Djerba flamingos where to see. Looking for pink flamingos. Tipping in Tunisia

Lagoon of the island of Djerba - Pink miracle. Have you been? Djerba Lagoon is a natural bay of the sea on the north-eastern tip of the island. It is formed by the Ras Tagermes cape protruding into the sea, and the marshy and saline areas between the western coast of the cape and the coastline of Djerba have turned into a lagoon. This is one of the few places in Tunisia where pink flamingos love to hang out. These spectacular birds are addicted to the salty water of the shallow waters on the north-eastern coast of the island, which is literally teeming with various marine inhabitants necessary for this bird. For tourists arriving in Djerba in winter, the Lagoon reveals itself in all its glory: a long bay, where there is virtually no sea swell, covered with a soft pink, constantly swaying carpet - these flamingos slowly move from place to place in search of nutritional microorganisms. The salt marshes of North Africa are one of the main places where flamingos nest. These birds need the salty water of shallow sea waters, salt marshes and estuaries - it is saturated with salts necessary for the existence of small marine inhabitants that flamingos feed on - crustaceans, insect larvae, worms, mollusks, and algae. By the way, the famous pink color of flamingo feathers is the result of swallowing tiny red crustaceans, the pigment of which then turns into the appearance of birds - from feathers to legs. In cases where there are no crustaceans in the flamingo's diet (for example, in captivity), the birds become white. Flamingos can be seen in varying numbers in the Lagoon all year round, but most of them are here in winter - then the local inhabitants are joined by their European “comrades” who fly to North Africa for the winter from southern France and southern Spain. Bird watching is not an easy task: flamingos are extremely distrustful of homo sapiens and, when a person approaches, they immediately retreat deeper into the lagoon, and in particularly “dangerous” cases they take off, demonstrating the spectacular black edging of their wings and long legs, which they do not tuck in during flight, but extend along the line of the body. The Djerba Lagoon is a great place to enjoy the island's diverse nature: olive trees and date palms grow here literally side by side - a fact not found anywhere else in Tunisia. The lagoon is also a popular spot for surfers, albeit not on a global, but rather on a local scale. The northeastern tip of the island is constantly blown by fairly strong winds - a real bait for adepts of boarding and water splashes. The Ras Tagermes lighthouse once illuminated the path for Turkish, French and, finally, Tunisian ships into the harbor of Djerba. Today it is still operational, but serves mainly for yachts and the romantic decoration of the island landscape.

The island of Djerba cannot boast of a large number of large-scale architectural and historical objects. Those located at the resort can be explored during a sightseeing tour of the island, or, if you do it yourself, getting to know interesting places will take 1-2 days.

Houmt Souk is the capital of Djerba, and there are quite a lot of attractions and simply interesting places to visit. The city itself, although a tourist destination, has retained its originality and national flavor, which can be felt while walking among the low blue and white houses along the winding narrow streets.

In the center of the city there is an extensive market of authentic souvenirs and jewelry, where, after heated bargaining with shopkeepers, tourists buy unusual and memorable items.

Turkish Jamaa Ettruk Mosque;
the main mosque of the Ibadis, Eh Sheikh;
Mosque of followers of Malekism Jamaa el-Ghorba.

Near the island's capital on the coast is the fort of Bordjel Kebir, built in 1284 to defend against Spanish and Norman invaders. You can visit it every day, except Friday, from 9.00 to 18.00, ticket price is 4 dinars.

On the beach, opposite the fort, there is an obelisk erected in memory of the destroyed Borj el-Rus tower. Access to it is 24/7 and free.

An interesting place to visit is the local history museum, which is located in the Sidi Zituni mausoleum on the outskirts of the city. Among the exhibits are traditional clothing, folk crafts, wonderful examples of jewelry made of silver and precious stones.

After exploring the city, you can relax in numerous cafes and restaurants, drink delicious mint tea with pine nuts, and enjoy oriental sweets.

