Kalkan General advice and info. Check here before posting!!!!

[Chucky]

I thought it maybe helpful to have a thread for general information and advice for travellers to Turkey and Kalkan in particular. Hopefully others can add their comments and tips, and correct me if I give duff info.
I will start with Arriving -(Based on UK - perhaps other Nationalities can add their info)

Vaccinations and Visas
(Based on UK -perhaps other Nationalities can add their info)
No vaccinations are required.

Visa
You need to buy a visa on entry to Turkey and before going through Passport Control.

Handy Tip - remember to get your visa before going to Passport Control, this saves you queuing three times if you forget!!!!
Visa Point is on the far right side.

It is currently £10 sterling note for each person (including babies). It lasts for 90 days. If you return within the 90 days and will leave before the original 90 days expires, you will not have to pay again.
When you hand over your £10 for your visa make sure that:

a) It is not a torn or defaced note (not accepted).

b) Scottish notes are not accepted (don't know why, but it is so).
NB They are almost imposible to find anywhere in Kalkan that accepts them.
 
c) It is cash only - no cards accepted.

If you are travelling on a non UK passport that the visa control at the airport expects to be paid in the currency of the national's country e.g. Irish passport: Euros.

Passport

Check it is valid for the full length of your holiday and whether you need to consider amending it for name changes.
New info obtained by Littlelin, you only need three months left on your passport, not six months, to visit Turkey.

Handy Tip - If you look like your passport photograph, are you really well enough to travel? 


Collecting your luggage

There are trolleys and these tend to go quickly!!! (£1 coin or token)

The Airport is non-smoking.

Handy Tip - Accept that at least one of your cases will be the last to be put onto the carousel and they may swop carousels just to keep visitors on their toes!!


Dalaman Airport

You can buy Duty-Free before you leave the Airport. It will be priced in Euros, but they accept other currency.

Handy Tip- Non local spirits and wine are more expensive in Turkey. If you like a drink before you go out or as a nightcap or only smoke certain brands, it maybe worthwhile buying some at this point. Do not buy water/drinks and food there as it is very expensive.


Transfers

As you leave Arrivals, the Transfer Drivers will be waiting for you down the steps outside. They will be holding signs with your name on or the name of the company/Hotel.

Handy Tip- Consider booking your transfer in another name/nickname if you have a very common surname or if you are embarrassed by yours!!!

Time to transfer from Dalaman to Kalkan can vary depending on your driver and the time of arrival but is usually approx. an hour and a half.

Use the seatbelts and remember to request child seats when you make your booking. Also check whether you can pay in sterling or Lira and when they want the money, (upfront on arrival or when you go home.)

Handy Tip - Your driver may break the journey halfway for a comfort stop. Remember, you may not want a break, but your driver may want one.
You can buy milk, water etc at the Comfort Stop.....
Handy in case you want to make a brew on arrival!!
If you have not arranged a "Welcome Pack", make sure you have something to make a drink and a snack for when you arrive, especially when arriving at night or very early hours.

The cost of using the Gocek Tunnel has increased to 3YTL each way (May 2008)

Get proper directions/landmarks to identify where your accommodation is in Kalkan in case your driver does not know exactly where it is, as most streets do not have names.
(See Cosetta's advice lower down)









Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=1102.0

[Chucky]

As promised here is Part 2. Please feel free to add your own words of wisdom, correct any duff info I give and ignore if you are a seasoned "Alan Wicker or Judith Chalmers"!!

Turkish Plumbing
In common with Greece, the plumbing system in Turkey uses narrow pipework and septic tanks. Whilst the local sewerage systems are being updated, many properties, and certainly the bars and restaurants in the old town still have narrow pipes. These cannot cope with toilet paper, disposable nappies etc. Please use the bins provide.

Drinking Water
You will not die if you drink the water!!! It is down to personal taste. Some people always use the tap water for everything, some just use it to clean their teeth or to boil for drinks. The choice is yours. However, the mineral content is high and so most people use bottled  water. This is cheaply and readily available.

Handy Tip
If you are staying out of the main town I would advise you to buy a large "carboy" type that hold several litres and a cheap pump. You can decant the water into a jug in the fridge and smaller bottles for convenience and use as a water "tank" for filling the kettle etc. Delivery can be arranged.
Just ensure that those pumps that clip on the top are thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis as some can attract mould and cause some unpleasant tummy issues.   

