Tunisia Info Please ?

I live in Monastir and used to frequent Thalassa for swimming quite regularly during the summer months. Thalassa Hotels Rte Tourist, Skanés BP61 5065 Aeroport Monastir, Monastir TUNISIA +216.73.52.05.20 -phone +216.73.52.05.11 -fax sales.departement@thalassa-hotels.com http://www.thalassa-hotels.com/ang/situation.htm The hotel itself is very nice and very modern. It is a 4 star hotel, with 252 rooms within 10 suites, all large and comfortable, all rooms are with loggia, air conditioning,bath, hair drier, telephone, T.V satellite, mini-bar, safe,room service 24/24 hours. There is one main restaurant (buffet), restaurant à la carte with terrasse, barbecue (only in summer), piano bar, pool bar, beach bar, maurish café, bridge room and polyvalent room. Private beach, outdoor pool with 1300 m2 , pool for kids, Jacuzzi, indoor pool, mini-club (4 – 12 years old), 3 tennis courts with night light, mini golf, archery, ping-pong, sailing, jet ski, catamaran, water polo, beach volley, gym aquatique, pedalo, canoe, night shows and entertainement on pool and beach side. For your well being, we propose a Fitness center with: sauna, hammam massage and a gym room. As for how far you will be from Monastir airport, you will not be far. You will be within a 5 minute walking distance, but the hotel should provide a shuttle service for you you. If they do not, then you can easily find a taxi and it should cost you no more than 1-2 TDN. And do not let the proximity of the airport put you off, planes do not fly over the hotels, they circle around in the opposite direction to afford peace and quiet to the hotels (my husband is a pilot working out of Monastir airport). Sunbathing topless is allowed and is actually quite frequent amongst tourists. There is no need to feel ashamed or to feel like you need to cover up. The weather in May will be getting warm, so be sure to pack summer clothes. I also suggest that you bring a light sweater for the chilly nights. Most Tunisians are not yet accustomed to swimming in the Sea during May, but may tourists do and love it. How much money you want to bring is entirely up to you. It will depend on where you plan on dinning (the hotel is always more expensive) and what you plan on doing. A 1.5L bottle of mineral water costs .400TDN, but most people buy them is cartons of 6. Just a way to not have to go to the store all the time to buy water. A 1L bottle of coke is 1TDN, while a 1.5L bottle is 1.500TDN. Beer and alcohol prices will probably cost you about 5TDN for one bottle in a hotel, and around 3TDN in a restaurant. Taxi rides are pretty cheap, but if you want to save on that you can always walk. A taxi ride is usually around 3 dinars depending on how far you are going and what city you will be in. Food prices will depend on what type of restaurant you want to go to. A fast food place will cost you about 3TDN per person if you buy a coke along with your sandwich. And actual restaurant will run you anywhere between 20-30TDN for 4 people, including drinks, and many times dessert as wellI know people who only brig about 500-100($, £; or €) and they've all had a nice time. It's strictly a matter of what you plan on doing. The currency here in Tunisia is the Tunisian Dinar. Now, let me give you a little lesson. This will be long, but well worth the read. Travelers’ checks and credit cards are accepted at some establishments in Tunisia, mainly in urban or tourist areas. The Tunisian dinar is not yet a fully convertible currency and Tunisian law prohibits the export or import of Tunisian bank notes or coins. Tunisian law permits the export of foreign currency that was declared when entering Tunisia. Tourists are expected to make foreign exchange transactions at authorized banks or dealers and to retain receipts for dinars obtained. Under foreign currency regulations, a tourist can reconvert to foreign currency 30 percent of what has been exchanged into dinars, up to a maximum of 100 dollars. Declaring foreign currency on entering Tunisia and obtaining a receipt for dinars purchased thereafter will facilitate reconverting dinars to your original currency. Keep all receipts of monetary transactions for presentation when leaving the country. Now that the government part is over, there are cash points (ATMs) all over Tunisia, mainly in touristicy areas, and at banks. I personally wouldn't bring travelers checkes as it will take a long time for them to process it when you check out because not many people use them. Really the only place that they are valuable at is a bank. And because Tunisia is still a developing country, most places aren't set up to accept credit cards or debit cards. You'll find that only you're major stores, such as Carefour (in Tunis), and Monoprix, and Magasin General, plus a few major resteraunts are equipped to handle them. Most major hotels can handle them as well, but not your smaller local ones. My best suggestion to you is to bring the amount of money you want to have and change it little by little when you are in Tunisia. Tunisia is one of the few places in the world where you will get a better exchange rate at most hotels than the bank. Or bring a credit/debit card and use it at the ATM's when you need money. There is a fee for using the ATM's though, and that varies from bank to bank. Mostly the fee is between 1,500 dinars and 2 dinars. Remember though, you also get charged a fee from your bank for having to convert your normal currency into local currency. You will have to check with your bank/credit card provider to find out how much that fee would be. Which ever way you go, keep only the necessary cash on you, and the rest in your hotel room. If you have any more questions or if I can be of any more assistance, please feel free to let me know!

As far as i know you are not too far from the airport at all. The weather should be really quite nice, I know for a fact that june is extremely hot so may should be really really nice and great for a tan. Plenty of people sunbathe topless over there, you just ahve to ahve respect when you are walking around medinas and such like as it is a muslim country so it's better if you cover your shoulders. In terms of spending money it totally depends on what you wanna do there, shopping, going out or whatever......i'd say around £500 but the depends on your board at the hotel and how mcuh you want to do when you are there. The weather at night should be fine but it can sometimes get a little chilly so you should take a thin jacket or shawl but i don't think you would really need it....it depends on you but it always good to be prepared just in case. THe currency as mentioned is dinars and there is like 2.3 to the pound so i pretty just half everything to figure it out it pounds. Have a great time!

Hi lonie,Hi every body , I don't have much to add,Hassen already covered most of your questions. As far as the weather in May,it will be spring time and it's a very good period to visit Tunisia.The average temperature on the cost (like Skanès Monastir) might be: Between 18° & 26°c. duiring day time and little less at night. It's tolerated to go topless in approraite places by the hotel pool (solarium) but it is not accepted on the hotel public beach. I wish you a nice holidays in Tunisia,and hope that you'll enjoy your stay at the Thalassa Hotel, Skanès Monastir.

Just like to add, i love Tunisia, its my favourite place to go on holiday, have a great time!

the local souks or markets are a good place to pick up a bargain if your prepared to barter,dunno why you cant get the vodka etc we had it at our hotel,recomend you try the local hooch called bouka,but stay away from a bright orange coloured salad dressing called oja oja, it'll take the skin off you're mouth fiery hot.