Nicci

Although a tour would have been easier and possibly a little cheaper, we prefer to travel independently so we can control our time. We are experienced travelers, however, this is our first trip to Turkey and would appreciate some expert advice.

The part of the trip that I am having trouble planning is the coast from Antalya to Pamukkale with only 2 nights and 3 days. We will take an overnight bus from Cappadocia to Antalya and pick up a rental car around 8A.
Do we spend any time in Antalya or just head south along the coast? Are there any must sees in Antalya, other than the museum? We will spend 2 nights and 3 days seeing the sights around Kas.

This is our total itinerary so far:
May 18 - Arrive Istanbul at 10:15A
May 19 - Istanbul
May 20 - Istanbul
May 21 - Most of day Istanbul/5:45PM flight to Nevsehir, Cappadocia/pick up rental car
May 22 - Cappadocia
May 23 - Cappadocia
May 24 - All day Cappadocia/Drop of rental and overnight bus to Antalya
May 25 - Arrive 7AM in Antalya and pick up rental car/drive coast to Kas overnight
May 26 - Kas overnight
May 27 - All day on coast/drive to Pamukkale late afternoon for overnight
May 28 - 1/2 day Pamukkale/1-2 hours Afrodiasis/overnight Selcuk
May 29 - Sirince,Priene, Didyma, Miletus/overnight Selcuk
May 30 - Ephesus/drive to Bergama for overnight
May 31 - Pergamum/drop off car in Izmir for evening flight to Istanbul
June 1 - Istanbul
June 2 - 12:15P flight back to Atlanta

Thank you,
Nicci

Michel_Paris

We stayed in Antalya two nights and were just OK with it. Bit too busy for us. We visited some friends and went to the beach (large stones) both days then left towards Kas.

Another place we stayed along coast was Marmaris which, while also bustling, is a smaller place and might have been worth more than the one night.

Nicci

Thanks, Michel. We are leaning towards skipping Antlaya.

Scott_Geyer

Hey all from someone living turkey I would recommend you skip antalya. There isn;t so much to do there as there are in other parts of Turkey in that area, particulary fetiye which is one of my favorite places to go in turkey. Lots of great beaches and hikes and the weather will be perfect there during your trip for swimming and such activites. Also I believe the giant sea turtles will be nesting there during that time also. You can read all about it and see pictures here http://www.fethiye.net/fethiye_peng4.html

Hope it helps

Nicci

Thanks Scott!

A few other questions. Will we miss out if we also skip Cirali/Olympos and go straight towards Kas? Do you suggest staying Fathiye rather than Kas for 2 nights?

Also what's your opinion on our total itinerary? Are we missing anything or should we add anything?

any assistance appreciated

Michel_Paris

We wanted to go to Olympos and started down the road. It looked very interesting, but we were concern about making it to Kas so we turned back. I think I regret that now, having seen the pictures.

We had lunch and shopped in Fethye, so cannot comment in it as a place for staying. Our hotel in Kas (Otel Kas) was small and on the med. Our room had no windows, just this open space with views over the sea. Small sunning area and ladder down into the sea (no beach). Their restaurant was outside, overlooking the sea also. It was a 2 minute walk from the hotel down to the harbour and shops. Some good restaurants.

We also took a day cruise from here to see the Lycean ruins. Boat was glass bottom so could also see the underwater ruins, amphoras,etc.. Cruise included good lunch at an island stop, and there were several swim stops where we swam out form the boat.

Just west of the town, taking the main road, there was our secret beach. Can't miss out from the main road.

I like Kas.

Michael

For nice accommodations in Cappadocia, try la Vieille Maison Grecque in Mustafapasha, not to be confused with the Old Greek House in the same town.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/...57622933537559

You might want to take a look at my trip report; just click on my name to find it.

Nicci

Thank you Michel and Michael for your help.

Michel- We would like to do a day on a boat too with snorkeling over the underwater ruins. Do you remember who you used and the cost? Otel Kas seems like a pretty good option from the TA reviews. We like smaller less touristy places and it's on the outskirts of Kas. If there is just an open space with no windows, I wonder if it will be too warm or cold at night. Any issues with bugs or security? My husband is a photographer and will have some expensive equipment.

