Guide to Tunisia

Beaches

If you're looking for sun-bleached shores, you'll strike gold in Tunisia. All its resorts come with beaches worthy of a Bounty ad. Imagine mile upon mile of soft, pure and pale sands. Luminous aquamarine waters. Cloudless blue skies. You get the picture. Most hotels have their own private beaches, so you'll never have trouble finding a sunbed. For postcard-perfect shores, it's hard to beat Hammamet. Here, sands white as laundered sheets swathe the coastline for 10 kilometres. The same goes for Monastir, Sousse, Port El Kantaoui and Skanes, where gently shelving sands dissolve into glittering blue seas. And because we're talking about the Mediterranean, you'll find the waters warm and calm wherever you go. Watersports are in no short supply. Along every beach and promenade, colourful surf rentals, sailing schools and dive centres conspire to keep you from your sunbed. Qualified diver? Wriggle into a wetsuit and head for the shipwrecks, rock tunnels and sealife hiding underwater. Skim the waves on water-skis or a windsurf board. Or take to a sailboat from Port El Kantaoui or Monastir marina and waft around the coast seeking out deserted bays and coves.

Eating out

If you love discovering new tastes and flavours, you'll lap up Tunisian cuisine. A melting pot of North African, French and Middle Eastern influences, it'll take your tastebuds on a culinary carousel ride. For starters, its long coastline means that loads of dishes revolve around fish. Lots of restaurants display their glittering wares in chilled cabinets on the street, enticing you in to feast on the daily catch. Cue platters of fresh, pan-fried sole, red mullet and perch. Giant prawns simmered in garlic and peppered with parsley. Octopus and squid cooked till they're unbelievably soft and tender. All plucked from the sparkling waters just hours before. Then there are time-honoured favourites like 'brik' - melt-in-the-mouth pastries enfolded around a lightly cooked egg and topped with tuna. And of course, 'couscous'. These fluffy semolina grains are the national dish and mixed with vegetables, meat or fish to create deliciously satisfying stews. You're spoilt for choice with drinks too. Tunisia's wines may not be laden with gongs, but they're coming up in the world. Look out for rich Magon reds or crisp Chardonnays – they're considered the best. If you're into beer, Celtia is the favourite. And for a nightcap, order some 'thibarine', the thickly sweet date liqueur. Something of an acquired taste, it'll work its way into your affections well before your holiday's out. All too much? Don't worry. From Hammamet to Sousse and Monastir to Mahdia, there's plenty by way of international fare. Fish 'n' chips. Pizza. Steaks. Gourmet French and Italian. They're all here in strength to please every possible palate.

• La Daurade, Port El Kantaoui – Hobnob with the beautiful people at this snazzy waterside restaurant in Port El Kantaoui.
  
• Chez Achour, Hammamet – Squeezed between medina and sea, this is a legend in its own locality. Come summer, the owners set out tables in the charming courtyard.

Nightlife

Romantic suppers under the stars? Strutting your stuff at high-octane clubs? Immersing yourself in the local culture? Whatever type of nightlife you're looking for, Tunisia has it ready and waiting. All you need do is pick the right resort. For sophisticated dinner-and-dance kind of evenings, you're best off in Port El Kantaoui or Yasmine Hammamet. Here, the entertainment spotlight stays firmly fixed on the hotels, which stage belly dancing and Bedouin shows. Or for a different scene, head for their marinas, where stylish bars – and a few dancespots – might just put pay to your plans for an early night. The same goes for Skanes and Mahdia, where the hotels lay on regular live music and folklore celebrations to get you clapping, singing and shimmying after dinner. In Sousse and Monastir, the tempo shifts up a gear, with plenty of waterfront bars and cafes to entice you into sipping late-night cocktails on the corniche. But if you're up for some industrial-strength partying, it's got to be Hammamet. The country's biggest tourist resort, this place fires on all cylinders after dark. Just head for Moncef Bay. This area is one big party. Its main strip is stuffed with softly lit bars, pub-style hangouts and heady clubs playing everything from house to hot salsa.

• British Bar, Hammamet – Let your hair down at this popular open-air disco bar. Always jam-packed with locals and visitors, it's one big ball of fun.
• Shakespeares, Hammamet – You can't beat this for brash pub-style entertainment. Nightly drag shows, comedy acts, satellite sports and a beer garden hit the spot for homesick holidaymakers.
• Calypso, Hammamet – Hammamet's most happening hangout. Heavy tunes, hip crowds and hot international DJs gang together at this iconic club in Moncef Bay.

Shopping

Spice-scented souks. Hundreds of hole-in-the-wall bazaar stalls. Whitewashed medinas housing with classy boutiques. When it comes to shopping, Tunisia really goes to town. Old. New. Glitzy. Rustic. Expensive. Cheap. Every possible variety is here. Just remember to haggle. Whatever you're eyeing or buying – it's the done, and fun, thing. The old medinas at Sousse and Monastir are good starting points for your shopping sessions. Heavy with the fragrance of spices, their tiny, tangled streets are squashed with stalls selling rainbow-coloured rugs, brilliant blue ceramics, Arabesque birdcages and ethnic jewellery. Don't expect to come out empty-handed – it's all utterly irresistible. And that's only half the story. Every Sunday, Sousse's shopping spotlight switches to its weekly market in the Souq el-Ahad. It's a whirlwind of stalls offering everything from carpets to cakes. Oh, and the occasional camel, too. You'll find similar souks in all the resorts, so you'll never go short in the souvenir stakes. Take Mahdia. As well as its shop-packed old town, its weekly market offers up shimmering silverware, soft leather sandals and a multitude more. And when you're in the mood for some thoroughly modern retail therapy, Port El Kantaoui's your place. Its new medina brims with chic boutiques and showy gift stores. As for Skanes, most people hotfoot it to neighbouring Monastir or fill their bags with goodies in the modern malls around the centre. Wherever you're based though, you don't have to look hard for Tunisia's favourite take-homes. They're everywhere. Think richly patterned carpets made from the purest wool. Cheerful blue teapots and bowls. And sultan-style slippers and bright kaftans.