Packing for a trip is always difficult. Space is precious and even the smallest item that does not need to be packed can save you exorbitant fees. You can often save a lot of precious packing space if you know what you can buy in your visiting country. Unfortunately, the internet has misinformed travelers about one very important topic for all women. Are tampons available in Tunisia? The Lonely Planet website says: “Tampons are usually found in supermarkets and pharmacies.” This is absolutely NOT true!
If you are a woman planning to visit Tunisia. One question you may have is “Can I buy tampons in Tunisia?” You can find tampons in Tunisia- maybe- but NOT easily.
I have lived in Tunisia for over four years. I never saw tampons for sale in Tunisia until I went on a hunt. I eventually found one pack of Tampax super in a Para pharmacie. I asked friends if they are available and have gotten the hypothetical answer of “yes.” But if I ask if they know anyone who has bought them or has seen them, they couldn’t remember every seeing them in person. In this blog I’m going to share what I have seen is available, where you can find it, and how exactly to go about buying it. This is important for any women who may visit and need to have a backup plan if “Aunt Flo” shows up unexpectedly.
What Feminine Products are Available?
When I was last in America, I visited the period section and was overwhelmed with choices from pads designed for lifestyles and body size, and even environmentally-safe options. Then I could choose tampons, pads, menstrual cups, menstrual disc, or period panties. And for each type of product, there were several, even dozens, of brand options. Out of curiosity and in preparation for answering this question, I tried searching for options in Tunisia.
The only period products easily available for women in Tunisia are pads. Feminine pads are widely and easily available throughout all of Tunisia. You will not have to worry when travelling, and suddenly find that you’ve forgotten “Aunt Flo” was coming for a visit. Unfortunately, you will not be able to easily find any other type of feminine product.
Where and How to Buy Pads
Where to Buy. You can purchase pads at a number of different places. Grocery stores, small hanoots (small shops with basic supplies), pharmacies, and para-pharmacies.
Grocery stores are present in every city. They are mostly the French supermarkets like Carrefour, Monoprix, and Magazine General. These supermarkets will contain a food section and also a home section. If you go to the hygiene section, you will find a variety and largest supply of pads for your period. This will be your best option as you can pick the different types up and compare them on your own time.
Pharmacies are another great option. You will see these all over cities. They have a neon signs of a red snake around the green cup. A popular pharmacy symbol. They also will have Pharmacie written on the sign. In these stores, you will most likely need to ask the Pharmacist for a serviette hygienique. One “pro” of buying from a pharmacie is that you may also pick up some Ibuprofen or Tylenol at the same time. Ibuprofen is called Ibuprofène in French and Tylenol equivalent is Paracetamol. They may not have as large of a selection as the major grocery stores.
Para Pharmacies also stock pads. They stock what you would find in a drug store in America outside of medicine. They will have vitamins, skin care, hair care, toothpaste, and essential oils, but no medicine, not even Ibuprofen or Tylenol. When you enter, you will most likely need to ask a worker for pads, using the French word serviette hygienique.
Hanouts are small, readily-available neighborhood stores. They remind me of your local 7-11 or gas station store. They have many of the essentials. They will have pads but they are almost entirely run by male employees. You will most likely have to ask for pads using the French word serviette hygienique. The good thing about hanouts is that if you are on an adventure in a rural area and need to find something quickly, these will be the easiest to locate and most likely the closest to you since they are everywhere.
Available Options. There isn’t a large selection, but the most easily found are the Nana, Lilas, and Always brands.
Lilas is a Tunisian brand of health products. They will be the cheapest brand of pads you will find. Near in price will be the Nana brand. Nana brand is headquartered in Sweden. You can also find the more familiar Always brand. This is a Procter and Gamble product from the United States. These are always the most expensive option. They will be double the price of the comparative Nana or Lilas brands.
You will most likely find different sizes and absorption levels of pads. You can find pads with or without wings, but that is pretty much where the variety stops.
How to find pads in a store. If you visit a pharmacy or parapharmacie, you will most likely have to ask a store attendant for them. Pads are called serviettes hygièniques in French. If you visit a grocery store, you will be able to find a section near the shampoo, soap, and hygiene supplies.
Where should I look for Tampons?
If you are set on needing Tampons, and willing to go on a hunt. Start at the big groceries stores. They usually have them in stock. If you are in a tourist zone, you will have better luck at finding these products. However, another good place to look is in para pharmacies or pharmacies. Don’t be surprised if you need to try at a couple different places to see if they have any in stock.
The french word for Tampon is the same as English, making it easy to ask for. You will want to inspect the box to make sure it says “with applicator.” I have heard that in Europe you can buy Tampons without that part. At the big grocery stores you will find both with and without “sans” applicator. The workers at the pharmacies and para pharmacies are normally nice and helpful.
The more touristic of an area that you are in will most likely improve your chances of finding Tampons and also potentially finding variety.
Why are There practically No Tampons in Tunisia?!?
Education on menstruation in Tunisia often carries shame and embarrassment. In the rural areas, many girls will skip school during that week and miss out on their education because of lack of resources or lack of education on menstrual hygiene.
I read a really neat article about a group that was helping girls by sewing washable pads and distributing them to girls. This article is slightly outdated from 2015, but still shows the mindset of the culture and how others are helping. In the video, you can hear testimonies of multiple girls talking about their experiences in school during their period. At one point, a girl says, “If I have pads, I go to school, but if I don’t, I stay home.” The video is in Arabic with French subtitles. If you would like to read the article and see the video, click here.
I believe the biggest reason Tunisians do not use tampons or reusable menstrual cups is rooted in the belief that using these products causes them to lose their virginity before marriage. This is also a hindrance to some girls whose parents will not allow them to participate in sports. I remember talking to a local friend whose mom did not want her riding a bike for this reason.
Traveling While on Your Period
When you are out and about in Tunisia, bathrooms are not always easy to find and most often are not supplied with toilet paper. If you ask for directions to the restroom, use the French word toilette. You will normally find a sign that is clear about which is the men’s room versus the women’s room. You will often find the sink in a shared section before entering the bathroom. It is normally a full room rather than a stall. You will also find a normal toilet bowl, and not a ‘squatty potty’ like in many Asian countries.
If you are visiting Tunisia on your period, then you’ll want to pack some essentials:
Toilet paper. The first realization you will most likely make is that there is no toilet paper in the room and the floor is often wet. There will be a little hose mounted next to the toilet. This is a type of bidet. They often use water to clean off rather than toilet paper. So, if you prefer your normal routine of wiping, pack your own toilet paper. In more touristy areas, you may not run into this problem, but I would suggest being prepared. Flushing the toilet is often a puzzle also. There will either be a button to push down on top of the toilet tank or a knob to pull upwards.
Trash bag. I rarely find a trash can in the toilet room either, so having some sort of small trash bag would be beneficial. A lot of times the closest trashcan will be next to the sink which is shared by everyone who is washing their hands after the meal. Not a very private situation.
Hand sanitizer. It will be “hit or miss” if you find soap in the bathroom. Most likely, there will be some available. However, when traveling outside of the city, I have often found myself in a situation without any soap available and would greatly advise you to bring some hand sanitizer with you.
Change (money). Lastly, carrying a little change in with you to nicer bathrooms may be helpful. In bigger, nicer places, you’ll often see some ladies cleaning the restroom and handing out some toilet paper. They will appreciate—if not expect—a dinar or a few milims for their services.
My Advice
If you are traveling to Tunisia for any length of time, bring your own trusted supplies with you just in case. You would not want to miss out on the adventures that Tunisia offers because “Aunt Flo” showed up unexpectantly and you were unprepared.
