Algerian Beach Town Sparks Debate Over Men’s Swimwear
Chetaïbi, a picturesque beach town on Algeria’s Mediterranean coast, has become the focal point of a cultural clash over men’s beach attire, highlighting tensions between conservative values and modern tourist habits.
Famed for its turquoise waters, rugged coves, and forested hills, the town of 8,000 attracts thousands of local tourists each summer. Its seasonal tourism is vital to the local economy.
(Buoys vendors walk on the beach in Algiers, Friday, July 18, 2025. AP Photo/Fateh Guidoum)
“The atmosphere is warm and welcoming — people here have a long tradition of hospitality,” said longtime resident Salah Edine Bey. “There was no sense of controversy… until suddenly, there was.”
Earlier this month, the town’s mayor, Layachi Allaoua, issued a decree banning beachgoers from wearing Bermuda shorts in public areas, calling them indecent compared to the longer, looser garments preferred by more conservative men.
“These summer outfits disturb the population and conflict with our society’s moral values,” the mayor wrote. “The population can no longer tolerate seeing foreigners wandering the streets in indecent clothing,” he added, referring to Algerian visitors from other regions.
The unexpected ban has stirred debate, catching many vacationers and business owners by surprise in this usually tranquil coastal getaway.
