Tunisia - Adventures in North Africa, Travel Guide to Tunisia

 

Dates: 2025.10.01–2025.10.09
Destination: Tunisia
People: Xiao YU, fellow travelers
Mode: Group tour
Itinerary: DAY1 Home—Tunisia
DAY2 Bardo National Museum—Antonine Baths Ruins—Carthage Ruins—Blue-and-White Town Sidi Bou Said
DAY3 Tunis City—Kairouan Great Mosque, Kairouan Old City—Tozeur
DAY4 Chebika Oasis—Unknown Edge of the Sahara Desert—Star Wars Filming Site
DAY5 Tozeur—Cross Chott El Jerid (Jerid Salt Lake)—El Jem Amphitheatre—Sousse
DAY6 Sousse Medina—Moon-viewing at the Harbor
DAY7 Sousse Museum—Hammamet—Winery—Tunis
DAY8 Tunis—Home
Costs: Flights + tour = ¥34,223
Duty-free + Tunisia = €240 + ¥430
Passport = ¥120; airport transfers = ¥310; Turkey visa = ¥490; seat selection = ¥450
Total around ¥38,000

As for why Tunisia—this trip had been planned for a long time. At first the destination was Iceland (Xiao YU’s “white moonlight”). After researching for a long time, the novelty faded, so we switched to Morocco (my “white moonlight”). As we looked, airfares grew pricier and groups filled up, so we casually picked a visa-free country... Although the start was casual, the entire journey was delightful—the blind box turned out great! Especially during Golden Week there weren’t many tourists: fewer people, beautiful scenery, rich history and culture—a superb experience!

About currency exchange: some meals were included, and sometimes we paid RMB to others; Tunisia doesn’t have that many specialties to buy, so the whole trip used about €150. Keep the bank’s slip when exchanging; you can’t take dinars out of the country. Show the slip upon departure to change back your money.
About SIM card: choose ORANGE, buy a data package; pop in the card and you have data—very convenient.
About medicine: don’t bring Chinese patent remedies like Ganmaoling, they did nothing. I spent the latter half of the trip with a cold... tough.
About the Turkey visa: you may not need it. Xiao YU didn’t apply; at Pudong, the check-in clerk noticed and consulted colleagues, and said it was fine. In Turkey, the clerk also asked; we said no visa, and the desk didn’t mind; we boarded smoothly.
About toilets: mostly sit-down toilets with a little water gun (bidet spray), rather clean. Some toilets have no trash bin—really not used to that...

✈️ Home—Tunisia
Tunisia Sheraton
This day was all on the road... After work on Sep 30, went home for luggage, then headed to Pudong.

This leg was the longest flight of the trip; the butt suffered... Airbus A330. On this flight, Premium Economy and Economy were basically the same, just a partition above; the space was connected. Two Premium Eco passengers seemed disappointed and ground staff spent a long time handling it...

Overlooking Istanbul from the plane.

Istanbul Airport at 8 a.m., very few people.

Checked in and printed boarding pass; Turkish clerks are all so pretty

Walked several laps; shops all sold similar goods; prices were high, though stores were beautiful and appetizing.

Lemon juice €7.5, water €2,
Starbucks short €7.5, so pricey...
Used the layover to adjust jetlag

Turkey uses lira; euro is accepted too, but large bills are hard to change. Doha layover was excellent—could use Alipay.

Second leg began; Turkish Airlines meals were tasty. Didn’t expect a full flight; our plan for two people to enjoy three seats fell through. The African lady’s scent was a bit... but it was only three hours; endure...

Arrived at Carthage International Airport; small and convenient. At immigration they asked Xiao YU’s occupation; we were together; they waved me through. Exchanged €400, a thick wad of cash ; met the pickup outside; very friendly; gave each of us a rose—so warm! They also helped us with SIM cards.
(The name “Carthage” itself sounds ancient and storied; the old Carthaginian civilization was one reason we came.)

