The resort island of Djerba is located just 120 km from the city of Ben Garden, which, in turn, borders on Libya. As recently as March of this year, terrorists attacked the barracks there, after which the authorities extended the state of emergency throughout the country. The trip was supposed to demonstrate that the situation in Tunisia is calm and nothing threatens the rest of tourists.

To the airport Zarzis we were brought by the airline "Icarus". In addition to the Russian liner, there was only a plane of a Tunisian carrier on the territory - not a single one else.

Passport control, metal detector frames, baggage claim - ordinary procedures took no more than 30 minutes (as if compensation for how much the flight was delayed in Moscow Sheremetyevo). And now we are on the bus - we are going to our hotel.

Journalists settled in a hotel Sensimar Palm Beach. It should be noted that there are practically no Russians in this hotel. Mostly rest Germans and French. Perhaps this can explain that the staff practically does not speak Russian. The bus first met Rocky, a Rottweiler.

His duties include inspection of entering cars and buses with tourists. The rest of the time, Rocky melts into the shadows. The dog is not alone here, there are two more booths around the perimeter of the hotel, animals do not react to guests, only on command. As we were told at a press conference, the presence of specially trained dogs is one of the security requirements that the Tunisian authorities have set for hoteliers.

Our suitcases are carried through metal detectors at the entrance. We ourselves go through the front door. There are no inspections and additional procedures - only CCTV cameras say that the state of emergency has been extended in the country. “Before the terrorist attacks in 2015, there weren’t even them in the hotels,” admits the head of the Tunisian national office for tourism in Russia and the CIS Mejid Kahlaui. "The terrorist attack came as a surprise to everyone and hit the tourism industry hard." Let me remind you that after the execution of civilians in Sousse, the flow of tourists from Russia alone decreased by more than 5 times.

So: metal detectors, security cameras, dogs. Re-equipment of the hotel according to this list costs the owner of the hotel 30-50 thousand dollars. Hotels that are not licensed under the new requirements are subject to sanctions.

On the beach, by the way, one gets the feeling that you are always under supervision - people in white shirts are sitting around the perimeter - employees of the private security of the hotel. They are prohibited from carrying weapons, unlike the military from the Tunisian National Guard. The feeling that you are being watched does not leave even at 5 in the morning - during the morning run, I managed to test this for myself. “There are much more people with weapons in the resort areas than you see,” the organizers of the press tour say. “Most of them wear civilian clothes and carefully hide their weapons so as not to scare away tourists.”

But on excursions, no one hides. During the sea trip, a submachine gunner was with us, and the ship was accompanied by a Coast Guard boat.

There are problems with an independent walk into the city. At the entrance to the hotel, I try to break away from the group in order to see the real Djerba, without escorts. The organizers are reluctant to let us in, referring to the fact that it is hot and it takes a long time to walk to the hotel. In reality, it turns out to be only 1.5 km or 10 minutes. Life outside the hotel seems to have stopped, perhaps the reason is that Ramadan is in the courtyard. Rarely encountered passers-by perceive a lonely white man as nonsense.

Despite this, Russian tourists are expected in Tunisia. Only in Djerba their number, according to the same Rostourism, for the first five months of the year was 80% higher than in 2014. Those Russians with whom I managed to talk turn a blind eye to the warning of the Federal Agency. “There were doubts, but the travel agency explained everything to us, and now they saw with their own eyes that everything is in order,” says a tourist from Yekaterinburg. In her opinion, there is no visa-free alternative to Tunisia - until Turkey and Egypt are opened.

Journalists were invited to make sure that Tunisia is safe. Did I feel it myself? I will say this as a person who is far from safety standards, but as a tourist who is used to walking alone. On the territory of the hotel and accompanied by a guide on excursions, you feel protected. And the presence of the military gives you a special status. But, as in any Muslim country, it has its own rules of conduct. For example, if you want to get to the city on your own, it is better to do it by taxi. Moreover, a trip to any point of the island will cost no more than $ 5.

Whether the state of emergency, proximity to troubled Libya and regular warnings from tourism departments will affect the popularity of the destination, the answer to this question is ambiguous. Many Russian tourists are now interested, first of all, in price. Until Tunisia is closed, and if it is affordable for those who used to rest in Turkey and Egypt, there will probably be demand.

