Other Muslim friendly Cities in Tunisia

• Tunis — the laid-back capital of Tunisia with easy access to Carthage and a very authentic souk
• Gabes — large town on the east coast, mostly a rail and bus transit point
• Kairouan — a major site for Islamic pilgrimage
• El Kef — Byzantine and Ottoman architecture in this small town in the northwest
• Mahdia — former captal
• Monastir — ancient city with a history back to Phoenician times; these days it is home of the main charter flight airport in the country
• Sfax — historic town with a great old kasbah; also access to the Kerkennah Islands
• Sousse — a UNESCO for its architecture and a popular beach resort Douz — the "Gate of the Desert", a Saharan city known for its date tree plantation and Saharan tourism
• Tozeur — Gateway to several mountain oasis villages

Other Muslim Friendly Destinations in Tunisia

• Carthage — Phoenician colony, biggest trade metropolis of the antique world; famously razed by the Romans; remnants now encased in a museum; site easily reached by train from Tunis
• Djerba — a Mediterranean island in the south which is popular with sun-seekers
• Dougga — impressive ruins of a remote Roman city
• El Jem — one of the best preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world
• Jebil National Park — a large Saharan National Park with impressive dunes and rock formations
• Kerkouane — remnants of the sole untouched Punic settlement which is a UNESCO World Heritage site
• Ksar Ghilane — on the edge of the sand desert, the saharan oasis known for its hot spring and old roman fort
• Matmata — berber village of cave abodes, where Star Wars' Tatooine was set
• Metlaoui — get aboard the restored Red Lizard vintage train snaking through scenic gorges and hills
• Sufetula (Sbeitla) — a fairly well preserved Roman settlement in the mid-west area of Tunisia
• Tataouine — surrounded by various historic forts (ksar) and another filming location of Star Wars

Tunisia Halal Travel Guide

Tunisian cuisine has similarities with the Middle Eastern cuisine, and mainly builds on the Northern African Maghreb tradition, with couscous and marqa stews (similar to the Moroccan tajine) forming the backbone of most meals. Distinguishing characteristics are the fiery harissa chili sauce, the heavy use of tiny olives which are abundant in the country, and the Tunisian tajine which, unlike the Moroccan dish of the same name, refers to a type of omelette-like pie prepared with a ragout of meat and/or vegetables mixed with herbs, legumes and even offal, enriched with eggs and cheese and baked in a deep pie dish until the eggs are just set, somewhat like an Italian frittata. Lamb forms the basis of most meat dishes and local seafood is plentiful. Pork and Beef products are not widely available but can be found in some supermarkets and in some hotels in tourist areas.

• Harissa: very hot spicy chili paste (sometimes made more mild with carrots or yogurt), served with bread and Olive oil as a starter at almost any meal.
• Shorba Frik: lamb soup
• Coucha: shoulder of lamb cooked with turmeric and cayenne pepper
• Khobz Tabouna (pronounce Khobz Taboona): traditional oven baked bread
• Brik (pronounce Breek): very crispy thin pastry with a whole egg (Brik à l'œuf), parsley and onions and sometimes meat like minced lamb or tuna (Brik au thon). Very tasty as an inexpensive starter. Eat it very carefully with your fingers.
• Berber Lamb: Lamb cooked with potatoes, carrots in a clay pot.
• Merguez: small spicy sausages.
• Salade tunisienne: lettuce, green pepper, tomato, onions, olives, radishes mixed with tuna.
• Salade méchouia: puréed grilled vegetable salad seasoned (often with harissa) and served with Olive oil and sometimes tuna.
• Fricassé: small fried sandwich with tuna, harissa, olives and Olive oil.
• Tunisian cakes: sweets related to Baklava.
• Bambaloni: fried sweet donut-like cake served with sugar.
• Tunisian "fast food": sandwiches, makloubs (folded pizzas), "libanais"...

Regrettably, Tunisia has a very underdeveloped restaurant culture, and most food prepared in restaurants, outside of Tunisian homes or souks is disappointingly bland and carelessly presented. These characteristics tend to apply across the price scale, though one can occasionally eat tasty couscous or "coucha" stew in some low-priced restaurants. One's best hope for good eating in Tunisia is to be invited as a guest in someone's home or eat at a food stall in a souk.

