Visiting Tunisia
 

Is it safe to eat while in Tunisia? We will only be there one day ; but our friends who just returned told us we could get typhoid there possibly. Is this real? Also, what do you advise we see while we are there?

I spent 5 days in Tunisia while on an exchange in south France. I never once got sick from the food, which was cheap and fantastic. If you are in Tunis, I hear the small coastal towns nearby are worth a trip. I personally took an overnight train to the south for an overnight camel trek out of Douz that cost about $30.

If you are female, or traveling with a female (as I was), expect a considerable amount of harassment - the guys are harmless so long as you sternly shut down their stereotypes of western girls. Sadly, the 10% of the youth who think western girls all resemble girls 'from the internet' are often the most noticeable.

Transport in Tunisia was cheap and hassle-free. Find yourself a "Luage" station, look for locals with the same destination, and you'll find yourself racing across the desert in no time. I also recommend a guide book. Tunisians are extremely friendly, but asking for directions inevitably involves you being led to a brother or friend's restaurant / tour office.

Let me know how it goes!

I spent a week in Tunisia, and I agree with your friends -- I only drank water and ate nothing the entire time I was there. Your friends are very wise and worldly -- everyone in the country has typhoid. If I were you, I'd stay on the ship -- viewing new countries from the security of a cabin is what travel is all about.

Since you're there only for a day it wont matter much if you dont eat. It also appears that you are going to be in Tunisia just chance rather than by design, so what does it matter if you see nothing. Its only a bunch of North African in a desert eating camels.

@thit_cho: I laughed for about 3 minutes, then wondered if you were really joking, reread, then kept laughing.

Definitely take the chance to go exploring. You'll decide for yourself that it was worth it. Do drink bottled water, and if you are concerned about the food then either pack food in or buy candy bars.

There is also a vaccine to protect against typhoid.

Before this vaccine, no one in the United States or Europe ate anything. :)

Have fun and enjoy Tunisia.

In all seriousness, Tunisia is one of the cleanest, most welcoming countries I have visited -- its unfortunate that you will only have a single day since there's much to see, the food is great (and very hygienic, especially in the restaurants), and transport is simple. Its also unfortunate that some make inane statements implying that its a typhoid-ravaged destination.

Hey Guys! Thanks for all the info. We are quite adventurous, but my husband and I have gotten sick several times around the world and just try and avoid it when at all possible.

Stick to bottled water and eat at popular restaurants (and avoid street food) and I'm sure you'll be fine -- hopefully you get free time to wander around the medina, which is a lot more welcoming, with less pestering, than many other regional markets. Tunisia is such a great place, in a tough-to-visit part of the world (its neighbors, Libya and Algeria, are very stingy with visas), and its nice to see so many more posts about Tunisia on this forum. I visited in 2005 and I got very few responses on this forum at that time.

Tunis is quite pleasant. Unfortunately the Romans did a mighty good job at destroying Carthage, so there really isn`t much to be seen as regards carthaginians :(

Pitty I only had six hours to see the place back in March this year.

As for eating, if you are on a cruise and are afraid, you can always eat once you get back on the ship.

@thit-cho? very interesting , M. Did you try it in VN ?

HappyMom, not yet -- I have eaten bat, snake, horse, camel, whale, dolphin, but while I visited the street in Hanoi with all the dog restaurants, I didn't order it (I regret that, though, and will try it on my next visit).