Among the most popular and frequently visited resorts, Tunisia is distinguished. However, recently a tense political situation has developed in the state associated with the recent terrorist attacks that took place in the country in 2016. This is constantly reported in the media and other official sources. The government is trying to fix the problem.

The situation was quickly brought under control by the government of the country. The fact is that the tourism business for Tunisia is profitable, and the replenishment of the budget here occurs mainly due to vacationers. The Russians, in turn, find holidays in Tunisia, as in other things in Turkey, comfortable and inexpensive. At the same time, the all-inclusive food system is still operating in the country's hotels. Many vacationers prefer Tunisia to a number of other countries with developed tourism. Egypt is one of them.

For a trip to Tunisia, you need. Increasingly, after visiting the country, many people want to. Or simply .

How are things going for the 2019 season? News about the possibility of closing entry into the country periodically appears. At the moment, access to the comfortable resorts of Tunisia for the Russians remains open, despite the recent terrorist attacks.

The warm climate of the sunny state and the high-level living conditions organized in hotels and inns do their job. Government agencies were only required to provide a sufficient level of security for vacationers. Many today are asking questions: is it worth planning a trip to Tunisia during the holiday season, how safe will it be and how much can it cost?

According to the data presented for tourists, which can be read on the official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the situation in Tunisia is still tense. The police are trying to suppress outbreaks of aggression. In addition, there is no 100% guarantee that terrorist acts will not be repeated. Demonstrations testify to the fact that Tunisia is restless and a difficult social situation persists. However, the 2019 beach season is open for vacationers, and recent events do not stop some tourists.

Unrest in the cities of the neighboring state, in particular, in the city of Ras Jedir, periodically make themselves felt.

There was no official order to ban travel to Tunisia. The Russian Foreign Ministry recommends relaxing in the protected resort areas of Tunisia, where constant monitoring was organized and police squads were involved. Vacationers are advised to leave hotels as little as possible and not to make frequent excursions.

About the ban on entry into Tunisia

The Department of the Situation and Crisis Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Tourism has an official website on which reliable information about the situation in Tunisia is posted. The decree on closing entry into the territory of the state was never issued. Tourist vouchers are sold in the standard mode. The organization of the departure of vacationers is maintained at the proper level. It is worth noting that, in addition to Tunisia, a similar situation has developed in a number of other tourist states. These include India, Thailand and Israel.

The Tunisian authorities have taken all measures to prevent armed conflicts within the country: a video surveillance system has been introduced, armed control has been strengthened at the entrances to shopping centers, hotels and other social and public facilities, and the staff of police officers and security personnel has been increased. At the same time, vacationers are guaranteed the preservation of confidential information while ensuring a sufficient level of security.

To decide whether to visit Tunisia in the 2019 season or not, only the vacationers themselves can. All truthful information for them is laid out in full. In addition, it is possible to follow the news. The Tunisian authorities have done everything to protect vacationers and not create additional obstacles for them in the implementation of vouchers and organizing tours.

When is the best time to relax in Tunisia in 2019

The largest flow of tourists to Tunisia is observed during the beach season from June to September. The most popular resorts in the country are Sousse and Hamammet. They are most suitable for families when you can take your children with you. Young people may be interested in active water sports. In addition, club entertainment is organized for them, cafes and restaurants are open. Attractive service in Tunisian hotels. High-level service is quite inexpensive, and this is explained by the fact that the tourism business in Tunisia has been developed and is still being improved.

During a cold snap from November to April, the flow of tourists usually decreases. However, fans continue to come to the country to visit spas. For this category of vacationers, vacations are provided at reduced rates. Many foreigners are attracted by clean sea air and useful pastime in comfortable hotels. Thus, guests visit the country even on New Year's holidays and at Christmas. In this case, we are talking about Russians and citizens of European countries: Germany, Great Britain and France.

Tours are most expensive in autumn during the velvet season. This is facilitated not only by the proper organization of recreation, but by a favorable climate, when the heat disappears, and the water remains warm for a long time. During this period, you can still sunbathe, and the likelihood of getting burns is completely excluded.