Michael- Thanks for the tip on the hotel, however, we have booked the Aravan Evi in the little village of Ayvali, near Urgup. Only has a few rooms, is known for their restaurant and 100% positive reviews on TA. Rather than taking a cooking class, I've been told I can watch them cook and everything will be explained to me.

Michel_Paris

We were in Kas in August. Room was cool, and the sound of the ocean... nice. No bugs. I do not remember being uncomfortable. I do not think anyone could scale the wall to get into the room.

The hotel manager arranged for the boat. It was not a private boat but rather a mid-size one shared with others. There seemed to be lots of boats in the harbour, so I would guess there would be no issue finding someone to take you out.

otherchelebi

Nicci, just some suggestions to ponder:

- Antalya to kas. Visit Phaeselis, just a short diversion. Visit Myra, almost in Demre town, again a short diversion. Visit Olympos if you wish but not necessarily Cirali (11 kilometers of winding road if i remember correctly) unless you are interested in the vegetation of the area which is different from the other valleys of the region.

- Take the boat from Ucagiz village rather than Kas itself, possibly cheaper and also you may be able to get a private one easily. (Did you read my "fumbling family....." trip report on Fodors Lounge?) I hope the weather will be good for you and also suitable for good photography. That day was the highlight of our trip. By the way, i am not sure whether you will be allowed to snorkel above the major ruins, but if you go with Telemen, he will do his best to take you to suitable locations.

Going to pergamon and back, the same day is a long trip and you will find it very tiring. Although not as extensive, as pergamon, you may consider sardis, which has possibly better photography opportunities and is closer. (check our very amateur photos on webshots under my wife's name esercelebiler.)

Didyma and Miletus are not very exciting. Sirince is an over rated tourist trap with bad wine. Consider herakleia and Magnesia instead. (although we have not yet been to Magnesia, we hope to be there in a few days. In fact you may be interested in following the new trip report i have already started. If my neurologist says OK tomorrow, we will take off this Friday.)

Nicci

Thank you Michel & Otherchelebi.

Otherchelebi- I have started reading some of your posts from Fodors Lounge. I didn't know that part of the site existed until now. I see you work in academia. My husband is faculty as a Sr. Research Scientist at Georgia Institute of Technology(Georgia Tech) and has his stock photography business www.slrobertson.com on the side.

So we will pick up our car early morning in Antlaya after the overnight bus arrives from Cappadocia and spend the morning visiting Phaeaselis, Olympos and possibly lunch in Cirali. Then drive on to Kas area. Do you recommend staying in Ucagiz rather than Kas?
Next day on a boat from Ucagiz.

I agree with you and we are trying to limit the driving once a day between locations. I think you misunderstood our schedule for Pergamum - We are driving from Selcuk to Bergama/Pergamum area to spend the night on the 30th and then the next morning of the 31st, we will see Pergamum, have lunch, maybe see Sardis and drive to Izmir for a 6P flight back to Istanbul. Do you think that 4 hours is enough time for Pergamum? I guess we could always drop Pergamum for something else our last day with the car.

We just received confirmation on our car rentals and I'm a little concerned since there have been mixed reviews on this forum and TA about Economy Car Rental using their partner Almira in Antlaya. They have us partnered with National in Cappadocia which is good.

Do you know of a site that has the schedule for the overnight buses from Nevsehir to Antalya in English. I have read there are some that arrive in Antalya 7-9A, It would be nice to have a more concrete idea. I'm not crazy about the overnight bus idea, but it is the best and least expensive way to use our time.

otherchelebi

Here are some answers:

- Ucagiz is a tiny village, but is an easy 20 minutes or a bit more from Kas, so you can stay in livelier kas with more restaurant and cafe options and drive to ucagiz in the morning for the boat. If you're interested, Telemen's house and B&B is the first on your left at the bend with dirt parking area in front, as you are coming to ucagiz village.

on the other hand Ucagiz will be cheaper to stay and very laid back.

