Should we give Tunisia a whirl?

MsH

2007-05-11 17:48:00

Hi guys

Myself and OH have been pondering the summer holiday question for the past few days and we are both tempted by Tunisia, although we have also been considering Croatia...we are a couple in our early thirties and we like good food and drink, nice beaches and to get a real feel of a place, nothing too touristy...we have been to v quiet parts of Greece for the past two years but fancy a change and don't mind if it is a bit busier...so I guess what I want to know is:

1. Should we try Hammamet Yasmine out (it seems to be the easiest place to fly to from Scotland)?

2. Does Hammamet Yasmine have a choice of beaches or just the one? Is it/are they v v crowded or not too bad?

3. Most of the deals seem to be HB or AI but we like to explore...if we find a B and B deal, are there sufficient restaurants/bars to entertain us at night?

4. Can you recommend a great hotel, which is in a quieter part of H-Y, with nice rooms and a nice pool area?
I know there are many Tunisia fans on this discussion board...I would be really grateful if some of you could take the time to answer my questions and help us with our hol choice...thanks!

Look forward to some helpful replies
Ms H
x

dorra

2007-05-11 22:10:38

If you are seeking to get a real feel for Tunisia then I wouldn't recommend Hammamet Yasmine. It's a purely tourist development of hotels and restaurants along a good sandy beach. Same goes for PEK. If you want somewhere more authentically Tunisian then try Hammamet proper, Soussa, Monastir, Mahdia or maybe Djerba. Soussa is a busy city these days but the hotels offer oases of calm.

I don't understand your point about HY being easier to fly to as nearly all the flights will go to Monastir. From there Hammamet and YH are a good hours travel by coach or taxi.

While there are plenty of restaurants about, the hotel deals are often very good value. I'm going back in 4 week paying less than £10.00 a day for half board Most of my eating out is done in family homes and I find the hotel never has a problem if I want to take lunch instead of dinner.

jennyfrank

2007-05-12 13:31:04

Excellent advice from dorra as usual - however, I live in Mahdia for the 6 winter months and would suggest that it is rather off the beaten track - takes well over an hour to get to most places of interest. As dorra says, YH could be anywhere - no atmosphere - would never recommend it to anyone who wanted to see the real Tunisia. Sousse is very central - hence easy connections to other areas. Enjoy - Jenny

Aslemma

2007-05-12 13:44:43

A third vote for Sousse. Apart from anything else, you are not far from the trains and buses which can take you to other places of interest very cheaply. Many people prefer PEK and it is easy to get to from Sousse, however it is not the real Tunisia, but designed for the tourists and could be almost anywhere.

David Neil

2007-05-12 15:36:22

Hi

Port el Khantoui for me,it beats Sousse all ends up,to dirty for me.

Daveyboy

Aslemma

2007-05-12 17:37:16

That is what I like about Tunisia - there is somewhere for everyone except those who want a North African version of the Costas, who will be sorely disappointed. :roll:

SMa

2007-05-13 16:00:27

nothing too touristy

Make that a fourth vote for Sousse. Yasmin Hammamet and PEK are purpose built tourist resorts and if you want somewhere with strong local feeling to it are probably not the best place to stay. Sousse is a good base for anybody wanting to get about and about because it is well placed with regards to public transport etc. Monastir and Skanes are close by to Sousse but there is nothing much apart from the hotels, especiall in Skanes.

With regard to the hotels, HB is so cheap that there really isn't much to be saved by going on a B&B basis and most will happily let you take lunch instead of dinner. On the whole almost any of the 4* hotels in the Sousse area will match your requirements in that all have nice pools, spacious rooms and are right on the beach. They do have different characters and vary in size and some are more suited for adult couples compared to families etc but I think that you're likely to find what you're looking for in Sousse, especially if what you are not wanting to spend the whole holiday around the pool or something approaching what you'd get in Spain.

SM

dorra

2007-05-13 21:27:17

Thanks Jenny for your comment but I must point out that wasn't intended as a vote for Soussa. More not a vote for YH or PEK. Can't understand why anyone would want to go there. YH is being to look like it should be part of Eurodisney with the hotels they have built there. PEK as Aslemma says could be anywhere.

Patka

2007-05-13 21:42:03

Please can I also put forward Sousse, far more Tunisian than PEK, and our preferred town. Its a real town for Tunisians rather than a resort.

Patka

Nadine66

2007-05-19 11:46:07

Hi, we stayed last year just outside Hammamet, very traditional and lovely, we travelled into yasmine Hammamet, and i am afraid i must agree with the other comments, beautiful hotels, but no atmosphere of the real tunisia, would not want to stay there, it is too perfect. Stayed at skanes before, which was nice. Going back to hammamet again this year.

kleptouk

2007-06-12 15:44:20

sousse

hi, we've stayed just outside of sousse before (tour khalef hotel) and found this to be a good base as it is on a lovely beach but with plenty, of taxis, noddy trains, horse and carts etc to get to the medina and such in sousse proper but also only a short drive from PEK so you can get to see a touch of old Tunisia in Sousse and the modern touristy part at PEK

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