If you feel you must drink the local water, I can recommend diluting with whisky as an effective disinfectant.

Changing money

Most visiters to Kalkan find it is better just to bring enough Turkish Lira for the first couple of days and the rest in Sterling (not Scottish notes).
The Exchange Rate is usually better here than at home.
Travellers Cheques are not widely used but are a safe way of bringing in your holiday funds but will incur high charges. Sterling is widely accepted as are credit cards.
There are at least three Banks in Kalkan and they have ATM's. The Banks are situated opposite the Taxi rank, by the Samira Hotel and by the Nur Patissire, on the way up to the Bus Station.
A Nationwide Flexi account card is highly recommended by several forum members.
You can change money at the Post Office (PTT) and also make telephone calls home from there.
You can also change your money at the larger supermarkets, some Jewellers and Gift Shops.
They usually show the days rate on a board or a sign and do not charge interest.
Kalkan is a cosmopolitan resort and I am sure Euros are just as acceptable as Stirling but I personally take sterling and change to Lira.
I would keep an eye on exchange rates and judge for yourself.
The Duty-Free shops at Dalaman price in Euros and have "conversion" machines.

Electricity
Sockets/plugs are two pin types. Whilst most apartments and villas provide them, I would suggest bringing a couple with you just in case.

Handy Tip
Check whether your acommodation provides hairdryers, irons, beach towels etc as this may save you bringing yours with you and you can pack extra clothes, or in the case of Blue Lizard, extra flip-flops and a lime!!!

Supermarkets
There are lots of supermarkets in and around Kalkan, varying from "little corner shop" types, to larger supermarkets selling a wide selection of goods. The main ones are situated on the road leading down from the Bus Station, the Yali, Karten and Teskos. These also have delicatessen type counters and if you are unsure of the types of cheeses etc on display, will let you taste before you buy. Most are open from early morning to late at night.
Handy Tip
If you do a large shop, most supermarkets will arrange to deliver the shopping to your apartment or villa free of charge.

Baby Items
These are readily available but not necessarily the same names or brands that you get at home. Disposable swimming nappies should be brought with you and if your child has special dietary needs (or indeed, if you do) or is a fussy eater, it is probably best to bring stocks with you or ask the Forum if it is available in Kalkan.

Markets
Thursday is market day in Kalkan. Here you can buy genuine fakes, souvenirs, jewellry and a wide range of fresh organic fruit, vegetables and foodstuffs.
Tuesday is market day in Fethiye, which is a much larger one with more variety. The market in Kas is on Fridays and there is a small market in Akbel on Sundays. 

[Enişte]

With the subject of ATMs having been raised, you may wish to check with your UK bank before travelling how much you are likely to be charged for cash withdrawals.  Nationwide seems to offer this service free, but my Barclays account took this (and many other) opportunity to charge about £9 per transaction, made up of a charge and commission.  There may also be frustration at ATMs, as for reasons of cash and power supply, they seem to be out of order more regularly than those in the UK.  That said, I too have been allowed credit by restaurants for 24/48 hours, not to mention the occasional lift home after a long evening of entertainment.

Also, might I remind everyone that the Turkish system of handing over your passport with cash in it is not appreciated everywhere you go around the world!!!  It is also mildly frustrating that our transatlantic cousins pay only $10, so basically half of the charge for us Brits.

Generally, I find Joan''s handy tips very useful and I have spent many years involved in writing official travel advice for Brits travelling the world.  Some of the simpler tips might seem basic to some, but there is no harm in stating the obvious occasionally, especially for the hard of thinking who may be heading for resorts further up the coast!  Keep up the good work!

[Chucky]

Here is the list of items and belongings you can bring into Turkey taken from the Turkish Tourism site.
Duty-Free Goods


Clothing and Items for Journey
 
- Items of clothing specifically for the traveller,
- Personal belongings and items for a journey,
- Cloth suitable for making clothes for the traveller (maximum 5 meters).
- Item of clothing made of fur, belonging to the traveller is allowed to be transported and is included among the personal belongings.

Electronic Equipment
One TV, one color pocket TV (maximum 16 cm screen), one TV-tape-radio combination, one video recording camera and 5 video cassettes (blank) 5 records, 5 tape cassettes or compact discs.

One video player, cine-projector (8 mm) and 10 rolls of film (blank), one slide projector.

One pocket computer (maximum main memory capacity Ram 128k. Byte), electronic playing devices (without cassette - keyboard).

- Camera with eight mm (with ten blank films),
- One slide machine,
- Pocket PC ( Up to 128MB Ram ),
- Compact disc player.
- One portable radio and radio-tape (the properties of the radio-tape will be determined by the undersecretary.)
- One walkman or small tape-recorder,
- Game Boys without cassettes and cartridge,
- Record, cassette or compact disc maximum of 5 for each,
- GSM-Pocket phone (With SIM cards),
Musical Instruments
- Harmonica,
- Mandolin,
- Shepherd''''s Pipe,
- Brass band,
- Flute,
- Guitar,
- Accordion,
(One piece of each, at a maximum total of 3 pieces)
Sports Equipment

- Two partitioned camping tent,
- One diving suit for underwater diving sports (The quality and efficiency of the suit to be determined by the undersecretary.),
- Glider (a pair),
- One boat,
- One surfboard with sailing equipment for water sports,
- Flipper (one pair),
- Other personal belongings one apiece (except for sea motorcycle and sledge),
- Chess set,
- Checker set,
- Five packs of playing cards,
Medical Items
- Beds belonging to the ill passenger,
- Motorised and non-motorised wheelchair,
- Drugs for personal treatment,
- Gas mask and similar protective clothing (maximum 2 pieces).
Kitchen Appliances
- Plate, saucepan, fork, spoon, knife to be used during the journey,
- One barbecue grill,
- One samovar,
- Two thermos,
- Coffee machine with storage battery,
Wines and Tobacco
- Whether domestic or foreign;

The following are allowed to be imported:

a) 200 cigarettes (1 Box) and 50 cigars.
Plus:
200 gm tobacco and
200 cigarette paper or
200 gm pipe tobacco or
200 gm chewing tobacco or
200 gm tobacco for nargileh or
50 gm snuff,

b) In addition to the above allowances, it is also possible to purchase 200 cigarettes, 100 cigars and 500 gm pipe tobacco in the Turkish Duty Free Shops when entering the country.

- 1.5 kg coffee, 1.5 kg instant coffee, 500 gm tea, 1 kg. chocolate, 1 kg. confectionery,
- 1 (100 cl) or 2 ( 75cl or 70 cl) bottles of wine and/or spirits,
- Cologne, lavender water, perfume, essence, lotion (120 ml maximum of each).
Other Items
- One portable typewriter,
- One camera (plus maximum 5 films),
- One pram for child passenger,
- One bicycle for child passenger
- Toys for child passengers (maximum 10 ),
- Pocket calculator with battery,
- One iron (With or without steam diffusion),
- 1 x 1.5 metre seccade (prayer rug) made from wool, cotton or synthetic fabric),
- One pair binoculars (except night binoculars),
- One table clock,
- One gas stove,

- The following are allowed in a vehicle while driving, on condition that they will only be used by the owner or driver:

a) A set of screwdriver (maximum 5 with different sizes),
b) Socket Wrench Set (maximum 10 on the condition that it is suitable for vehicle use),
c) Auto pump,
d) Accumulator Charge Apparatus,
e) Auto broom with accumulator,
f) Icebox with accumulator,
g) Inner tube and tyre except for spare tyre,

- Other items to be inspected by the Ministry of Finance and Customs:

- 1 cat or dog or bird or aquarium fish, on the condition that they are with their owners. They must have a medical report from the veterinary surgeon, document of origin and vaccination documentation.

There are regulations about the amount of foreign currency permitted to be brought into the country. In general, there is no limit for a certain amount of foreign or local currency to be imported or exported and anything over the permitted amount should be declared on entry.

In addition to foreign currency, certain personal belongings must be declared on entry, such as jewellery, TV, camera, video recording camera, video player, cellular phones, electronic equipment, camping and sports equipment. Valuable items must be registered to the customs office on entry. It is suggested not to bring excessive amounts of currency or jewellery to prevent any potential problems.
 
 
  NB
Please note that there is no mention of the Kitchen Sink!!!!
Joan

[Chucky]

Latest info from www.directgov.uk as to what you may bring into the UK from Turkey.

• • Alcohol allowances

You can bring in either, but not both, of the following:

• 1 litre of spirits or strong liqueurs over 22 per cent volume
• 2 litres of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), sparkling wine or any other alcoholic drink that's less than 22 per cent volume

Alternatively you can combine these allowances. For example, if you bring in 1 litre of fortified wine (half your full allowance) you can also bring in half a litre of spirits (half your full allowance). This would make up your full allowance.
You can't go over your total alcohol allowance.
In addition you may also bring back both of the following:

• 16 litres of beer
• 4 litres of still wine

Tobacco allowances
You can bring in one from the following list:

• 200 cigarettes
• 100 cigarillos
• 50 cigars
• 250 grams of tobacco

Alternatively you can combine these allowances. For example, if you bring in 100 cigarettes (half your full allowance) you can also bring in 25 cigars (half your full allowance). This would make up your full tobacco allowance, you can’t go over your total tobacco allowance.
You cannot combine alcohol and tobacco allowances.
Other goods including perfume and souvenirs
You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 without having to pay tax and/or duty. If you arrive by private plane or private boat, you can only bring in goods worth up to £270 tax and duty-free.
If you bring in any single item worth more than your allowance, you must pay duty and/or tax on the full item value, not just the value above the allowance. You also cannot group individual allowances together to bring in an item worth more than the limit.

• Additional conditions when bringing goods into the UK

To qualify for the tax/duty free allowances you also need to meet the following conditions:

• you must transport the goods yourself
• the goods must be for your own use or as a gift - if the person you give the goods to pays you in any way (including reimbursing you for any expenses), then it's not a gift and you'll have to pay the duty and/or tax
• to bring in alcohol or tobacco you must be aged 17 or over

Declaring goods to customsYou must make a declaration to customs when entering the UK from non-EU countries if:

• you exceed your allowances
• the goods are for commercial use (see link below for information on merchandise in baggage)
• you have 10,000 euros or more (or its equivalent) in cash
• you think you may have banned or restricted goods

To do this you should use the red channel or the red-point phone. The customs officer from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) will tell you if any tax or duty is owed and how to pay.

[Chucky]

One of our members has produced this great map showing the restaurants in Kalkan.

http://leech45.com/kalkanrestaurants.pdf

Thanks to john45

Also here is a link for the weather in Kalkan.
Try this www.weatherkalkan.com
It also has a good street map of Kalkan on it.
Thanks to Begonvil for this.

Why not print these off and take them with you   

[Chucky]

This is a great site to view some of Turkey's most beautiful buildings and tourist spots. There are also links to popular Tourist sites the world over, there is even a view of Mars!!!
(Hit escape to leave views)

http://www.3dmekanlar.com/sites.html
 

[Chucky]

Useful Telephone Numbers
Thanks to Ozgur for providing these.

Useful Phone Numbers

Emergency

Tourism Info: 170 (all over Turkey)

Forest Fire: 177 (all over Turkey)

Ambulance: 112 (all over Turkey)

Police: 155 (all over Turkey)

Gendarme: 156 (all over Turkey)

Coast Guard: 158 (all over Turkey)

Fire: 110 (all over Turkey)


Turkish International Airports

Antalya: Airport, Tel: (0242) 3303030  Fax: 3303302

Dalaman: Airport, Tel: (0252) 7925291  Fax: 7925296

Istanbul: Yesilkoy, Ataturk Airport Tel: (0212) 6636400     

               Sabiha Gokcen Airport Tel: (0216) 5855000   

Izmir: Adnan Menderes Airport Tel: (0232) 2742626     

Bodrum: Milas Airport Tel: (0252) 5230101     

Nevsehir: Kapadokya Airport Tel: (0384) 4214455   

Ankara: Esenboga Airport Tel: (0312) 3980000   

It is also a good idea to put on your mobile telephones under "ICE" the names and telephone numbers of your next of kin and/or people to contact In Case of Emergency.
Joan

[DawnT]

Joan

Thank you for the fantastic information.  Even though I have been going to Kalkan for the past 4 years and have an apartment there, It was still great to read, and very informative for my guests.

On behalf of us all, a big thank you.

Dawn

[Cosetta]

Another suggestion for first time visitors and people renting villas.  As soon as you arrive, find out from the owner or agent exactly where your house or apartment is located.  In which area, what street and number and the name of the building.  Write it down and keep it near you.

Because if you have to call a doctor or the Jandarma during your stay and you cannot tell them where you are, they cannot come to help.  This happened last night but the unfortunate lady could not give any indication of the location of the villa she had rented.

[Chucky]

I am currently updating this section. If you have any suggestions for the kind of info you would like to see on this section, please let me know
Cheers
Joan