Anyone been to Turkey**


zenith

New Member
i'm considering a pkg to turkey wif chan brothers. anyone else been to turkey? any comments? i really wonder what turkey is really like. still considering between turkey to usa west coast.
 

squareeyebrow

New Member
Hi Royal and Zen,

Have been to Turkey in Oct. Done it thru Ananda but it is oredi closed. Nevertheless, I can share my experience on the country and places visited. Itinenary covered mostly central and western Turkey as it's more developed.

Though it was oct, weather oredi gotten quite cool so i guess dec will b quite cold. Oh, but dec u get to c religious performances by Whirling Dervishes (men in white robes spinning round n round) in holy places such as Konya. We like Turkey for its unique culture - in fact a country which spans over 2 continents: europe and asia! One can find mosque and church co-existing! Full of beautiful and amazing architecture works!

Places not to b missed:
(1) Istanbul - Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, Galata Tower, Topaki Palacce, Dolmabache Palace, Taksim Square, Grand Bazaar, Bosphorus River Cruise, Belly dancing show
(2) Hot air ballooning at Cappadocia a must do! see chimney-like formations! Goreme Open Air Museum to see rock churches with frescoes. Some pp spend a week there staying at cave hotels and exploring! Best highlight of the trip!
(3) Cotton castle at Pamukkale - pools of thermal water very beautiful at sunset!
(4) Ephesus, Troy - seven wonders of the ancient world!
(5) Ankara - capital! Atatuk (Father of Turkey) Mausoleum and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations

Zen - Both places have their USP! Turkey being more difficult to DIY mainly cos of language. While USA, can do a F&E by driving around. If u r someone who enjoy history and architecture, Turkey mayb more attractive.
 

royal

New Member
Hi Zen,
I signed on with Chan Bro. Deal is quite alright. Taking a direct flight with fullboard meals.

Thanks Squareeyebrow for your info. looks like I'd better prepare my winter wears. Will check my package to see if it covers these places you mentioned.
Too bad, I wont get to go for hot airballoon, cos schedule would be tight for us in Cappadocia.

Thanks.
 

gerger37

New Member
hi all..

i took up chan bro turkey package 2 yrs ago... i went during dec.. will b cold.. rem to bring all your winter wear...

the hot air balloon is a MUST to go in cappadocia... the scenery is superb~!!
 

royal

New Member
Hi SunnyDay,

How cold is the cold? Will is rain or snow? I am wondering and considering which type of winter wear to bring. I
 

xinyi_reiko

New Member
hi all,

i signed up with dynasty travel for a 12 day trip to turkey in mid oct. According to my research in Oct the temp is around 10 plus degree.. so I believe dec will be much much colder..

will feedback after my trip..
happy.gif
 

gerger37

New Member
hi royal...

morning n nite is about 2 to minus 2-3 deg... so cold until every morning the bus engine got difficulties to start up... but tt's only for some area... might not experience snow but with the wind blowing.. definitely is cold... in the afternoon is about 5 to 10 deg...just bring thermal wear, gloves n winter jacket just in case...

when u going? booking chan bros ?
 

royal

New Member
Hi Sunnyday,

Thanks for your advice. Yup, Booked with Chan Bros, going during the Xmas week in Dec.
 

royal

New Member
Hi Sunnyday,

Thanks for your advice. Yup, Booked with Chan Bros, going during the Xmas week in Dec. You went with Chan Bros too? It's my first time going on a package tour after like 15 years.Have been travelling F & E all these while.

Is Chan Bros good?
 

royal

New Member
that's nice. I am worry that package tour - they will bring you to those commission earning shops and waste lots of them there..
 

therat

New Member
I went Turkey during Oct 99.
Night time very cool.
Mainly due to the strong wind.
Almost every night 7pm the strong wind will start.
Even u inside the hotel room, u still can heard the wing.

Very nice place. If u like history, this is better than USA.
Cannot DIY.
That time. I do a travel connection.. mean book air ticket fly there and join their local tour. When with the tour , still ok.. had local tour guide. But when need to transfer ourself.. from hotel to train station. That is new expensive.
Train officer don't know english. we don't know their languagae.. basically has to use hand and some acting..
but it is fun.

Note: when u had balance turkey currency, change back to USD before left the country.
 

royal

New Member
Alright! Thanks, Rayol_pika_rat.
Wow! I am seeing a very cold holiday ahead! Better get myself prepared. Hope the attractions will be open for tourist. I only worry abt rainy days during Dec.

Should I change more Lira or use more of the USD?
 

therat

New Member
use Lira better.
some local shop cannot take in USD.
But that was 1999, now.. I'm not to sure.

day time is ok.. cooling..
night time. the wing.. especially is Istanbul.
Must visit their old town and new town.