It will not be superfluous to visit the Colosseum in El Jem, many people are interested in seeing the remains of the ruined city of Carthage, which are preserved as a historical monument in the form of ruins. It will be interesting to visit the salt lake Chott el-Jerid, as well as the city of Matmata, whose buildings are unique architectural structures.

Benefits of free time

An independent trip compared to an organized package tour has several advantages:

• You can go sightseeing and visit historical sites on your own, regardless of the group and the excursion program.
• Purchase of air tickets at a discount. Planning a trip depending on vacation schedules.
• Longer stay in Tunisia than planned on the tour.
• Independent choice of hotel.
• Free access to cafes and restaurants.

The fact that tourist trips to Djerba had become dangerous due to possible terrorist attacks, a pool of Russian journalists was invited to the island to clarify the situation, which included a journalist from AiF Kazan.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

"Where is madam going?"

The fact that Djerba is chosen primarily by lovers of family vacations was noticeable when registering at Domodedovo. The youngest tourist who went to the island was a baby, and the oldest was a grandmother, accompanied by her grandchildren.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

As the travelers themselves said, the average cost of the tour is 30-35 thousand rubles. for one person. Although many managed to organize a vacation on a more budgetary basis - by buying last-minute tours for 25-35 thousand rubles (7 days for two in a 4-star all-inclusive hotel).

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

According to Djerbia hoteliers, for a one-day stay in a 4-star hotel (without airfare), a tourist usually pays $20 on an all-inclusive basis.

Tourists are accompanied by police on excursions. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

Vacationers flying with me from Moscow knew about the Rostourism warning. Someone even jokingly suggested that “upon arrival on the island, we will all be given machine guns for personal protection.” We really saw machine guns - on the way to the hotel and all the time we were moving around the island, we periodically met armed police patrols. The entrance to the hotel was under round-the-clock surveillance - along with the security staff, we were guarded by service dogs - Rottweilers. And along the beach at any time of the day, people in civilian clothes with a military bearing were walking. During excursions, including sea ones, the journalists were accompanied by policemen.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

"Where is madam going?" - a restaurant employee politely asked me when I went in search of my shoes, forgotten a few hundred meters from the place of our excursion. The problem was solved without me - the lost "shoes" were instantly delivered by the seller of shells. He spoke surprisingly good English, although this language, as we were told, is studied only in colleges in Tunisia ... “In addition to the police, about one thousand freelancers are involved in security on the island,” explained Tunisian Minister of Tourism and Crafts Selma Elloumi. - Video surveillance systems and metal detectors have been installed in museums, hotels and other crowded places. Such security measures have been taken to protect all tourists without exception.”

Security measures have been strengthened in hotels in Djerba. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova “We read a lot of different - both positive and negative - messages on the Internet, but we did not regret at all that we came here,” said tourists from Syzran Tatyana and Nikolai Lapshins. “We feel safe, we like the service, the polite attitude towards tourists.”

“In my opinion, Tunisia is the best offer compared to our south, where prices are much higher,” says Philip from the Moscow region. - The beach for children is better than in Anapa. Sand, small waves, pleasant, gentle sea. For us (two adults and a child), a week-long tour in a 4-star hotel on the second line (you can access the sea through an underground tunnel) cost 38,300 rubles. This is with flights and all inclusive. Our hotel is adapted for year-round use: there is an indoor pool and other amenities. By the way, in the tourist zone "Djerba - Zarzis" there are more than 150 hotels of different categories.

Holiday "two in one"

Holidays in Djerba are not limited to the beach. To get to know the Dzherbians and their traditions better, you can go to the ethnographic museum. It is located on the highest point of the island - 53 meters above sea level - in the city of Guellala.

The wedding ends with circumcision. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

The islanders have many original wedding traditions. This celebration, as a rule, ends with the circumcision of the baby. The fact is that the Dzherbians are economical people, they are used to counting every penny (millim) and spend a two-in-one holiday so that they don’t have to call guests again.

