[Source:Times Online]
My teenage son is a Star Wars fan and I'm hoping to use a trip to the troglodyte caves in Tunisia, which I believe were used in the films, as bait to get a little more enthusiastic about our next summer holiday. A week's holiday on the beach suits my wife and I the best, but are the caves are easy to visit in a day, or will we need longer? Jeremy Lenz, Plymouth
Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: In fact, you are in luck. The former troglodyte dwellings in Matmata, in southern Tunisia, make a great day trip from the coastal resort of Jerba.
They are about two hours drive away, and even if you know your Chewbacca's from your Chukha-Trok's - don't worry, I had to look that up it's a fascinating day's diversion.
Most famous of the sets is the Hotel Sidi Driss, which is made from five interconnecting craters of former troglodyte dwellings. It's a bit forlorn these days, and rather kitschly cashes in on the its featuring in four of the films including playing the cantina where Ponda Baba attempted to pick up a fight with Luke Skywalker and ended up by having his arm sliced off by Obi-Wan Kenobi's light sabre. Apparently.
Most photogenic of the natural sets is the nearby Ksar Ouled Soltane. Once a four-story fortified grain store, it has now been renovated, and featured as slave quarters in the Phantom Menace.
You can do the above as a day trip from Jerba regardless of where you are staying, but to holiday in style you should stay at the Movenpick Ulysse Palace on Jerba is from £720pp, through Wigmore Holidays (020 7836 4999). The price includes flights from London to Jerba, transfers and B&B accommodation. There is a discount on this rate for children under 16 - 30 per cent if sharing their parent's room, and 25 per cent if in a room separate room from their parents.
The one-day private excursion to the troglodyte villages costs £85, which includes a driver/guide.
Other Tunisian specialists include Cadogan Holidays (0870 615 4390), or Indus Tours (020 8901 7464).
For more details, the Lonely Planet's Tunisia guide (£13.99) has useful tips on visiting the sites. Or see http://theswca.com/travel/tunisia.html for some good photographs of the sites.
No comments:
Post a Comment