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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To book a holiday to Tunisia on my own with 2 kids?

128 replies

Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 20:09

I'm a teacher and my husband is useless at booking time off in the school hols because he "doesn't need to"... anyway I'm sick of this meaning me and the kids usually only end up with a caravan hol in October half term or a few days at his parents house.

He also moans about the price of holidays abroad.

So I thought I'm sick of this and have been looking to just take our children away myself.. I've found a brilliant deal for all inclusive through TUI for £1600.. only catch is it's in Tunisia..,

We would likely just stay in the hotel complex for the week but would I be mad to book? Boys have never been abroad and will be 9 and 7 when we go. Love the idea of surprising them one day in the summer hols saying "and we're off on our hols!".

Honest opinions please! It's next August so advice might change but current foreign office guidance is that it's safe to travel to!

OP posts:
Lilly11a · 27/04/2024 20:40

I went Tunisia at Christmas with my boyfriend and it was fine . We also just stayed on resort . Turkey is worse for making women uncomfortable in my experience

sympatheticparrot · 27/04/2024 20:41

I went in 2013 and stayed at the Diar Al Andalous.

  • The airport was a shambles. From memory it took nearly 3 hours to get through security. Something to bear in mind if you’re travelling with children.
  • The hotel was nice enough and very clean.
  • Port El Kantaoui was nice but we were hassled by people selling us things. You couldn’t even look at anything in a shop without being pestered to the extreme.
  • the beach connected to the hotel was (im pretty certain) the same beach where the British tourists were murdered a year after we were there.

all in all, there are nicer and friendlier places to visit.

Doratheexplorer1 · 27/04/2024 20:41

Tunisia is not safe for a lone woman with two children. We went every bloody year as kids. It was vile.

Original poster
Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 20:43

Interesting mix of views and opinions! Thank you!

Want to fly from local airport which is Newcastle so I'm aware that limits us more but would be open to flying from Manchester.

OP posts:
Comedycook · 27/04/2024 20:43

Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 20:38

Thanks for all replies!

All Spanish resorts are at least £500 more for really basic hotels..

There's a reason Tunisia is cheaper!

HumanWetWipe · 27/04/2024 20:45

@Mammyloveswine , I've been to Tunisia a few times. and loved it. I didn't get hassled or food poisoning.
I loved the food and went on a few trips.

I stayed in Sousse once but it wasn't my best Tunisian holiday. Djerba was the best one.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 27/04/2024 20:45

Tunisia was the very 1st holiday I took my daughter on - as a single parent of a 6 year old.

A/I 4* hotel in Port El Kantaoui

we did go out of the resort a couple of times, can't remember if we walked or if the hotel had a shuttle bus, for lunch and a look around the shops - pretty sure that was in / at the Marina area.

Would I go back - yes and no - as there is are so many places to go I don't have time to return anywhere for a beach summer holiday.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 27/04/2024 20:46

Do you know what? I've taken my boys away without their Dad because of work commitments etc and I've really enjoyed it. Doesn't mean I love him any less, just that life fits better this way sometimes

Pip1402 · 27/04/2024 20:47

I got my bum pinched as a 10 year old girl on holiday in Tunisia. The men were disgustingly lecherous. My parents both got very ill and were bedridden for days. Definitely not somewhere I'd go alone as a female.

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 27/04/2024 20:51

Having seen your update, that looks a lovely hotel
and such a good price !!!

We flew from Bristol.

Original poster
Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 20:53

Pip1402 · 27/04/2024 20:47

I got my bum pinched as a 10 year old girl on holiday in Tunisia. The men were disgustingly lecherous. My parents both got very ill and were bedridden for days. Definitely not somewhere I'd go alone as a female.

How long ago was that?

My children are both boys (not that that makes it better)

I'm sorry you had such an awful experience as a child,

I can remember being leered at in Italy at 13. It's horrible. But 10 and an actual physical assault is awful.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 27/04/2024 20:59

Lilly11a · 27/04/2024 20:40

I went Tunisia at Christmas with my boyfriend and it was fine . We also just stayed on resort . Turkey is worse for making women uncomfortable in my experience

I felt it was more of a problem in Turkey and Egypt than in Tunisia.

Usernameisnotavailable0 · 27/04/2024 21:07

Nope, I remember being leered at when I went out with DC in a pram. Funnily enough it didn't happen with DH came with us.

There are no women in sight anywhere. Just men. I remember being grabbed and dragged into a shop. It was awful. I couldn't recommend it to you. It's cheap for a reason.

This was in Souesse.

I've never felt like this in Turkey.

Zanatdy · 27/04/2024 21:08

I’d go on holiday alone with 2 kids but not to Tunisia

Zanatdy · 27/04/2024 21:14

And not such much the leering but the terrorist threat. My ex works in that line of work and he advises not to go to North Africa. Even my Tunisian friend won’t travel there anymore to see his family. He doesn’t feel it’s safe for his family.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 27/04/2024 21:16

Try Bulgaria. Similar pricing but safer!

Original poster
Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 23:19

I took the risk and booked it..

To book a holiday to Tunisia on my own with 2 kids?
OP posts:
Lovemybunnies · 27/04/2024 23:25

I wouldn’t. I think you will be harassed which might be distressing for your boys. I remember feeling unsafe on a coach trip to a bazaar and my friend and I were constantly bothered on the beach.

ilovesooty · 27/04/2024 23:26

Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 23:19

I took the risk and booked it..

Have a lovely time.

ilovesooty · 27/04/2024 23:28

Make sure you go to El Jem. It's awesome.

Thinkonmadam · 27/04/2024 23:29

Money supermarket are advising you upgrade your holiday insurance to include terrorism cover:

  • Terrorism: Consider adding terrorism cover, which can provide peace of mind given recent incidents of terrorism in Tunisia. This is not usually covered as standard and may be offered as an additional option.

worth it for peace of mind, I would say.

exomoon · 27/04/2024 23:31

Doratheexplorer1 · 27/04/2024 20:41

Tunisia is not safe for a lone woman with two children. We went every bloody year as kids. It was vile.

And yet your parents booked it every year…

ALunchbox · 27/04/2024 23:40

Tunisia is cheap for a reason.

Ladybir · 28/04/2024 07:08

Not a chance would I - alone with children is fine, but to Tunisia absolutely no chance. I went once about 12ish years ago and will never return. The hotel was lovely, but the armed guards everywhere, including hiding in bushes around the hotel and on the path up from the beach killed the mood slightly!!

Bewareofthisonetoo · 28/04/2024 07:28

I did lots of holidays alone with my children as my exh was a miserable bastard who even when he reluctantly came was a misery who spoiled things😂
So have done everything-beach/ski/organised treks/ etc etc.
I do not recommend Tunisia in August. We once went in May and it was okay -will be far too hot in August.