Port el-Kantaoui

Port el-Kantaoui, Tunisia's first purpose-built tourist resort, established in 1977, is now a fully-fledged town and one of Tunisia's most popular destinations. Modelled on the French Riviera's Port-Grimaud, the resort is built in Andalucian-Moorish style around a huge marina. The Mediterranean jet set loves to be seen here with their flashy yachts, while the buzzing waterfront is lined with restaurants, cocktail bars and swanky boutiques. This upmarket resort has little to do with Tunisia, but that is one of the reasons Tunisians love it, and perhaps why so many visitors never leave it.

In summer the resort attracts Tunisians and plenty of European families. Port el-Kantaoui is a very family-orientated resort, but outside the school holidays it also draws a good number of retirees, mainly from northern European countries, who enjoy the relaxed pace and the good-value package deals.

Port el-Kantaoui lies on Tunisia's central coast, in the region known as the Sahel. The resort is about 10km (6 miles) north of Sousse and 130km (80 miles) south of Tunis. The nearest airport is Skanes-Monastir Habib Bourguiba, 25km (15 miles) to the south.

The town and the beach overlook the azure waters of the Gulf of Hammamet, which is part of the Mediterranean, and are backed by acres and acres of orchards and olive groves. The town is built around a marina, and has a long stretch of beach north of the town. Inland the climate gets hotter right away.

The wide stretch of beach north of the marina is more beautiful than the famous beach of Boujaffar between Port el-Kantaoui and Sousse. Lined with hotels, the beach is mostly private, but there are some good public stretches in between. Mock pirate ships and colourful fishing boats take tourists from the marina along the coast to swim in deeper waters or fish. Plenty of watersports facilities are available including pedalos, paragliding, windsurfing, water-skiing and jet-skis. Several hotels along the beach, and the diving centre on the edge of the marina near the boat yards offer open-water diving courses. Glass-bottom boats take trips from the marina to see the local fish life.

After the sun goes down, the waterfront is the place to be, with a good choice of bars, ice cream parlours, restaurants and shops. On top of that, the yachts in the marina are worth a close look, and the new medina makes for a pleasant stroll. There are two excellent 18-hole golf courses, horse riding and tennis courts.

Port el-Kantaoui is particularly family friendly but the Aqua Palace (rue des Palmiers) delights children with slides and wave pools. Smaller children will also appreciate the small zoo and the shady aromatic garden in the marina. Hannibal Park (route des Touristes) is an amusement park with a good rollercoaster, fairy-tale fair ground rides and a playground for children. The Hergla Karting Park (route de Tunis) is another popular amusement park with more adventurous rides.

On the waterfront and in the alleys of the medina are plenty of stores selling Tunisian souvenirs like metal bird cages, toy camels, carpets, pottery and jewellery. The large supermarket, Magasin General (at the entrance of the marina) sells clothes and has a good food department. In town there are plenty of boutiques selling beachwear.

Port el-Kantaoui is not the place to look for a hectic nightlife, but most of the hotels have nightclubs, mainly frequented by tourists and Tunisian men. The hottest is the Rediguana (route Touristique) which hosts international DJs in its exotic and tribal decor, and open-air club in summer. The bars on the waterfront are popular at night and stay open fairly late.

Most tourists eat in their hotel, but there is a good selection of restaurants on the marina's waterfront. Restaurants are pricier here than elsewhere in the country, but that is often a reflection of the better quality. Fresh fish and seafood are high on the list, as are Tunisian specialities such as brik à l'oeuf (crispy pancake with egg filling), couscous and salads. There are plenty of international dishes for the less adventurous.

The town centre is easily explored on foot, but the resort spreads far along the beach. Buses 12 and 18 leave every 30 minutes from the station, 150m (165 yards) west of the marina, to the bus stop outside the medina of Sousse (boulevard Yahia ben Omar). An electric tourist train runs up and down the resort strip, between the marina of Port el-Kantaoui and the northern end of avenue Habib Bourguiba in Sousse. Taxis are plentiful and metered.

There are trains from nearby Sousse to Sfax and cities further south and to Tunis and Hammamet in the north. National buses leave from the new bus station in Souq el-Ahad in Sousse to inland destinations and all other major cities.

Nearby Sousse has a fine medina with the best souks in the country, an 8th-century ribat or fortress, several funduqs or inns and an excellent archaeological museum (avenue du Maréchal) with a superb collection of Roman mosaics. The small private Museum Dar es-Sid (65 rue du Rempart) gives an insight in how a well-off family lived, with a pleasant café on the roof. Monastir has a well-preserved ribat and a picturesque medina. Kairouan is the fourth holiest city in Islam and its Grand Mosque is the oldest in North Africa. It has retained more of its character than the coastal cities, and makes for a pleasant day trip.

Le Méditerranée (website: www.lemediterranee.com.tn) on the southern edge of the marina, stands out above the other restaurants, but it comes at a price. The magnificent blue dining room overlooks the marina. The long menu has both Tunisian and international specialities, and the service is very attentive. Reservations are recommended.

Monastir Habib Bourguiba Airport (MIR)