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!
One Week in Tunis, Tunisia — My First Vacation in 4 Years
Our trip to Tunis, Tunisia happened between Sunday the 11th and Sunday the 18th of February, 2018. Sadly, I was taking a gap year from travel to finish university but still managed to do a few trips here and there. Those trips were proper vacations. One Week at University After my two-year trip through South America, I returned to Maastricht University in the Netherlands in January 2018. I had to prepare to go back to university after a hiatus of four years, and I did so reluctantly; the only reason I was back here was to graduate and get ridContinue reading
How to Get a SIM Card in Bahrain: eSIM Options + Batelco, Zain, and STC
We traveled to Bahrain for about 10 days in January 2026. To stay online as a tourist, Jonas used his Global eSIM and I bought a physical SIM card in Bahrain at the airport. Here’s what your options are, starting with the cheapest First Choice: Global eSIM or Bahraini eSIM Just like in nearby Kuwait and the UAE, getting a physical SIM card in Bahrain is on the expensive side. Luckily, eSIM technology has come a long way. If your phone is eSIM compatible, this should be your first choice. Within eSIMs, there’s still two ways to go about it:Continue reading
Staying Online in Kuwait: eSIM Options + Kuwaiti SIM Card
Going to Kuwait for more than a few days and don’t have the option to have an eSIM? Here’s what Kuwaiti SIM card to get, where to get it, and what to expect. First Choice: Get a Kuwaiti eSIM! For some reason, getting a real SIM card in Kuwait is quite expensive. That’s why your first option should be to get an eSIM. If you’ve never used this technology before, now is the time to try. Within the world of eSIMs, there are two approaches: the Global eSIM and a Kuwaiti eSIM. If you don’t use much data, are onlyContinue reading
Almadies Point, Dakar, Senegal: The Westernmost Point of Africa
We visited Almadies Point (French: Pointe des Almadies) on Friday the 28th of February, 2025. We took a shared taxi and used the tips a fellow traveler gave us to dodge ‘security’ and visit the westernmost point of Africa without bribing anyone. Here’s how we did it without paying a bribe. Click here to scroll down to the interactive map Research into Africa’s Westernmost Point A quick look at the reviews of the westernmost point of Africa tells you it’s not that easy. The area is surrounded by hotels in a state of decay. There are apparently security guys forContinue reading
How to Get the Mauritanian eVisa Introduced in 2025
In January 2025, Mauritania rolled out its e-visa or eVisa regime for tourists to this West African nation. Here’s the ins and outs of obtaining your Mauritanian eVisa, which is the only way you can enter the Islamic Republic Mauritanian eVisa Changes In early January 2025, the government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania changed its tourist visa policy. Now, all nationals who require a visa to enter Mauritania need to obtain one through their eVisa portal. This is everyone except Algerians, Chadians, Ivorians, Gambians, Libyans, Malians, Nigeriens, Senegalese, and Tunisians. If you didn’t see your nationality in that list,Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 63: Svinița to Dubova – Entering Romania + Great Kazan Gorge
We paddled this stretch on Saturday the 18th of May, 2024. In the morning, we departed Golubac and took the ferry from Usije in Serbia to Moldova Veche in Romania, going through immigration. From there, we made a quick stop in Moldova Nouă and Berzasca before we started paddling from Svinița to Dubova. That stretch has a lot of things to sightsee: the Tri Kule ruined fortress, the Great Kazan Gorge, and several caves. Ferry from Usije to Moldova Veche: Border Crossing Horror Paddling Out of Svinița: Cetatea Tricule We started kayaking away from Svinița at 12:34 Serbian time, soContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 58: Belgrade to Grocka na Dunavu – The Worst Paddle Day… Yet!
Our 58th kayak day on the Danube was on Monday, the 29th of April, 2024. Somehow, we managed to paddle from Belgrade to Grocka na Dunavu in Serbia. Arriving in Grocka It was 17:31 and we had one last break at the latest Y-shaped stick we moored at. We had a six-minute break to let the pump leave our arms. I felt these weird cramps or spasms in my arms. Not the whole arm, just one string of muscle that refused to fall in line and protested today’s kayaking efforts. But we were only 3.6 kilometers away from our finalContinue reading
Ljubljanica Kayaking: Vrhnika to the Ljubljana Marsh and the Capital’s Iconic Bridges
We did this kayaking trip down the Ljubljanica River on the 7th of March, 2024. Starting in Vrhnika, we paddled down through the largest marsh in Slovenia to the capital city Ljubljana. In Ljubljana we paddled through the center a bit before returning upstream to go home and deflate our boat. This trip is in preparation for paddling the Danube again. Ljubljana, Slovenia: the Long Way to the Danube Taxi to Vrhnika + Inflating Zucchini Under Pressure Just a few days before taking the train to Ljubljana, I thought maybe it’s better to start upstream on the Ljubljanica and thenContinue reading
Ajman in an Afternoon (United Arab Emirates)
During our stay in Sharjah, we decided to take a day trip to Ajman (pronounced: ADZH-man). This was our third emirate out of seven. Even though it’s the smallest emirate, I think Ajman has enough to offer for a couple of days, depending on one’s interests and ‘disposable’ income. We visited Ajman on Monday the 22nd of February, 2021 on this 4.6-kilometer long walk. Sharjah to Ajman Our accommodation in Sharjah is only about 10 kilometers away from Ajman. Even though we prefer to stay in each emirate a couple of days, we couldn’t really find a good reason; theContinue reading
Two Weeks in Dubai (United Arab Emirates)
This is a diary-style post about what we did during our two weeks in Dubai before moving on to Sharjah within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). I tried to make it a bit informative if you’re traveling to Dubai, but I usually don’t write about cities that are already well-written about. Everything written here happened in 2021. Jonas had already visited Dubai for three days back in 2010 and told me it was a very misunderstood place. Saturday 30th January: Sleep Sunday 31st January: Walking to the Waterfront Monday 1st of February: Supermarket Time Tuesday 2nd of February: Downtown DubaiContinue reading