Planning to travel between Greece and Turkey? Metropol can arrange your ferry, [...]]]> Local travel agents can sell you bus tickets, air tickets both for international and domestic travel, gulet “blue Voyages” as well as local tours.

Istanbul

METROPOL EXCURSION TOURS
Address: Adirga Liman Caddesi No:91/2
34400 Kadirga, Istanbul
Phone:     90-212-516-2213
90-212-516-2912
Fax:         90-212-516-2212
E-mail: info@metropoltours.com

Planning to travel between Greece and Turkey? Metropol can arrange your ferry, hotel reservations and tours of all the Greek islands. You can design a tailor-made tour to fit your time and budget. Metropol has a wide range of tour programs inside Turkey from the Black Sea program to the Aegean coast to Cappadocia and Pamukkale. While in Istanbul let them guide you through this historic city: St. Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and more. Rent-a-car or hire your own chauffeur. Programs in Francais and Deutsch.

Tur-ISTA
Address: Divanyolu Cad. No. 16A
Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Phone: 90-212-527-7085
90-212-513-7119
Fax:    90-212-519-3792
Web: www.tur-ista.com, http://www.travelguide.tk
E-Mail: tur-ista@tur-ista.com, info@travelturk.com
Tur-ISTA services include train tickets, international and domestic bus tickets, hotel & pension reservations, student & youth flights, charter flights, car rentals, and Anatolian tours including Cappadocia, Pamukkale, Ephesus.  Also for the independent traveler: hire your own car with English-speaking driver (without tour guide) for the same price as 4 people taking the bus or travel independently, but be met at your destination, hotel transfers and local tour. They also assist independent travelers who want to design their own personal itinerary with or without  a tour guide.

Bodrum

BODEX Travel & Yachting
Address: Ataturk Cad. 76/1
Phone: 90-252-313-2843
90-252-313-6550
90-252-313-6551
Fax:      90-252-313-6549
E-mail: bodextravel@hotmail.com
BODEX is a traditional full-service travel agency that also offers unique trekking, biblical, and yachting excursions. They are part of a country-wide network of travel agencies and can assist you with reservations and travel plans throughout Turkey.

Pilaci II
Address: In the bay by the Halikarnus Disco
Mobile Phone: 90-0532-261-7221
E-Mail: info@valide.com
The Pilaci II is a 12-meter gulet that offers a magical sea voyage along the Mediterranean coast. Every day aboard your wooden boat is a journey through emerald bays and time. The Pilaci II is perfectly suited for honeymooners or small families. It can easily sleep 4, but can manage up to 6.

Canakkale

Down Under Travel (TJ�s Tours)
Address: Otel Saros
Eceabat, Turkey
Phone: 90-286-814-2431
Fax:     90-286-814-2430
E-mail: enquiries@anzacgallipolitours.com
Run by a Turkish/Australian couple, Down Under Travel in Eceabat town on the peninsula is The Gallipoli specialist. Take the longest running tour with T.J. (Ilhami Gezici)–the most experienced group tour guide in the area. It is also the only agency with access on premises to the war grave records to help you find relatives. Down Under offers diving (explore W.W.I shipwrecks!), snorkeling, plus pension/hotel reservations. They are a full service agency here to help you experience all that Gallipoli is and was. Recommended by Lonely Planet and Let’s Go.

Cappadocia

Bedir Tourism
Phone:  90-384-341-5819
Fax:       90-532-336-1348
E-mail: Bedir_travel@hotmail.com
Experience Turkey and its famous hospitality with the help of a local family run travel agncy. See the local villages and the beauty of Cappadocia while balooning at sunrise or mopeding around the valley and surrounding area. To continue the adventure they can also arrange trekking and horsback tours. An extensive selection of daily tours will introduce you to 2,000 years of local hisotory from the underground cities to the churches built into its famous rock formations.

Rock Valley Tourism & Travel Agency
Address: Gulluce Cad. Terminal Karsisi
Urgup, Turkey 50400
Phone: 90-384-341-8813
Fax:     90-384-341-5820
E-Mail: info@rockvalleytravel.com
Let Rock Valley Travel help you discover some of Turkey’s most wondrous sites with special tailor-made tours. Experience the beauty of the Ilhara Valley, the sun rising on the faces of Mt. Nemrut, and the lands of Abrahim near the Syrian border on 1 or 2 day tours. In Cappadocia, they can also help you with daily tours–including trekking and skiing, hotel bookings, air flights, airport transfers, and moped and car rentals. E-mail now to book, request available dates, or for more information.

Fethiye

Aya nicola yachting & Tourism Travel
Address: Fevzi Cakmak (Opposite the Marina)
Fethiye
Phone:    90-252-612-6712
90-252-612-5156
Fax:       90-252-612-7674
E-mail:   ayanicola@ayanicolayachting.com
This full service agency can book any size of gulet or ketch voyages including its own beautiful air-conditioned 24 meter (8 cabin) Aya Nicola I. Fethiye is one of the main centers for the famous Blue Cruise and Aya Nicole Yachting and Travel is a yachting specialist. They have a lot of programs to chose from or they can make a tailor-made program for you. E-mail for boat specifications and prices. Let them arrange your accommodations including holiday villages, airport transfers rom all major airports or a daily excursions to one of  the nearby destinations including Dalyan/Caunos, Tlos-Saklikent (the famous gorge) and Ephesus/Pamukkale. They also offer water sports, scuba diving and jeep safaris. Ferry tickets to Rhodes, international and domestic air tickets, bus tickets, and car rentals are all of part of their personal service.