Being a progressive Muslim country, alcohol availability is restricted (but not greatly) to certain licensed (and invariably more expensive) restaurants, resort areas and Magasin Général shops. Large department stores (Carrefour at Marsa/Carthage and Hammamet) and some supermarkets (e.g. Monoprix) sell beer and wine, and some local and imported hard liquors, except during Muslim holidays. Female travelers should be aware that, outside resort and areas of significant tourist concentration, they may find themselves with a juice in a smoky bar full of men drinking in a rather dedicated fashion. Some bars will refuse to admit women, others may ask for a passport to check nationality. Look around a bar before you decide to imbibe!

• Beer: Celtia is the popular local brand, but some places also carry imported pilsner beers. Locally brewed Löwenbräu is decent, and Heineken has entered in the Tunisian market in 2007. Celtia "En Pression" (On Tap) is good. Celestia is a non-alcoholic beer which is also popular.
• Wine: Most places that serve alcohol will have Tunisian wine, which is quite good. Tunisian wine always was produced by French oenologists. Most of it was exported to France till the 1970s. Wine cooperatives were left and produce 80% of the wine which is served mostly to tourists. Since the privatisation of some parts of these cooperatives the international taste of wine entered the market in Tunisia. The small companies like Domaine Atlas, St. Augustin, Ceptunes etc. have successfully established the new generation of Tunisian wine. Importation of wine is extremely difficult because of very high taxes. Some high-end hotel restaurants can make French or Italian wines miraculously appear at a price.
• Boukha: is a Tunisian spirit made from the distillation of figs.
• Coffee: served strong in small cups. Tunisian cappuccino is also served strong in small cups. "Café crème" is available in many tourist areas and may even appear in an "American Cup". Local favorites include the capucin (espresso macchiato) and the direct (latte).
• Tea: is generally taken after meals. Sometimes served with pine nuts floating in the tea.
• Mint Tea: very sweet peppermint tea that is taken at any time of the day.

Muslim Friendly Hotels in Tunisia

There are lots of fine hotels in Tunisia. Many smaller hotels can be found in major cities, tucked into most roads.

You can also rent a furnished apartment. Some private people offer their own apartments for rent especially in summer.

It is advisable to organise your accommodations online or by phone prior to your arrival. Other than pricier hotels, most accommodations don't seem to have a website. French would be handy when booking accommodations.

Study as a Muslim in Tunisia

• The Bourguiba Institute of Modern Languages - http://www.iblv.rnu.tn Av. de la liberté, 47 The school is in the city of Tunis. It's about a 20 minute metro ride to the beach Phone +216 7183 2418, +216 7183 2923 +216 7183 3684 Opening Hours: 8:00AM to 1:15 PM Offers intensive summer sessions in July and August for anyone interested in learning Modern Standard Arabic or Tunisian dialect. In the 2005 summer session, there were over 500 students of all ages from throughout the world. This includes students from the USA, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, Norway, Croatia, Turkey, Japan, China. Several students complained about the lack of cleanliness in the student dorms. Some students stayed in a hotel and then rented a beach-side apartment for the month. It's usually easier to negotiate rental prices once you are in Tunis.

How to work legally in Tunisia

Work issues are quite sensitive in Tunisia as job offers are limited even for Tunisian nationals.

An estimated 15% of the population is unemployed and many more survive on meager jobs. And as more and more of the new generation earn degrees predominantly in business, computer science, and engineering, those industries are getting saturated as well. For a foreigner, functional knowledge of Arabic and/or French will aid you well, and your likeliest bet for finding a job will be somewhere who has needs for your national language too. While pick-up restaurant and handyman jobs are common in other countries, these positions are much less likely to present themselves in Tunisia because of local competition. Safest is to arrange for a job before arrival. For a high level job, lots of experience and excellent skills are of course required. Low level jobs are mainly in the service sector as in much of the world. Salaries in Tunisia are naturally lower than those in Western Europe or North America.

Foreign investors are welcome to establish projects and the government is providing facilities related authorizations for such initiatives.

Stay safe as a Muslim in Tunisia

Violence

Tunisia has undergone a revolution and is in a contentious transitional period. While large-scale violence is not occurring, demonstrations do still happen from time to time, and are sometimes violent or broken up brutally. So consult your foreign office to check on current conditions before traveling to Tunisia, and do your best to steer clear of any large demonstrations that may occur while you are there.

