The Best:
- Cappadocia
- Kas & Olimpos
-
The Worst:
-
|
|
Turkey
Turkey is at the crossroads -- literally and figuratively -- of Asia and Europe. If you arrive from Europe you
will probably think it's outlandishly asian. If you arrive from the Middle East, you'll love the western convenience.
Whichever way you're going, be sure to steel yourself for a lot, and I mean A LOT, of bus rides.
Dispatches
Photos
(To come)
Links
Side Pension: A nice little hotel/pension in Istanbul, between the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofia, near the 4 Seasons Hotel. Awesome roof-top deck for views and breakfast.
Random Thoughts and Tips
- Be sure to do some exploring on your own on the trails near Göreme. As you are walking on the road from town to the historical park, turn left into the side valley just before the main road begins going uphill. Then, cut right onto the side trail, and follow the canyon as it narrows and narrows. You'll have to scramble straight up a few walls, then you'll enter a tunnel. Eventually, you'll meet back up with the main road just above the historical park. A great hike.
- The underground cities (available on any tour from Göreme) are worth seeing.
- The hike up to the fires at Olimpos is great, but doing it with a group definitely takes away from the experience. If you can arrange transport to the trail head, do it on your own after the guesthouse groups have left.
- At Ephesus, pay the extra fee for the "Terrace Houses". In my opinion, they were the most interesting part of the ruins.
- If you have a day to spare at Fethiye, take the bus to Kayaköy (the Greek "Dead City"), then hike straight uphill through the ruins, crest the hill, and follow the ridge to gorgeous beach at Oludeniz. It's a really beautiful hike. You can catch a bus back to Fethiye from the beach.
- Fethiye and Bodrum are fun resort towns, but if you're looking for more a village feel head to Kas. (We might have hit low season just right, but we had an incredible room at the Kas Hotel overlooking the water for just $10 or $15).
- Almost universally, travelers are disappointed in Pammukale. The formations and the ruins are interesting, yes, but it takes a long time to travel there, and there are so many other interesting sites in Turkey. Certainly don't do Pammukale if it means you'd have to skip Cappadocia (or Ephesus, or Olimpos).
-
Our Route
Other Countries:
Egypt
|
China
|
Jordan
|
Laos
|
Syria
|
Thailand
|
Turkey
|
Vietnam
|