Another thing I just remember.
When u left the country and after u check in ur luggage at the airport counter.
When u walk to ur plane, u might see alot of luggage laying on the floor.
Pls go and identify your luggage and tell them.. this is urs and the airport staff will bring it up into the plane.
If you don't identify, there will be chances that.. u are in the plane, ur luggage is out of the plane, sitting on the floor.
when we was there, we didn't know.
I and my husband was so happy to see our luggage after check in bcoz u don't see it in singapore.
When we will in plane. almost everyone board and sitted. Airline staff come to us but they can't speak english. SO .. we just look at her blur blur, full of ??? surround our head. Luckily 1 of the passenger know abit of english. Try to explain to us. Need to point our bag, then they bring up into the plane. In not, we fly, bag still in Turkey.
We then eye open.. what..
then my husband faster run down and tell them, these these.. mine mine.. he use finger point those bag, point him.

don't know this practice still practice or not
 

xinyi_reiko

New Member
royal_pika_rat, i will be going to turkey next mth.. i also have some question..
happy.gif


if the day time temp abt sg temp?? Because i dont have much cold wear clothes.. So wonder if short sleeves are able to make it for day time.

any restrictions on attire?? and are the things there expensive? I know they are popular in leather goods. Thinking to get some stuffs for my parents.
 

therat

New Member
google and check the weather will be more precise.
Nowadays.. weather is not like last time.

Day time.. short sleeves.. should be fine. Just bring a light jacket along.. in case
night time.. i will bring out my jacket. if not will freeze

attire.. don't think so..
even turney are muslim country.. they are quite open. Just don't wear 3 pcs go out can liao..
happy.gif

Jean and t-shirt is enough.

The time I went their currency still have alot of zero.
I remember 1 toilet visit, i need to pay 100 000 turkey $ which is only 10 cents SGD
I exchange USD300, I become Billionair in Turney.
never so rich before.. hahahaha

export goods like branded clothing.. the price tag can make u faint

local things.. cheap
leather goods cheap
carpet cheap

try their coffee
 

royal

New Member
xinyi_reiko,

U going on free and easy or package tour? if you may, share your experience after your trip can? Thanks..
 

mystique_

New Member
Hi xinyi_reiko,

Care to share your tour experience with dynasty travel? I just signed up 12 days tour package to Turkey with them too
happy.gif
 

chocolatte79

New Member
hi lyn.. when u goin? i signed up with dynasty oso, 12d, departure 23 dec =D
xinyi, care to share ur tour experience with dynasty? thanks...
 

xinyi_reiko

New Member
Sorry for late reply.. was very busy with work..

Turkey is very rich in history.. It has history of the Greeks, Romans and more... Their historical places never failed to amaze me.. If you like historical stuffs, I believe you will like Turkey. It will be good if you spend sometime reading up before going there..

We had lots of fun there.. Hotair balloon @ Cappadocia - it was so fun, the view was so great!! Never regret paying for it. It is a MUST GO activity. Because probably in your life, there wont be any chance to sit on hot air balloon, unless you go places like new zealand, aussie, south africa..

We had water rafting and quad biking @ Antalya. It was fun. Not sure if is included in your package. Heard from my tour leader that these activities are firstly launched in our package.

People there are friendly. Services are pretty good. Maybe is because tourism is one of their main revenue.. Toilets are pretty clean also. Clean water wise, it varies from different parts of Turkey. City areas are cleaner of course, but still cannot drink/boil from tap.

Hotel wise, i would say there are good, average and bad ones.. especially one, which is still under renovations, the room is pretty dusty, water was a little yellowish.

Cost wise, things are pretty expensive. 1 can drink can cost YLR$2.50 to YLR$5.50, depends of places. Toilet needs to pay at some places, from 50 cents to 1 buck.. Shopping... NEVER think of saving all your shopping at Grand Bazaar. Because is far more expensive and is very difficult to bargain. If you want to do any shopping.. buy any souvenirs, can buy at along the way.. There are souvenirs everywhere.. every stop... and is much more cheaper than Grand Bazaar.

Food wise, almost everyday is the same.. chicken breast meat, butter rice, spaggtti, cheesey food, green salad, grilled tomatos, grilled green and red peppers, egg plant and potatos. Had 3 meals on kerbard.. bring some instant noodles just in case.

Other than Ankara and Istanbul, other places are countryside.. Travelling from place to place usually takes around 3-4 hrs. There is once we took 10 hrs. I cant rem the exact place. But of course there are toilet stops.

Weather wise, Antalya is a warmer place whereas Cappadocia and Ankara is much colder. The rest are average. The period i went, the weather just nice.. Blue sky.. cooling..

Bosphorus Cruise & Dolmabahce Palace are also must go places. Bosphorus Cruise very nice boat ride.. one side is asia and another side is europe. Dolmabahce Palace is one of the most lavishly furnish place. If possible, pay additional 6 YTL to get photo pass to take photos.

I hope my reviews helps..
happy.gif
 

xinyi_reiko

New Member
Just to add on.. for Grand Bazaar, indeed very big.. but.. shops there are repeated.. mainly scarfs, souvenirs shops, lamp shops, jewelery shops, fake leather shops..

I initially thought i will need 2 hrs.. i told the local tour guide to extend the time.. but end up i walked out 1.5 hrs later. haha.. and the variety is not as fantastic as other places.

