If you're not into packed seaside resorts, it's probably best to give Tunisia's coast a miss in July and August. Hammamet, Sousse,
Port El Kantaoui and Cap Bon beaches are particularly crowded. It's no wonder, as the thermometer hovers attractively around 30°C during the day and gently eases to a pleasant 20°C in the evening. At around 50%, the humidity is undaunting and there is little rain to spoil the fun.
Midwinter (December and January) is not bad either. You can expect it to be a cool 15°C or so, but as this is the rainy season, the humidity may pop up to 70% when the clouds build up. However, with an annual rainfall total of only about 425mm, and not much more than 60mm in any one month, you're not going to get drenched.
A trip inland to Kairouan (Tunisia's holiest city), to see the Great Mosque, visit the famous carpet markets and explore the area's numerous ruins, is a must for most tourists. During summer, expect to find it even hotter here - nearer 40°C - but with markedly less rain and the humidity an easygoing 35%.
If you're planning to move on to the fringes of the Sahara for camel treks out of Douz, visits to Berber villages around Tozeur or to photograph the setting of The English Patient, you are well advised to avoid the peak of summer. It's very hot and the essential afternoon siesta eats into the day while the camera film cooks. South of the Gulf of GabËs and Chott el Djerid (most famous for its large, succulent dates - with which Cleopatra reputedly seduced Antony), the Sahara takes hold. Moving towards the Equator, the temperature becomes increasingly oppressive, hitting 50°C in places - terrain for mad dogs and Englishmen only. |