The bride's costume weighs 12 kilograms. Photo: AiF But Djerba does not skimp on the bride's costume. It is literally golden - it weighs 12 kg. And the bride herself must gain weight before the wedding - for this she is locked in a separate room and fed with all sorts of goodies. In the East, the rounder the shape of a girl, the more beautiful she is.

There are also echoes of Christian traditions. During the wedding, the boy from the bride's family is given a basket with colored eggs, with which he must run from the bride's house to the groom's house without stopping. That basket is placed in a conspicuous place - usually in the living room. So that the bride, when she comes to the groom's house, brings prosperity with her.

The first Jews who settled on the island were textile dyers. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova Now Djerba is inhabited mainly by Arabs and Berbers. But earlier, for many centuries, there was a large Jewish community on the island. The first Jews who settled on the island were textile dyers. The Jews also founded the largest city of Djerba, Houmt Souk (this name translates as "shopping quarter"). On the island there is one of the oldest synagogues in the world "Mushroom" (6th century BC), so Jewish pilgrims from all over the world come to Djerba. The island is known as a place of peaceful coexistence of people of different faiths. The synagogue is located just 200 meters from the mosque.

The ethnographic museum has its own collection of Roman mosaics (the largest in the world is located in the capital of the country in Tunisia, in the Bardo Museum). Such paintings were created in the 2nd-3rd century AD, during the flourishing of the Roman civilization in North Africa. The most famous painting is Virgil and the Muses, the author of the Aeneid.

The city of Guellala is considered the capital of potters. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

Guellala is considered the capital of potters. There are several factories here that produce and immediately sell ceramic dishes and souvenirs. Each has its own mine for the extraction of clay. Each has its own territory - even underground. One of the most popular souvenirs is a non-spill camel, which can be filled with liquid both from above and below.

A popular souvenir is a non-spill camel. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

Frequent customers of potters are sailors. Using ceramic amphorae, they catch octopuses that like to hide in dark secluded places. They tie about ten amphoras and throw them into the sea. After two or three days, they take out and find octopuses there.

Picnic with pirates

In ancient times, the island of Djerba was known as the base of the Arab corsairs. "Pirates" can be found on the island today.

"Pirates" can be found on the island today. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

"Filibusters" are absolutely safe and make a living by arranging boat trips to the islands with picnics for tourists. They are treated to home-cooked fish, couscous and other Djerbian dishes.

Pirates treat tourists with fish, couscous and other Djerbian dishes. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

The crown dish of Tunisia and at the same time a typical Berber holiday treat is couscous. It is prepared from wheat groats in a special bowl. A colander is placed over a large pot in which the vegetable sauce is cooked. Simultaneously with the sauce, groats are steamed in a colander.

The signature dish of Tunisia is couscous. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

Then the grits are poured with sauce, stirred, and vegetables, meat or fish are carefully laid out on top. Another popular dish in Djerba - briki - belongs to Jewish cuisine. These are crispy pasties with shrimp or cheese or other fillings.

An auction is held for buyers of fish. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

Fish on the island is not sold by kilograms and by variety. At the bazaar, traders arrange auctions for buyers, offering buyers bunches of fish of different varieties, different weights.

Sultan of fruits and a bunch of dinosaurs

Djerba is located in the hot south, not far from the Sahara desert - mainly olive trees and date palms grow here.

The islanders call the fruit of the cactus the king of fruits. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

However, tourists who come to the island can enjoy plenty of Victoria, watermelons, melons, peaches, oranges, tangerines - all these fruits are grown in the north of Tunisia. Vineyards also grow there, from which red, white, and rosé wines are produced in Tunisia. The most famous alcoholic drink on the island is Bukha fig moonshine.

Essential oil is made from cactus flowers. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

The islanders call the fruit of the cactus the Sultan of Fruit. Essential oil is made from cactus flowers, which is used as a perfume.