Seven kilometers southwest of Houmt Souk there is a small village - the Jewish settlement of Er Riadh. There is the oldest Jewish shrine and place of pilgrimage - the El Ghriba synagogue. It is the oldest in Africa - built in the 6th century BC, the last reconstruction was made in 1920.
The construction of the synagogue is shrouded in secrets and legends. One of the legends says that two and a half thousand years ago there was a big fire at this place, in which a young girl, Grib, died. Despite the raging flames, the body of the deceased remained untouched; local residents recognized her as a saint, and a synagogue was built in her honor.
Another version says that El Ghriba appeared on the site of the paradise stone that fell from heaven. And as soon as the last Jew disappears from the island, the key to the shrine will return to heaven.

Every year, Jews from all countries make a massive pilgrimage here, because the synagogue houses one of the most important artifacts of the Jewish faith - the Torah scroll. True, you cannot see it - it is hidden from the eyes of visitors in a silver casket. Also in El Ghriba are the relics of Shimon Bar Yashai, one of the authors of the Torah.
Built in the Moorish style, El Ghriba amazes with its architectural sophistication and rich interior decoration. Travelers are greeted by forged gates decorated with rivets, behind which stands a white stone building with blue trim and bars. Inside the synagogue there are walls covered with patterned tiles, arches, bright colored stained glass windows, and columns. Pilgrims can stay in guest rooms on its territory; synagogue employees live in the same building.

It should be remembered that you cannot enter El Ghriba wearing open clothes or with your head uncovered. You can take a scarf or kippah at the entrance; shoes should be taken off here. It is also strictly forbidden to photograph people praying.
Tourists can visit the shrine every day except Saturday. Admission is free, but it is recommended to buy at least one postcard near the exit, and these funds will go towards El Ghriba.

On the eastern part of the island, near the city of Midoun, there is a unique educational and entertainment complex “Djerba Explore”. You can spend the whole day on its territory of 12 hectares, and it will be interesting for both children and adults.

The complex consists of five parts:
themed traditional Tunisian village with cafes and restaurants serving national cuisine and an open-air Arab souvenir market;
crocodile farm;
museum;
Heritage Village;
residential complex, which includes a five-star hotel, a residence and an apart-hotel.
The crocodile farm is the largest on the Mediterranean coast, with more than 400 crocodiles, mostly imported from Madagascar. Around the animal pool there are tables with chairs where visitors can sit and watch the life of the reptiles. Every day after 16.00 the animals are fed, in which tourists can also participate for an additional fee.
Lella Hadria is a museum of Tunisian folk traditions. In 15 exhibition halls, more than a thousand unique exhibits are presented, showing 14 centuries of Islamic and Tunisian art.

The most notable of them:

Original jewelry;

Manuscripts and calligraphy;

Ottoman and Persian kaftans;
fragment of a curtain from the Kaaba stone from Mecca;
Berber pottery;
carpets of the finest work.

The Heritage Village shows the history and architecture of the Tunisian people in everyday life and production. Here you can see the traditional dwelling “menzel” (or “khush”), in which various household items are collected, as well as visit a weaving factory and a pottery workshop. Few people are indifferent to the camel pumping water from a deep well, and you are also allowed to take a photo with it (for an additional fee).
Djerba Explore is open all year round, in season from 9.00 to 20.00, and in winter - from 9.00 to 18.00. A single ticket to visit the farm, village and museum will cost 15 dinars, for children under 12 years old - 8 dinars.

What else can you visit on the island of Djerba:
the ethnographic museum of Guellala in the village of the same name, famous for its pottery art;
Djerba Lagoon, where you can watch the life of pink flamingos in their natural environment;
the village of Azim, where the islanders catch sponges and octopuses, and where the preserved sets from the Star Wars film are located.

Djerba Restaurants

Djerba Island preferred by lovers of a relaxing and quality holiday, so catering establishments fully correspond to this level. And this does not always mean that dinner at a restaurant at the resort will cost a pretty penny.

La Lagune

The upscale La Lagune restaurant attracts customers with stunning views of the lagoon and an extensive seafood menu. English-speaking staff warmly welcomes and promptly serves travelers, and the warm atmosphere and pleasant background music help relieve fatigue after a long day. The average bill for two is $50-80.

