Tunisia currency

wannabe

Hi
I'm off to Tunisia in 2 wks time and have never been before.
I know it is a closed currency place and am a little concerned the best way to get money once I get there.
Would you advise travellers cheques and if so sterling or US dollars?
Also would you change money at the airport when you arrive or at the hotel.
We are staying at Sentido Aziza beach Hamamet (think that is how you spell it).
Many thanks in advance

mum2one

wannabe wrote: »

Hi
I'm off to Tunisia in 2 wks time and have never been before.
I know it is a closed currency place and am a little concerned the best way to get money once I get there.
Would you advise travellers cheques and if so sterling or US dollars?
Also would you change money at the airport when you arrive or at the hotel.
We are staying at Sentido Aziza beach Hamamet (think that is how you spell it).
Many thanks in advance

I love Hammamet, been twice this yr, but nit to that hotel but the Sentido is a really good hotel chain.

Closed currency - the rate is set by the goverment on a daily basis and all places have to change at the same rate.

You can change some at the airport on arrival, although you get the same exchange rate they charge a higher commision, I never bother.

Travellers Cheques - Its rare to find travellers checks on the high street, some post offices still do them. If not you can get a top up card (Thomas Cook do one) and top it up with sterling, then your use as normal in a cashpoint machine.

I have used cash points in hammamnet (just by the little supermarket and beer shop) theres a couple of banks there, Yassine Hammamnet - by the entrance to the medina - theres cash points there.
Some hotels have cash points as well.

If you do use a top up card, personally I would take £40 in cash - so you can change some at the hotel.

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When you change money at the hotel etc - your be given a receipt, - you would need to keep this, as if you want to change any money back, this can be done at the airport before you go through to departures, - but you can only exchange 30% of what you have changed in total

For every £100 sterling you can only change the equivalent of £30 back.

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The currency Dinar - back in June my exchange rate was 40p to the dinar, based on that

notes
50 dinars - £20
20 dinars - £8
10 dinars - £4
5 dinars - £2

Coins - these are called millimes (excuse spelling0
5 dinars - £2 (there about size of a £2 coin) - silver colour
1 dinar - 40p (size of 10p) - silver colour
1/2 dinar - 20p (size of 5p) silver colour

- when you get into these coins people dont bother as much as there lower value - a bronze colour

100mls - 4p
50mls - 2p
20ml - 1p
10ml - 1/2p

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Generally pricing - hotel shop

bar of choc - priced at 4.000 - or 4,000TD the tunisians put the whole amount, knock off the last 3 numbers and the ones of the left of the comma are dinars - 4,000TD - would be 4 dinars - £1.60

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Medinas - If you go to Yasmine just as you go in by the elephants theres a lovely restaurant called The Steakhouse - run by an ex-English lady called jane - shes lovely

shops - just past the medina if your stood by the elephant statues, - turn left and theres a row of about 6 shops, theres 2 called Joys Boutique and Smart price - you can not go wrong with these - fab prices, fixed price.

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Tipping- (this is how I work it)
Maid - tip 10 dinars at end of trip plus leave toilettries

Porters - 1 dinar per case

Restaurant - Some people leave it to the end and tip 10 dinars in 1 go, I usually tip 1 dinar at lunch, 1 at night - if I have had really good service from 1 waiter thats been main waiter (10 dinars at end)

Bar staff - if they'e come to the table then put 1/2 dinar on tray (tip to 5 dinars a day on drinks)

Pool Man - 1 dinar day - they usually fetch ur matresses, find you a sunbed.

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£1 coins - have £10 of £1 coins for tipping enroute

Once youve got off airport, got luggage your in arrivals hall, a porter will literally grab your trolley, they are paid by the airport - but they still like to be tipped. I usually give £2 (me + daughter - 2 suitcases, 2 bags of hand luggage) - they will say they can't change it (which is true) there ask for notes (£5, £10)....... just say no youve got a tip if you dont want it give it me back.... there keep it. On return leg they may ask other English to change the sterling into dinars for them

If there is anything you want to know about Hammament or trips etc just pm me and if I can help I will.

i've been going most yrs since 1999 and my daughters been 4 times and loves it out there xxx

PompeyPete

mum2one wrote: »

Once youve got off airport, got luggage your in arrivals hall, a porter will literally grab your trolley, they are paid by the airport - but they still like to be tipped. I usually give £2 (me + daughter - 2 suitcases, 2 bags of hand luggage) - they will say they can't change it (which is true) there ask for notes (£5, £10)....... just say no youve got a tip if you dont want it give it me back.... there keep it. On return leg they may ask other English to change the sterling into dinars for them

Outrageous!
A polite "La shukran" ["No thanks"] will see them back off.
Push your own trolley the few yards to your transfer vehicle.

Yasmine Hammamet is a purpose built resort, and will only give you a sanitised experience of Tunisia.
Personally, I think Yasmine is looking quite weary, and needs a few quid chucking at it.
Another purpose built resort is Port el Kantenoui, just north of Sousse.
You either love or hate these purpose built places.

zagfles

PompeyPete wrote: »

Outrageous!
A polite "La shukran" ["No thanks"] will see them back off.
Push your own trolley the few yards to your transfer vehicle.

They do this in Turkey too - or at least they did when I last went. Some hairy bloke grabbed my trolley, pushed it 50 yards, and wanted a tip! I gave him the equivalent of about 50p, he didn't seemed pleased, but no way was I giving him more for one minute's work which I didn't even ask for!

PompeyPete

It's the same worldwide.
If getting suckered by an airport porter is the only bit of extortion you encounter then you've done well.
Trouble is Brits on holiday tend to leave their brains behind, and half the time we don't even realise we're being 'done'!

wannabe

mum2one wowsers - thank you very much, top advice- all noted and will come in really handy but I would really appreciate any other tips related to trips or visits you can give me.
Thanks as well to everyone else - I've learn the phrase now should I need it

PompeyPete

Here's another recent thread with lots of opinions, and also some good links to other threads...

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4758772