In 2015, Islamist terrorists targeted tourists in Tunisia. In March 24 people were killed at the Bardo Museum in Tunis and in June a terrorist shot dead 39 tourists at a beach and a hotel in Sousse. For a time after the incident the UK government had recommended that its citizens leave Tunisia and not visit for anything other than essential travel. That advice has now been downgraded and the normal tourist coastal areas are considered safe. However, the border areas with Libya and in parts Algeria are still not safe areas.

Female travelers

It is apparently not considered rude for a man to stare at a woman's body which should indicate that modesty will attract less attention. Women can expect to be the target of frequent catcalls ("Gazelle" seems to be especially popular). If you travel as part of a couple, stay together as much as possible as the female traveller should not wander around on her own if she doesn't want to be invited. The pestering usually amounts to nothing more than bizarre words and the occasional touch but it can be extremely persistent and annoying.

Tunisian women often wear outfits that would normally be seen on the streets of any major world city (tight jeans, slinky top), but they do so while showing traditional modesty by exposing virtually no skin. Arms are covered down to the wrists, collars go to the neck (cleavage is non-existent) and a head scarf may be worn. Muslim woman visiting can minimize attention by selecting clothing that minimizes skin shown. V-necks are fine if another layer with a higher collar is worn underneath.

Note that in most towns, there are outdoor cafes around squares and on the streets, but they are only for men; even when accompanied by men, women are not welcome. Prices are much cheaper in these cafes than mixed gender cafes and tearooms found in Tunis.

Money and scams

Travellers report problems being invited either to buy something or for other purposes. Persistence is a major complaint. Some say that a refusal often results in a bad reaction, "being hissed at" is one example, but those who have been advised to refuse politely with a smile rarely complain. "Non, Merci" is a very good response, with a smile. This seems to be borne out by the reports of sole female travellers who you would expect to receive the most attention, but who often report the least problems (from an admittedly small sample), perhaps because they are more cautious than accompanied females. It certainly seems to be the case that sole female sea bathers attract a good deal of unwelcome attention (even molestation) until a male friend arrives.

Theft of belongings, even from hotel rooms and room safes, is widely reported and the usual caveats apply - keep valuables in a secure place (e.g. supervised hotel safe deposit), do not flash too much cash, and keep wallets, purses and other desirable items where pick pockets cannot reach them. A good recommendation is only to carry enough cash for your immediate requirements and only one credit or bank card, provided you can be assured of the security of your reserves. Besides, most of the Automatic Bank-notes distributors are available and foreign credit cards are accepted. You can take cash (in equivalent Tunisian dinars) directly from your bank account with a small extra fee (bank transaction from €1 to €2).

Theft is also reported at airports. Keep your belongings under your direct supervision all the time.

When it's time to settle the bill in a Tunisian cafe or restaurant, it's advisable to ensure that you are presented with an actual paper, itemised copy of a bill before handing over any money. Frequently, your waiter will claim to have calculated your total amount due in their heads and this will always be more than you actually owe. Also, check prices on menus before ordering. Some establishments will claim to have no menus, they usually have wall mounted menus. Tunisian workers are extremely low paid (£300 per month approx) and will frequently try and take advantage of tourists without their wits around them.

Be aware that the export of Tunisian currency is forbidden and searches of wallets and purses can, and do, occur at Tunis airport. If you are found with more than DT20 - 30, you will be invited to return landside to change them. The problem is that this "invitation" will come after you have already been through passport control and handed in your exit card; therefore it is not practical. You will then be invited to hand some or all of your Tunisian money (which in any case cannot be spent in the duty free shops) to the uniformed official. Arguing will get you nowhere and a request for a receipt will be met with an outright refusal.Judging from the way the money is swiftly palmed, you will have almost certainly just paid a bribe.

Medical Issues in Tunisia

• Malaria - There is not much of a malaria risk in Tunisia, but pack your bug spray.
• Sunburn - Please remember that the sun is frequently your biggest enemy and frequently apply a high (factor 30 or better) sun screen. It is usually cheaper in your local super market than at the holiday destination.
• Be careful what and where you eat and drink (remember the ice cubes too); diarrhea is a common complaint from incautious travellers. The tap water in the high-end Tunis-Carthage-Marsa area seems to be safe (2022).

