Things to see and do Îles Kerkennah

Wild, the beach of the tourist area Sidi Fredj does not lack charm, but it is one of the most frequented. The sandy and rocky beaches of Sidi Fankhal, 20 min east of Remla, are also nice. The sea at this place is a bit deeper. To get there, you have to cross a small salty desert, the Sebka. Be guided, because it is quite difficult to access. The famous beach of Mkaren Klifa is at the western end. Finally, the beach most popular with the Sfaxians is near the pier and remains pleasant although sometimes saturated.

This fisherman guide, owner of a fellucca, proposes a day at sea for 25 DT with the meal.

"Archaeological excavations have revealed to the amazed eyes of Kerkennians and visitors one of the Roman quarters of Cercinae, the ancient capital of the archipelago. A survey carried out at the foot of the borj which is located on an eminence allowed to meet archaic strata dating from the seventh century B.C. This discovery shows that the site is a Phoenician foundation and that the strategic position of Kerkennah was noticed and occupied very early by the Phoenicians in their expansion in the West... Paved streets, some of which date back to the Punic era. Large transit port with its quays and its lighthouse whose submerged structures have just been found. On the sea side, it was defended by a beautiful and imposing wall built in the^5th century B.C. Very rich mosaics in the houses... Beautiful oblong cisterns very well preserved testify to the mastery that the Kerkennians of the Antiquity had to save water... " (Excerpt from La Presse.)

Today, there are no more excavations in progress in this area, which is nevertheless very rich and just waiting to reveal its secrets; the fineness of the visible elements allows us to affirm that the Phoenician city was civilized (mosaics everywhere, many cisterns, etc.) and rich. Given the rarity of Phoenician ruins, it is surprising that nobody cares about them! The fort, as for it, is of more recent construction, because Roman, and was built just behind the city. It is still standing and in a fairly good state of preservation.

For a simple ride at sea, it is possible to arrange with a fisherman from any coastal village; Don't hesitate to call the adorable Abdessatar.

Abdelhamid Fehri, professor of history at the Tunisian university, teacher at Sfax and at the Sorbonne and islander of the Kerkena Islands - that's how he likes to spell his archipelago -, has designed with his own hands, in his family house, this heritage museum. With the help of the villagers, he has gathered together costumes from the past, agricultural tools and medical utensils to reconstruct a slice of life in Kerkena in the past. Wedding ceremonies, circumcisions, fishing parties: in a house with typical architecture from the late 19th and early 20th^centuries , visitors can follow the life of a modest Kerkennian household of that time. The museum also pays tribute to the great men of the island and finally houses the skeleton of the whale that washed up on its beaches in 2003 following the installation of oil platforms.

Workshops are organized to revive ancestral activities.

If, after the theory, you want to move on to the practice, you should know that Abdelhamid offers stays "à la kerkenienne". Lodged in the few rooms that he makes available to travelers, you will participate with him in the agricultural activities of the past (olive picking and fishing trips etc.) and forget the time of a few days the motorized vehicles to return to the cart. A great experience to try and in any case a place not to be missed to better understand these islands and their unique culture.