It’s of paramount importance that travelers nowadays are aware of the many conflicting variables in which they may encounter when traveling to a foreign land, and Tunisia is no different.
Whether it be backpackers, frequent travelers or even native Tunisian’s who haven’t been back to the country for a long duration – being privy to all the different laws (which may have changed recently) is important to ensure a hassle free holiday.
With Index Mundi reporting that 4.67 million people visited Tunisia in 2011, it’s essential that this high number of inbound travelers don’t fall foul of Tunisian laws.
And Tunisia isn’t without its own idiosyncrasies; for instance any traveler that isn’t from the US, UK or Canada will have to apply to the Tunisian embassy to obtain a visa. This is just one of the many things that traveler’s should research beforehand.
But luckily for you travelers, we’ve had the foresight to provide budding sightseers a list of the troublesome variables that you may encounter when traveling to Tunisia.
Vaccinations Pre-trip
Although immunizations and vaccinations aren’t required by law, all visitors to the country are advised, to have Hepatitis A and Typhoid injections beforehand. In addition to this, it is recommended that all visitors have had tetanus and polio vaccinations prior to entering Tunisia. This is especially important if you have young children.
It’s also worth noting that some travel insurance plans don’t cover hospital fees. So, make sure that you take out the correct insurance to cover worse case scenarios such as medical or hospital fees if anything dramatic were to occur while on your holiday.
Buses Over Short-haul Flights
It’s not always wise to travel via plane. There has been a dramatic drop in the amount of short-haul flyers over the last two years predominantly because of the “hidden costs” many airlines add to their flights, reported by UK-based company Parking4Less.
In an article entitled ‘Beware of Cheap Flights’, they documented how airlines have been bumping up flight costs by adding undisclosed taxes, booking fees and luggage costs on top of the original price of flights.
As well as the lower costs when traveling via bus or train, you will also be able to take in Tunisia’s many coastal regions and the Sahara along your way, if you’re lucky.
Women Travelers
Always remember that Tunisia’s an Islamic territory. All female travelers must wear modest clothing. If you are by the poolside make sure to wear a swimsuit. Go Africa have published a useful article to help women travelers.
Climate
The country guarantees warm summers and Mediterranean seas. The winters however can be wet and moderately cool during the months of October to May.
But in the summer months of July and August (when the country is at its hottest) travelers can expect temperature of around 21 C – 33 C. It has often been documented though, that the ideal time to travel to these shores is during spring and autumn.
Languages
The native language here in Tunisia is Arabic however French is widely spoken. Other languages such as Italian, German and English are also spoken in the major cities.
If you are struggling to converse with any residents in the area and are struggling to find your way around, try to obtain an Internet connection and look for the nearest Information Center in the area.
Customs
It’s always important to be savvy with import and export laws when traveling to foreign lands. For cigarettes: 400 cigarettes max or 500g of tobacco, or 100 cigars.
The laws are also restrictive on the amount of perfume and aftershave you can take back to your respective country, so make sure you research details on anything you wish to bring back in bulk so that you aren’t breaking any custom laws.
The Locals
During the days of the old government in Tunisia, the country wasn’t a very welcoming place to visiting people. There were self-contained hotels and complexes built that were detached from authentic Tunisian towns, which built a divide between tourists and the countrymen and women.
These “International Zones” have since been eradicated and the model in which the country invites tourists to its land has changed vastly.
But more importantly, to get the most out of your stay and to embrace the culture of Tunisia you should stay in areas such as Yasmine Hammamet’s old town. It’s a truly beautiful place that’s narrow streets are reminiscent of Italy. The streets are lined with eateries, ice cream parlors and are only a walking distance from the sea.
The Cuisine
Tunisian’s pride themselves in the food that they make. The market places are great opportunities for traveler’s to try some of the more alternative food on offer in Tunisia.
Some of the highlights to watch out for are couscous, and the countries many famous varities of kebabs, that will be on offer in many of the restaurants, mint teas, fresh fish and fruit juices. But, also make sure to visit the bakeries because the French bread at the patisseries is out of this world.
Money
The Tunisian Dinar can only be exchanged in the country, so it’s very important that traveler’s either spend or exchange the remainder of their currency before leaving the country.
British Pounds, Euros and American/Canadian Dollars are easily exchangeable in Tunisia, so don’t worry there are many Bureau de Change points throughout the major cities.
Basics
Tunisia is deemed as the safest country in the whole of Africa to visit. Its aforementioned visa laws mean that all inbound travelers are carefully checked before entry to the country is granted. As long as visitors respect religious rules and make sure all their belongings are hidden away from the naked eye, you are sure to enjoy the wonders of Tunisia.
We hope all of the above tips and information give you an idea of what to expect when planning your trip to Tunisia, or even just considering the idea of venturing to Tunisia. Either way, we’re sure that you will love what we have to offer.
If you have visited the country recently and want to share your travel tips with our readers, by all means leave your comments below.