One of the best restaurants on the island is in the capital Houmt Souk. The freshest seafood dishes and a good wine list are served here. There is a separate room for non-smokers, which allows all visitors without exception to enjoy dinner. It is not advisable to enter here in beachwear, because this establishment has a dress code. A dinner with seafood and alcohol will cost $60-100 for two.

La Couple

Located in the city of Midoun, La Couple diner allows you to spend time among the locals for little money. The menu here is not particularly diverse - pizzas, sandwiches, salads and snacks, alcohol is not offered. However, many islanders and tourists prefer to sit here in the evening with a cup of mint tea and order a hookah, because the relaxed atmosphere of this place cannot but attract visitors. The average bill is $20-40 for two.

Chez Fatroucha

Not far from Midoun is the creative culinary restaurant Chez Fatrooucha. It offers original Mediterranean cuisine, which makes the establishment very popular among travelers of all nationalities. Lunch or dinner here will cost $70-90 for two people.

Il Papagallo

The best Italian restaurant is located in Houmt Souk. The professional chef at Il Papagallo prepares delicious pizzas, ravioli, pastas, spaghetti and salads. Visitors only need to choose toppings and sauces prepared according to traditional recipes. The average bill is $30-50 for two, opening hours are from 11.00 to 23.00.

Djerba Hotels

Most hotels in Djerba are concentrated on the north-eastern coast of the island, where the tourist infrastructure is well developed. Most often, they are located on the first line from the beach, have their own territory with swimming pools, restaurants and discos, which allows you to spend your entire vacation without leaving the hotel.

Premium hotels

Hotels of the same chain, Hasdrubal Prestige Djerba 5* ($300 for two per day) and Hasdrubal Thalassa Djerba 5* ($200 per day) offer first-class relaxation in the luxurious interior of hotel rooms, and hotel restaurants will delight guests with delicious food and an upscale center. A relaxing beach time can be diversified with thalasso treatments in hotel spa centers.

One of the main attractions of the island of Djerba in Tunisia is the Island of Pink Flamingos. These birds nest in colonies on shallow shores and islands of large lakes and seas in Africa, southern Europe and southwest Asia. And since Tunisia is Africa, it means we were obliged to get to this island.

01. I'll start in order, perhaps. You can go on an excursion from the seaport of Houmt Souk, where we arrived on a comfortable bus from Anex Tour.

02. This beautiful port, where you can appreciate not only the architecture of Tunisia, but also make sure that residents of the city and coastal villages simply cannot imagine their life without nets or a harpoon.

03. It’s good when you can brag about a good catch.

04. The nets are drying.

05. And here preparations for the next trip to sea for fish are in full swing. Fishermen are preparing their nets.

06. And these are the cars they drive in Tunisia. I believe that this old “Frenchman” is an avid fisherman. We remember that a car in Tunisia is, first of all, not a luxury, but a means of transportation.

07. Here we are already approaching the pirate ship, on which we will soon go to the island of pink flamingos. The ships impress with their beauty and unusualness. Everyone wants to capture them with their cameras. Here comes Andrey andrusha_bey not an exception.

08. And I’m no exception, of course. Well, isn't the ship beautiful?

09. It's time to board a real pirate ship with real pirates.

10. Let's inspect the port from the upper deck. All boats are mainly fishing boats. This is understandable.

11. Someone nearby manages to take a selfie with the port in the background. So this is my friend Lech lexzag hid his eyes behind fashionable glasses.

12. Let's look around.

13. You can see everything from the upper deck!

14. In fact, the pirates can see more from the mast, which they climbed onto, performing various acrobatic stunts.

15. It's time to go on an interesting journey to the island of pink flamingos along the waves of the Mediterranean Sea.

16. "Captain, right-hand drive"!

17. We go almost by touch! The captain is experienced, he won’t stray from the course even with his eyes closed.

18. Everything here is real, there’s even a flag!

19. In the meantime, the entertainment program is in full swing on the ship. Music plays and pirates entertain the crowd.