- have you considered flying back to istanbul from korfez airport by Bora Jet, rather than driving all the way back to Izmir airport? In your place, i would check Bora jet schedules and negotiate with Almira. In fact, driving from Bergama to Bandirma ferry landing takes possibly shorter than driving to Izmir airport. At that stage, you could just take the car on the ferry to istanbul to even return it there as another option or at Bandirma ferry landing if you can get away with it, thus avoiding the 130TL ferry cost for the car.

Just some ideas because i usually hate to backtrack.

- I do not know Almira. Economy Car Rental did receive some bad reviews on TA also. They are brokers and apparently feel that their job is to find the cheapest and not necessarily the better local rental agencies. the problem with local agencies becomes apparent when you drive away from the area. That is when they have no way of providing service or exchanging cars in case of any problems. They may also charge more than a national company for returning at another destination.

Nicci, i will check your husband's web site. I am not an academician, but enjoy teaching as a "side", as you put it, and learning a great deal. I know of Georgia Tech and quite well.

By the way, had two scans, cranium and neck today spent an hour under terribly cacophonic and clostrophobic circumstances and after much more testing and lots of money and time, it was discovered that my dizziness was due to caloric weakness in the left ear. Some simple pills, no salt, no alcohol, no caffeine, vitamine Bs. And all the while my wife thought that it was she who was making me dizzy!!

Nicci

otherchelebi- many thanks for the tips and I hope your health is better soon. I've never heard of caloric weakness in the left ear. Sounds promising that some meds and diet modification will help.

Speaking of medications, can I purchase medicine without a prescription in Turkey? Is it cheaper than the US?

My husband said there are not any flights from Bora. We will try to make the drive back to Izmir more interesting if there a stop on the way. If not, that's fine as long as the car makes it to the airport

I think you mentioned in one of your posts that your daughter lived in Chicago? Scott is still editing images from last year's trips to Chicago, Colorado, San Francisco and Sonoma. Hopefully they'll be up in a few months. He's been busy working on a couple commercials and a horror film lately.

propertravel

Antalya may not be as interesting as it used to be as a city and all the resorts near by filled by Germans, Russians and other nationalities loving all inclusive resorts but!
If you want to see the paths of Alexander the great etc. a shortcut to the history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antalya

So as commented there is nothing in Antalya is not justifying the reality. If I would be going through Antalya and before heading to the west of the city, I would consider Perge & Aspendos and at least the Archeology Museum of Antalya. Termessos is another great site of the beaten track of usual tourist routes.

Happy travelling,
Murat

Nicci

Thank you, Murat. If our overnight bus from Cappadocia arrives early as planned, we'll start with Perge and Aspendos OR the Archeology Museum of Antlaya. Then drive the coast with stops in Phaeaselis, Olympos and Cirali before spending 2 nights in Kas.

We are considering skipping Pergamon and seeing Sardis as otherchelebi suggested before returning to Istanbul by air from Izmir. Possibly seeing Izmir before returning the rental car.

live42day

Nicci I hope you will do a trip report when you return. We will be doing almost the same thing next May 2012.

Nicci

Will do my best to get it out within a few weeks of returning.

otherchelebi

Nicci, must have missed your question on medications.

You can get many medications without a prescriptions and rather cheaply in Turkey, like antibiotics, heart and diabetes medicine , etc. I do remember that prices at Target pharmacies were also quite good in the United States.

You should know the name of the constituents rather than the brand names, as brand names may be different. Just recently, when i asked for Augmentine, i was told that it will not be available for a few months but that i could get Amoklavin, which was the same thing.

Nicci

Thank you Otherchelebi,
I was hoping to find a couple of medications, that my insurance doesn't cover, for less than what I am paying out of pocket. I will bring the bottles and maybe that will help too.

Aduchamp1

The sole charm of Cirali was the Chimaera, which is a steep climb in the dark. And Olympos was OK but not worth the detour. There are limited lunch places in Cirali, more from the little shacks on the beach which is walkable from Olympos.

Another hotel recommendation for Cappadocia is Esbelli Esi.

Suha is the perfect host and we will proably see one of his assistants when she vists NY in August,

http://www.esbelli.com.tr/

Otherchelebi has offered great advice over the years. I was, however, disappointed that he drugged us and stole my wallet when he had diner in his apartment.

Get well Other, you old buzzard.