The history of Tunisia and Djerba is helped to study dinars - the country's currency. So, on a bill of 20 dinars, the houses of the Berbers, the indigenous inhabitants of North Africa, are depicted. The Romans called them Berbers (that is, strangers). It is believed that the Berbers came to the "dark continent" from Europe. And today they are distinguished by not too dark complexion, light, blue eyes. Typical Berbers can be seen on a two-day tour of the Sahara desert that costs $120. Although they live there in caves, they have TVs, Wi-Fi.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

And during "this two-day trip across the Sahara, tourists stop in a mountain oasis, they can visit Kairouan - the fourth holy city for Muslims, the first city founded by Arabs in North Africa. Star Wars fans will be shown the place where this famous film was filmed in the Tunisian desert saga and the surviving sets of the film.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova During sightseeing tours around the island, you can learn a lot of interesting things about the history of Tunisia and the entire African continent. The first name of Tunisia is Phrygia. It means "cave dwellers" in Greek. The word "Phrygia" gave its name to the entire continent. "Africa" ​​is a deformation of the word "Phrygia". During the time of the Phoenicians, Tunisia was called Carthage, during the Arab conquests - Efrikaya. And only in the 14th century the whole country began to be called Tunisia. This name is not associated with tuna, as they say on the Internet. The ancient name of the city of Tunisia, the capital of the country - Tenes. Translated from the Berber language, this word means a place where you can spend the night, relax. Tenes was the last stop where the caravans coming from the south to Carthage stopped.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

On Djerba, you can buy Berber-style jewelry, as well as jewelry with Muslim and Christian symbols.

The ancient name of the island of Djerba is a place where there is not enough water. Now fresh water goes to Djerba through a pipe laid along the only road to the mainland. This 7-kilometer road was built by the Romans in the 3rd century AD.

Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

Tunisia ranks second after France in the world ranking of thalassotherapy. This is confirmed by international certificates, which are updated annually. And on Djerba there are specialized thalassotherapy centers and spa centers in almost every hotel.

Nile crocodiles. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

On Djerba you can see the Nile crocodiles - the most dangerous and largest in the world. They are bred on a special farm. Everyone can take a souvenir photo with one-year-old alligators, which have not yet turned into formidable predators.

If you are not afraid, you can take a photo for memory. Photo: AiF / Olga Lyubimova

The first mention of the island of Djerba dates back to the 8th century BC. Homer in the Odyssey called Djerba the island of lotophages - the locals worshiped the lotus, ate its flowers. Today, this Tunisian island is considered the largest on the entire southern Mediterranean coast. It has long been popular among European tourists. But this year - after problems with tours to Turkey and Egypt - it was the Russians who took the first position among tourists coming to Djerba. In general, from January to May 2016, Tunisia, where you can go without applying for a visa, was visited by 74,415 Russian tourists. The Russians came in second place after the French in terms of the number of tourists in this country.

We thank the Government of Tunisia and Anextour for their help in preparing the material.

Is it worth it to go on vacation to Tunisia on the island of Jebra, review of a package tourist.

What are the beaches in Djerba?

The beaches of Djerba are very dependent on the location of the hotel. For example, the beach of the Raddisson hotel is very wide, but it’s impossible to swim there, because the sea is shallow and you have to walk 10 minutes to the depth. Before the trip, I read a lot of reviews about the beaches of the island of Djerba, but they all gave nothing at all, because someone talks about azure waters and wide beaches, and someone spat in horror from ankle-deep mud and depth. We were a great hotel 4+ (Palm Azure), but the beach was beyond criticism - there were always tons of algae in the sea, which were rarely removed, and huge stones often came across at the bottom and it was simply dangerous to go there without shoes. And nearby was a hotel below the level, but with a magnificent beach, there was not a single stone, and the algae were removed every morning.

This is what the entry into our sea looked like, it looks absolutely creepy, right? Such photos can scare tourists, but we will be objective

Here is the same place, but from a different angle. You can safely swim, if not for the stones at the bottom. The depth is normal - at the end of the breakwater I was about up to my neck, you can already safely swim behind them.

This is the beach of the hotel next door where the seaweed was removed every morning.

On the other hand, there was an abandoned hotel and the beach was also abandoned. He looked like this. A friend was surprised that he was somehow strange - neither pebbles nor sand. Do you know what it is? Camel poop. It sounds nastier than it really is - in fact they are dry and Tunisians use them in many places (they close gaps, etc.)

Djerba Island review and is it worth going to Tunisia after the Revolution?

