A Place in the Sun

By Walter Kish

One of the many new freedoms that Ukrainians have started to take advantage of in a big way since independence is the freedom to travel.

During Soviet times, travel, particularly for recreational purposes, was difficult and restricted. If you were privileged or well-connected, a vacation in Crimea or the Carpathians was the most you could aspire to. Travel beyond the borders of Ukraine or the Soviet Union was virtually impossible for the majority.  

Things have changed significantly over the past decade as a small but growing middle class with money to spend on vacations has spawned the creation of a vibrant charter tour industry. Travel agencies have become plentiful in Kyiv and other major Ukrainian cities. Every day during prime season, at least a half-dozen charter flights leave Borispil airport for resort locations around the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian peninsula.

Popular destinations include the southern coast of Turkey, the Red Sea, Egypt, Greece, and the north coast of Africa. Seasoned Ukrainian vacationers can discuss at length the relative merits of seaside resorts in such places as Antalya, Sharm-al-Sheik, Djerba or Hammamet. 

Vacations at these places are an excellent value. For between US$500-$600. one can get a package deal that includes airfare, hotel and meals at a four-star resort that is far superior in quality than anything to be found in Ukraine. 

My wife and I took advantage of this opportunity last week when we took a long overdue vacation. Our choice was Tunisia – specifically the resort town of Hammamet, some 60 kilometres south of Tunis. For 10 days in the sun, with flights, hotel, and breakfast and dinner included, we laid out approximately US$530 per person. 

The hotel was modern, classy and situated on a superb sandy beach on the Mediterranean coast. It also had one of the largest swimming pools I’ve ever seen, as well as all the facilities typical of a tropical resort.

Meals were buffet style, and though not exactly gourmet cuisine, there was a wide variety of choice, and the food was more than adequate. We usually indulged in a bottle of good local Tunisian wine with dinner, which would set us back just over CDN$8 per bottle.  

Tunisia is a very scenic country and rich in history, most famously known for being the home of ancient Carthage. It is blessed with numerous Phoenician, Roman and Arabian archeological sites. Being a former French colony, Tunisia is a country in which French is widely spoken as well as Arabic, though the thriving tourist industry has ensured that staff in most restaurants, hotels and other facilities are conversant in the major European languages. Nowadays, this also includes Slavic languages, and during our stay we frequently heard both Russian and Polish.

Our vacation in Tunisia was one of the better travel experiences we’ve had in many years, and it is little wonder that it has now also become a favourite destination of Ukrainians seeking a bit of sun and relaxation.