Jerba and the South
 

Southern Tunisia has much to offer including the island resort of Jerba and some fascinating towns on the fringes of the Sahara Desert.

JERBA: A popular choice among holidaying Tunisians, Jerba is connected to the mainland by a causeway. There are also ferry services which operate between Ajim on Jerba and Jorf on the mainland.

Although it is only 30km (19 miles) wide by 27km (17 miles) long, Jerba is said to have 354 mosques – one for every day of the Islamic calendar.

The main centre, Houmt Souk, is on the island’s north coast, only four miles from the airport at Mellita. Houmt Souk means ‘marketplace’ and this remains the town’s primary purpose although it also benefits from tourism.

While most tourists stay at the big beach hotels within Jerba’s tourist zone 10-11km (6-7 miles) east of Houmt Souk, accommodation in the town itself includes simple and comfortable fondouk hotels. Most have been built around old courtyards and are very atmospheric.

Midoun – Jerba’s second biggest town – springs to life on Fridays when its sprawling market attracts a large crowd of local people and tourists. It is worth arriving early as everything is over by lunchtime.

Guellala is a big pottery-producing centre which uses local clay quarried from the hills above the village. Its main street is lined with shops piled high with pots and plates.

The El Ghriba Synagogue at Erriadh (also known as Hara Seghira) is one of the holiest Jewish shrines in North Africa.

THE CHOTT EL JERID: The focal point of Tunisia’s desert tourism industry, Chott El Jerid is one of a series of large salt lakes which lie lifeless in summer but evaporate during the winter to create inland seas.

Several oasis towns have sprung up around Chott El Jerid – notably Tozeur – now an established resort with a wide range of hotels – most of them situated in a designated tourist zone 3km (2 miles) from the town centre.

Tozeur’s Palmery comprises thousands of date palms watered by 200 springs.

The old town district known as Ouled El Hadef comprises a network of narrow alleys which have changed little since the 14th century. Their distinctive pale yellow brickwork with geometric motifs is considered a marvel of Islamic art.

There is a small airport at Tozeur served from Tunis by the domestic airline Tuninter with up to five flights a week.

Nearby, Nefta is another oasis town best-known for its Corbeille, a deep gully filled with palm trees which can be explored on foot or by donkey.

DOUZ: Sometimes called ‘The Gateway to the Desert’ Douz is best-visited on its Thursday market day which attracts traders from a wide area selling everything from dates and spices to sheep and camels.

It is also a major centre for desert trekking – either by camel or in four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Anyone planning a desert safari needs to inform the National Guard and ensure their vehicle is equipped with a full tool kit and handbook, spare tyres, fuel and water, a compass and emergency rations. It is also advisable to hire a local driver.

The Douz Museum explores the history and culture of the Tunisian desert.

Douz also hosts an annual Festival of the Sahara – usually held in November or December – which includes camel and greyhound racing, folk dancing and poetry recitals.

MATMATA: Has become an ever more popular stopping point en route between Jerba and Tozeur since the release of the film ‘Star Wars: The Phantom Menace’. In the opening sequence of the original Star Wars movie, Matmata's troglodyte houses were featured.

The cave dwellings which date from the fourth century BC are built on two levels: the upper one containing storage rooms with living accommodation below. Some are still inhabited and can be visited by arrangement with the owners. One or two have been turned into hotels – which makes for an unusual night’s stay.

Another strange type of building found in the deep south of Tunisia are ksour – most often seen around Medenine and Tataouine. Made from mud and stone and three or four stories high, they were built around a courtyard and used as secure storage units for grain. One of the best-preserved is the Ksar Ouled Soltane 24km (15 miles) east of Tataouine. Buildings in its first courtyard are more than 400 years old while the inner complex dates from around 1850.

EXCURSIONS: An interesting day trip from Tozeur or Nefta is exploring the mountain villages of Tamerza, Chebika and Mides. The original village of Tamerza was abandoned after catastrophic flooding in 1969 but visitors can still walk through its eerily empty streets.