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Turkey Travel Tips: One of the reasons we enjoyed Turkey so much is that we were prepared for the journey. We learned a few things on the way, but we had
no unpleasant surprises. This page is dedicated to providing travel tips to make your vacation to Turkey a complete success.
The first and best advice I can give you for this trip is to check out Rick Steves' store in Edmonds, WA. Rick Steves' store has more than just traveling supplies for your trip. You can watch videos about Turkey (or other European destinations) for free in a cozy video viewing room. There is a sitting area with a library, in case you want to do a little researching before spending money, and he holds regular free classes at the theatre down the street. These classes range from "Traveling to Turkey" to "Packing for women." Even if you aren't planning a Rick Steves guided trip, you should check out this store for your European traveling. Finally, if you aren't sure as to whether or not you should take a Rick Steves tour, ask someone who has taken one what they thought. That's how we made our decision.
Pre-reading can help you a lot on your Turkish tour. The "Istanbul" guide, available from Rick Steves publications (and free with your trip purchase) provides everything you need to know about Istanbul. This can be helpful, because when you have your time off, you may want to see the Dolmabache palace or many of the other great sites. It will also help you find a great place to eat within your budget. Most importantly, it'll tell you what is culturally appropriate in Turkey.The freedom away from the tour group was one of the nicest parts of the trip. Sometimes, we just relaxed, but other times we wanted to see more of Turkey! As for reading, I highly recommend the reading list provided by Rick Steves for a little cultural wisdom. If you are not a reader, then you should at least pick up the Lonely Planet Travel Pocket Guide to Turkish. This guide saved us money at the market, when we were able to tell them exactly what we wanted. It also gave us some Turkish respect. Wouldn't it flatter you if a foreigner learned some of your language?
Here are the most important words you need to know: "WC," "Bayan/Bay," "Kurus and Lira," "Raki." WC is exactly what it means anywhere else in Europe, bathroom. Trust me, you'll want to know this one. Once you get to the bathroom, you should know the difference between bayan and bay. Bay is men, Bayan is women. This might prevent some embarrassing moments. Lira is the Turkish dollar, which is approximately 80 cents to the American dollar at the time I made this website. Kurus (pronounced, koo-roosh) is the Turkish version of "cents." Raki (pronounced, rah-keh), is perhaps the most important word you'll need to know. It means, "really tasty Turkish alcohol that makes you very happy and cures the common cold." I would commit this one to memory right now. If you want to learn more about the Turkish language, go to Turkey Travel Planner. I went here to learn one word per day before my trip, and it helped me greatly. I received a lot more smiles from the Turkish people just for attempting the language. We both even received discounts after saying, "I bayram lar," a happy holiday greeting. |
Since we were on the subjects of bathrooms in the previous paragraph, I feel it necessary to bring up the issue of the Turkish bathroom. The typical Turkish bathroom is composed of several Turkish toilets and at least one western-style toilet. I ended up loving the Turkey variety, but I also like anchovies and baroque music. If you prefer not use what you see to your right, which requires the use of stable calf muscles and flexible pant stitching...
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...and you prefer to use one of these, which allows you to pick up on the daily news (and provides an optional tush-washer with the push of a button), I would suggest doing two things: 1. You may have to wait in a short line, so go before it becomes an emergency, and 2. Head for the "Handicap" signed stalls. While we are on the subject, I should also mention that many of the stalls do not have toilet paper, so keeping some tissue in your day pack is advisable. Most public restrooms cost about elli kurus (50 Turkish cents, or about 40 cents American). Luckily, your hotel bathrooms will always be fully equipped, clean, free, and American style.
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When you go to Turkey, you will eat the most amazing foods! Beef and lamb cost about the same, and both are grass-fed, pasture-raised, at least semi-local, and terrific.
Unless you are a vegetarian, you must eat what you see to the left. This Doner kebab is slowly roasted and then added to a plate of roasted veggies and rice. Kebabs were invented in Turkey, and the Turks do them best.
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| Packing is another consideration for this trip. I highly advise you to use the Rick Steves packing list, even if you aren't taking his tour. Having all of your possessions in a carry on bag eliminates lost-luggage nightmares. If you are on a tour, it will make your luggage much easier to transport. You will have the option of leaving oversized luggage on the bus at times, but if you want it in your hotel room, you may have to carry it a few blocks and up a set of stairs.
Sanitation issues: Bring a travel-sized container of hand sanitizer with you. I still caught a minor cold during my trip, but this will protect you better than anything else. If you do catch a cold, the medicines at the pharmacies are just as good as they are here, though Raki is better. Also, though the water in Turkey is good, we are not accustomed to the Turkish bacteria. So, drink bottled water only. If you are a cheapskate like myself, you may want to buy a large bottle for 1 YTL and refill your small bottles with it. The large bottle is three times the size of a small bottle and only twice the price. If you drink lots of water, this will save you more money for Raki, which is bacteria free.
If you have the opportunity, go during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month. If you go during Ramadan, bring ear plugs (included with any Rick Steves tour). Ramadan is full of celebration. You will see more culture and experience more, if you go during this time. However, if you value your sleep and are a light sleeper, you may tire of the early-morning calls to prayer. The ear plugs will help with that, though I personally found the calls to be a highlight of my trip.
Money: you may want to change your money to the Turkish Lira once you arrive. Most places take credit/debit cards, however. If you are traveling to other areas, you may wish to carry Euros instead. Almost all places take Euros, in addition to the Lira.
Safety: I felt safer in Turkey than I do in the US. Most women claim to feel comfortable and safe walking the streets alone at night, though I wouldn't recommend it. However, petty crimes against tourists are rampant all across Europe. So, I would recommend wearing the money belt included for free with the trip, or wearing a long-strapped purse that rests in the front. Our group didn't have any thefts, but I've heard enough stories.
Wild Animals: Don't pet the cats. The wild cats are everywhere, and most of them are friendly. However, they are still wild. One of our group members was scratched after petting a nasty tom. We were prepared with sanitizers and hand soap, but that could have turned a good vacation awry.
Assume you'll come back! This was a Rick Steves motto that I really appreciated. There is really too much to see in Turkey for a two-week trip, so assume you'll come back someday. If you go on a tour and it is too busy for you, opt out of an activity or two. If seeing everything means you don't have a chance to relax, don't see everything. The Rick Steves tours allow you to opt out of many activities and do your own thing.
I hope these tips will help you in planning your trip to Turkey. We noticed the new Village Turkey Adventure in 10 Days and hope to someday return to see what we missed the first time. However, we have a few other destinations to see first. If you have any questions about Turkey, the Rick Steves tour, or about this website, please contact me at: mgalaxygirl@yahoo.com.
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