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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:
Ponoka7 · 28/04/2024 10:38

Going forward if he wants to go away in October, I'd consider Morocco or Eygpt. I used to have to go away on my own because of working patterns. It's fine to do that.

EdgarsTale · 28/04/2024 10:46

Sousse is horrible. It was dirty & smelly. It will also be unbearably hot in August.

Minimili · 28/04/2024 10:55

Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 23:19

I took the risk and booked it..

I lived in Tunisia for a while and whilst it was a long time ago I didn’t have any real problems.

I had a friend there who was a travel rep and it was in Sousse, we were in our twenties and went out a lot alone - even at night.

It will be very hot in August and people might pester you to sell things but I find men will be more respectful if you have kids.
We did get chatted to by men and they could be pushy at times but we were assertive and they backed off, it’ll be different if you are guests in the resort. I found the staff to be respectful when I was staying in hotels and it was when I was wandering about on my own or with my friend that I was stopped for conversations.

Tunisia is a poor country and my eyes were opened in my time there, out of the resorts you can see that it’s a developing country. I was treated with so much kindness when I lived there and I did have to make adjustments like cover my hair and wear modest clothes and I made an effort to learn Arabic but I was welcomed by everyone and treated with nothing but respect.

I can understand why it seems basic to some people if they compare it to countries that are wealthier and the locals aren’t desperately poor. If you are just staying in the resort then I’ve stayed in that hotel and it’s very nice and the beaches are beautiful.

Please do let us know what it was like when you’ve been? I was considering going back for a holiday later this year.

Comedycook · 28/04/2024 10:58

I know it's cheaper but I think I'd rather go self catering in a busy Spanish resort than an all inclusive hotel in Tunisia.

DivorcedDiva · 28/04/2024 11:03

I'm not unaccustomed to travelling with my DC. I would say that it depends what kind of holiday and what ages the DC are (and also what sex they are sadly). If I had young DC and was just going to stay in the hotel complex, yes...if I had a teen DD and was travelling around independently, probably no. Having said that, Tunisia has some amazing places to visit, just a shame about the way women can be treated by some.

radishesare · 28/04/2024 11:06

you're staying in the same resort where the attack happened. He starred shooting on the beach there and then entered the hotel
and killed 38 in total. There was a terror attack in a museum there too, a few months before. I don't think I could stay there, knowing what happened there.

radishesare · 28/04/2024 11:09

i mean, I guess staying in the actual hotel where the terror attack happened, means you'll be under armed security 24/7 when there. Armed security guards in the hotel etc. If it's going to happen
again,
won't be there.

softslicedwhite · 28/04/2024 11:13

I absolutely wouldn't do that alone with two kids. We'd all go down with diarrhoea within a day or two and i'd get it worse (I have a chronic bowel condition). I wouldn't want my kids sliding around in the chemical/germ soup of the communal pool either, as most families tend to spend the whole day there.

All inclusive buffets make me queasy just thinking about them.

The heat will be insane btw.

NewYearTimeToChange · 28/04/2024 12:02

You’ll be absolutely fine though I would stay on hotel grounds as I didn’t love the attention I got outside in my younger days. Hotel felt perfectly safe though and was positively luxurious for the price.

HumanWetWipe · 28/04/2024 12:15

I didn't get any attention despite being on my own, youngish and blonde.
It is a poor country but so are a lot of holiday destinations.
Sousse is a port but Port-al-Kantaoui is very resort-ish.
The heat will probably be low to mid 30s.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 28/04/2024 12:32

I would definitely go on holiday but I'm not sure about Tunisia.
We just booked what TUI call a "luxe collection" hotel but their holiday package was coming in at 3k whereas my husband found the same deal for 1.6k through sunshine holidays. It's atol protected so we've just booked it. That's to Palma. There's loads of deals around.

Misthios · 28/04/2024 12:36

It's cheap for a reason. Because nobody else wants to go there.

