Djerba: the forgotten jewel of the Mediterranean
Leaving Tataouine and its Ksars behind, we drove the two hours something towards beautiful Djerba.
The road is mostly on a straight line, cutting through the rocky desert which definitely reminded me of the America’s song, “A horse with no name”.
Djerba is a gorgeous island located off the southeastern coast of Tunisia, in the Mediterranean sea. It’s known for its stunning beaches, rich history and whitewashed towns influenced by Berber, Arab, Jewish and African cultures. Houmt Souk is the main city, known for its handicraft markets, fishing port and 16th-century fortress.
The northern coast of Djerba is dotted by hotel resorts catering mostly to Europeans, but there are very affordable hotels in many part of the island and plenty of AirBnB villas (with pool) for rent.
We rented an incredible villa with private pool and we absolutely loved it. More info at the end.
Djerba is a beach destination.
Although there are some sightseeing opportunities, its main focus is beach life!
Djerba used to be one of the top holiday destinations in the Mediterranean sea but after the terroristic attacks In Tunisia in 2015, the whole country has plunged into near oblivion.
And Djerba with it.
Although it retains part of its former glory, the island feels a little neglected and unloved.
If you are staying at one of the resorts on the coast, remaining in the hotel and not venturing out, you will likely not notice any of this. The beaches in that part are beautiful and clean and you will not know what the rest of Djerba is like today.
However, there is a real Djerba outside of the resorts, which has a good and a not so good.
The good:
Djerba has some incredibly beautiful beaches and the water has the colour (and warmth) of the Caribbean!
Yeti 1 and Yeti 2 are, hands down, the most beautiful beaches on the island and are reasonably clean.
The sand is soft and the sea is shallow, making it perfect for families with young children.
There are some beach bars offering drinks, snacks and shade if needed.
There are some watersports available, such as surfing and paragliding.
We have seen also camel rides, but please, think twice before you use them as the animals are very very often mistreated.
Djerba has some incredible sunsets on the west coast, but you need your own transportation or taxis.
Taxis are very affordable and cheap.
There are quite a few really good restaurants: our favourites, the super Instagrammable El Fondouk and the less famous but with much better food quality (we went twice) Essofra.
Hotels and AirBnB are very affordable.
Djerba has its own unique architecture which mixes Arabic traditional architecture with Mediterranean Berber undertones.
The bad:
It still feels rather undeveloped, and while this is, in a way, a good thing, it means that you may need to rely on your own transportation for getting around.
The garbage.
Djerba could definitely benefit from some cleaning. As I said, it feels like it has been abandoned and its soul went to rot.
Outside of the tourist centres, and immediate city centre, often some rubbish piles up at the corners of the streets.
The beaches, not directly in front of the hotels, are not really that clean, with the exception of the ones we mentioned and a few others.
We ventured to Essaguia beach, which was supposed to be one of the best beaches and we were sorely disappointed.
We left after a few minutes and went to Aghir beach instead.
Which was ok, not the best beach in the world but it was decently clean and we had fun in the very shallow water.
It is a shame that Djerba has been left like this because I really loved the island and the colour of the sea stole my heart!
Djerbahood
There are areas of Djerba that are trying to clean themselves up and revamp the villages, one of these has been named Djerbahood, a village where mural artists are bringing their own creative expression to brighten up the walls.
Easily reached by car or taxi, Djerbahood has delightful souvenirs shops, cafes and restaurants.
We rented a villa with pool at a very affordable rate and we really loved it. It was just outside of the city centre but only 20 mins walk and taxi are really cheap anyway.
After all this, would I still go back to Djerba?
Absolutely yes! Immediately!
We stayed for 5 nights and we could have easily done with another 5!
So, don’t be put off by some of the negative traits (but it’s good to know), Djerba is still a very beautiful island that deserves to be seen and experienced!
For more Tunisia blog posts: https://blog.worldswithout.net/tunisia/