Went straight to the hotel. In the car, Arabic music played; outside, North African scenes, rows of palm/date trees sliding by. Only then did it feel real—I had arrived in Tunisia; vacation mode on...
Buildings in Tunis are rather old. We later learned the economy has struggled for years; people feel lost but keep exploring a path forward; perhaps that’s why locals remain simple and warm!
: Sheraton

We were the last two to arrive, already dinner time; others had gathered to wander the medina and eat. Too tired to chase; after unpacking, we started our first Tunisian meal right in the hotel~

️Dinner, free choice, hotel restaurant.
First Tunisian bites: olives; not sure if it was fish or chicken; harissa (a chili paste). One fellow traveler loved this; the guide thoughtfully asked the restaurant for extra harissa every meal. He earned a new nickname: the harissa boy

The decor had strong Arabic vibes; an elegant princess 

Lamb soup, a huge platter; we ordered two ; mistake... didn’t see lamb, maybe minced...

National dish couscous—I’d long thought the small grains were millet, but learned they’re semolina, with potato, carrot, green pepper, chickpeas. We ordered fish couscous; overall spicy and a huge portion; personally not a fan.

Tunis: 2 Bardo National Museum—3 Antonine Baths Ruins—5 Carthage Ruins—6 Blue-and-White Town Sidi Bou Said
Tunisia Sheraton

️Breakfast, hotel buffet.
The prickly pear fruit was delicious; sadly we didn’t see it again later.

Before starting, the leader held a prep meeting. We introduced ourselves (though I forgot most and only matched names to faces two days later). Everyone turned out perfect travel mates—harmonious, happy, full of laughter; so many extroverts . We also saw a simple PPT: geography, customs, history—great for quick immersion later. The prep ended with a poem the leader wrote, and we set off on our Tunisian journey!

Meet at 08:30, depart around 09:30~ 10 minutes’ drive.

Founded in 1888, originally named the Alawi Museum after the Bey’s name; it was also the Bey’s palace. After Tunisia’s independence it was renamed Bardo Museum. The museum was expanded from a palace, in Arab style, and houses abundant exquisite mosaics, still vibrant after two millennia, covering Phoenician, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic periods.

The museum’s treasure “Virgil the Poet”: Virgil in the middle, the muse of history on the left, the muse of tragedy on the right. The scroll in Virgil’s hand clearly shows “Aeneid,” confirming authorship and holding high archaeological value.

To render different blues on peacock feathers, glass was used, rare and precious at the time.

Depart 11:30 ~ 30-minute drive.

Experience ancient Roman bathing culture. The whole complex faces the Mediterranean, with cold/warm/hot baths, dressing rooms, toilets—fully equipped. Tall Roman columns stand; several levels are evident; it combined social, fitness, and cultural exchange. Underground drainage and heating systems were advanced.

Depart 13:00 ~ 15-minute drive.
️Lunch, included. Seaside restaurant Restaurant Popeye’s
Tunisian salad: three mounds of onion-cucumber, mashed potato, carrot?
Brik: egg and vegetables wrapped and deep-fried in dough, dumpling-shaped—very friendly to Chinese tastes.
These two dishes accompanied almost the whole trip.
Main was fish soup; fish had bones; knives and forks are hard for us; seasoning had a North African egg vibe.

Depart 14:10 ~ 10-minute drive.

The Carthaginian civilization is a richly colored chapter within Roman civilization, with far-reaching influence along the Mediterranean coast.
Carthage was a Phoenician colonial city-state; the Phoenicians excelled at seafaring and trade, once dominating the Mediterranean. As Rome rose, the two fought for maritime supremacy for a century through three Punic Wars; Rome finally breached Carthage and Carthage fell. Later, Rome rebuilt on the site and made it the capital of the province of Africa. Afterward came Vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, Ottomans...
Most of the present “Carthage” ruins were built by Romans, blending Phoenician, Greek, and Roman elements.
In museums and ruins you’ll find many headless sculptures; that’s not damage but for convenient head-swapping Ancient people found it easier: bodies are similar, just change the head

Some columns have different colored bases, looking older; perhaps remnants of the Phoenicians...

Acropolium Church, with its own story; no longer used for worship.

Depart 15:25 ~ 10-minute drive.

A very popular spot and the most crowded place of the trip. The town is all blue and white—great for photos. At dusk, go up the slope to watch the sunset—very pleasant~

Visited a family-run mini-museum, climbed the rooftop to view the town, had mint tea—cooling, heat-clearing vibe, though honestly not tasty

A three-fork restaurant; here ratings use forks—the more forks, the higher the score.

It’s said there are about 30 Chinese residents in Tunisia, one runs a bubble tea shop here; we couldn’t resist and bought two cups of happy water~

️Dinner, free choice.
We were tired of walking and skipped the leader’s recommended spots, blindly chose a nice-looking place upstairs on a semi-terrace; very comfy. Restaurant name BLU BLU; tastes were good~

After dinner we planned to return, but friends were having such fun they delayed the meetup by half an hour, so we went to wait on the coach—but buses can’t stop here, so it hadn’t arrived yet...
We sat outside a shop; staff said no seating without purchase, so we moved next to a closed shop. Perhaps seeing us pitiful, the staff let us sit back. Nearby someone was smoking Arabic shisha—bulubulu~~
Two minutes before the coach arrived, Xiao YU shivered in the African night wind.

Depart 19:40 ~ 30-minute drive, back to the hotel.
Sheraton

Tunis City——2 Kairouan Great Mosque, Kairouan Old City——Tozeur
Tozeur Anantara

Today was a long drive; you could clearly feel the shift in landscapes from coastal city to desert belt.

️Breakfast, hotel buffet.
The eggs were all “barely set” not my thing; afterward I avoided whole eggs at breakfast.

Depart 08:30 ~ 2.5 hours’ drive.

The Great Mosque of Kairouan was built in 670 AD. Three sides are enclosed by arcaded corridors supported by 300 stone columns; the fourth side has a towering square minaret. The prayer hall also has 300 columns. Arabs used local materials, but the 600 marble columns across the complex were taken from ancient Roman and Byzantine buildings in places like Carthage, varied in style—a hallmark of the mosque.
Kairouan is considered the fourth holiest city after Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Locals believe seven visits here equal one pilgrimage to Mecca. Women need headscarves to enter; non-Muslims cannot enter the prayer hall.
We sat on steps while the guide and leader shared many stories about Islam... very interesting.

About noon, we exited to the adjacent old city and began a city walk~
Kairouan’s old city is perfect for strolling, with few tourists and a very everyday, authentic feel.

A mural of someone smoking Arabic shisha.

The leader bought us a sweet snack, Makroud; quite nice.

️Lunch, included. 13:00 Kairouan old city, La Kasbah
This restaurant had style and opened strictly on time; we waited a bit.
It’s set in a converted women’s prison, very atmospheric.

Tunisian salad, brik, lamb couscous.
One couple raved that it was the best couscous of the trip and longed for it afterward. Personally I found it ordinary; maybe I lack palate for starchy dishes—and the portions are truly huge.

Depart 14:00 ~ 5 hours’ drive, arrive at hotel.

We stopped at a shop en route to use the restroom: 1 TND per person, or buy a 1.5 TND drink for free toilet; everyone chose a drink.

Watched the desert sunset from the coach; the leader even played songs by holding the phone to the mic (everyone requested songs). Too beautiful...

Checked in at Anantara, upgraded to a pool villa
Vacation vibes surged; couldn’t stop taking photos~

The bathroom opens directly to the outdoor shower and pool.

️Dinner, included. Buffet restaurant, Sarab

The next morning, opening my eyes, I saw the desert sunrise; perfect~

Tozeur: 2 Chebika Oasis—3 Unknown Edge of the Sahara Desert—4 Star Wars Filming Site
Tozeur Anantara

️Breakfast, hotel buffet.
One omelet a day; not cooking breakfast is bliss

Depart 09:00 ~ 1 hr 10 min drive.

Small episode: we were to ride off-road into the desert; Xiao YU set eyes on license plate 6888 . Unexpectedly police stopped our vehicle and we hit a traffic jam, delaying a bit.

A loop up a small hill then down; we forgot hats today—bad move; the sun was harsh...

The guide pointed out fish fossils—couldn’t help marveling at seas turning to deserts over ages...

A spring here feeds the oasis.

Depart 11:20 ~ 40-minute drive.

Had to take a shot of 6888.

