Tunisia is a country I’ve been to once in February 2018. After my four-year travel stint, I had just completed my first week back at university. My visit to Colombia hadn’t been that long ago, so my travel skills hadn’t atrophied yet. And then it was time for Carnival, which comes with a week-long holiday in the south of the Netherlands. So Jonas and I flew to the Maghreb for a seven-day escape from academia.
It wasn’t a long trip, therefore I didn’t experience Tunisia in depth. In short, some of the highlights of this trip were eating very spicy ojja, buying harissa and olives at the market, visiting the northernmost point of mainland Africa at Ras Angela, and hitchhiking back from Hammamet. Above all, the Tunisians I’ve met were all very kind, honest, and hospitable people. Lastly, I think the masterful croissants I ate in Tunis with a strong cup of espresso (for a very affordable price!) are in my top 3 breakfast experiences ever. As a result of these many experiences, I’m really excited to return there one day and stay for the full 90 days.
Things I’d Like to Do Next Time in Tunisia
- Hitchhike even more with the locals. I have been learning some basic Arabic on Duolingo, so I’m excited to use that instead of French or English. Back then, it felt kinda rude to only know how to say hello and thank you in Arabic
- Revisit the capital Tunis as a digital nomad, because I still think it’s a very cool city to live in for a bit and get to know more in-depth. While there, I’d definitely like to watch a show at the planetarium of Tunis in the Tunis Science Museum
- Spend more time in nature and on hikes. For example, I’d love to see the Oued Zitoun Waterfalls, Lake Ichkeul, the Selja Gorges, Tamerza Waterfall, Chott el Djerid, salt pans such as Sebkhet de Sidi El Hani, and some caves. I couldn’t really find information about big caves in Tunisia, so if you have suggestions, please let me know down below!
- See more historical and ancient sites, especially Carthage. I’d love to spend a day or two wandering around Carthage since my first visit wasn’t very deep. Then there’s the Water Temple of Zaghouan, the Uthina Archaeological Site, Althiburos, Dougga, the Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis, the Basins of Aghlabides, Haïdra, Sbeitla, the Amphitheatre of El Jem, the Medina of Sousse, the Ghazi Mustapha Tower, and Ksar Ouled Soltane
- This last point ties in with my desire to do more urban exploring. I’ve stumbled upon a great blog that has tons of articles about abandoned places in Tunisia. Especially the decaying casino and abandoned consulate speak to the imagination. Also, I’d love to travel off to the deep south where the old Star Wars sets are, though if it’s on a tour, that sounds a bit like urbex for beginners
- See more brutalist beauties. I’m happy to have seen the famous Hôtel du Lac already in 2018, since this one is threatened with demolition
- Go kayaking at sea, on the many lakes, or on the rivers, such as on the river Medjerda. I’m not sure where it’s possible to rent a kayak, but I’m hoping there will be a few places where it’s cheap and easy to do so
- Soak in some hot springs, such as the ones nearby Qurbus, Bizerte, Tozeur, and Gabès
- Hike up the highest mountain of Tunisia, Jebel ech Chambi (1544masl). From what I’ve read, it’s possible to go up the mountain by road quite a bit, and then it’s still a two-hour hike
- So what I missed the most on the previous trip was the lack of travel to some more remote corners and smaller towns and cities. I will need to make up for that mistake during the next visit to Tunisia. So I’m thinking Cap Bon, the Galite Islands, Kairouan, Kasserine, Tozeur (the trippy Chak Wak Park), Sfax, Djerba Island (Astronomical Observatory of Djerba), the Kerkennah Islands, and Tataouine (for the stargazing). But if you have better suggestions, please comment below and I’ll add them to the list!
- Visit as many lighthouses as I can, such as the one in Tabarka which has been incorporated into an older Genoese castle
- Cross a land border with one of the immediate neighbors of Tunisia: Algeria or Libya. However, I’m not sure how accessible these countries are regarding visas and land border trouble
- So you all know I love being on boats, which is why I’d love to arrive/depart Tunisia by ferry or by sailing boat. Though I haven’t heard stories of people taking these boats, supposedly, there are ferries from Tunis to Italy (Genoa, Salerno, Trapani, Palermo) and France (Marseille)
If you know cool places and things to do in Tunisia or if you are Tunisian, comment at the bottom of this page so I can always find your suggestions again once I start plotting my return!
So you are a travel blogger and do you have good posts about Tunisia. Then drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
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