Djerba: Djerba and southern Tunisia, Tunisia's star destination

🚌 Getting there:

Djerba is a 2 hour 50 minute flight from Paris. This small island in south-east Tunisia bathed by the Mediterranean Sea is served by Transavia, an Air France subsidiary, from Orly, and by Tunisian airlines Tunisair and Nouvel Air, the latter from Roissy CDG. In reality, Djerba is not entirely an island, since it is linked to the mainland by a road that follows, to within a few metres, an ancient Roman causeway 7 kilometres long, called El Kantara. To reach Djerba from the mainland, you can also go by sea by taking the ferry from the port of Jorf.

👉 Formalities :

An identity card valid for at least six months after your return is tolerated if you've bought a package, but beware, you'll need to present your passport, valid for at least six months after your return, if you've only got a plane ticket. Between you and me, you might as well take your passport just to be on the safe side...

☀️ Best time of year:

Despite what some advertising brochures say, you can't swim all year round in Djerba. The beaches are open from mid-March to mid-November and the water sports centres are open from April to October. The many tourists who come to the island in winter generally take a thalassotherapy (or balneotherapy, which is cheaper) treatment, play golf or go on excursions in nearby southern Tunisia. In Djerba la Douce, temperatures remain above 20°C from April-May until October-November. Spring and autumn are therefore two prime seasons for visiting the island in complete peace and quiet, away from the major tourist migrations.

Beware of seaweed and jellyfish. Seaweed is washed up on the beach by sea currents when the sea is rough. They are most common in spring and autumn. They are harmless, but unsightly. Hoteliers remove them sparingly, as they play an active part in the beach ecosystem. Jellyfish, on the other hand, 'bloom' in summer, as soon as the water temperature rises above 26°C. Depending on the weather, these conditions occur in July and August, sometimes as early as the end of June and as late as September. Finally, you should be aware that sandstorms sometimes occur on the island, which lies close to the desert.

In Djerba, as elsewhere in the country, haggling takes place daily in the souks. We therefore advise you not to accept the initial price given by the vendor, but to negotiate as much as possible by setting yourself a maximum amount. In this way, you can reduce the price of the product you buy by 20-50%. Spices are not very expensive in Tunisia. To avoid rip-offs and haggling, you can also visit fixed-price shops. A word of advice, avoid keeping your hotel bracelet on your wrist when you arrive in the souks, as this is how touts spot tourists to take them to expensive shops!

🍴 The must-try speciality?

Djerbian couscous, of course! You'll find it at the buffets in the big hotels (offered as a speciality or at Tunisian parties), but to try a good one, you'll have to get invited to a local's house! The same goes for the Djerbians' favourite drink, laghmi, made from palm sap. The local beer, Celtia, is light and served well chilled. You can enjoy a delicious mint tea at the El Fondouk café in Houmt Souk.

🎁 What to bring back in your bag?

Pottery, of course! Buy them in the Berber town of Guellala, Djerba's pottery capital, rather than in Houmt Souk, where the sellers are less insistent. What's more, you can watch demonstrations. We particularly recommend rue Romdhane Ben Mahmoud, where you'll find workshops and showrooms. Ask for the secret of the "magic camel", a camel-shaped jar with a hole in each side that lets air in but not water! Inaugurated in summer 2018 on the outskirts of the tourist zone between Houmt Souk and Midoun, Bourgo Mall is an ultra-modern shopping centre covering 20,000 m² over four hectares. Here you'll find all the must-have souvenirs: a dromedary cuddly toy for children, Tunisian pastries, dates, olive oil, etc.