IDEAL FOR BEACH LOVERS. Review on Tunisia, General

For anyone put off by the thought of having to haggle your way through a holiday in North Africa, you should try PORT EL KANTAOUI

Visitors to either Tunisia or Morocco who are not used to the ancient custom of haggling for ‘bargains’ when shopping find it exciting at first. But, after a while it becomes tiresome – well it did for me. Then I stumbled across a relaxing resort which had fixed prices in the shops and did not try to rip the tourist off at all points.

Port el Kantaoui was built around 20 years ago as a 'purpose made' resort. It is centred around a very smart marina. Ringed with Bars, shops and Restaurants - it has very much a 'Mediterranean Riviera' type feel to it. One thing we noticed straight away after having previously been the resorts of Hammamet and Sousse - you didn't have to haggle for anything! Everything was a set price in the shops. Plenty of ‘fake’ designer gear to load up and bring back, plus all the usual artefacts, lace, pottery and an assortment of tacky souvenirs. But it just felt a lot more relaxing and you were able to get on with your holiday rather than worry about whether you’d been ‘had’ in the souk.

We’d originally had a brief stop at the resort on a sightseeing coach tour whilst based at Hammamet – probably Tunisia’s best known resort. Well that brief visit, three years ago, set up the next year's fortnight break. We stayed in the Hotel Al Mouradi - three stars - and like most of the hotels right slap bang on the beach.

All the hotels in the resort are of a good quality and provide at least half board accommodation. There are one or two ‘all-inclusives’ on offer, but by and large the hotels offer quality surroundings and facilities, with most backing onto the superb wide sandy beach.

You can hotel hop as much as you like, sampling the plentiful four and five star hotels in the resort – even if you are based in slightly humbler accomodation. But, take it from me, there isn't a bad hotel in the resort.

We spent most days on the fine, white sand beach, washed by warm clean waters. Or for a change we would sit by a pool - not neccesarily our own hotel pool, but the one next door - or next to that. No problems, everything nice and relaxed. Plenty of opportunity to partake in watersports on the beach or a game of volleyball. Then again, you can just take it easy as you laze in the sunshine – not forgetting to baste regular, turning occasionally….(sorry that’s the recipe for Turkey not Tunisia)

The evenings - after eating in the hotel - were a bit limited. Entertainment is restricted to the hotel complexes, with one or two containing Discos, but Club-Crazy Ibiza this ain't! If you are looking for lively and raucous - go elsewhere. This is far more restrained. You might find a few party games put on by the ‘animateurs’ in your hotel and the occasional ‘traditional’ night of belly dancing and fire eating. But a holiday in Tunisia is a bit of a change from the norm anyway, surely?

If you are lucky your hotel may contain a Arab Coffee House. As well as coffee (the dark, strong variety) they will also be likely to have an old traditional ‘hubble bubble’ pipe. Probably being used by a couple of spaced out, but every relaxed looking gentlemen. I think it’s called a little ‘local colour’. Try it at your peril!

Tunisia itself is a country which some visitors take to their hearts and others think is grimy, grubby, full of beggars and rip-off merchants . But it is a land steeped in history and culture, boasting a few lively resorts, fringed with beautiful sandy beaches. If you have been disappointed before by Tunisia, give it another chance by staying in Port el Kantaoui – it is a much more continental style resort, but far from commercialised, very classy, clean and comfortable. I highly recommend it to you