Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.
Prices here are about 31% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.
Visa requirements vary by passport, so ask the foreign ministry or a Tunisian embassy before booking. Carry proof of funds, hotel details, a return ticket and a passport that stays valid for 6 months. Some governments advise caution in remote parts of the Sahara and in areas close to the Algerian and Libyan borders, so read the travel advice issued by your own government prior to departure.
Though Muslim-majority, Tunisia counts among the more relaxed Arab countries; modest dress is still expected away from the beach and in towns, with shoulders and knees covered. Arabic and French are spoken. Bargaining in souks is normal: open with a low offer and smile. Police, military and government buildings must not be photographed. Non-Muslims may face restrictions on entering active mosques, so ask first. Opening hours change during Ramadan, and Friday is the main day of prayer. Hotels and licensed venues serve alcohol. Be careful with the Tunisian dinar: before leaving with local cash, ask about the rules, and keep exchange receipts. Summers get very hot. Halal food is found everywhere.
Police 197. Ambulance 190. Fire 198. National Guard 193.
The dinar is Tunisia's currency, says Canadian advice, and taking dinars in or out of the country is prohibited. Cash machines are widely available in tourist areas and major centres, and many urban and tourist businesses accept credit cards, but taxis generally take cash only. Exchange money only at recognised banks or exchange offices, and declare large sums of foreign currency at the border.
UK advice says anyone caught with illegal drugs can face lengthy prison sentences, whatever the law elsewhere. Alcohol is sold, but not in supermarkets on Fridays, and during Ramadan sales stop and fewer bars serve it, except in holiday resorts. Beachwear is acceptable in resorts; elsewhere dress modestly. Photographing government or military sites is not allowed. Both UK and Canadian advice say same-sex sexual activity is illegal, and visitors should carry ID or a passport copy.
Yellow taxis are generally available in Tunisia, though few have working seatbelts, Canadian advice says. You can wave one down on the street, or book through a mobile app that displays the fare, which tends to be higher. The advice adds that taxis generally take cash only.
Online shopping fraud takes place in Tunisia, according to Canadian advice, which also says a person could fall victim to a scam if strangers or new acquaintances bring up marriage. Banking information should never be given to strangers, it advises.
local government
Helps with: The Interior Ministry's e-services portal lists 197 as the Police Secours emergency number. The page has no information aimed at tourists.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Tunisia, including visitors, who needs police help.
Phone: 197
local government
Helps with: The Interior Ministry's e-services portal lists 193 as the National Guard emergency number. The page has no information aimed at tourists.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Tunisia, including visitors, who needs help from the National Guard.
Phone: 193
local government
Helps with: The Interior Ministry's e-services portal lists 198 as the Civil Protection number. It is the number for Tunisia's civil protection service.
Who qualifies: Anyone in Tunisia, including visitors, who needs rescue or emergency help.
Phone: 198
local government
Helps with: Tunisia's national tourism office. Its contact page gives head office addresses in Tunis, phone numbers and an email; it lists no tourist helpline.
Who qualifies: Anyone visiting Tunisia or planning a trip there.
Phone: 71 341 077
Email: [email protected]
ngo
Helps with: Tunisia's national Red Crescent society. Its site gives its head office in Tunis; the site text does not describe specific services for visitors.
Who qualifies: People in Tunisia who need to reach the national Red Crescent society.
Phone: +216 71 325 572
Email: [email protected]
Address: 19, Rue d'Angleterre, 1000 Tunis
un agency
Helps with: The UN migration agency's mission in Tunis. Its contact page also lists a toll-free assistance number (num茅ro vert d'assistance).
Who qualifies: Migrants in Tunisia. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.
Phone: +216 71 860 312
Email: [email protected]
Address: 6, Rue du Lac le Bourget, Les Berges du Lac, 1053 Tunis
embassy
Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. The Tunisian foreign ministry's diplomatic list (June 2024) gives each mission's phone, email and address.
Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy.
DjerbaThe market town of Houmt Souk, an old synagogue, whitewashed villages and sandy beaches are found on this sunny Mediterranean island.Photo: Skander zarrad, CC BY-SA 4.0
HammametA walled medina stands by the sea in this beach resort town, which also includes the modern marina area of Yasmine Hammamet.Photo: Marc Ryckaert (MJJR), CC BY 3.0
Sousse and Port El KantaouiThe resort marina at Port El Kantaoui lies beside this coastal city, which has a ribat fortress and a UNESCO-listed medina.Photo: Mietek 艁, CC BY-SA 3.0
TunisBusy souks, a UNESCO-listed medina and the Bardo Museum's large collection of Roman mosaics are the capital's draws.Photo: T A, CC BY-SA 2.0
Sidi Bou Said and CarthageThe ruins of ancient Carthage lie next to a blue-and-white clifftop village, and both are easy trips from Tunis.Photo: Mohamed Moslem Mosbah, CC BY-SA 3.0
Tozeur and the SaharaPalm groves and architecture made of brick mark this oasis town, the base for desert trips and visits to salt lakes and film-set sites.Photo: Rawen Ab, CC BY-SA 4.0
culture
Douz hosts desert music and races of camels.
culture
Carthage's Roman theatre is the venue for concerts.
culture
Douz hosts desert music and races of camels.