Can You Snorkel from the Beach in Tunisia?
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Loading... - jayden jessica
- 05 Oct 2022
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You can easily snorkel from any beach along Tunisia’s coast, and the town of Tabarka in northwest Tunisia has some amazing coral reef to explore. While you can easily snorkel along all of the other beaches in Tunisia, the conditions make it somewhat boring.
I live in Tunisia, and I’m a casual beachgoer who is interest in snorkeling some this summer. I did some research on what to expect. Read on for the most relevant info I discovered!
Mediocre Snorkeling in Most Places in Tunisia
You are free to snorkel from any beach you want to in Tunisia. That is, you don’t have to worry about any restrictions. It is normal and acceptable to snorkel next to beach resort hotels. I drove down from Tunis to Hamammet (a popular beach town in northeastern Tunisia) and asked around at five different hotels. All five of the hotel front desk clerks that I asked said that “of course” you can snorkel.
While it’s possible to snorkel anywhere along the coast, you will probably get bored quickly because Tunisia doesn’t have the best conditions for good snorkeling. If you had in mind that there would be lots of brightly colored sea creatures as in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, think again. The Tunisian coast is a long way from the Red Sea!
Snorkeling in most of Tunisia is mediocre because you need a good, accessible coral reef in order to see lots of wildlife. Tunisia has over 700 miles of coastline, but the only coral reef that you can easily reach from the beach (that I know of) is in Tabarka—more about Tabarka in a little bit.
A second disadvantage to snorkeling in Tunisia is that the water is shallow. That is, the water gets deeper very gradually. The best water depth for snorkeling is about 10-15 feet, or 3-5 meters. Beaches in Tunisia don’t have a rocky drop-off where you can get in a good depth of water right off the shore.
The “Pro’s” to Snorkeling in Tunisia
One positive aspect to snorkeling in Tunisia is that there is good visibility just about anywhere you go. Tunisia’s beaches have very clear water, so whatever fish or other wildlife are there, you will be able to see them!
The other “pro” is comfortably warm water. The water is warmest from June through October. During that time, the average water temperature stays above 20° Celsius (68° Fahrenheit). In August, the hottest month, the water gets up to 26° C (79° F) in Bizerte, a northern city, and nearly 28° C (82° F) in Sfax, which is in the middle of the country. For a benchmark, a comfortable swimming pool is usually set between 26° and 28° C (78° and 82° Fahrenheit).
Tabarka: Tunisia’s Best Snorkeling Destination
Tabarka is hands down the best destination for snorkeling in Tunisia. In fact, it may be the only place in Tunisia where you would go just for the snorkeling. The large coral reef around the “island” of Tabarka (it’s not actually an island) makes it a great spot for diving, and there is a National Marine Park that conserves the wildlife. Read More…
