Turkey Travel Video
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Why Visit Turkey?
Turkey sits at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and has been inhabited since the Paleolithic age by many civilizations, making Turkey one of the best destinations to travel to for history buffs and adventurers alike who enjoy walking around historical places. Other than that, the people are amazingly friendly, especially in the east. The food is outrageously delicious, and the cost of traveling is very affordable. If you are looking to introduce yourself to the Middle East region, there is no better place than Turkey.
When to Visit Turkey?
While June - August is a high season when the price, temperature, and the number of tourists are at their highest, I would recommend visiting Turkey either in May or September to avoid the high price and the crowds. The weather in May and September is still great and the price is not at its highest. You might experience some rainy days, but I think it is worth sacrificing to avoid spending more during the high season.
Keep in mind that from May to June is Ramadan, and even though you won't have a problem finding food in the west, it is more difficult in the eastern part of Turkey. So, prepare accordingly or avoid visiting during Ramadan.
How to Get to Turkey?
To get to Turkey, you can fly into either Istanbul, a popular tourist hub, or Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. I highly recommend flying into Istanbul so that you can hit the ground running, start exploring when you arrive.
Istanbul is one of the largest hubs in the region; you should have no trouble finding a flight from your home country to one of the 2 main airports in the city, Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW).
From the US, there are several direct flights you can take to Turkey from major cities in the US, such as New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, etc. All these flights are operated by Turkish Airlines, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding a flight from the US to Turkey.
From Europe, you can fly from the most popular European hubs such as London, Paris, or Frankfurt via Turkish Airlines or local carriers like British Airways, Air France, or Lufthansa, which also offer direct routes to Istanbul or Ankara.
From Asia, you can fly directly with Turkish Airlines from several hub cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Jakarta, and Bangkok. You can also go with other Middle Eastern airlines like Qatar, Emirates, and Etihad if you are willing to transit to get a cheaper deal.
To find a cheap flight to Turkey, I would recommend you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.
How to Get Around Turkey?
Buses are the best mode of transportation in Turkey. They are luxurious, quite reliable, and often one of the cheapest ways to travel around the country.
Bus companies like Metro and Ulusoy are recommended for most main routes, but other small regional companies are perfectly fine too. You can book the buses online via 12Go.com.
Keep in mind that most Turkish buses are not equipped with a toilet, but they stop quite often at rest stops.
For bus schedules, be sure to check out the Turkey Travel Planner website. You can find almost any information about traveling in Turkey there.
Daily Budget
This location is less expensive than most countries, but it's not exceedingly cheap. Expect to spend around $30 - $50 USD per day per person, which includes both accommodation and meals.
Please keep in mind that these are suggested daily budgets based on my own style of travel, which leans more towards the budget side of things. If you aim to stick to this budget, anticipate sleeping in dormitories, dining out only occasionally, and being comfortable with the cheapest and most convenient modes of transportation, which often involve a considerable amount of walking.
Is it Safe in Turkey?
Turkey is generally quite safe for tourists, even in major cities like Istanbul. People are very friendly, especially the further east you go.
That said, if you are visiting big tourist cities like Istanbul, it is always a good idea to take precautions and be aware of your belongings and surroundings at all times. Petty thefts, such as bag snatching and pickpocketing, still happen in big cities, especially in crowded areas. So, don't forget to keep your belongings near you when you are out and about in places like Istanbul.
Other than that, you will find Turkey to be a safe country to travel in, and the further you go off the beaten path, the friendlier the locals are.
Which tourist SIM card is best for Turkey?
There are three major carriers in Turkey: Turkcell, Vodafone, and Turk Telekom, all of which offer a pretty similar range of traveler's packages as well as coverage.
I personally use Turkcell's Tourist Welcome Package, which costs around 149 TRY for 30 days and comes with 20 GB, unlimited messaging, and 200 local minutes. This is more than enough for my trip to Turkey.
You can also go cheaper with an 8 GB 30-day plan for 60 TRY, and the price goes down from there depending on the GB you want for your data SIM card. Keep in mind that a foreign phone with a local SIM card has a grace period of 120 days. So, if you are planning to stay longer than 120 days, you are going to have to register your phone with the authority, which is unlikely to happen for tourists like us.
For more information about Turkey's local SIM card: Turkey's Prepaid Data SIM Card.
Tips: To stay connected with your loved ones at home, make sure to have a VPN service like NordVPN installed before traveling. This will allow you to bypass any local Internet censorship you may encounter while in Turkey.
What to Pack for Turkey?
As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Turkey:
- Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
- Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
- Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
- Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
- Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
- Swim Suits: A swim trunk is a must-pack item if you are planning to visit Turkey in the summer, just in case there is a body of water you can jump in.
- Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
- Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
- Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
- Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
- Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
- Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
- Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.
For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.