We were already in the Sahara~

Took photos here; the leader magically produced snacks from the trunk—dates and drinks. The guide said choose golden dates for better taste.

The leader had previously given us small bottles; we filled them with Sahara sand here to take home~

Depart 12:20 ~ 25-minute drive.
All the way dune-bashing—so fun~

A smaller site, photo-friendly. I haven’t seen Star Wars, so it felt rather ordinary—but since we’re here, no skipping. The finale: the 4x4 rushed down dunes straight into the site; the slope was steep, but after earlier dune-bashing it felt gentle, not thrilling enough

Desert roses—just stone formations.

Depart 13:10 ~ 30-minute drive.
️Lunch, included. La Table de Françoise
A restaurant inside a guesthouse. It’s in a hidden alley, but opening the door revealed a different world—beautiful inside! Distinctive local decor and ornaments—the owner has taste. The green pool looks like jade, the highlight of the courtyard.

The chicken drumstick rice—or duck?—was super tasty!

Wall of dates—a local feature.

This pool was emerald-green too, complementing the plants. It has a magic that quiets you; I couldn’t help taking a lounger to daydream~ Nearby some Arab girls took photos—girls everywhere love to shoot!

Went to Carrefour to buy hotel-brand tea bags and coffee as souvenirs.

Depart 15:30 ~ 1 hour’s drive, back to the hotel for rest.

At dusk, we sat on little sand dunes for sunset. Just sit, listen to music, and feel time flow—a romantic thing.
The leader was so thoughtful, bringing a speaker and the photo “atmosphere” gadget—plastic goblets
Couples were all captured in perfect sunset portraits~
Nearby, a foreigner draped in a towel filmed the sunset; perhaps our music got too lively and he quietly left...

Who could refuse that purple left in the sky after sunset—too beautiful~

️Dinner, free choice. Mekong Asian Restaurant.
Dishes came slowly. I got sunburned without a hat and chilled by the 4x4 A/C; my little body couldn’t take it and I caught a cold... Ate half and went back to sleep... Others went stargazing, which I missed...
After the cold I had little heart to shoot photos or videos, just played, with fewer records

Anantara

Tozeur—2 Cross Chott El Jerid—4 El Jem Amphitheatre—Sousse
Sousse Movenpick

Depart 09:00 ~

Africa’s largest and the world’s fourth-largest salt lake—Chott El Jerid.

We saw a mirage. Even knowing the phenomenon, witnessing it was still stunning!

There was a boy holding a fox here; you can tip to take a photo.

Drive 3.5 hours.
️Lunch, included. Gabes seaside restaurant Alba Rosa

Salad and brik again; got lazy and didn’t photograph.

This fruit drink was great, perfect hydration after the desert.

Depart 13:30 ~ 2.5-hour drive.

Wherever Romans went they built baths, theatres, and amphitheatres . El Jem Amphitheatre, one of the three great Roman amphitheatres, held 35,000 spectators (many African nations today still can’t build arenas of that capacity). It’s better preserved than Rome’s Colosseum and the only one whose underground can be visited.

It’s also the setting of Mayday’s album “Born to Love.” Now the cruel bloodshed is gone, replaced by concerts and performances. Over a thousand years later, people still cheer in the stands—isn’t that a dialogue across time?

View from the underground animal cells. Claw marks on the walls.

There were mechanical devices here. Beasts were released from below onto the ground; gladiators entered from above.

Clearly visible are central VIP seats; stabling places at ground level; soldiers kept watch above. As the guide spoke, everything came alive; you could almost hear the roar and cheers

Thanks to the leader for this photo; love it. It’s striking how, with the same phone, results differ so much

Small episode: the stand steps are high; going straight down is risky; someone slipped—luckily only a scrape. Best to use the proper stairs.
The amphitheatre is perfect for photos; linger if you can~

Depart 18:00 ~ 1 hour’s drive. Arrive in Sousse.
Movenpick
️Dinner, free choice. Restaurant Una Storia Della Vita
We were late and didn’t catch friends for chat. The restaurant had ancient Roman vibes with live music; the volume was a bit heavy. The lamb chops were bloody and too tough...

