Description

Altinkum is small and quiet, and ideal for families with young children and for those seeking an easy-going beach holiday. It is mostly frequented by British visitors. Altinkum town's main attraction is its three long sandy beaches that stretch from the small harbour at one end to a rocky cliff at the other. This resort town is devoted to leisure and pleasure on the beach. The day can be spent indulging in a variety of water sports before spending the nights trying out the laid back bars and restaurants named after popular English landmarks.

Shopping

Altinkum has excellent shopping facilities all along the beach front. These include boutiques selling fake designer clothing, souvenir shops and also jewellery stores. Didyma Shopping Mall and Dolphin Square are the main shopping centers, while Gima and Migros are the two main supermarkets.

Restaurants

Altinkum is full of excellent restaurants that serve all types of international cuisine. Turkish and traditional English cuisines still dominate the menus of most of these restaurants. Ali Babas is a restaurant known for its customer service, price and quality along with the finest British dishes. Barneys Restaurant is not far behind when it comes to introducing visitors to the delights of Turkish cuisine. Visitors interested in tasting a mix of various cuisines should opt for The Grand Restaurant in Dolphin Square. The menu here consists of Turkish, Indian, Chinese and English dishes, all of high standard.

Night Life

Medusa, an open-air night club is considered the most happening club in Altinkum during summer months. Clubbing is centered mainly in Dolphin Square, and along the different beach front avenues. Everything from belly-dancing, bingo to pool and disco dancing to karaoke is on offer. The night life is fuelled by cheap drinks and cocktails. Dolphin Bar is another hot favorite of the young people during the summer season.

Activities

Altinkum's beautiful beaches with their turquoise blue waters are considered safe for bathing, umbrellas and sun-beds are available on rent. Water sports for the energetic young people include scuba diving, windsurfing, jet-skiing, pedaloes, or perhaps even a banana boat ride. Tourist trips and boat trips to nearby historic sites, towns and resorts are also arranged.

Communications

To call Turkey, the international country dialing code is +90. While calling from Turkey, the outgoing code is 00, followed by the relevant country code. There are internal dialing codes that are in use to call within Turkey; for example to call Istanbul Asya (Asia side) within Turkey is (0)216 and Istanbul Avrupa (Europe side) is (0)212. GSM 900 and 1800 networks cover most of the country. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and resorts.

Contacts

Turkish Tourist Office: +90 (0)212 573 4136 (Istanbul) or www.tourismturkey.org
Turkish Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 612 6700
Turkish Embassy, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7393 0066
Turkish Embassy, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 789 4044
Turkish Embassy, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6295 0227
Turkish Embassy, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 6053-7
Turkish Embassy, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 668 5240
Turkish Embassy, Wellington, New Zealand: +64 (0)4 472 1292
United States Consulate General, Istanbul: +90 (0)212 335 9000
British Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 455 3344
Canadian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9200
Australian Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 459 9500
South African Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 4056
Irish Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 446 6172
New Zealand Embassy, Ankara: +90 (0)312 467 9054/6/8
Emergencies: 155 (Police); 112 (Ambulance)

Currency

TRY

Attractions

Didim, which is only about 5kms away, is an important historical site featuring the temple of Apollo and other Roman ruins. A local excursion to the archeological site of Ephesus is also well worth a visit. There are daily ferry services to Bodrum and visitors can plan a day’s excursion to there. Boat trips to local islands are also on offer all along the resort and a visit to these islands could certainly be a memorable one.

Language

Turkish

Language Description

The official language of Turkey is Turkish. However in almost all the main tourist areas, English is widely understood.

Tipping

Either a small change or a percentage of the bill is the customary tip given for most services in Turkey. Big hotels and restaurants generally add a service charge to the bill, but whenever that is not the case, 10 and 15% of the bill is expected as tips. While tipping taxi drivers, it is recommended to round up the bill. Attendants at Turkish baths expect 15% of the total bill as tips if the service offered has been good.