... Sometimes locals will approach taxis carrying tourists arriving at the main square of Sousse. They'll shout to the taxi drivers, in Arabic, asking which hotel they'd picked their fare up from. Then they approach the tourists and tell them that they work in the kitchen of their hotel and ask ... Read review
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Advantages: Good food and it's a bit different Disadvantages: Constant hassle from the locals
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My favourite thing about Sousse is the abundance of fast food shops selling tasty snacks such as fricassee (a deep fried savoury doughut)and brique a l'oeuf (a deep fried filo pastry filled with egg, fish and potato). In the restaurants the specialities tend to be couscous, salata mechouia (a delicious grilled salad) and tajine (a meat omlette). It's easy enough to get good vegetarian food.
The medina in Sousse, with its many ... ...delicious mint tea, was my all time favourite place. It's a maze of winding streets, shops and market stalls and I'm proud to say that I could find my way around it easily after months of traipsing through it on my days off. I would recommend Sousse, or any part of Tunisia for the holidaymaker who wants something a little different. However, if you're after a good night life forget it, as there aren't that many discos and the only pubs around are ... more
The first time I went to Tunisia was when I was sent there as a holiday rep and it took a bit of getting used to. Tunisia was one of the first package holiday places along with Spain in the early seventies but you wouldn't know it. It doesn't seem to have moved on any since then. That's kind of what I find appealing about it.
I'd been to Morocco previously and believed it would be similar. I like both countries but I think I prefer Morocco.
When I started work I got lots of tips from holidaymakers about the dos and don'ts of the country and I learned to recognise a few of the scams as well. Women get a lot of hassle from the local men and it's worth remembering to cover up when going out and not to walk around unaccompanied, although I must admit this doesn't really deter them. It can be difficult not to let this level of harrassment ruin your holiday. Scams include locals asking you to change out of date 5 dinar notes for them but my favourite has to be the one they use to entice you into their shops. Sometimes locals will approach taxis carrying tourists arriving at the main square of Sousse. They'll shout to the taxi drivers, in Arabic, asking which hotel they'd picked their fare up from. Then they approach the tourists and tell them that they work in the kitchen of their hotel and ask them if they would like to see around their brother's shop. The tourists have no reason to disbelieve their story because they knew which hotel they were staying at. Some people have spent a couple of hours in the shop and have eventually had to pay to get out.
I also found that locals get extremely annoyed if you start bargaining with them for goods you're not really interested in buying. It's a good idea to take a couple of bottles of whisky over with you to Tunisia as you can use them in exchange for goods in some of the shops as whisky is pretty expensive there.
Locals are forbidden to drink on the Friday, which is the holy day, and they sometimes ask you to buy alcohol for them in the supermarkets. Don't be tempted as the penalties are high if you're caught.
Going to any of the Arab countries when there is a festival such as Ramadan or Eid el Kebir (the sacrifice festival) is not a good idea as during Ramadan most of the shops are closed, and during Eid you can hear the bleeting of the sheep throughout the town the night before they are slaughtered. Not pleasant if you are an animal lover.
Taxis are probably the best means of getting around but agree a fare before you get in. The trains are extremely slow and can take double the time it would take by bus. One of my favourite towns to visit is Sidi Bou Said where all the houses are painted blue and white and is the place famous for making the ornate wrought iron bird cages.
My favourite thing about Sousse is the abundance of fast food shops selling tasty snacks such as fricassee (a deep fried savoury doughut)and brique a l'oeuf (a deep fried filo pastry filled with egg, fish and potato). In the restaurants the specialities tend to be couscous, salata mechouia (a delicious grilled salad) and tajine (a meat omlette). It's easy enough to get good vegetarian food.
The medina in Sousse, with its many market stalls and various cafes, where you can drink the delicious mint tea, was my all time favourite place. It's a maze of winding streets, shops and market stalls and I'm proud to say that I could find my way around it easily after months of traipsing through it on my days off. I would recommend Sousse, or any part of Tunisia for the holidaymaker who wants something a little different. However, if you're after a good night life forget it, as there aren't that many discos and the only pubs around are those in the hotel complexes.
Advantages: Foreign and close to places of interest Disadvantages: Unfriendly and abusive locals, generally ugly and scarey town.
...I decided to travel to Sousse with some of my friends, to relive my childhood experiences. I have never had such a bad holiday. Sousse stinks. The place is a commercial wastland. Ugly grey tower blocks have smothered the once pretty ancient town of sousse. The locals are so sick of the commercialisation of there town, that they hate and rip off any tourist that can get. Pushy.. You have never experienced anything like it. If shopkeepers behaved like ... ...assult. The constent pushing and pulling from one shop to the next, the pick pockets and cold weather wore my down to a nervous wreck. In the end, I stayed in my hotel and took ANY excersion away from Sousse. When I got back the the UK, I needed another holiday. Don't bother going.. For a great holiday try Rhodes, Greece. ...
kitt 30.07.2000
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Advantages: The beach Disadvantages: Centre slightly crowded
...hour drive from Monastir Airport, Sousse is a lovely little town with everything to cater for everyone's needs. Hotels are spread along the main road of a resort which is fringed by the long and sandy beach. The edge of the resort is about a 40 minute walk from the town centre which is, as expected, usually bustling and busy. There are lots of the usual trinket shops where the obligatory haggling takes place. However, one refreshing surprise is the ... ...fixed and haggling is not an option. The shop is in the centre of the main square and is situated on four floors. It includes everything from videos, cassettes to ornaments and clothes. Admittedly, the fun of haggling is a bit missed, but for those who like to just go somewhere, buy something and know what the price is, the fixed price shop is for you. There are many bars and restaurants in the resort, but just be careful where you eat. In one or ...
