Kalkan Turkey Forum - EnjoyKalkan.com
Kalkan Discussion => Places to Visit / Things to Do / Excursions => Topic started by: Llondon on January 28, 2012, 09:31:48 PM
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Hi everyone,
I was wondering if there is somewhere in kalkan to have a traditional hammam? I've searched the forum and found some info on massage places, but I'm not sure if this is the traditional hammam?
Thanks very much!
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The one at The Regency can be recommended and I believe others are similar , however how would you describe an authentic TB, we had a few in the 1980s that were different to the now 'traditional TB' !!
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Thanks for the reply, the pic I've seen of the hotel ones in kalkan seem to be regular spas which do the traditional treatment.
But I've seen gorgeous pictures of the places with the huge big rooms and I suppose that is what I thought was 'traditional'
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the only turkish bath I have had in Kalkan was at the Regency, the main room was circular with a diameter of > 20ft benches built in all around and a raised heated 'platform' in the centre, off this was a relaxation room and changing area, the historic TBs I have been to elsewhere tended to be smaller and a series of 'rooms'
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I always go to the Atlantis - which is a pupose built hammam and is not in a hotel. I think it's as close as you will get to 'authentic' but is rather different to the place I once went to in Istanbul which was a very big space croweded with people, some of whom seemed to be on a DIY arrangement! I much prefer the lovely service you get in Kalkan.
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Thanks both of you, do you have any idea of prices?
There will be eight of us so will there be room at the same time?
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The only TB I have had in Kalkan is at The Regency. It has always been excellent and easily hold 8 to 10 people at once if you want it that way. We paid £12 each but we were Exclusive Escapes guests at that time and got one free and after that paid £12 for extra sessions so not sure what it would be for non EE guests.
There is a lovely room to relax in afterwards too with the choice of apple tea, water with lime and cucumber etc. and if you want to go the whole hog there are wonderful masseurs to do a whole body oil massage to finish you off.
Wherever you choose, ENJOY.
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The Patara Primce has an excellent, if small, hammam with a really good paractiitioner there. It was recommended to us by a rep a while back. I have been to a big public one in Bodrum and much as it's authentic you feel a bit like a cow in the market!! Much nicer to have a private session!! The Regency one is OK but I didn't think the staff were as experienced as the one at Patara. Haven't tried the Atlantis one. There is also one near Yali supermarket but I haven't tried that either. Cost is around £12-15 a session. You can also have a massage, pedicure, manicure, the lot at Patara. Enjoy!! :laugh: :laugh:
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Can also recommend the Regency TB. It was recommended to us on here before we went last year and we really enjoyed it.
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link pinched from a previous thread:
http://arseaboutfez.blogspot.com/2008/05/hamam-home-sweat-home.html (http://arseaboutfez.blogspot.com/2008/05/hamam-home-sweat-home.html)
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Just for clarification - the Atlantis is the one near Yali supermarket.
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Aha, I thought it might be part of the Atlantis hotel/restaurant on Kalamar Road.
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The Atlantis Hotel/Restaurant is no more! There is a cafe/patisserie there now.
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Ah, didn't go that end last year as we were down the other end of town and t was hot! I used to know the guys who owned it - young guys who work on the diving boat - hope they're OK?
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I am tempted to go for a TB but after watching some videos on YouTube I'm having second thoughts. The idea of having your legs bent up you back and being pummelled scares the living daylights out of me. Can you just have the scrub and soapy wash etc or is it all or nothing? I had a shave last time in Altinkum so will definitely be on the look out for a barber, any recommendations?
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Like Reygirl we prefer the Atlantis for TB as it is as authentic as you can get in Kalkan. I know the Pirat also have a fairly authentic facility but I've never tried it. BH's favourite shave is Jasmine on Kalamar Road.
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i have absolutely no interest in a portly man wrapped in a towel beating the crap out of me..removing layers of skin with a car washing mitt.... giving my body chinese burns before half drowning me in freezing water and bending my bones in places they don't want to go....and then charging me for the pleasure...Pah! i say and double Pah!.....give me a beer instead >:D >:D
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HHmmm - Blue Lizard's description doesn't quite fit with experiences I've had. For a start, he certainly wasn't portly...... ;) I'd have the beer anytime - but AFTER the hammam!
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Hmmmmm!! don't care if hes built like Pavorotti or Sid Little..men in towels have no place tugging at me!! i think us menly folk get a rougher deal than the ladeeez..maybe it's a macho thing?...(hey this guy looks like a Lizard..lets see if i can get his tichy legs up past his ears!! )...and i don't wish to walk like a cat with smartie tubes on it's legs for the next few days!!....i will have a few beers and lets see who is more relaxed and bendy ;D ;D
(maybe all i would need is a plink plink fizz next day)
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We have had a turkish bath at Patara Prince resort also .Jon had a man that did his and I had a lady. His was, shall we say, slightly more intense than mine but we both thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt more comfortable having a lady as it was my first experience so I would recommend it for that.
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Hmmmmm
you missed all the a's out!
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Whilst looking for a loo on the beach at Kusadasi about 30 years ago I stumbled into the Hamman. Before I knew I it I was being pummelled and scrubbed to within an inch of my life (quite unpleasant when you are dying for a wee - luckily it was before I'd had children or there might have been an embarrassing accident :o :o) That's the only time I've had a portly man and it was the most traditional Turkish Bath ever...weirdly!