If can try to extend 1-2 nites at istanbul.. a very nice city.. is worth to walk around slowly.. of course i didnt extend..
 

chocolatte79

New Member
thx xinyi... very helpful indeed =) glad tat u shared.

now a bit worry wat clothing i shld bring for dec. can wear t-shirt & jins for day time?

i thot things in grand bazaar is cheaper, lucky read ur review first, will buy the souvenirs along the way then...

is the water rafting optional tour?
 

xinyi_reiko

New Member
chocolatte, better wear something thick. when i went was around 15 deg.. i am already wearing outer wear. Do check out the weather 2 days before departure..

can slowly look around for souvenirs, because everywhere is selling almost the same stuffs. you will find some special ones at some shops.
happy.gif


water rafting and quad biking are including free in my package.
 

chocolatte79

New Member
thx xinyi... sob.. sob.. it's not included in my package, dunno got free time to take water rafting or not, we would really love to
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did u have a lot of free time in ur package?
did u go to a resort town? forgot the name.. was it nice?

me & hubby goin there for honeymoon, wonder if it's a nice place for honeymoon, keke...
 

xinyi_reiko

New Member
chocolatte, is your package 'unique experience in turkey'??

mine package is newly launch that time. is pretty packed. not much free time.. i think is because of the long bus ride.

by the time you go is winter already, i believe water sports is not recommended. I think will be very very cold.

resort town? i dont quite get you. you want to name the place?
 

mystique_

New Member
Hi Xinyi,

Thanks for all the valuable info.

Think chocolatte might have signed up same package as me... 12D Turkish Dreams. Now the hot air balloons ride cost US220. But I will still go for it... once in a life time experience
happy.gif
 

chocolatte79

New Member
thx xinyi.. wow, indeed v beautiful... very ex ya... but i think i'll go for it too.. haha... ya lyn, once in a lifetime ler... keke...

ya.. we signed up the same package =D do share your experience ya when u come back =D esp the whether, keke...

anyone can share where i should go/what to do that's normally not in the tour package? coz we'll go there 3 days earlier (awaiting the ticket confirmation thou), not sure what we can do in the 3 F&E days.
 

mystique_

New Member
Chocolatte,

Have u confirmed yr 3 F&E days? I just came back from Turkey yesterday. Only joined 1 optional tour - the hotair balloon. We were lucky.. morning when we had the hotair balloon, the sky was still clear and we could see the beautiful landscape clearly... Afternoon, it started snowing.

The optional tour list they gave us also not qute updated. We dun have the jeep safari (not suitable for winter).. didn go to the spice bazaar also. They got an optional 45 min ferry tour (think 30US) at Antalya area but we didn join, prefer to shop around. The things there quite cheap. Didn manage to try Turkish Bath too cos not enough pple to go.

Most of the afternoon will be spent on the coach travelling to another place. 4pm the sky will be dark already. Nite time also no chance to walk around cos hotel area quite remoted.

Food wise, not very nice.. but dun think u need to bring instant noodles. Many of us brought cup noodles and till last day still no chance to eat. Cos at night usually buffet dinner in the hotel, u will be quite full.

Sorry, cnt advise u what to do for the 3 day F&E, probably u can just shop ard Istanbul Taksim Square.

Hope u enjoy yr trip
happy.gif
 

chocolatte79

New Member
hi lyn, thx for sharing
happy.gif

not yet, i'm goin on 23 dec.
in the end we go & come back with the group
sad.gif
our extension was not approved.. sob sob...
u really v lucky... now i pray hard will get a good weather esp for the hot air balloon, so sad if go all the way there already can take that.

ya ya, they oso told us about the jeep safari, which we opt to join, they oso din say it's not in winter. another 1 we opted is the turkish bath, haiit.. really hope we got enoz ppl to go.

u mean the tour end quite early & dinner is in the hotel? wow... looks like quite a lot of time wasted in the hotel ler... hmm...

will share too once i return
happy.gif
 

chocolatte79

New Member
hi lyn... it was good =D like u said, a lot of time spent in the bus thou... but as we both like history, we found the trip very interesting, esp that it was so rich with Christian history =D
but we hate the food, haha... except kebab, which we bought on our own =p
i'll be updating my multiply about the whole trip, anyone considering to visit turkey, can read more there, my multiply id is chocolatte79.
 

raviraj

New Member
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rosemarie

New Member
Yes.... the locals clamor to have their photos taken. They call anyone with a big camera "paparazzi" and they all want to be famous

Go to the Turkish bazaars and enjoy the local cuisine as well.....and have fun!
 

lovelee

New Member
Hi,
This thread seemed silent.

Anyone planning or had taken up tour package to Turkey recently? Pls reply. Thanks!
 
Hi

My partner and i just took up a 13 Day package to Turkey with Dynasty at the recent NATAS fair. We paid close to 2900 (2488 + 401) each.... Flying by Turkish airlines but inclusive of 2 internal flights... Heard that this is pretty steep for Turkey. You gals have any idea if this is a good package.
 

ginko59

New Member
Hi

Think it depends on the season you travel as well as whether the tour is confirmed already. If confirmed will be more ex. For mine I paid $2459 per pax 12D9N Turkey and Mediterranean coast flying in June via SQ.
 



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