Going shortly Djerba is beautiful. It is is the largest island off North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes and is a popular tourist destination.
You can find a list of Djerban hotels here:
http://www.tourismtunisia.com/hotels/dje...
This will give you an idea of what to expect from the hotels when you do arrive.
Food and drink are going to be expensive in the hotel, as that is where they gain a good portion of their revenue. You would do better to go out into the city for yourself and eat at a local resteraunt. You will get bigger portions at better prices.
Djerba is one of the few remaining places in Tunisia where the Berber language is still spoken. Another factor drawing some tourists to Djerba is the 1977 location of the Mos Eisley exterior scenes in the first Star Wars movie, filmed in the town of Ajim.
On the island of Djerba, there are many villages, but almost no towns. The only real town is the beautiful Houmt Souq. Houmt Souq is quite different from any other Tunisian town south of Sidi Bou Said, which could be considered as its lost brother. The second town, Midoun, is less exciting, and many travelers arriving at Djerba pass through the village of Ajim, but more picturesque is the little visited Guellala.
Many visitors are intrigued by the presence of Jews, whose main synagogue is in Hara Sghira, while the majority lives in Hara Kebira. One of the most photographed places in Djerba is the mosque in El May. Unfortunately, many of the people visiting Djerba, only stay in the Zone touristique, and never get to see any of the great small places of this island.
Down by the sea side, the fort Borju l-Kabir, has admission and is well worth the walk down from town centre. Borj el-Kebir, sometimes called Borj Ghazi Mustapha, has had many owners over the years. It was the Romans building the first recorded stronghold here, but it was the king of Sicily, Roger de Lluria, who in 1289 built the very first fortress.
Do not let the main street packed with souvenir stalls, misguide you. The things here are very simple, and there is less need for heavy haggling on the prices. The people running the shop will in a friendly manner show you the different parts of the workshop, and if you leave without buying anything, they just say good bye with the same friendliness, before lying down on the bench next to the tiny door leading up into the kitchy main street. If you give yourself some minutes, you will soon have the local specialty demonstrated, the magic camels: A mug with a spout as a camel's head, and then a hole in the bottom and the top. You pour water into one hole, turn the camel, and the water doesn't leak out.
There are many historical mosques in Djerba to visit also, each with it's own tale to tell. If you are interested in history, I suggest that you try to visit some of them.
Being such a tourist magnet, Djerba has plenty to offer of hotels. Package travelers are placed in one of the many tourist complexes in the northeastern corner of the island. If you have hotel included in your ticket, you can expect good value for money. If you're an independent traveler, these hotels charge up to 3 times more per night than charter tourists pay. Through the winter, however, you will be able to strike some good deals. Independent travelers are better off in Houmt Souq, which has plenty of good value hotels to choose from. Value for money is good even through high season, mainly because Djerba has tourism all through the year.
The tourist zone offers good night life. This is dominated by Western travelers. But there is always a good number of Tunisian men, and in recent years more and more of Tunisan women, too.
Change money in your hotel. The banks in Houmt Souq (which is the place with most banks) are often crowded, and it can take some time to change money. Plus Tunisia is one of the few places where hotels offer a better exchange rate than banks.
If you're going anywhere outside Djerba, do it from Houmt Souq. Here are the only real stations for shared taxis and buses.
If you're moving around Djerba, consider renting a small motorbike. This is slightly expensive, but still well worth the cost. Otherwise, use Djerba's system of buses and small taxis. This is damn cheap, but will involve some waiting.
If you have any other questions, or if I can be of more assistance, please feel free to contact me. I visited Tunisia at Christmas time this year. Djerba is an oasis, quite nice one, don't expect much though. The natural beauty of the country is great, but still not so many thing to do. I did an oasis- tour and i must say it was definitely an experience and i do have very good memories. I also did a safari in the desert and visited the sets of Star Wars in the desert. |
