PREPARING TO GO TO TUNISIA

CAPITAL

Tunis

LANGUAGE

The official language is Arabic. French is the second language; English, German and Italian are spoken mainly in tourist resorts.

ELECTRICITY

220/110 volts AC, 50Hz. Electric plugs have two round pins (as in continental Europe).

Religion:

The principal religion is Islam; there are small Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish minorities.

LOCAL TIME

Western European Time (WET) is equal to GMT.

PASSPORT & VISA

A valid passport is required by all nationals. All Passengers are responsible for securing proper documentation prior to joining the tour. Please ensure that passport/s are valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the intended date of return and contain between 2-6 blank “Visa” pages. You should have at least two free pages in your passport. Please access the Travel & Visa Requirements Section on the top of this page for the latest visa entry requirements for the country/ies you are visiting. Passports are required; in addition, travelers are also advised to check with local consulates for full details regarding visa requirements. Please note securing a valid visa for entry is the sole responsibility of the traveler.

LOCAL CURRENCY

Tunisian Dinar (TND; the symbol DT is also used commonly within Tunisia) = 1,000 millimes. Notes are in denominations of TND30, 20, 10 and 5. TND5 bank notes are now rare. Coins are in denominations of TND5 and 1, and 500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 millimes. The 10 and 5 millimes coins are not commonly used but are still legal tender.  XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

Credit cards:

Credit and debit cards using the Visa or MasterCard network are accepted as payment in larger tourist orientated stores, and many midrange and luxury hotels, as well as at most car hire agencies and established travel agencies. American Express and Diners Club are only accepted in a few places in tourist areas and shouldn't be relied upon.

ATM:

ATMs are widely available in tourist resorts and in most towns. Most ATMs are linked to the Visa network though a few, such as ATMs connected to the Bank of Tunisia, also accept Maestro. It is important to always have a small emergency cash fund at hand while travelling in Tunisia for the times when the ATM rejects your card, or simply doesn't work, which can be a quite frequent occurrence, especially once you're away from the coastal resort areas.

Banking hours:

Mon-Thu 0800-1200 and 1400-1630, Fri 0800-1200 and 1300-1630. During July and August and in Ramadan (the Islamic holy month of fasting) banks open for the shorter hours of Mon-Fri 0800-1130.

Currency exchange:

You can exchange foreign currency at banks, bureau de exchanges, and at post offices. Exchange rates are fixed so there should not be any difference in the rate you are offered wherever you choose to exchange. Bring your passport along as it will usually be required if you want to change money. The easiest currencies to exchange are British Pounds, Euro and US Dollars.

CLOTHING

As a general guideline, clothing should be lightweight, loose fitting, hard-wearing and easily washed. In Tunisia’s hot summer months, cotton clothing is much more comfortable than man-made materials like nylon. You should bear in mind that Tunisia has conservative attitudes towards dress, particularly in remote areas. Women, and also to a certain extent men, will find that the way they dress will often determine the degree of respect they receive from both men and women. It is advisable to keep legs, shoulders and upper arms covered, and we recommend that you bring appropriate clothing for this purpose. Make sure you allow for climate changes and remember that even in very hot countries, night-time and early morning temperatures can be extremely cold. You will generally find it is better to have several thin layers rather than one thick layer as it gives you more flexibility and warmth.

Social conventions:

Arabic in culture and tradition, Tunisia is a liberal and tolerant Muslim society with many equality laws enshrined in the Tunisian Constitution brought in by the country's first president Habib Bourguiba.

Although cities like Tunis, Sfax and Sousse can seem extremely liberal and modern, it is important to remember that in more rural areas local life is much more traditional. Outside of resort areas visitors should dress modestly out of respect for this. Most Tunisian men would not be caught dead wearing shorts once off the beach and in the countryside it is practically unheard of. Likewise, once away from touristy areas, women should avoid wearing skimpy, revealing clothing. When visiting mosques and other religious buildings, both sexes should make sure their clothing covers their upper arms and knees, and women should wear a headscarf. On a separate note, Tunisians take a lot of pride in their dress and although informal clothing is now very acceptable among younger Tunisians, visitors will garner more respect if they don’t dress scruffily.

Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. Women greeting other women and men greeting other men will often also kiss each other the cheek. It is common to place your right hand across your heart after shaking hands. This is also a polite way of showing your thanks. Occasionally, among more religious people greeting people of the opposite sex, this is used as a greeting instead of shaking hands.

COMMUNICATION & EMAILS

Telephone:

Public phones are found widely, with some shops also offering the service. Using Skype in an internet café though, is usually the more cost-effective option.

Mobile phone:

Roaming agreements with international mobile phone companies exist. You can buy a local SIM card at Tunisie Telecom offices if you provide appropriate identification.

Internet:

Tunisia has a high number of internet users, so email can be easily and cheaply accessed from Internet cafés in most towns and all resorts. Many hotels now also offer Wi-Fi for guest use. Connection is usually of a good standard.

Post office hours:

Mon-Thu 0800-1200 and 1245-1645; Fri 0800-1200 and 1345-1645.

