I recently completed a 16-day solo trip across Tunisia, traveling from the northern regions down to the south. I’ve visited over 30 countries before, but this was the first time I consistently experienced this level of negative treatment directed specifically at me as an Asian traveler.
The most common issue was repeated verbal harassment such as “Ni Hao,” which I heard constantly in public spaces. This came from people in many different settings, including cafes, markets, passing motorcycles, and even casual street interactions. While some may interpret it as harmless or playful, in my experience it felt targeted and often mocking, especially because it was almost exclusively directed at Asians and not other tourists.
In addition, I was also subjected to offensive remarks like “Ching Chong” on multiple occasions, sometimes shouted from vehicles or across the street. These experiences became mentally exhausting over time and made me feel uncomfortable walking around freely. Eventually, I found myself trying to avoid attention as much as possible just to get through the trip.
I want to be clear that I did meet some kind and respectful locals, and I don’t believe this reflects everyone in Tunisia. However, the frequency of these incidents was significantly higher than in other countries I’ve visited, including nearby destinations in North Africa.
Because of this, I personally would not recommend Tunisia as a destination for Asian travelers, especially those traveling alone or as women, as the likelihood of uncomfortable experiences appears relatively high based on my trip.
I’m sharing this as a personal account, not a general statement about the country as a whole.
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