Delawear · 28/04/2024 12:47

Hurray! You will have a nice time.

My only reservation would be the heat if you plan on doing any sightseeing, but in a hotel or resort, there should be plenty of shady spots to hang out, and pools to cool down in. My tip is to invest sun suits or rash vests for the three of you, because constantly reapplying sun cream everywhere becomes a pain if you’re frequently in the water to cool down.

Sweetheart7 · 28/04/2024 12:52

Glad you booked OP. If you find a hotel with a waterpark, kids club and an evening show its usually keeps the kids busy enough. I probably wouldn't venture out of the hotel!

Tereseta · 28/04/2024 12:53

Mammyloveswine · 27/04/2024 20:36

Hotel is Marhaba Beach Hotel in Sousse if that helps!

The hotel looks lovely, I would do it but stay on resort majority of the time

NewDogOwner · 28/04/2024 13:38

I looked at some Tunisia places. People were reviewing them on Trip Advisor saying that their wifi is not great.

Growlybear83 · 28/04/2024 13:43

Why would wifi be a consideration for a beach hotel? 😆😆😆

I disagree with other people about staying in your hotel. Tunisia is a fascinating country and it would be an awful waste of a trip not to get out and about. The train system is good and it's easy to get to places like El Djem by train. We've hired a car several times and driving is much more easy as stress free than in many other countries we've been to. But just wandering a round Sousse is interesting and will give you a chance to try Tunisian food. I had the best meal of my entire life on my honeymoon standing up in a little backstreet cafe, which I can still remember vividly almost 40 years later 😆😆

Original poster
Mammyloveswine · 28/04/2024 14:40

Thanks everyone I'm feeling excited!

I didn't realise the hotel I booked was where the shooting happened however,

I do think that it's a shame the tourist industry has taken a hit.. it hasn't happened in London following the bombings, or New York for eg.

I am a blonde white woman however am
Definitely not a young attractive thing, so pretty sure I'll be looked at as a middle aged, overweight mother 🤣

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 28/04/2024 14:42

The shooting happened at the Hotel Rui Imperial Marhaba.

ETA which is in Port El Kantoui. Not your hotel.

daffodilandtulip · 28/04/2024 14:49

I went as a single parent with a 5&8yo. Literally the week before the beach attack.

There is a lot of hassle but I felt it was more begging for money than threatening against women as such. We went on a few trips and people were trying to sell you things through the windows, hassle in shops and beach sellers. It's constant and annoying but I didn't feel at risk for saying no.

The resort, beach, pools, hotel were lovely.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 28/04/2024 15:21

I think you'll be fine op. Didn't realise it was for next year! I thought you were itching to get away asap!

honeylulu · 28/04/2024 16:03

I think you'll be fine if you're planning on staying in the resort. I'm presuming there will be plenty there for your kids to do. I went to Tunisia with my husband and son who was then 8 I think. There was loads to do in the resort but we went May half term and unfortunately it was cold and windy, I only went in the pool once so we got a bit bored! We ventured out a couple of times but got loads of hassle and it felt a bit menacing. (We'd been to Morocco a couple of years before and whilst there was hassle there it was more friendly.) I definitely wouldn't have wanted to head out without my husband. However August will be hot so if your kids love the pool and the sea they'll enjoy it. The food in our resort was really nice and we didn't get upset stomachs (though we did in Morocco). We avoided having ice in drinks in case it was made from tap water. That may have helped.

BuyOrBake · 28/04/2024 16:10

How do you cope in high temperatures?
It will be very hot in August.

What about a Eurocamp type trip in France. End of August can be a bit cheaper.

sympatheticparrot · 28/04/2024 16:45

exomoon · 27/04/2024 23:31

And yet your parents booked it every year…

Show quote history

And the OP was a child and had no choice but to go.

what a fucking weird comment.

fieldsofbutterflies · 28/04/2024 16:54

Personally it's not somewhere I'd go alone with two young children. I also think August will be unpleasantly hot.

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