20. Let’s also try our luck and throw a net into the sea to catch a fish on the way back.

21. In the meantime, it’s worth inspecting our ship. In general, it is in good condition!

22. People are already in anticipation of when the island will appear on the horizon.

23. A military boat accompanied us throughout the entire journey. This is a question about security, if anything.

24. Here it is - the island of pink flamingos, almost there.

25. In this place we noticed a jellyfish. You see her, and she is here.

27. So, it seems that we will not be alone on the island.

28. And here is our pier. Pirates, get to work, tie strong sea knots.

29. Everything should be coherent and clear. The overall result of the team depends on everyone.

29. We get off the ship and see that the island is inhabited. There are traces of ATVs.

30. And even more so the traces from camels. So, don’t forget why we came to the island - to see pink flamingos. Let's go look for them.

31. They are not here.

32. And here they are not visible.

33. It seems they are not here either.

34. Our searches were unsuccessful, unfortunately. Pink flamingos did not want to fly to us. We didn’t get too upset; we swam in the warm sea, swimming away from the jellyfish.

35. And at noon a delicious lunch awaited us in a very pleasant atmosphere. The menu includes Tunisian salad, Tunisian couscous, fried fish, mint tea, seasonal fruits. Our girls bring out food to live music and dancing.

36. Delicious fish, mmm...

38. Eh, it’s a pity that we weren’t able to see pink flamingos. But we weren’t upset at all, because the atmosphere on the ship and on the island was conducive to the most positive emotions! It's time to return to the island of Djerba.

39. And on the ship there is dancing again to cheerful music.

Dance everyone! When else can you dance on a pirate ship with pirates? It was like this:

40. By the way, remember on the way to Flamingo Island we threw a net into the sea? It's time to check it out on the way back.

41. There is even a small catch. Everyone is glad and happy!

42. Our trip to the island of pink flamingos has come to an end. To summarize this excursion a little, I’ll say: it’s a shame that the beautiful birds didn’t want to come to us, but we had a great time! And the ship is as it should be and the pirates are funny! The main thing is that we tried the traditional dish couscous. It was a very colorful excursion, I recommend it!

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The article tells you point by point about the main nuances that a traveler planning a vacation on the island of Djerba should know. Read and remember!

For travelers, the island of Djerba is truly a fabulous place. Just imagine, pink sand under your feet, a stunning view of the sea in front, and olive and date trees growing behind you. By visiting this island in Tunisia, you can get acquainted with the culture and life of the local population, see the sights, visit spa centers and, of course, swim in the sea.

Where is the island of Djerba on the map of Tunisia

Planning a trip? That way!

We have prepared some useful gifts for you. They will help you save money while preparing for your trip.

Climate on the island of Djerba

The climate on the island of Djerba is continental, with warm winters and hot summers. In winter, the average air temperature is +12 C° - +15 C°. This time is perfect for excursion holidays and for those who want to engage in thalassotherapy. These are health treatments using seafood products. All kinds of algae, water and dirt.

In summer, the air temperature rises to + 30 C° - +33 C° during the day, and +20 C° - + 25 C° at night. The average water temperature during this period is +26 C° - +28 C°. It is very comfortable in autumn. For example, the temperature stays around 27 C°.

Attractions

El Ghriba Synagogue in Riyadh– is considered one of the ancient synagogues in the world, its age is more than 2000 years. Every year, pilgrims come to the synagogue to worship the shrine and see one of the ancient Torah Scrolls. Also in the synagogue are the relics of Shimon Bar Yashai, he was one of the authors of the Talmud.

Gellala village famous for its pottery masters. Walking through the streets of the village, you might think that you are in an art gallery, as beautifully painted plates, jugs, and handmade cups are “looking at you” from all sides. The product you like best can be purchased as a gift.

Every year the village hosts pottery festival, where you can see the works of the best masters.

Crocodile farm is a farm-reserve where crocodiles are bred. The first crocodiles were brought to the island from Madagascar; gradually they got used to the local climate and began to reproduce. Today there are about 400 crocodiles on the farm. Anyone can feed this ancient animal. You can observe the life of crocodiles from special bridges.