Until 2011, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali ruled Tunisia and he himself was a good person, but he had an influential wife, and his wife had many relatives and friends. While her husband ruled the state, she quietly shoved her relatives into government posts. Of course, she tried to ensure that a person had experience in the position that he was to occupy in the state. For example, her brother sold pies on the beach, she appointed him Minister of Trade. I'm not kidding, that's exactly what happened. This policy has led to endemic corruption and bureaucracy. People couldn't find work, taxes were rising, and there was no prospect of a break. At some point, the Tunisians lost their nerve, or rather, one: Mohammed Bouazizi. He was a man with a higher education, but he was forced to trade in the fruit market, because there was no other work at all. At some point, his nerves gave out and he committed self-immolation. This act led to a wave of protests, as a result of which the president was forced to flee the country, taking with him the gold and foreign exchange reserves of Tunisia. Today, the fugitive president continues to live well and is not going to go home, because in Tunisia he was sentenced to 4 life sentences.
But after that, the terrible news for tourists did not end, and in 2015, 3 terrorist attacks against tourists were committed in Tunisia. In addition to this, in June 2016 Rostourism warned of possible terrorist attacks in the country's tourist resorts.

Let's start with how safe it is to relax in Tunisia

On the island of Djerba, there are armed guards at absolutely every major intersection and inspect cars. When we went on an excursion, our tourist bus was stopped twice and they looked at what tourists were driving. Those. it is absolutely impossible to pass through the island unnoticed. Also, several police cars and hamers with machine guns are constantly running around the island (sorry I didn’t have time to shoot, all the pictures are blurry). At the entrance to our hotel, each car was checked, even with a mirror and a flashlight, all the bottom was translucent. On the beach of each hotel there are constantly security guards, sometimes local police with machine guns on horseback pass by, at night the security is enhanced and 3 guards were constantly on duty on our beach.

To be honest, I was a little shocked by how seriously Tunisia approached the protection of tourists, and this pleased me pleasantly.

Shore of abandoned hotels and mansions

After the revolution, almost all the president's relatives and many officials and businessmen fled. Most likely, they fled on the principle of “Just in case” and grabbing only the most valuable. This led to the fact that a whole coast of abandoned hotels and mansions formed on Djerba. I am not exaggerating, on our entire coast, out of 20 hotels, only 4 were working, everything else was abandoned. These are luxurious buildings and mansions, the owners of which are lost somewhere. The Tunisians have so far planted their guards at the entrance of the most expensive “abandoned houses” and are trying to figure out why the owners fled and what to do with it all now.
The actual poop beach above is the beach of one of these hotels. And so that you don’t think that the whole of Djerba is like that, then this is a stretch of coastline of only 5 kilometers. In other areas, everything is in order.

What to see on the island of Djerba Tunisia

In fact, everything on the island is developing very quickly. At the moment, the Crocodile Farm, Amusement Park for Children, Walks on Pirate Ships are already open. Now the water park is coming. Therefore, it is better to look at current entertainment and attractions. I will tell you about our trips around the island and impressions.

The entire island of Djerba can be reached by taxi in 40 minutes and it will cost you only $6. On the basis there are only 2 more or less large cities: this is the tourist town of Midoun and the capital of the island of Homut Sok. Both of these cities are home to only 70,000 people. Now I will tell you my general impressions of the island, and then we will move on to the cities.

In fact, Tunisia surprised me very pleasantly:

We were in August - the hottest month of the year, but there is no such sizzling heat as in other African countries. From 17.00 to 19.30 (when the sun sets) it is very comfortable to walk there. Moderately cool and moderately warm (although you still burn very quickly, so cover your head and shoulders).

Tunisians are wonderful people. In the markets, no one attacks you, no one drags you anywhere. All very smiling, polite, all within the bounds of decency. In general, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Neat cities. The cities themselves are very pleasant and beautiful. They are exactly what eastern cities should be: with small streets, clay houses and grazing camels.

