TurkishTourist

Hi,

I'm going to Turkey for the first time next week (arriving from Holland). I'm going with 2 friends (all 20-21 years old). We will be staying at an all-inclusive hotel in Gumbet. Just had a few questions:

What is the quality of the tap water? It was suggested that it is not a good idea to drink it, I was thinking of buying a few bottles of mineral water to keep around?

The typical tourist question - what are some fun things to do? I have heard the bars in Gumbet and Bodrum are fun so I guess we will be checking them out, but what about other activities to do? Also, is it hard to travel between the airport and town, and between the towns themselves?

How are the prices? Even though we are staying at an all-inclusive hotel, we will be going out, etc. How much is a good amount to take with? Will my Dutch bank card work?

Is it save to leave valuables (passports, etc.) laying around the hotel room?

I'm guessing it wont be too hard to meet people our age there?

Thanks

pebble

hi tourist. It isnt safe to leave your passport just "laying around" in your hotel room in anycountry, put it in a drawer or keep it in your suitcase or with you.

the tap water is definately not safe to drink,. you can buy bottled water all over the place.

gumbet is a fun place for young people, bars are all over the place. you will meet loads of people. Be careful though, as you would in your own country when out drinking.....
dont take all your cash with you, you could always loose your purse or have it stolen, I usually keep my cash in my pocket.
there are lots of fun shopping places. In bodrum check out the tuesday market, or on saturday the turgutreis market. Plenty of bargains to be had, and you can try your hand at dickering....(getting the price lower)
its easy to get around the peninsula, there are mini buses going to all destinations from the garage.
try out some of the local restaurants, they are fun and have good food.
there is an aquapark, I dont know if that would interest you.
there are some ruins, the castle, some archeological sights. might not interest youthough...
be sure you go on a day trip on a boat, they are lots of fun, but be sure you take plenty of sun screen as there is no shade........
drink lots of water while you are here, its very hot, and you will sweat a lot, you need to be careful about dehydration, especially if you are out partying and drinking....
from the airport, wont you have a transfer? if not, take the havas to bodrum garage and then take a taxi to your hotel.

Use your common sense with most things.

have fun

SAMIMI

Hi Turkish Tourist, Please get a photocopy of your passport and keep it seperate, maybe in a flat compartment of your suitcase. You can rent a safety deposit box at your hotel. Make sure to insist on a receipt for the safety deposit box. Tourists are a target in any country. If your hotel room and safe gets broken into (it can happen) if you have a receipt, your insurance should cover this. Do not leave a lot of cash in your hotel safety deposit box. Use your ATM card to get cash when you need it. And after all that, enjoy your holiday. Do go on some tours and see some of Turkey. You will want to keep going back again and again!

irishmatelot

Hi there
* The tap water is not dangerous but will give you a poorly tummy as it is full of local minerals that the western tummy doesn't get exposed to.
* If you like history - visit the mausoleum, myndos gate, the ancient temple and the castle of st peter in Bodrum.
* Take a car/taxi/dolmus around the Bodrum coastline, such superb scenery!
* Have a fish dinner in one of the restaurants in Yalikavak or to be honest anywhere that sells fresh caught fish from the peninsula, a treat.
* Visit Halikarnas night club in Bodrum - an experience to be had at least once. It wasn't my cup of tea but I'm glad I tried it.
* Take a boat trip, search for a good one (not those ones that squeeze on as many people as possible!) and chill out in the Aegean for the afternoon.

Have a great time. I'm off to Bodrum on 28th July and I'm sooo excited I can hardly concentrate )

Kara_bag_lady

Another good tip - scan your passport/debit cards/important phone numbers and email them to a hotmail type address - they if they get lost or stolen, you can print them off from any internet cafe

pebble

great suggestions Irishmatelot, samimi and bag lady.....I'll have to file them away in my memory banks for future use.

I love the idea of scanning and emailing to yourself.

POGGLE

Hope you have a great time, bar street in Gumbet should keep you busy every evening.
You need to drink bottled water. Tap water is OK for teeth cleaning and washing/showering. The local bus service is superb and very cheap. Yo8u mshould get a transfer from the airport include vin the cost of your holiday. We love Bodrum and the surrounding area....hope you do too.

Rob & Juls

Hi Pebble!
We will be out from 28th for 2 weeks, do you have any info about the Aqua Park. We stay at Gumusluk and have driven past it several times on the way to Bodrum but it never seems to be open we will be out in the "peak" this time so I guess it should be open.
Thanks Juls