Taking the driving plunge!! and other Bodrum, Turkey Transportation Tips

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Hi there,
I am driving in Turkey this summer and I will pass on the wisdom I have received from a Turkish pal:
* Don't drive in istanbul
* Don't drive at night
* Don't drive at Public Holidays, particularly Ramadan when people have not eaten properly and tempers fray easily.
* Don't drink at all (practically zero tolerance for alcohol)
* Beware cars overtaking on both sides!
* Be careful of lorries and farm vehicles between big cities
* On the spot fines are frequent so make sure you have YTL available and ALL your documents in the car.
* Drive defensively and assertively
* Watch what the locals do at traffic lights (the traffic light sequence is open to some interpretation but green means GO while watching carefully, red means STOP mostly and flashing amber means GO IF SAFE TO DO SO). However the locals may ignore some of these rules
* Roundabouts are tricky, anti clockwise and right of way is given to cars joining the roundabout? Maybe? Sorry - haven't nailed Roundabouts yet :o)
* Petrol is very expensive in Turkey and many car hire firms will charge heavily for a tank (Approx 3.2 YTL per litre)
* If you have an accident phone 154 (traffic police) and your car hire company, and wait in or by the car. DO NOT MOVE THE CAR. Other traffic are expected to just move around you. (This is subject to a recent rule change about just exchanging details and informing your insurers with no need for police but don't risk it I say as Turkish legislation sometimes takes a while to reach all ears!)
* If you meet a confrontational driver - stay in your car and take details of other car and phone police (154)
* Make sure you have personal accident insurance and that your holiday insurance covers you to drive abroad.
* Locals will beep their horns lots - to get pedestrians off the road and to tell you to move. Try to ignore it.
* When other drivers flash their lights at you it means one of two things. If they flash from behind they are coming through so kindly move. If they flash from in front they may be warning you of a police spot check area.
* You must stop at police spot checks (Documents!)
* Be careful turning left
* Buy all insurances available on car since it is highly likely that you will scratch it (or someone will do it for you!)

Enjoy, I'm a bit nervous myself but I intend to move to Turkey and it's a big country so driving will be necessary for me. Do you really need to drive. The bus system is great and affords you the opportunity to see much of the countryside in a more leisurely way. Just be careful and keep your wits about you and you should be fine. Good Luck :o)

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Bodrum has a large bus station and here you will find a great number of Dolmus. The Dolmus are mini buses that travel along set routes around the resort and between Bodrum and other resorts on the peninsula. Dolmus are found in other parts of Turkey's coast.
Dolmus means "stuffed" or "filled" and that is the whole point - the bus will squeeze in as many customers as there is room for. The fare is very cheap, amounting to £1 or less and is paid to the driver during the journey. You should try to have the exact change or use a small YTL note as it causes the driver hasle to sort out your change!! The Dolmus will have a sign in the window telling you it's designated route or final destination.
You can usually hail the Dolmus, taxi style (thsi is most common) and sometimes it has designated stops just like a normal bus - the advantage being that the Dolmus can get in and out of the narrow streets that an ordinary bus can't. The same applies to getting off - you can either ask the driver to stop (shout "Stop Please" - Dur Lutfen) and he will where it is safe or they will stop at the set bus stops.
This bus service is a really cheap way to get to Gumbet from Bodrum (taxis have gotten more expensive in the last 3 years). If you do not mind sharing your body space with plenty of people then you should try a Dolmus just for the experience!!

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Movement between Bodrum and the other peninsula towns will happen easily by Dolmus but sometimes you may want to get a taxi. The cost of taxis in Bodrum has steadily risen over the last few years and it can be quite expensive to use taxis. Avoid them in the day and opt for walking or dolmus but at night when you feel like you have no choice but to hail one be sure to know where you are going to avoid the scenic route being taken and adding a large number of YTL to your bill.
I always tip the taxis if they have not taken liberties with my patience on their routes but this is easy to do after many years in Bodrum and a growing familiarity with the routes and roads. Most taxi drivers in Bodrum speak some English, fewer taxi drivers in the beach area of Gumbet do so be really clear about where you want to go or better still, carry a map of the town with you to point out where you want to go.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: When you arrive in Bodrum there are some choices about how you get to the town centre. Cheapest in the summer months (if you are not being transferred by a tour operator) is an airport shuttle bus which goes to a few destinations and terminates in Bodrum centre.
There is no regular bus service from the airport. The HAVAS coaches operate from the domestic terminal and their timetable matches the incoming flights with Turkish Airlines (and some other charter airlines in the summer months).
The trip to the central bus station in Bodrum costs about €3 (approx £2 or 5YTL) .

Leave a Comment

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Two summers ago we were unfortunate to travel to Bodrum using Onur Air and I can say without contradiction that it was the worst flight experience of my life.
WE booked our holiday as a package to save money and ended up on this airline. From its late arrival to the airport (and our subsequent horror when we realised what airline our travel operator had so cleverly hidden from me!!), the way we were shunted on board into the smallest seats with minimal leg room, the first in flight meal that I couldn't even try as it looked and smelled so awful, the total disregard of customer needs by the cabin crew who were more worried about their make up than their jobs...
I could go on but you get the idea I think. The best part of the flight was when we reached stand at Bodrum airport and I knew I could get off. The worst part...knowing that 4 weeks later we had to return on the same airline.
This airline has an interesting record but I made a decision to never use this company again and that is always the first question I ask now.

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home

Leave a Comment

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home

Leave a Comment