s unrealistic to go to a country where it is well known that there are cultural differences and people have different standards of what constitutes acceptable behaviour, and expect people to behave like they do in the UK.

It literally sounds like going on holiday in a cat a prison

I went when I was nineteen. I will never step foot there again.

Seriously don’t know how you were so lucky. I went for one week in the 80s and the harassment outside the hotel was constant, from young primary aged lads to elderly toothless men, it never stopped! Worst place I’ve ever been to.

I was brunette not blonde.