To holiday in Tunisia

[PinkyU]

Finances have been very tight this year for unavoidable reasons which lead us to thinking that we wouldn’t be able to afford a family holiday this year. However thanks to some jiggery pokery with our outgoings we have around £2000 for a holiday abroad for 2 adults and 2 children.

Whilst this saving was quite a feat for us, it’s pretty flimsy in terms of a holiday budget that meets our small yet non negotiable criteria:

• within 3 hour flight from UK
• within 30 minute airport transfer to hotel
• all inclusive/full board (3 meals, not fussed with drinks)

After weeks of searching it seems a strong contender that meets the above criteria is Tunisia. But on reading, the country is under significant terror alert. This in itself, while a concern, isn’t necessarily putting me off, as I don’t see it as being vastly different to living in any large uk city.

Am I being deluded? Would you consider holidaying there? If not, any recommendations greatly appreciated .

I hated it. Sheep tied up and having their throats cut in the street. Pestered all the time and if you don't buy being sworn at. Disgusting semi raw hotel food. When we went the weather wasn't good, howling winds and sand blowing all over the place. To cap it all when I was dressed and ready for the airport and was walking down the street someone emptied a potty full of piss on my head.

Tunisia has just come back in to the U.K. holiday market after being a no fly zone from the U.K. for a few years so the government have deemed it safe enough for travel but it is where the gunmen opened fire on a few hotels in 2015 so it's been targeted before!

In 2012 I think I went with DH. He needed a Visa (Australian passport) which you had to buy on arrival. It is one of those countries you are not allowed to take the currency into or out of so he had to change money at the airport. We waited for ages with men in guns smoking saying koala, aussie they found us very amusing. The airport became empty, everything closed, they split us up, I waited with a group of men and about 4 took him to a teller machine so he could get money out. They then stamped his passport and he had to negotiate a price to get it back. Scary! Once we got to ths hotel it was fine. My next door neighbour is going in September, she is 80 years old and going with her sister!

I'm sorry OP, Tunisia was the worst holiday we've ever had. We've travelled fairly far and to other North African countries without issue

Hotel was grim, food was grim, beach was packed with people trying to sell us things, our sea view was of dirty shrubland and most importantly the local markets/shops/streets were full of leering local men who genuinely made me feel unsafe. We went to a 4 star.

If you're you're going the end of June, it's not even peak time in England, so if you fly from an English airport it'll bring the price down. Even so, it will be difficult to find all inc or full board within budget. Have you played about on alpha rooms? You can book flights/transfers/hotels on the same website but kind of mix and match so it gives you more flexibility than a package deal. Bare in mind that when a package gives a transfer time it refers to a minibus or coach which will be dropping at multiple hotels, so having a private transfer will be much quicker.

Type the hotel your are thinking of into TripAdvisor and see what the guests are saying..

Personally, no. Not because of the terror threat but because it is an utter hellhole. I went when I was about 12 and all I remember is being groped and harassed by adult men - no way would I go back or take female children.

The holiday we had there put me off for life. So I don't suggest it as your destination.

I wouldn't go to Africa.

Second biggest continent and massively diverse. Some places are incredibly safe and some unsafe. Unbelievably beautiful scenery from rainforest or snowy mountains to dry sandy deserts. Peoples as diverse as North African Arabs and hunter gatherers, Pygmy people in the Congo and CAR and Maasai tribespeople and millionaires. Farming, business, arts, music science, politics all interesting.

Some of the best people I've met, I met in African countries.

We've been and yes we only stayed in the hotel and it was gorgeous. Amazing quality food, lovely room, hotel, fab pools on the private beach. Yes there have been terrorist attacks but there were attacks in New York and London too, both of which I've also been too. It does depend on what you are doing looking for from a holiday as we went with a toddler who was very happy sat by the pool / beach every day

I went to that exact hotel the year before the attacks. They had guards on the beaches but we still stupidly went for a walk anyway. As soon as we were off the private beach we were harrassed. Further down the beach there was an actual rubbish dump right on the sand. Mattresses, pallets, tyres, a dead cat and syringes. We went back to the hotel and didn't leave it until our last day. Heard horror stories from other guests about harassment.

My kids had an iPad each and a couple of staff came up to us, chatted and then told us how they could never afford one and that it was a whole months wages for them which made us feel dreadful.

Hands down my worst holiday ever.

You couldn't pay me enough to go back to Tunisia. We stayed in the resort where the terror attacks took place and whilst the hotel was ok (4 star) the food wasn't great especially as I was veggie at the time. Definitely didn't feel safe venturing out to the marina.

I'm in Scotland and we sometimes fly from English airports as it's much cheaper. Also if you're on Facebook have a look at Donnie's Holidays - he has great Jet2 deals and posts daily. You can also message him directly.

No way.
Try a eurocamp style holiday but book accommodation direct with campsite rather than eurocamp

I’d rather stay at home then visit Tunisia at the moment . If you’re struggling to afford a holiday this year then why don’t you save up and go next year instead . Use some of this years budget and put it away until next year. If finances are tight surely booking a holiday should be way down your list of priorities.
Plan a fun filled week at home instead . The kids will survive .

I don't get the logic of holidaying in a shit hole just because it's cheap

@hollowvictory so eloquently put Haha I couldn't agree more though.

Tbh everyone I know who has been to Tunisia says the same as Many posters here- it was an awful place to visit and they’d never go back.

However you can’t compare terror threats with that in the U.K. tourists aren’t a target here, and you aren’t a tourist in the U.K. either

I had a terrible holiday there!
Check out Costa Brava or Menorca. My sister has been to both with her family for around 2k during June and had a lovely time

No way even without the terrorise threat.

Worse d+v I’ve ever had
Dirty
Men leering
Men trying to touch us on the beach
Hotel guests held in a shop until they bought something.

Again NO WAY

I adore Tunisia and we've been many times. I'd recommend Sousse as opposed to Port El Kantoui, less "touristy" but only 20 mins by taxi. Some marvellous trips too - the two day trip is fab, as is Sidi Bou Said, El Djem and the Bardo museum.

I'll be back later, feel free to ask any questions here, or PM me 🙂

Tunisia was absolutely awful outside the hotel and the hotel wasn’t brilliant.

I wouldn’t go back even if there wasn’t a terror alert and it meets my criteria of cheap, and I’m a fairly adventurous traveller.

Wow almost a unanimous dislike of holidaying in Tunisia. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such agreement on MN! I’d been vaguely thinking of either there or Morocco for a week away with a friend at some point, this has been really helpful!

FWIW we were staying at the next hotel up from where the terrorist shooting was. It's provided a convenient reason for people, not just here on MN, to bash the crap out of the country. It's the best country I've ever been to. Have many great photos too!

We have been to Tunisia twice, once to Hammamet and once to Sousse, I preferred Hammamet but DH preferres Sousse. The locals were really friendly and hotels were lovely. We met some amazing local people who took us on tours all over Tunisia and made a very good friend too. We plan to go to Kelibia this year.

Don't take girls.

The end game of the sexual harassment of young girls is not chatting up, it is rape.