Sailseer

Tunisia: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors

49 harbours

Plan trip

Tunisia: 49 harbours, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.

Formalities

outside the EU customs unionCurrency: Tunisian dinar

Clearing in: From abroad, call only at a port with a customs office, according to pilot books e.g. Tabarka, Bizerte, Sidi Bou Said, La Goulette, Kélibia, Yasmine Hammamet, Port El Kantaoui, Monastir, Mahdia, Sfax, Houmt Souk on Djerba or Zarzis. Entry declaration with crew list at customs, plus border police and the Garde Nationale Maritime; the copy countersigned by customs stays on board and is shown at every further harbour. The boat may be used for 180 days within 365 days. Germans need no visa for up to 120 days; according to the German Federal Foreign Office, there may be difficulties when entering by sea (questions about hotel bookings or return travel).

Documents: Passport (an identity card is not enough, valid for six more months), boat papers, insurance, crew list with dates of birth and passport numbers, customs entry declaration; keep the entry card until departure.

Fees: Harbour dues in the marinas, cheaper than in Europe; Monastir, El Kantaoui and Yasmine Hammamet are popular winter harbours.

Fairway: In the north, north-westerly seas with the Mistral. The Gulf of Gabès is shallow with a noticeable tide (up to about 2 m) and many nets and fixed fish traps. Do not cross the maritime border with Libya in the south.

Nature: Marine protected areas around the islands of La Galite and Zembra; fixed fishing installations (charfia) around the Kerkennah Islands.

Emergency: 197 (police), 190 (ambulance); MRCC Tunis, VHF channel 16 and DSC.

Sources: Douane Tunisienne: Navigation de plaisance, Douane Tunisienne: entry declaration for pleasure craft, Auswärtiges Amt: Tunisia, travel and safety advice, Imray: sailing in Tunisia (as of 2026-10-20)

Local winds

Harbours by cruising area

Cap Bon and Sahel (Kelibia, Hammamet, Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia)

Gulf of Gabès and Djerba (Sfax, Kerkennah, Djerba, Zarzis)

Northern Tunisia and Gulf of Tunis (Tabarka, Bizerte, Sidi Bou Saïd)

Frequently asked questions

Tunisia: Do I need to clear in?

From abroad, call only at a port with a customs office, according to pilot books e.g. Tabarka, Bizerte, Sidi Bou Said, La Goulette, Kélibia, Yasmine Hammamet, Port El Kantaoui, Monastir, Mahdia, Sfax, Houmt Souk on Djerba or Zarzis. Entry declaration with crew list at customs, plus border police and the Garde Nationale Maritime; the copy countersigned by customs stays on board and is shown at every further harbour. The boat may be used for 180 days within 365 days. Germans need no visa for up to 120 days; according to the German Federal Foreign Office, there may be difficulties when entering by sea (questions about hotel bookings or return travel).

Tunisia: Which documents do I need on board?

Passport (an identity card is not enough, valid for six more months), boat papers, insurance, crew list with dates of birth and passport numbers, customs entry declaration; keep the entry card until departure.

Tunisia: What fees apply?

Harbour dues in the marinas, cheaper than in Europe; Monastir, El Kantaoui and Yasmine Hammamet are popular winter harbours.

Tunisia: What is the emergency number at sea?

197 (police), 190 (ambulance); MRCC Tunis, VHF channel 16 and DSC.

Tunisia: Which local winds blow there?

Scirocco.

Tunisia: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?

Sailseer covers 49 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning.