Description

Bodrum is the most popular and by far the most exquisite resort in South Aegean. Painted villas adorned with bougainvillea fills up the hillside, while narrow streets wind their way down to the sea. The magnificent coastline offers plenty of seaside restaurants and there are numerous local boat services offering tailor-made daytrips to nearby islands and beaches. The main attraction is the twin harbors sheltering an amazing variety of yachts, while the main attraction inside town is the crumbling remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. Though Bodrum is packed with foreign visitors in summer; its exotic bazaars, ancient history and the frequent cries of the muezzin has managed to help the town retain its true charming Turkish character. But with ample opportunities for water sports, sunbathing and a notorious nightlife Bodrum has also managed to create a perfect blend of the East meeting West.

Shopping

The narrow streets of Bodrum are lined with dozens of shops offering a variety of local goods, from carpets and kilims to leather ware, gold and silver jewelry. It is advisable not to deal with touts as a lot of goods sold, especially designer clothes, are fake. Things that can be bought as souvenirs are Turkish meershaum pipes and onyx that can be found in good shops. An extensive and colorful crafts market is open on Tuesdays. Bargaining is generally expected and it is customary to haggle about the prices and quote as low as half of the quoted price.

Restaurants

Bodrum has numerous restaurants offering fresh seafood or other local specialties. Plenty of other popular cuisines like Italian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican and European are also available in plenty. Denizhan, the most renowned restaurant for Turkish delights, is a little out of town between Konacik and Ortakent and is easily reachable by a taxi. Another restaurant, Epilson in the old town, is considered the best for excellent Aegean dishes, especially lamb. For those wanting to taste the best pizza served in Bodrum, the place to be is Singer Pizza which also offers a great view from its rooftop terrace. For a good blend of Mediterranean and Californian cuisine, the best place to be is La Jolla Bistro at Xuma Beach.

Night Life

Nightlife in Bodrum is quite notorious throughout Turkey for its frentic and varied offering. Not only does it offer western-style decadent clubs and discos, but also the chance to party Turkish style at one of the ‘Meyhanes’, which is the local nightclub where the crowd joins in with the local artiste, singing, dancing, eating and drinking. The famous 'Bar Street' has several bars offering belly-dancing floor shows, live music and outdoor seating with a view of the illuminated castle. Halikarnas, the biggest and most happening of open-air clubs in the world, is the place to be for avid clubbers.

Activities

Bodrum offers a vast range of water sports, from scuba diving to windsurfing and jet-skiing. Local operators can be found everywhere, renting out equipment, arranging excursions or offering lessons. The two water parks in town offer quite a few aquatic thrills. Getting out of town and exploring the enchanting villages, bays and historic sites in the area could be a great activity for those who enjoy the outdoors. A must do for all tourists is to experience the 'Hamam', which is a Turkish bath complete with a soothing body massage.

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

Pamukkale:

Pamukkale has a series of natural rock formation that has been formed from the solidified chalky calcium deposits, left behind as the thermal water from the calcium rich mineral springs tumble into the basins below. The name Pamukklae means ‘Cotton Castle’ and it is named so, because the place takes the appearance of a dazzling white fairytale castle from the distance. The hot springs have been used since the times of the Roman Empire to cure certain ailments. Hierapolis, the ancient Roman spa-city along with several other ruins in the area is a part of Pamukkale. Hierapolis was considered to have magic healing waters. Thus the kings of the Pergamum and Roman Empires had made this their weekend destination.

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.