Museum of Folk Traditions in Gellale– museum visitors will be able to see small scenes from the life of the island’s inhabitants and get in touch with their way of life. In one of the halls you can see how they bake bread, or prepare food, weave national clothes, or get ready to taste tea. In another room, various wedding robes of brides are presented, from the poorest dress to the most expensive and luxurious, and many other exhibits.

Next to the museum there is a workshop where you can see the process of producing olive oil from start to finish.

Djerba Lagoon It is notable for the fact that in this beautiful place, where date palms and olive trees grow nearby, large flocks of amazing birds, Pink Flamingos, gather. Most of these “beauties” fly to the island to wait out the winter and feast on mollusks, crustaceans and other food.

The lagoon is also famous for the fact that surfing enthusiasts gather here. Since a fairly strong wind blows in the northeast of the island, creating waves that are loved by surfers.

Gazi Mustafa Fortress was built to protect the surrounding area from pirate attacks. And it performed its function perfectly until it was attacked by the cruel pirate Draguta Reis, who massacred the entire garrison of the fortress. And from the heads of the dead he built a large pyramid. This terrible pyramid stood until 1848, until the French dismantled it. Today, on this site there is a monument that recalls the terrible crime of the pirate.

You can also go on an excursion from the island to the most majestic Sahara desert, of course, accompanied by an experienced tour guide.

Where to stay on the island of Djerba

Most of the hotels are located in the northern and western parts of the island, as well as in the towns of Houmt Souk and Midoun.

Most popular hotels:

1. Riu Palace Royal Garden 5*;
2. Sensimar Palm Beach Palace 5*.

More economical hotels include:

1. Les jardins de Toumana 4*;
2. SunConnect Djerba Aqua Resort 4*;
3. Sentido Djerba Beach 4*;
4. Club Magic Life Penelope Beach Imperial 4*;
5. Miramar Petit Palais 3*.

Hotels with thalassotherapy facilities in the Midoun resort:

1. Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalasso 5*;
2. Yadis Djerba Golf Thalasso & Spa 5*;
3. Radisson Blu Ulysse Resort & Thalasso Djerba 5*.
4. Hasdrubal Prestige Thalassa & Spa 5* - in the city of Houmt Souk.

Customs restrictions

Citizens of the Russian Federation may not apply for a visa to enter the Arab state of Tunisia if they stay in the country for no more than 90 days.

There are customs restrictions when entering Tunisia:
1. You cannot import or export from the country:

• It is prohibited to export local currency.
• It is prohibited to import narcotic substances.

2. Import is allowed:

• One bottle of alcohol.
• Perfumes and personal items.
• Foreign currency.

Advice: if you take valuable items made of gold or silver, carpets, etc. out of the country, you must have a receipt or certificate with you confirming the authenticity of the products.

Souvenirs and gifts in Tunisia

A holiday on the island of Djerba is impossible without, many will probably want to take with them a piece that will remind them of a pleasant trip.

A bottle of olive oil would be an excellent gift and souvenir. New harvest oil is best purchased in late autumn. The best oil is considered Extra Virgin, Cold First Press. One of these statements should be on the olive oil label.

A bottle of Tunisian wine, from French vineyards that were planted in colonial times. The most popular brands are Magon, Muscat de Kelibia, Chateau Mornag Rose.

Many housewives will be happy to purchase spices and national Harris sauce, which is made from pepper, garlic, spices and olive oil.

Advice, it is best to buy spices by weight, so you can see their quality and feel the wonderful aroma.

Handmade gold and silver jewelry in ancient Byzantine or Arabic style.

An original gift would be the Desert Rose flower. This amazing flower “grows” in the Sahara Desert. It is formed by sand and rain. Sometimes Locals paint roses in different colors, blue, red, etc.

Handmade ceramics can be beautifully designed plates, jugs, cups and much more.

Advice, when transporting these beautiful things, it is important to know that they are very fragile. Therefore, it is best to carefully wrap all ceramic products and place them in your hand luggage.

You can also bring dates, cactus fruits and pomegranates, olives and dried vegetables from the island of Djerba. For sweets, delicious halva, and for coffee connoisseurs this aromatic drink. Many women will be happy with rose water and perfume.

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