Press:

• Daily newspapers are printed in Arabic or French
• The most popular Arabic newspapers are As-Sabah and Al-Horria
• French newspapers include Le Quotidien, Nouvelles de Tunisie, La Presse de Tunisie and Le Temps

Shopping

The medinas of Tunisia's larger towns, such as Tunis, Kairouan, Sousse and Sfax are great places to buy Tunisian crafts, with an amazing range, but you will have to haggle. If you prefer not to enter the fray, there are Société de Commercialisation des Produits de l'Artisinat (SOCOPA; www.socopa.com.tn) workshops and stores where visitors can buy items at fixed prices. Souvenir shops in resort areas are plentiful, but you may have to look a bit harder to find high-quality goods.

In terms of what to buy, special purchases include copper and brassware, olivewood sculptures, leather goods, clothing (kaftans, jelabas), perfume oils, pottery and ceramics, silver and enamelled jewellery and sheeshas (water pipes). Rugs and carpets are a good buy. The two major types are woven (non-pile) and knotted (pile). Look out for traditional Berber pieces, called alloucha. The quality of all carpets is strictly controlled by the National Handicrafts Office, and a label attached to the carpet shows its quality seal and grading.

WEATHER & CLIMATE

The areas of northern Tunisia that draw the most tourists have a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, occasionally rainy winters. Along with destinations like Egypt and Türkiye, Tunisia has claimed a good slice of the Mediterranean summer holiday market, making June to August a popular time for coastal resorts.

In general terms, lightweights are advised in summer, with medium weights and rainwear in winter. The south and centre of the country have an almost Saharan climate, meaning summer temperatures can climb extremely high. The hot, dusty wind blowing in off the desert can affect other parts of the country.

Tunis: (approx)

MEALS

Approximate costs for meals and snacks not included are shown below:

• Simple snack - $US 2-3
• Light meal - $US 5-8
• 3 course meal - $US 25+

Tunisian food combines Arabic, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and French influences. Dishes are cooked with olive oil, spiced with aniseed, coriander, cumin, caraway, cinnamon or saffron and flavoured with mint, orange blossom or rose water; many are accompanied by harissa, a spicy chilli and garlic condiment.

On the coast you'll find fresh seafood while in the Sahara region menus often feature Berber specialties which are often rustic-style wholesome stews. Roast chicken and baked lamb dishes are popular throughout the country, as are dishes featuring couscous. Salads form an integral part of the diet year-round and are simple and lightly dressed.

Tunisia isn't big on desserts. Instead there is a dizzying array of Arabic sweets and cakes to choose from, usually filled with nuts and drenched in honey or syrup. If that's not enough for your sweet-tooth, pastries here are a legacy of the French and you'll find melt-in-the-mouth croissants and pains au chocolat.

Specialties:

• Couscous (ground semolina served with meat, fish or vegetable sauce).
• Harissa (chilli paste).
• Salade Mechouia (roasted vegetable salad).
• Tajine (a kind of spiced quiche, served cold – no relation to the Moroccan dish of the same name).
• Brik (the Tunisian version of the Turkish borek; a deep-fried filled pastry. Common ingredients include tuna, egg, onions, capers and parsley).
• Merguez (a heavily spiced beef sausage).
• Filfil mahshi (peppers stuffed with beef and harissa).
• Lablabi (a chickpea soup with lashings of garlic).
• Marqa (a slow-cooked stew of meat and vegetables).
• Ojja (Tunisian scrambled eggs, usually spiced with lashings of harissa, as well as tomatoes, peppers and sometimes meat).

Vegetarianism is a concept that most Tunisians cannot get their heads around and vegetarians may struggle to eat a varied diet within the country. Although there are plentiful salads, soups, egg-based dishes and stews in Tunisian cuisine be aware that many 'vegetable only' dishes will have used a chicken stock as their base or will have one, or two, tiny pieces of meat added in for flavour.

Regional drinks:

• Thé à la menthe (mint tea), often served with pine nuts.
• Ahwa arbi (Turkish/Arabic coffee).
• Boukha (thick aromatic spirit, distilled from figs).
• Thibarine (herb-based liqueur).

Although Tunisia is an Islamic country, alcohol is not prohibited. It is sold in bars, restaurants and some supermarkets. Tunisia produces a range of palatable table wines, sparkling wines, beers, aperitifs and local liqueurs.

SUGGESTED TIPPING SCALE:

Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation and will be welcomed by the recipient, although if you decide not to tip in a particular circumstance, this doesn’t mean you’ll receive a lower level of service. Ultimately, tipping is discretionary and should be done at a level that feels comfortable.

Here are some guidelines that you may find helpful:

HEALTH & MEDICAL REQUIREMENTS & GUIDELINES

As a general recommendation, it is advisable to check with your family doctor or travel clinic for latest health information.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

It is highly recommended that you purchase travel insurance. Your home country health plan may only provide limited coverage while traveling outside of the country. Indus Travels can offer you a complete travel insurance package. Some credit cards do offer travel insurance, however they do not always provide adequate coverage. Review and understand the terms of your credit card insurance policy. Extra travel insurance can be purchased. Most insurance companies do have exclusions in their coverage. Pre-existing medical conditions are not insurable.