I can’t imagine what negative comments you’ve read but Turkey is a wonderful place to travel. I didn’t go to a beach resort and I can’t comment on Bodrum in particular but I loved almost every minute in Turkey. My highlights were Istanbul, Ephesus and Cappadocia (there’s an article about Cappadocia on my website http://www.roamingtales.com/2007/12/01/fighting-dragons-in-cappadocia/).

The people are friendly, the food is fantastic and the history, architecture and landscape is amazing. The one part I didn’t like was when we stayed overnight in Pamukkale en route from Solcuk/Ephesus to Cappadocia. It was a giant package hotel full of German tourists with dozens of coaches parked out the front. It was the sort of place when the four of us went down for breakfast would be asked which tour group we were part of and then throw them into a tizz because we were on our own and they didn’t know what to do with us. That was hell but it was only one night. We stayed in small guest houses the rest of the time, apart from a lovely five-star cave hotel in Cappadocia.

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Darren, One Plus point to Bodrum is a Visit to the Castle on the Harbour, It is definatly worth Visiting !!!!

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although i am greek i dont think you should “allow” any negative comments affect your holiday decisions so much.

turkey is a very nice country tourism industry is very well “developed” and thus you will probably have a nice time..

almost in everycase i think that the best attitude is “to make the best out of everything” have fun and relax

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We are going on our 3rd year of an open ended trip around the world & Turkey was one of our favorite countries! We have lots of information on our website, including the cheap, but wonderful places where we stayed. We took a laptop & got free wifi everywhere…MUCH better than most of Europe!

I would get out of Bodrum quickly & either go to Fethiye and Kaz area plus Ephesus & Pumukkale area or do Ephesus and Cappadocia. If you do not fly, it is probably too short of a time to go all the way to Cappadocia ( sad because it is spectacular and like no where else). We stayed over a week in Cappadocia alone & list 2 great cave hotels including the famous Esbelli Evi. If you do not get there this time, do another week in Cappadocia.

We liked Istanbul, but it can really be done in a day and the best of Turkey is really in the rural areas like in most places ( Ephesus area and Cappadocia). It is a very easy country to do independently, buses go everywhere cheaply & wonderful small hotels for very little. Every one is connected and will bargain! We were there in high season and booked nothing ahead!! We had each hotel help us with our next stop.

We loved Pummukale and Aphrodisia which is drivable from Ephesus area. The key to Pummukale is to go to the famous and healing sacred pool where you can swim with ancient artifacts in the same waters as Emperors and Cleopatra AFTER the crowds on buses have left. We had few people there & we were there in high season!

http://www.soultravelers3.com/2007/08/pamukkale-and-h.html

You can soak 24/7 & I would love to see it in moonlight or sunrise! Also Aphrodisias is wonderful and no one is there.

Go to Ephesus on a non cruise ship day and be there when it opens. Fabulous! We had the first hour all to ourselves ( note no one is around in our video of Ephesus when my kidlet played her violin there). Only Pompeii beats Ephesus and both should be MUSTS for all travelers.

Don’t miss the other great sites in Selcuk area and check out Sirince ( again after tourist buses have gone home). Take a gulet cruise if you can…wonderful to see the Turquoise coast which is spectacular and pristine!

Turkey has the best hospitality in the world. Ask and you shall receive! Nobody treats their tourists better. They also have more ruins than Italy or Greece. The food is delicious!

You will have a great time and will want to go back! ( The only people who do not like Turkey are those that stay in built up places like Bodrum, Marmaris and Kudasi…..stay away from them and see the real Turkey).

A week is not long enough, but you should get a lovely taste! Enjoy!!

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I too, cannot say enough good things about Turkey, where I have spent many years of my life. I am very familiar with the country – if you need any specific advice, feel free to drop me an email or I can send you my Skype information.

turkeytravelplanner.com is a great resource for anyone traveling to Turkey, informative, to the point, and has the information you’re most likely to need/what to know.

A note about “Allahaısmarladık” – it only means “goodbye” for the person leaving (aka. you). The persons staying back say “gule gule” (us). So “gule gule” and have a wonderful trip, I’m sure that you will.

Enjoy the tea, the Aegean, and visit Efes, Pamukkale, and take a Blue Voyage tour!

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Don’t forget your Lutfens and Tesherkadirams either Darren.
That’s Please and Thankyous to you.

Hasap Lutfen- can i have the bill please.

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@ Lee:

* tesekkur ederim
* hesap

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See Soultravelers3 agrees with me! Go to Ephesus definitely and Cappadocia if you can. I’ve heard Fethiye is great.

Don’t know much about Bodrum but gather it’s a bit like a Turkish Costa del Sol. Fine if a beach is all you’re looking for but Turkey has much more to offer.

Have fun!

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Turkey is an excellent destinations. Bodrum I liked – and yes, do visit the castle – it is a bit of a town with things going on. The real “Benidorm” bits are Iclemere and Marmaris and to be avoided (personal opinion) unless you want, er…. Benidorm and “…drunken butchers from Luton singing “Ave Marmaris” and I have just found a nice place round the back selling Smith’s crisps, Walls pork sausages and b**dy Watney’s red barrel” (Monty Python). There are many nice inlets, Kalkan, Kas (in the South) and the Dalyan delta. The only bugbear I have with the place is the eternal cold collation which gets served up at every ruddy meal! (They have a word for it – mesas or something) Great people and a fascinating country. Just don’t drive at night. Lorries and tractors tend not to worry about silly things like, er… lights, for example.

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Hey Darren! We envy you, we envy you! We’ve had some really good holidays in Turkey, and love the area around Fethiye, including Calis Beach (little beach resort), Ovacik (in the mountains), Hisaronu (like a wild west town), Olu Deniz (with the lagoon), and Kayakoy (former Greek town, now ghost town). We also like Kalkan – one of my mates goes there every year and has made friends there.

We’ve also been on great trips to Pamukkale, Ephesus and Saklikent Gorge.

We love the food too – the salad starter buffet is a meal in itself, and the abundance of lovely fresh ingredients just fantastic.

We’re sure you’ll have a great time.

Have a good time in Rhodes too – I want to hear what it was like!

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I am ın a web cafe coolıng down. The temperature ıs over 100 degrees on most days whıch ıs way too hot for me. So I am havıng to stay ın the shade a lot. Thats not botherıng me too much because I came for a relaxıng holıday.

Turkey ıs very expensıve ıt ıs certaınly not a cheap destınatıon anymore. More on that when I get home. Oh and I am not ın Bodrum! Due to the XL admınıstratıon I am ın Marmarıs. I was compensated (nıcely!) wıth free trıps and money compensatıon.

Tomorrow (Wed) I am off to Dalyan. Thursday goıng to Rhodes and Frıday to Pamukkale.

I am headıng home early hours on Saturday. Hopıng to be back home for lunchtıme.

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Oh Boy am I looking forward to the Rants Darren!!!! I don’t understand Darren Why XL administration means your not in Bodrum and are in Marmaris? Which Tour Operator did you travel with and how or who did you book your holiday with?Cost etc?So much for last minute booking eh!
Thank god you weren’t there in August with all the Lager Louts, I certainly would not have sent you to Marmaris!!
Enjoy Dalyan and Pamukkale. If you are in Marmaris well worth getting the hell out of there and visiting Sliyeme and the town of BOZBURAN where thay make the Gulets, or Kumlubuk Bay and Turunc ( although Turunc is not quite what it used to be)

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