Kusadasi

CROSSROADS TRAVEL AGENCY
Address: Adnan Menedres Bulv. No. 14
Kusadasi, Turkey
Phone: 90-256-614-3712
Fax:     90-256-614-3746
E-mail: info@crossroadstravel.com
Crossroads Travel’s 15 years of experience takes you to where East meets West. Take the Grand Tour or an 8-10 day tour, including the Classical, Mystical, Religious and Coastline. Mini-tours to Istanbul, Izmir, Cappadocia, Antalya, Turkish Riveria. Rafting, too. Private tours with professional guides for all Turkey are also available. They can arrange ferry tickets to Greece, international/domestic air flights, hotel reservations, house rentals, diving, car rentals, plus daily excursions from Ephesus and Pamukkale. Private or group gulet sailing. E-mail for more information or to receive a free tour catalogue.

Marmaris

TUM-TOUR YACHT CHARTER LIMITED
Address: Yat Limani, 101/B
Marmaris, Turkey
Phone: 90-252-412-9485
90-252-413-0777
90-252-412-4714
Fax:    90-252-412-5064
Tum-Tour can make your sailing dreams come true. Board a Turkish gulet for an unforgettable Mediterranean Sea voyage. Charter a yacht for 8 people from $300-$500/daily, and for up to 20 people from $700-$1,000/daily. Food and drinks are extra. If you’re looking for a regular cabin cruise, prices range from $300-$400 per person for one week with full board; drinks are extra. Programs include: Marmaris-Fethiye-Marmaris, Bodrum-Gokova-Bodrum, and Antalya-Kas-Antalya. Fax today for a free color brochure. Your dream  voyage can come  true with Tum-Tour. Hikmet Tumer, owner.

Selcuk

7 WONDERS TOURS TRAVEL AGENCY
Address: Sedir Sokak No 12
Balcova, Izmir
Turkey
Phone: 90-232-892-7364
90-232-892-7365
Fax:     90-232-891-4755
E-mail: info@go-turkey.com
Since 1986, 7 Wonders Tours has specialized in worry free travel. They
are the Selcuk\Ephesus experts. They arrange hotels and transportation
such as ferry tickets and domestic\ international air flights, plus
transfers to\from hotels, bus stations and the Izmir Airport. Also, guaranteed daily tours with English speaking guide to Priene\ Miletus\ Didyma, Ephesus, Pergamon and Pamukkale. Also tours to Sardis and Aphrodisias. Tours from $35-$45\pp. Need hotel reservations for other parts of Turkey? 7 Wonders can arrange it. They also offer a four-day program to the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse in the Book of Revelation. You pick the tour start date. Price is determined by the number of people in the group. Fax or e-mail for details.

Turkey is not only friendly, it’s as safe as Europe and North America, although no place is completely safe. Here are some travel danger statistics to put things in perspective.

If you’re worried about swine flu, read this.

Even [...]]]> Most travelers comment on the friendliness and hospitality of the Turkish people. It really is exceptional.

Turkey is not only friendly, it’s as safe as Europe and North America, although no place is completely safe. Here are some travel danger statistics to put things in perspective.

If you’re worried about swine flu, read this.

Even though Turkey is relatively safe, the only crime-free place is heaven, so here are things to watch:

STREET CRIME: it has begun to grow in the big cities (Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir), particularly in tourist areas: pickpockets and bag-snatchers. Defense is the same anywhere: wear your purse/bag strap over your chest (not just dangling from your shoulder) and hold your bag close. Details…

Mugging (robbery) and rape are rare, but they do happen, so observe the normal travel precautions. Details…

Single male travelers should beware two particular scams aimed at them: “Let’s Have a Drink” and “New Traveling Companions,” one of which even happens on trains.

Women travelers should be sensitive to local customs and attitudes.

TERRORISM: it’s everyone’s worry these days. Statistically, it is not much of a danger at all (compared to such real big-time killers as traffic accidents), but it makes headlines, so we’re frightened. More…

You must answer this question to fit your personal tolerance for risk. If you believe the statistics and look at it rationally, you’ll probably go. If you’re going to worry about safety a lot while you’re there, the worry may make your trip less pleasant, and so you probably shouldn’t go.

Many governments post detailed security notices on the Internet. These are useful reading if you are concerned about safety when you travel:

- US Department of State’ s Consular Information Sheet

- US Embassy in Ankara

- UK Foreign & Commowealth Office

- Canada Department of Foreign Affairs

- Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Private sources of security info include World Travel Watch and Air Security International.

HEALTH
Many people do come down with Travelers’ Diarrhea (“the Sultan’s Revenge”), and there are cases of more serious gastrointestinal ailments, so observe wise dining habits. The US Government Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s CDC Travelers’ Health website is also useful.

HIGHWAY TRAVEL
Turkey has high vehicular accident and mortality rates. Details…

TRAIN TRAVEL
A variation of the Single Male Scam sometimes happens on trains. Details…

INSURANCE
It’s a good idea to review your coverage and decide if you’re adequately insured. Here’s how…

THE EVIL EYE
It’s a very, very old good-luck tradition in Turkey. It can’t really hurt you, especially if you’re wearing a Nazar Bonjuk!