Kerkennah island
Located in the the gulf of Gabes and 20 km off the coast of Sfax, Kerkennah is a 160 km² archipelago composed of two principal islands (Chergui and Gharbi). Despite its natural and cultural wealth, Kerkennah hasn’t experienced le same development as the rest of the touristic cities in Tunisia.
The island was crossed by men who left their mark on Tunisia’s as well as the world’s history; for instance Hannibal Barca in 195 B.C. on his road to exile, Julius Caesar in 46 B.C. during his fight against Pompey, and also François-René de Chateaubriand in 1807. It is also the native land of the trade union leader Farhat Hached who founded the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) in 1946.Kerkennians are essentially fishermen. Their fishing techniques are different from the rest of the country. They use the “Charfia” for fishing (a technique that consists in dividing part of the sea in different plots) and water jugs for octopus fishing (island’s emblem).
During your stay in this exceptional Tunisian archipelago, you will certainly be captured by the calm and the purity of this place. You will discover different crafts that are specific to the Kerkennians, among which alfa and palm weaving, pottery as well as sponge fishing and preparing.You will enjoy dishes made of fresh fish and dried octopus: a real delight for your taste buds! .
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