Kerkennah Islands
Flat low islands off Sfax where fish are still caught in palm-frond traps set in the shallows.
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UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
The Kerkennah islands lie about twenty kilometres off Sfax, so flat that the highest point is a few metres above sea level and so shallow around them that the water stays waist-deep a long way out. That shallowness produced the fishing method the islands are known for: charfia, fixed traps built from palm fronds driven into the seabed in long V-shaped fences that funnel fish into chambers, a technique that has been used for centuries.
What you actually see
- The charfia traps - palm-frond fish fences built into the shallow seabed.
- The date palms - groves covering much of the flat island interior.
- The shallow water - a sea that stays waist-deep for a very long way out.
- The quiet villages - small settlements with almost no development.
When to go
April to June and September to October are the most comfortable. Summer is very hot and humid. Ferries run several times a day but fill in season.
Honest expectations
There are no beaches in the conventional sense; the shore is muddy and shallow. Accommodation and food options are very limited. Ferries can be cancelled in wind and are crowded in summer.
Nearby
Sfax is on the mainland, and El Jem is northwest.
What to pack for Kerkennah Islands
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.