Sousse: 2 Sousse Medina—3 Moon-viewing at the Harbor
Sousse: Movenpick

️Breakfast, hotel buffet.
This hotel is huge, with 500 rooms. At breakfast, staff were overwhelmed; some tables had no cutlery and we had to ask; the coffee machine was frankly somewhat dirty...

Depart 10:30 ~ 10-minute drive.

Sousse’s medina is also great for strolling. Immersed and with a cold, I barely took photos...

Rooftop terrace, Arabic shisha.

A watch tower.

️Lunch, free choice. Ate at 14:00 on the top floor of a mall.
Shared pizza and pasta with friends.

Depart 15:00 ~ 10-minute drive. Back to hotel to rest.
The planned afternoon boat trip was canceled due to strong wind; replaced by a harbor restaurant dinner.

Before dinner we strolled the hotel beach. Sneakers weren’t ideal; a friend filled a bottle with Mediterranean water.

Depart 17:00 ~ 20-minute drive.

️Dinner, included. Restaurant La Daurade
We went to a port to admire the moon and dine. It was Mid-Autumn Festival~~~

Small episode: two friends fell here and went to the hospital... and thus a new duo was born...

Dinner was too busy to photograph.

We passed a funfair; everyone stopped to watch the drop tower launch

Movenpick
Back at the hotel we shared mooncakes to celebrate Mid-Autumn~

2 Sousse Museum——3 Hammamet——4 Winery——Tunis
Tunisia Sheraton

Depart 09:30 ~ 10-minute drive; we passed a pharmacy and got injections for the injured.

Small but refined museum; many local finds are in the national museum.

Baptismal font.

Depart 11:00 ~ 1 hr 15 min drive.

A comfortable seaside town. But way too many flies...

️Lunch, free choice. 13:45 at Restaurant L’esplanade
Blind choice; tasted good. Friends ate next door and said it was good too; seems restaurants here have solid standards.

Depart 14:45 ~ 45-minute drive.

I don’t drink; I observed the whole time.

Depart 16:45 ~ 1 hr 5 min drive. Back to Tunis, champagne and dinner at Dar El Jeld

This champagne spot was truly wonderful—especially the rooftop, perfect for a drink and chat! Sunset, champagne, and sunflower seeds~
I had mineral water to keep company—the bar snacks were great.

️Dinner, included. The restaurant is here too and requires reservation.
It’s a traditional courtyard mansion with a high dome; luxurious and private; traditional instruments performed. Seeing so many Chinese, the elder even played the March of the Volunteers! We had a private room—sumptuous.

Sheraton

✈️ Tunis—Home
Slept till waking naturally. ️Breakfast, hotel buffet.
Packed, wandered the hotel, met a peacock.
Noon checkout. Friends on the same flight helped us call a car; headed to the airport.

First exchanged money back: €250 returned; small dinar coins couldn’t be exchanged, kept as souvenirs.

Rather than take paper home, we spent 9.5 TND on lemon juice and shared it.

Return flight on Qatar Airways via Doha.

Mediterranean water & Sahara sand

Food tasted good; salads and desserts were clearly more refined.

There’s always a direction pointing to Mecca!

Riyadh in the night sky—a big golden glow.

Overlooking Doha from the air.

Doha Airport is great for browsing—but our layover wasn’t long enough to buy.

This Tunisia trip truly made me happy.
Tunisia has deep history and culture, beautiful natural scenery, kind and warm people, and a religion I didn’t understand; I gained so much~
The fellow travelers were a uniquely fun group—each with their own charm: some were master photographers; some deeply scholarly, walking encyclopedias; some humorous; an elegant heroine; and a refined boy
Many beautiful photos are kept private, not in this journal; many videos too.
Our leader was fantastic—told many Tunisian stories; arranged things carefully; upgraded rooms; swapped dinner when we couldn’t go to sea; prepared bottles for water and sand, plastic goblets, Mid-Autumn mooncakes, snacks, and all sorts of little things...
Our guide was great too—detailed introductions, always answering the curious, and helping resolve issues.
The driver drove steadily, often faster than the ETA; suited and tied, very refined.
And Xiao YU—without her there would be no trip~
Worthy journey~