Things to Do in Gabes

Gabes has one feature that exists nowhere else in the world: a large palm oasis that runs down to the sea. Elsewhere in Tunisia, oases sit in the desert interior. In Gabes, the palmeraie reaches the Gulf of Gabes, creating a landscape where date palms frame views of the Mediterranean — an unusual and photogenic combination. The city is also a practical base for several day trips into the surrounding region, including Matmata and the Jebel Dahar highlands.

Walk the coastal palmeraie

The Gabes palmeraie is the defining attraction and takes up most of the urban area on the southern and western edges of the city. The oasis covers over 300 hectares and contains around 300,000 palm trees, along with fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and irrigation channels that have been in continuous operation since antiquity.

The best approach is to walk south from the medina through the palmeraie toward the coast. The transition from the urban edge to palm shade to sea views takes about 40 minutes on foot. There are no formal trails — following any of the small paths through the palm groves works.

Entry: free. Best explored in the morning before heat builds.

Visit Chenini Gabes village

Chenini Gabes (distinct from Chenini village in the Tataouine region) is a historic village on the edge of the palmeraie, about 3 km from the city centre. It has a picturesque mosque, a small zaouia, and a covered market that dates to the medieval period. The village is often included on city walking tours of Gabes but is easy to reach independently by local taxi (approximately 5 TND as of 2026).

Chenini is worth visiting alongside the palmeraie and the old medina as part of a morning circuit.

Explore the old medina

Gabes medina is modest compared to Tunis or Sfax but has a genuine working character. The covered souk areas sell produce, fabric, and household goods rather than crafts for tourists, and the architecture reflects a simpler North African vernacular without the monumental heritage buildings of the northern cities.

The central square near the mosque is the most animated part of the medina and has several cafés that are good places to stop. The medina is walkable in 30–45 minutes without stopping.

Day trip to Matmata

Matmata is the most popular day trip from Gabes and is one of the most distinctive places in southern Tunisia. The troglodyte (underground) houses were carved into the soft rock and have been inhabited for centuries; some are still in use today. Several of the pit-house structures can be entered, and one of the most famous served as the Lars Homestead in the original Star Wars film.

Matmata is 44 km northwest of Gabes. Local buses make the journey (approximately 1 hour, around 4 TND as of 2026), or a taxi can be arranged for approximately 30–40 TND return with waiting time. For a deeper look at what to do there, see our things to do in Matmata guide.

Day trip to Chott el-Fedjaj and the salt flats

The Chott el-Fedjaj is a salt lake that forms the northern boundary of the Jebel Dahar region, visible from the road between Gabes and Douz. The landscape here — salt flats bordered by dunes and rocky escarpments — is characteristic of the transition zone between the coastal lowlands and the Saharan interior. It is not a developed tourist site, but the road journey through it (on the way to Douz) is one of the more striking in the south.

The marine national park

The Gulf of Gabes is one of the most biologically rich areas in the Mediterranean, with sea grass beds, shellfish populations, and nursery grounds for several fish species. A marine national park protects part of the offshore zone. The city’s fishing port is one of the most active in Tunisia and worth visiting in the early morning when the catch comes in — usually between 05:00 and 08:00.

There are no public boat tours to the marine park as a matter of routine — this is worth verifying locally, as operators change seasonally.

Practical information

Getting to Gabes from Tunis: approximately 370 km south of Tunis.

• Car: around 4 hours on the P1 motorway and P2 highway.
• Train: Tunis to Gabes via Sfax — approximately 5 hours, around 25 TND as of 2026.
• Bus: SNTRI services from Tunis take approximately 5.5 hours.

When to go: October to April is comfortable. Summer months are hot (35–40°C). The palmeraie provides shade and is pleasant even in warmer months in the early morning.

Accommodation: Gabes has a range of mid-range hotels in the city centre and near the palmeraie. Expect to pay approximately 80–150 TND per night for a comfortable double room as of 2026.

For planned excursions from Gabes into the Jebel Dahar, Matmata, or the Douz desert area, see our best tours in Tunisia guide for operators who cover the south. You can also browse southern Tunisia tours on GetYourGuide.