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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.
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