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Shopping – money – credit cards

Be wary of shopkeepers, as many stores and shops do not show prices. Develop your bargaining skills and negotiate. Ask around similar shops to get an idea of the going prices. If bargaining for souvenirs is not your thing, certain stores display fixed prices.
Be careful to use your credit cards only in well established stores, shops, and restaurants. Our advice is keep some cash on the side for just in case you feel not comfortable enough using your credit card.
Certain shops show the “Recommendable shop” sign; it is therefore much safer to use credit cards in these stores and shops only.
Haggling is a national sport in Tunisia, everything is just about negotiable. From car hire rental rates to excursions and souvenirs. Get a feel for it first as you don’t want to find yourself negotiating for everything and as many but not all services are negotiable.

Exchange your foreign currency at the airport or banks. Make sure you have enough money at the airport and keep your currency exchange receipt. When departing from Tunisia you will be able to convert up to 30% of your unused Tunisian Dinar currency back into Euros or US Dollars. There are plenty of bank branches and ATMs all over Tunisia, so our advice is to exchange small amounts as you go. Note that when converting your unused Tunisian Dinars back into foreign currency, banks at airport will most likely to have only Euros or US Dollars

Our advice : Do not buy or exchange your currency from people in the street, you will definitely get ripped off. Our advice is to bring hard currencies, US Dollars, Pounds Sterling, Euros, Yens, Swiss Francs, etc. Rare and soft currencies such as Maltese Lira, Turkish Lira, etc will be harder to convert. Use travellers’ cheques, they are very easy to convert instead of using cash. American express Travel checks are cashed by only UBCI Bank (Union Bancaire pour le Commerce et l’Industrie).

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Eating – food – restaurants

Tunisia has an exceptional culinary Heritage. Every civilization that has crossed this territory has influenced the way locals prepare and cook food. So in today’s traditional Tunisian cuisine, you will notice the influence of French, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, Berber, Andalusian, Turkish, as well as Jewish cuisine, among others. But as Berber and Arabic influences were the strongest, one is only considered hospitable towards a guest by serving him a consistent dish in abundant quantity, where fish or meat should be present.

Consequently, Tunisian cuisine doesn’t have a strongly established vegetarian tradition. More and more restaurants are beginning to offer vegetarian dishes, as the demand for such a diet increases in Tunisia. But as hospitality is the cornerstone of cuisine, all a vegetarian has to do is ask if he can have a meal suited to his / her dietary restrictions. Be it in a restaurant or at a local family, your hosts will spare no effort to prepare a tasty meal for the vegetarian guest.

In Tunisia, food is tasty; it is hearty; it is also generally hot and spicy. If you are sensitive to spicy food, make sure you ask to have your meal « sans piquant » (literally, without chilli) and make that point clearly understood by the waiter.

Children are expected to eat smaller portions of what the parents have, but there are generally enough items on any menu, including chicken, fries and vegetables, for kids to eat heartily.

Lost and Found Luggage

For collecting lost & found luggage at airport, Guests MUST show up in person at airport to pick up the luggage and pass it through customs check. We advise you to bring in your hand luggage all necessary item (medicine, a change of clothes and underwear, hygiene products) in case your suitcase gets lost.

Travelling with babies/children

Travelling with children isn’t that much of an issue in Tunisia. Tunisians love children and your kids will probably get special attention from each local you are likely to meet (waiters, drivers, even people you cross on the street). Nappies, baby food and all baby-related products are widely available at supermarkets and pharmacies, but take your precautions when staying in rural or desert areas, if you don’t want to fall short of anything.

Health and safety

It is commonly said that “Tunisia is a cold country where the sunshine is hot”. Therefore, you should not underestimate the Tunisian sun. A hat and sunglasses should definitely be part of your standard travel equipment to Tunisia.

During summer time, it is essential to drink plenty of water daily. This prevents dehydration and reduces the risk of heat stroke.
On the beach, make sure you use sun cream to avoid being burnt.
Spicy food, especially the trademarked “Harissa”, a piment jam, is very appealing to many visitors of Tunisia. Should you have a sensitive stomach, it is suitable to add some pure olive oil, to decrease the degree of “Hrara”.

It is common to drink tap water in Tunisia. Though it may taste different from Evian, tap water is chlorinated and generally safe to drink. However, short-time visitors are advised to drink bottled mineral water to avoid any stomach problems. When joining an excursion to the Sahara, many people get very excited at the sight of the dunes. Jumping and rolling on the fine sand of the dunes is very common & part of the fun. It is preferable & safer to wear shoes that protect your feet and ankles. Sand can also be very harmful to contact lenses.

When swimming in the sea, should you get into contact with jellyfish, putting a slice of tomato on the burnt area would very much reduce the sensation of irritation.

Like in any large city in the world, theft and pick pocketing are not uncommon; especially in crowded places. Though criminality levels are very low in Tunisia by Western standards, large cities like Tunis are unfortunately no exception. Pay special attention to your belongings, wallets and gadgets and try to put your bag in front of you while walking, especially inside the Medinas and crowded areas.