The biggest downside is the trash. It seems to me that in Tunisia there are simply no services that clean public spaces, so all cities and deserts are littered with plastic

Midoun

A small town in the heart of Djerba. The whole center is easy to get around in an hour. The city is completely designed for tourists. The whole center is a big oriental market. But not an ordinary flea market, rather an oriental bazaar. Those. there are wide streets with tiles, and on the sides there are shops and stalls with goods. You can safely walk, go everywhere, drink tea in local cafes. It is very pleasant to walk around this city. Large streets link the famous eastern lanes. There are several large shopping malls in Midoun. They sell mainly Chinese garbage, so in terms of shopping there is nothing to do there, but in terms of the atmosphere it is very pleasant.

These are narrow lanes that connect wide streets.

There are a lot of houses where there are shops on the first floor, and the second one is just being built.

Capital of Djerba Chomut Sok

I searched on the Internet for a long time what to see in Chomut Sok and went prepared.

First of all I found that on Mondays and Thursdays there should be a camel market. And I really wanted to see it. But no. We live in the 21st century and now another Chinese consumer goods are being sold there. The market here is much worse than in Medun, because it is the flea market here. Narrow aisles littered with all sorts of rags, on which sellers trample. The heat from the asphalt is unbearable. In general, the market here is not a pleasure, but a test.

But right in front of the market there is an old Spanish fort that they built to protect against pirates. And I really liked him. In general, any limestone fortress in the desert looks very cool. And here you can also climb. The Spaniards withstood not a single siege in it and famously drove local pirates. The fort is made very interesting - the first floor is full of labyrinths and towers. If the pirates broke in, they were forced to break through these labyrinths, while they were fired from the towers. Also, the entire fort is divided into sectors, and if the Pirates took one sector, then the defenders simply moved to the next and held a narrow passage between them. All this is visible when you walk along the walls. Despite such protection, there is a famous story about how one pirate completely cut out the Spanish garrison, and made a pyramid at the entrance from their heads. The Tunisians liked the pyramid and it lay there for several hundred years. Only the French removed it when they colonized Tunisia.

Is it worth it to go to Djerba to relax?

Summing up, did I like my vacation on Djerba? Yes very. He greatly changed my understanding of Africa for the better. Will I go there again? No, because once there is more than enough. On this island, you can go around everything in a day, and the rest of the time you have to lie like a seal on the beach.

This is an aggregator of tours from 120 Tour Operators and you can always find suitable ones at a bargain price.
I hope this post was useful to you and have a nice holiday!

In information sources, news periodically appears about the closure of Tunisia for Russians for security reasons. Today, this destination remains one of the affordable and budget-friendly all-inclusive holidays for the whole family. The country with a warm climate continues to attract tourists this year despite the terrorist attacks that occurred earlier. In addition, its resorts are the only alternative to the beach. Let's try to figure out whether it is worth going to Tunisia in 2019 and how much the trip will cost when planning your trip on your own.

Official information for tourists is provided on the website of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Regarding the situation in Tunisia in 2019, it is indicated that there is political tension in the country, armed clashes between the police and local radicals are constantly taking place. The situation is especially grave along the borders where Salafist groups operate.

The threat of terrorist acts also remains, mass demonstrations are being held in connection with the difficult social situation in the state. The message of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs contains a direct indication of the need to refrain from making tourist trips to attractions along the Tunisian-Libyan border in connection with unrest in the neighboring state. In particular, the city of Ras Jedir.

The last popular processions to reform the social system took place at the beginning of 2016 in the capital and the cities of Kef, Gafsa, Sidi Bouzit and Kasserine. In case of difficult situations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises to contact the local police and notify the Russian Embassy in Tunisia.

There is no direct ban on visiting Tunisia. As recommendations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation suggests staying in protected tourist areas, where constant police squads monitor control. The authorized body advises vacationers not to leave the territory of hotels and not to make individual trips.

Entry ban

You can find out whether it is forbidden to travel to Tunisia for tourism purposes on the official websites of the Department of the Situation and Crisis Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Rostourism. In 2019, there were no decrees on restrictions on travel to the country, trips to Tunisia on tours are carried out as usual.

It should be noted that in addition to Tunisia, the tense situation persists in a number of countries that are popular tourist destinations for Russians. These include Thailand, India. Constantly armed conflicts are noted in Israel.