Cardiff31 09.04.2001
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Advantages: everything Disadvantages: little afraid to go inside the old town
i read all the reviews here before i went to sousse, tunisia, so thank you. i have to tell you about my experience now (briefly). i of course will speak for the hotel where i stayed because the impression may differ also according to that. we stayed in Marabout hotel ***. The personnel was nice and smiling all the time. No tips expected. Cleaned rooms and clean towels + toilet paper every day even on the weekend. We had breakfast and dinner. We could ... ...the food was great. The hotel is right on the beach. The beach belongs only to the hotel guests. It is cleaned. The sea is normally clean and clear, the temperature was fine. This briefly describes a wonderful vacation for me. We never walked to town since taxis are cheap. We went to the Soula shopping center but didn't find much new stuff that I would really want to buy. We walked just a little more around the center. Tunisian people are very nice. ...
moungir 09.07.2004
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Advantages: Cheap to eat out Disadvantages: Hassle by sellers
The Hotel that I stayed at was the EL Hana Residence,which was quiet and the Beach was just across the road,although having to cross a busy main road.
The EL Hana is part of a group of Hotels,opposite was the Chams EL Hana,a more liverly Hotel,and just up the Road is the EL Hana Beach Hotel,which has more entertainment in it.
The Hotel was clean and the Maid cleaned the room every day.The food was ok,being a bit small on the selections that you ... ...very friendly.
If you are a single Woman don't tell the locals that you are on you own,tell them you have family on Holiday with you,as you will otherwise get pestered by the men,they are very persistant.
If you walk past the shops and dont want to buy or get harrased by the shopkeepers DONT EVEN ANSWER OR SPEAK TO THEM
I know it might seem rude but if you dont say anything to them they will leave you alone,as if you do show any intrest they will ...
lodjay 13.03.2004 (14.03.2004)
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Advantages: Some 5* hotels are great Disadvantages: Frightening and unfriendly shopkeepers
I went on holiday to Tunisia on the advise of a friend. After returning from my holiday I unfortunately I do not share their opinion. We decided to book through an agent as we were able to choose the hotel we were in. The hotel was lovely, beautiful in fact. A magnificent entrance and hall. The staff were friendly, but keen to take your bags and then ask for a tip. The food in the hotel was simple but good, and over the two weeks did not get ill. ... ...the hotel complex you were confronted by the locals. To put it simply they were rude, abusive and pushy. If you dared look in a shop they would pounce on you and drag you in and not let you go until you had bought something. Initally this was an interesting variation on the English way of sellng goods, but after five minutes i was ready to leave the country. It was dreadful.
I would never suggest to anyone to ever visit the country, and I definately ...
pgrassby 01.08.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Sousse (Tunisia)
Value for Money
Shopping
Nightlife
Ease of getting around
Family Friendly
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Advantages: Wonderful weather despite a mini monsoon Disadvantages: Sheer Boredom
that sort of bragging. Don’t get me wrong I do take pictures on holidays but of the place we’re staying in, the friends we make, the topless female sunbathers you know the sort of things people can relate to back at home.
One night in September 99 my wife and I stepped in to a Tunisian Airway jet plane at Aldergrove airport at 22:00 hrs, we were embarking on another late deal 1 week holiday to Tunisia. As we boarded the plane the only thing we knew was that we were staying in a 3 star hotel half board somewhere in Tunisia for 1 week. We arrived in Monastir airport at 02:30 local time so there was not a lot to see. The holiday rep told us we were staying at the Royal Beach Hotel in Sousse.This of course meant nothing to us but we smiled anyway. About 1 and a half hours later on about the 5th stop we were disgorged ...
petersmyth1 30.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sousse (Tunisia)
Advantages: cheap and sunny Disadvantages: really boring
Soon there will be holidays and like every year the beaches of Spain, Italy and Turkey will be full again.
But there are also other countries around the Mediterranien Sea, for example Croatia which I will visit this year.
Last year, I had my first holidays without my parents and so, without much money, they weren’t many possibilities where to go. Two friends and me, we finally decided to travel to Sousse in Tunisia (only 1000 Marks or 320 GBP).
At first I was really afraid. It‘ s nation of the Islam, we had no boy with us, we would fly with TunisAir and we would be in Hotel Phenix, which has only two stars. Well, the flight was OK. If I had known that there was no plane of TunisAir which yet crashed down I would have been much more relaxed and would have ignored all the noise the machine made.
Tunisia has no ...
SoerkeKlein 29.03.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sousse (Tunisia)
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