The east side of Djerba is the tourist side, with beaches, hotels and golf, but the road to this mosque runs a little inland from the sand, among farms and small villages, and it shows the older island that the resorts mostly hide. The nearest real town is Midoun, about five kilometres away, the second market centre of the island, with a lively weekly market where farmers sell fruit, spices, textiles and handmade pottery. Houmt Souk, the capital, is more than ten kilometres to the north-west.
Many of the Ibadi mosques in Djerba were designed in part as strongpoints, because the island was raided for centuries by Spanish, Maltese and Sicilian forces, and local people took refuge in the buildings when pirates came. The island's Ibadi cultural landscape of villages, mosques, farms and fields has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage property.
Further along the coast the beach of Sidi Mahrez is a long white strip of fine sand, and the lighthouse at Ras Tourgueness at the north-east corner looks over a lagoon where flamingos gather in winter. A visit in January or February can bring thousands of birds, standing pink against the blue. Riding here is simple, along flat coast and inland roads with palms and olive trees, and the roads are mostly good, but traffic can be thick near the resorts in summer, with taxis, minibuses and quad bikes on the shoulder. Take care at roundabouts, which are used loosely.
Midoun has fuel, cafes, a bank and a market, and so you never need to plan ahead for supplies. The sea air is warm until late in the autumn, and the best months for riding are March to May and October to November, when the wind is moderate and the heat is not oppressive. In midsummer, ride in the early morning or evening. A glass of mint tea with pine nuts in a cafe in Midoun is the local way to sit out the afternoon.