Overall, it’s a cost-effective beach vacation with a stunning Mediterranean backdrop. It feels like the love child of Greece and Morocco.
Where I went:
Tunis (TUI Magic Life Africana; all-inclusive beach resort in Hammamet)
What I wore:
Tunisia is the birthplace of fashion powerhouses Azzedine Alaia and Max Azria so it’s a perfect place to break out the couture. Since I was staying at the beach, I focused on colorful bathing suits, resort wear, and white denim. I packed colors that would pop against blue seas, white buildings and intricate doorways. Although Tunisia is a Muslim country, tourists in the beach area are not expected to dress modestly.
What I did:
When I headed to Tunisia for a beach holiday with my mother and brother, I had no intention of leaving our all-inclusive resort. It was Spring Break, and I needed to return home with a tan.
The resort was filled with an amazing selection of all-inclusive beach activities.
After a few days, I was bronzed enough to leave the resort to explore the Atlas Mountains by quad bike. Definitely worth the hit to my tanning time. The sunrise views over the Mediterranean are awe-inspiring!
But as we were wrapping up our quad bike excursion at a local olive farm, my mother struck up a conversation with a local man holding the reins of a horse. I use the term “conversation” loosely because the man spoke no English, and they were really just playing an awkward game of charades. The next thing I know, she tells us she gave the man a down payment and he would be picking us up the next afternoon at our hotel to go horseback riding on the beach.
Assuming she was joking, I continued my tanning schedule in earnest. But at 3:00 the following day, she asked my brother and me to meet her in the hotel lobby for the horseback ride. We skeptically obliged but were losing patience after a 30-minute wait. Eventually, a bellman instructed us to head to the front of the resort and wait for a white van. Seriously, it was literally a windowless white van!
But my “no risk, no reward” mother pointed out there were some French tourists in the van so we should go for it. So, there we were, riding in a white van with a group of people who did not speak English, driving in the opposite direction of the beach. Not a great sign.
But after we dropped off the French tourists, the van turned in a new direction and so did our expectations. Within 10 minutes, we were at a deserted beach with the local horseman. The private horse and camel ride on a deserted white sand beach at sunset was breathtaking—the highlight of our trip!
What I ate/drank:
Staying at an all-inclusive resort, we had a wonderful opportunity to sample a wide-variety of Tunisian dishes, from tagine and couscous to sweet breads and pastries. It was all healthy, fresh and delicious! The legal drinking age is 18, and the local beer is Celtia.
Social media musts:
Tunisia is all about North African beach scenes and Mediterranean architecture. The landscapes were such a blend of Morocco and Greece that I also looked for views that were distinctly Tunisian. Luckily, they have pride in their national flag!
A Few Songs From My Travel Playlist From Tunisia
Roll With The Changes - REO Speedwagon
Pocketful Of Sunshine - Natasha Bedingfield
Oh Darling! - The Beatles
Paradise City - Guns N Roses
I Wish - Stevie Wonder
Make Me Lose Control - Eric Carmen
Old Time Rock & Roll - Bob Seger
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