Vaccinations

Always check with your doctor 4-8 weeks before traveling (the 4-8 weeks is important, as some vaccinations take weeks to become effective, and with polio you can be contagious for a while too):

• Yellow fever is required for all travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area in Africa or the Americas.
• Hepatitis A is usually recommended Two Havrix injections, given 6 months apart, provide 10 years of Hep A protection
• Typhoid
• Polio
• Hepatitis B - Highly recommended if likely to have intimate contact with locals or if visiting for more than 6 months.

Local Customs in Tunisia

Tunisia is a Muslim country, and dress code is important, particularly for females. Whilst a lot of skin (even topless) is tolerated on beaches and within hotel complexes, a modest amount of exposed skin may be frowned upon outside these areas.

Be aware that the further south one travels, the more conservative Tunisia becomes. While most women wear western clothes in the Capital (which has a mix of Mediterranean, European and Arabic cultures), the south of Tunisia is more conservative and far more traditional.

Ramadan

At least one Tunisian tourist website says that after the revolution the 2011 Ramadan was more strictly observed, and the same for the following years. For three days at the end of July, 2012, the vast majority of shops were closed during the day, although the Tunis medina was mostly open. Virtually all of the restaurants were closed. Beyond a few tourists drinking coke, not a single person was eating or drinking during the day, even at the touristy cafes at Sidi Bou Said.

In Tunis, on the Ave Habib Bourgiba, all of the cafes had their tables put away until after iftar (the breaking of the fast) at sunset, around 19:30. After that many people were out, and you could order food at some cafes, and coffee and desserts at others. Just before the iftar, Ave Habib Bourgiba is completely devoid of life and other-wordly. At smaller cafes, like 3 Etoiles on Rue Mustapha M'Barek, you can see families and men sitting around tables full of food, waiting for sunset.

At night, though, the medina comes alive - huge crowds are out and throng the street, which is definitely something to experience! Shops and supermarkets are often open till midnight.

Be prepared for a somewhat unique experience if you choose visit Tunisia during Ramadan. During the daylight hours, eat and drink (even water), very discretely. Buy bread and foccaccia from the street vendors in the evening for lunch the next day, or find one of the local shops that is still open to buy something to tide you over. Virtually no one drinks alcohol, and your best option (at least in Tunis) might be the Hotel Africa.

Telecommunications in Tunisia

Telephone

Public telephones are available in all towns and cities and in most villages under either the name of Publitel or Taxiphone - in cities simply look around - there is at least one on every street. International calls tend to be quite expensive (DT 1,000/minute to call anywhere in the EU). There are three mobile GSM operators, private Tunisiana, private Orange, Tunisia state-owned Tunisie Telecom all offering wide mobile coverage (including some oasis in the Sahara). Rates tend to be quite low for domestic calls, but very high for international calls (around DT 1,500/minute). Ask for a carte prépayée for a prepaid SIM card. Orange in July 2016 was offering 2 for 1 packs (30 mins + 500mb for a month for DT2.5) and free SIM cards for tourists entering in Tunis airport.

Emergency Call

• 197 Police emergency number - general emergency
• 198 Health emergency number - Ambulance SAMU
• 1200 Telephone information

Internet Cafe's in Tunisia

Public internet access is available in many cities and towns, usually using the Publinet logo. Look for a large purple sign with the Publinet logo. Access is usually 0.8DT/hour, and speeds tend to be quite low (1024 kbit/s is the norm in Sousse and 4096 in Tunis). Home internet (ADSL) is not as expensive as it used to be, you can have 1 year ADSL of 4096 kbps speed, for just DT400 per year. You can also have 4G internet access through any cell phone carriers (Tunisie Telecom, Orange Tunisia or Tunisiana),FTP and peer-to-peer access is available anywhere in Tunisia, there is no access restriction by the government anymore. USB keys for internet are rather popular and can be found for varying periods, even for short stays.

Postal Services in Tunisia

La Poste Tunisienne is quite efficient and fast. Post restante is offered in certain (bigger) offices. A stamp for international letters costs DT 0,600.

Rapide Post is the Poste's service for sending mail and packages quickly. Once a Rapide Post package enters the US it is handled by FedEx. It is the best and most secure way to send things in Tunisia.

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