Turkey is one of the most popular holiday destinations with thousands of tourists hitting the beautiful sandy beaches and discovering its rich history every year. I have been to Yalikavak on Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula for the last 5 years (I’m slightly addicted to the place) but if you are unfamiliar with this beautiful country these travel tips may come in useful.
- Make sure you have a £10 note for your Turkish Visa. On arrival at your chosen airport in Turkey (Bodrum in my case) you will need to hand over a crisp £10 note and have a BLANK PAGE in your passport ready for the authorities to stamp and add your visa to. If you don’t have a blank page, you won’t get in so please check this before you fly!
- Buy your alcohol in duty free. If you like drinking spirits then stock up on a few bottles in duty free to take to Turkey with you. As Turkey is a Muslim country tax on alcohol is high and you can save yourself a fair amount if you buy your supplies to drink at your villa before you travel. If you are flying into Bodrum there is also a great duty free shop as you arrive at the airport so you can buy drink here is you don’t want to carry it on the plane.
- Book your airport transfers/car hire before you arrive. It can be hectic arriving at a foreign airport, you are likely to be tired and some of the taxi drivers in Turkey do not speak great English so book ahead and avoid getting lost or taking ages to try and explain where you want to go. If you are hiring a car familiarise yourself with the road rules in Turkey before you go and always wear a seatbelt. The Turkish are pretty erratic drivers!
- Wear high factor sun cream. This may sound a little patronising but the temperatures in Turkey can reach into the 50 degrees Celsius mark in summer. I have just come back from a week there in June and it was already pushing 40 degrees. You will need to be near a pool or the sea at all times to cool off so make sure you reapply after your swim!
- Don’t be afraid to try the Turkish cuisine. I stayed in Yalikavak on the Bodrum Peninsula, which was once a traditional fishing village so seafood is obviously delicious here. The Turkish casseroles which you can have with lamb, chicken, beef or shrimps are amazing! They come served in clay pots with bubbling cheese on top and they are usually served with rice, salad and ‘Pide’ which is a lovely Turkish flatbread.
- Make sure you leave plenty of time to get through the airport on your return journey. I can’t speak for other airports but Bodrum’s new high spec ‘Milas International Airport’ takes some time to navigate. The main issue is that there is a security check as you enter the airport and then another as you pass through to the departure lounge, so lots of queuing is involved! The good news is that once you are through that it is a great airport with lots of dining options and shops.
Check out our great range of Holiday Homes in Turkey now and book your next trip to this fantastic country.
