Tozeur: Where the Desert Whispers and My Film Scout Senses Tingled

okay so picture this: me, three energy drinks deep, scrolling through some dusty film festival submissions when i spot these coordinates that look like they've been ripped from a sci-fi script. 34.85, 5.7333 - turns out it's tozeur, tunisia. cue the spontaneous flight booking and zero game plan.

"the oasis here? it's basically nature's green screen. but watch out for the stray goats on set."

i just checked and it's... a crisp 11.75°C with a pressure that feels like the air itself is holding its breath. hope you like that kind of thing. if you get bored, douz and nefta are just a short drive away - like the desert's version of neighboring towns who pretend they don't know each other.

someone told me that the *chott el jerid salt flats look like god spilled his glitter collection after a bender. and the medina? pure gold for production design. but i heard that the camel rides are basically tourist traps designed to separate you from dinars. save your cash for the dates - the real stars here.

yesterday i bribed a taxi driver with cigarettes to take me to the corbeille de fruit canyon. that lighting? director would kill for it. but the museum of desert life felt like walking through someone's grandma's attic - charming but chaotic. honestly, the best shots came from this tiny cafe where the owner kept shooing away cats.

"if you're filming here, bring your own lens wipes. the dust has a personal vendetta against equipment."

pro tip: the sidi bouhlel canyon at sunset is when the magic happens. but seriously, pack more water than you think you need. also, i found these amazing star maps at the souk that are cheaper than amazon. check them out here if you're into that sorta thing.


heard a drunk guy at this dive bar babbling about how the palmeraie* is actually haunted. something about a filmmaker who disappeared while shooting a horror film there. spooky, but the olive oil here is legit.


p.s. if you need to escape the desert vibes, this hotel does a killer tajine. just don't ask about the stains on the carpet.