Port El Kantaoui
Port El Kantaoui (Arabic: مرسى القنطاوي) is a tourist complex 10 kilometres north of Sousse city in central Tunisia. It was built in 1979 specifically as a tourist centre,[1] around a large artificial harbour that provides mooring with 340 berths for luxury yachts, hosting sporting activities from water skiing to paragliding, and several golf courses. The 36-hole PGA approved championship course makes Port El Kantaoui a popular destination for golfing.
The architecture, although modern and dazzlingly white, has been modelled on the more traditional buildings in Tunisia, complete with narrow streets and arches. The hotels that line the beachfront extend from Sousse itself along miles of sparkling clean sea to the harbour of Port El Kantaoui and to the north of the harbour.
In style, the port area Port El Kantaoui is designed as a white and blue Tunisian style village with reproduced medina quarter and cobblestone streets. It is popular with package holiday visitors, families and first time visitors, however its extensive landscaping and detachment from the true Tunisia brings critics; most notably the Rough Guide has described Port El Kantaoui as "Tunisia without tears ... artificial, soulless, even anaemic".[2]
In 2015, 39 people were killed when a lone terrorist gunman opened fire at two hotels (2015 Sousse attacks). This is the worst attack in the recent history of Tunisia, since the Tunisian Revolution of 2010-2011. Most of those killed were tourists. [3]
References
- ↑ "Port El Kantaoui, Tunisia". "PlanetWare - Your Unlimited Travel Guide to the World". Retrieved 2006-03-20.
- ↑ "They love kids at the hotel. But the feeling isn't mutual". "Independent Online Edition > Africa" (London). 2004-02-15. Retrieved 2015-06-27.
- ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/26/us-tunisia-security-idUSKBN0P61F020150626
External links
Media related to Port El Kantaoui at Wikimedia Commons
Coordinates: 35°53′38″N 10°35′53″E / 35.894°N 10.598°E