The Tunisian authorities, for their part, provided a report on the adoption of security measures in the country. These include maintaining enhanced video surveillance, restricting access to tourist sites, equipping entrances to hotels, shopping centers and other public places with metal detectors, organizing the work of security services at highly qualified hotels, and confidentiality of personal data of vacationers.

Is it worth it to go to Tunisia in 2019, each tourist decides for himself. The authorities do not prevent the sale of tours or individual entry into the country.

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What is the best time of year to visit Tunisia?

From June to September, the country has a high tourist season. Beach holidays at this time are especially popular in the resorts of Hamammet and Sousse. They are chosen for traveling with children and couples. Active sports are interesting for young people.

From the beginning of November to April, a cold snap is observed in Tunisia, and this time is celebrated as the low season. However, spa treatments are popular at this time. A constant flow of tourists is ensured by lowering the cost of living, the influx of tourists is celebrated on New Year's holidays and Christmas not only from the Russian Federation. Most tourists are Europeans, citizens of the former colonial state of France, Germany and Great Britain.

The most expensive is the velvet season from early September to late October. The heat subsides, the sea, which has warmed up over the summer, retains a high temperature. It is completely safe to take sunbaths at this time, the possibility of getting burns is practically excluded.

What interesting things to see

The sights of Tunisia will appeal to both lovers of outdoor activities and historical places.

The coast of Tunisia is a famous dive site for divers. Most diving centers are located in Tabarka. The best time to see the reefs is from June to September.

How much does a ride cost

You can go to Tunisia on an organized tour or plan a trip on your own. The benefits of free time include:

• The possibility of seeing a large number of sights on an individual basis without being tied to a tourist group or excursion program.
• Planning departure and return dates depending on the vacation schedule, early booking tickets with savings.
• Accommodation in Tunisia any time, for example, a month, and not the standard 7-14 days, as in a tour package.
• Choose from a huge variety of hotels, change them as you browse nearby attractions, resorts, or apartments.
• A variety of food in restaurants, cafes without reference to the hotel menu.

An independent trip to Tunisia will consist of the following expenses, for example, take a 10-day tour to a 3-star hotel in the resort of Monastir in July 2019 for one person with a flight from Moscow:

• Flights. Tickets are purchased both at the offices of aviation agencies and online. One of the most popular resources is aviasales.ru. Presumably, the departure date is July 15, the return is July 25. The cost of a round-trip ticket with a transfer in Istanbul, Turkey is 18,000 rubles.
• Accommodation. You can book a hotel, for example, on the website hotellook.com. Tourists are offered about 300 hotels from 2 to 5 stars. It is possible to choose a hotel in any resort near the sea or attractions. For example, a night at Hotel Les Mimosas, 3 * per person will cost 2267 rubles. When planning a vacation for 10 days, the total cost will be 22,672 rubles. When organizing a trip on your own, it is also possible to rent housing - apartments in any city in Tunisia. The price of a studio, which is quite enough for a traveler, will be $216 per month on airbnb.com.
• Nutrition. You can order three meals a day or all inclusive immediately when booking a hotel by selecting the appropriate function. It is also possible to visit various restaurants and cafes daily. In almost all hotels breakfast is included in the price. A complex lunch and dinner will cost about 20 Tunisian dinars, that is, about 600 rubles. For 10 days you will need 6000 rubles.
• Insurance. When buying a tour, the cost of the insurance policy is automatically included in the price of the service package. When leaving the Russian Federation for other countries, the traveler assumes the material risks due to unforeseen circumstances or deterioration in health, or sudden death.
  Hospitals for foreigners often have high rates for medical services for foreigners, amounting to tens or even hundreds of dollars for a doctor's appointment or any procedure. In this regard, it is more profitable to pay for a full package of insurance services under an international policy is much more profitable. Its cost will be valid for 10 days in Tunisia, depending on the insurer, from 680 rubles. The sum insured is $50,000.

So, an individual trip to Tunisia will require an amount of 47,352 rubles. Expenses are about the same as for the price of a tour, but given the advantages of an independent tour, for someone such a vacation will become more profitable and more convenient.