Djerba

Djerba's beauty has been sung by poets ever since Homer: this ‘island of ten thousand palm trees,' the ‘Land of the Lotus Eaters,' so enchanted Ulysses on his Odyssey that he had a hard time leaving. It is easy to see why; in the 21st century, Djerba still has a good year round climate and stunning sandy beaches plus some excellent hotels. As all resort hotels are in the Zone Touristique on the northeast coast, the towns have kept their traditional character. Away from the busy towns, the real Djerba is found inland, in the countryside where olive groves make the most of the barren land and traditional architecture can be seen. Summer is party time: many Tunisians living in Europe return and it is wedding season.

In summer mostly Tunisians and some heat-loving Europeans flock to the island. The rest of the year the island attracts mainly French, German and Italian visitors and a few Brits. During school holidays, the hotels are filled with families and young people, while out of season you find an older crowd.

Djerba is in the southeast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabes. The island's capital, Houmt Souk, is located 108km (65 miles) east of Gabés, and 245km (147 miles) south of Sfax. The island's airport is near Melita in the northwest of the island, 8km (5 miles) from Houmt Souk.

The island is 29km (18 miles) wide and 27km (17 miles) long, and is connected to the mainland by the Roman el-Kantara causeway and a car ferry from Ajim to el-Jorf.

Djerba is blessed with soft sandy beaches and a clear turquoise sea. The best beaches are on the northeast coast, but most are privately owned by the resort hotels in the Zone Touristique, with the exception of a few stretches such as the Plage des 5,000 Ans (Beach of 5,000 Years), 8km (5 miles) from Houmt Souk, and, further on, the Plage Municipale (Municipal Beach). The quieter beaches are between Aghir and el-Kantara.All the hotels offer a wide variety of watersports including wind-surfing, water-skiing, jet-skiing and pedalos.

The white-washed town of Houmt Souk, with its narrow alleys of souks and souvenir shops, has interesting Djerban architecture, particularly the mosques and the funduqs (inns). The Museum of Popular Arts (rue avenue Abdelhamid el-Kadhi) allows an insight into the island's traditions. A 25-minute walk from the centre is the picturesque fishing port, which is at its busiest early morning.

The true soul of the island lies inland. The Synagogue of el-Ghriba in er-Riadh, 7km (4 miles) south of Houmt Souk, is the oldest in North Africa, and it contains what is presumed to be the world's oldest Torah. Guellala has an interesting Folkloric Museum and several potteries. The island's second largest town, Midoun, is a quieter and smaller version of Houmt Souk.

All the resorts are family orientated, and children love shopping in the colourful souks. A visit to Borj el-Kebir, Houmt Souk's fort, captures the imagination as the stronghold of the Turkish pirate Dragut and his men. Every Tuesday afternoon a traditional fantasia (horse show) is organised at the amphitheatre of Midoun. Djerba Explore (website: www.djerbaexplore.com), near Aghir, is a large tourist complex with a fine museum of Islamic arts, a crocodile park, a heritage zone and several restaurants and shops.

The souks of Houmt Souk sell everything from the elaborate Tunisian bird cages and silver filigree jewellery to the omnipresent fluffy camel and the Djerban hats and shopping baskets made from palm leaves. Socopa (avenue Habib Bourguiba) exhibits and sells Tunisian crafts at fixed prices, while Michèle Art et Tradition (rue des Antiquaires) has a high-quality selection of local crafts. Guellala has plenty of pottery shops and workshops. Midoun has a good market on Thursday afternoon, and on Friday morning early.

Most cafés in Houmt Souk close around 2000, so the nights are quiet. Many of the hotels in the Zone Touristique have nightclubs that cater to Europeans and a few Tunisian men. The Grand Pasino Djerba (website: www.djerbacasino.com) in the Zone Touristique, is open 24 hours.

Restaurants serve fresh seafood and fish, as well as the traditional Tunisian salads and couscous. The smaller restaurants often don't serve alcohol. The alleys and streets of Houmt Souk are lined with cafés and restaurants. Popular with both locals and tourists is Restaurant de l'île (rue de Bizerte) with delicious and good value seafood dishes served with wine, and the more upmarket Haroun (at the entrance of the harbour), where couscous with fish is the house speciality. The hotels offer a selection of restaurants.

The bus station in Houmt Souk (avenue Habib Bourguiba) has three buses a day to Melita airport. The cheapest way to get around is by the island's extensive bus network (the time table is posted in the bus station). Alternatively you can hire a car or, even better, a scooter from Raïs Rentals (9 avenue Abdelhamid el-Kadhi, Houmt Souk). Bicycle hire is available from hotels and as the island is flat it is easy to cycle around. From the bus station there are scheduled departures to Tunis, Sousse, Sfax, Gabés, Zarzis and other southern towns on the mainland.

The region around Tataouine has several ruined hilltop villages with ksour (fortified strongholds), including Ksar Haddada, the old village of Guermessa and the most picturesque of all, Chenini. Medenine has a Sunday market and a few abandoned ksour in its surroundings. Slightly further away is Matmata with its troglodyte dwellings that featured in Star Wars.

The Dar Dhiafa (website: www.hoteldardhiafa.com) in the village of er-Riadh stands out from all others on the island. This small luxurious hotel with 10 individually decorated rooms and four suites occupies some traditional houses in the village. It has two swimming pools, a hammam (Turkish bath) and an excellent restaurant. A perfect retreat!

Djerba Melita Airport (DJE)