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Oops, this will cause a debate in Kalkan ! lol
(as an aside, is this form of advertising now permitted on EK now ? It's a nice idea !)
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Post removed, he has been warned on numerous occasions.
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Ooh what have I missed?? ??? ???
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We arrive in Kalkan on Wednesday for a 3 month stay and hope to have regular Turkish baths. We have always used the Kalkan Regency and recommended it to others. It does not open until the end of April and I think we should branch out and try others anyway - can anyone recommend one which will be open next week. Many thanks.
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Not sure if it'll be open but Patara Prince is v.good. Could try Atlantis or La Sera?? SX :)
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hi everyone, mrs EK,
will be arriving at the patara prince resort on saturday evening and was wondering if anyone knew whether the resort's hammam is open on a sunday as id like to get my trip started with a turkish bath! tried emailing them but no reply and would like to know as i am still working out my schedule. thanks :)
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Hey...Mr Blue. Bet you'd prefer the bath experience Eddie Murphy has in the film "Coming to America" ....with the addition of an ice cold efes. Got to be better than some bloke with an electric grinder.
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You are right,....but I prefer to bath myself...that way i don't have to share my beer and don't have to be suspicious of bubbles in the bath >:D
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Like ;D ;D
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Hi Ryss
Sorry Patara Prince Spa doesnt open until the 1st May. A list of facilities at PPR and their opening times can be found here - http://www.pataraprince.com/common-facilities.asp
Hope that helps
Jon
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Thank You Jon!
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Tried the hamam at The Pirat today with my OH and was very impressed. We walked straight in without a booking and were made very welcome. We had a very firm and thorough soap massage. A very nice couple "did" us together and followed up with a mud face mask as we relaxed and watched the boats bobbing about in the harbour. Felt o top of the world after it. Much preferred it to the Atlantis which we tried two weeks ago.
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Hi suziq, how much did it cost?
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HI there we were 80TL each. However that included 30TL for the face mask and something extra for having our feet scraped. Think it must have been 40 -45 for just the normal bit. Hope that helps.
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that's come down a bit in price :) Last year they were giving out leaflets on the beach indicating for the full Turkish Bath plus face mask and facial (2 hrs in total) the cost would be £40 (prices were quoted in sterling). I would say your 80TL, given the current exchange rate, is a nice reduction on that. Thanks for the information :)
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Just to point out we got a face mask but not a facial.
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Thanks suziq thats really helpful. :)
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Hello Llondon,
Though many years since I've been (at the time with a Turkish boyfriend) there is a very old Hammam in Fethiye & at least 1 other. Also a proper traditional one at Elmali, a working village about half hour taxi drive away from Kalkan. Don't go Fri (main religious day) and Sat or Sun is ladies only.
We're talking 10 years ago & at the time you needed a Turkish speaker with you but now.....?
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Found Suziq's post very helpful as we are staying at the Pirat next month and was actually thinking of going back to the Regency for a Turkish bath but we'll now try the one in the Pirat seeing as we're staying there.
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The Hamman at the Kalkan Regency is very nice but I do think it is more than £12. More like £20 if I remover correctly. However it is well worth it. We always go on our first day as it scrubs off the dead skin and aids tanning.
Only 2 1/2 months to go now!
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Hi, just wondering is it safe to have a TB when pregnant (3 months) I know Saunas are not advised as the body temp raises above 101degrees, however I have heard hamams are not as hot. Also is the washing and massage as rough as I hear?? I would love one while there, but obviously only if safe to do so.
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I had mine at the Atlantis Wellbeing and you start with about 10 minute lying on the hot slab to open the pores, then you get a rub down with what felt like pummice soap, a gritty feel with a little stretching. This is done on your back and your front,then you get rinsed off with warm and cold water, next comes the magic soapy bubbles which are massaged in. Finally another rinse off followed by a relaxing lie down in a cooler room with apple tea.
The massage I thought was quite a gentle one, I have a back massage every week from my niece who has her own business and she is lot more "brutal ", the lady who does the massage does use a lot of oil and it is very relaxing. I had the man doing my bath but there is a lady who does it as well so I guess you can request her. It isn't as aggressive as you think.
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I've had a Turkish Bath when pregnant, but it was over 20 years ago....advice was different then but it didn't affect my pregnancy at all and I did deliver a healthy 8lb baby. Think I was three months pregnant at the time.
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Eobphoto, I understand some people say it is fine to have a massage during pregnancy but ONLY if you go to a certified pregnancy massage therapist. So, if it was me, I would probably not have one in Kalkan unless you knew for certain that it was with someone suitably qualified. Might be safer to miss out altogether this time on the massage.
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Hi, just wondering is it safe to have a TB when pregnant (3 months) I know Saunas are not advised as the body temp raises above 101degrees, however I have heard hamams are not as hot. Also is the washing and massage as rough as I hear?? I would love one while there, but obviously only if safe to do so.
What does your doc / mid-wife say? Probably better to seek proper medical advice rather than random opinions from people who's credentials are totally unknown.
PW
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Peterwilka, I agree and should have added that to my post. Too important a thing to leave to chance when expecting a baby. Have a wonderful holiday anyway Eobphoto and hope you will let us all know how the holiday went.
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I'd suggest putting a question to KTLN - they have good contacts with everyone there and may be able to advise. To be honest, being a paediatric nurse myself, I doubt many of the UK midwives/Obstetricians will have much of a clue what's involved in a hammam - and they will advise you against it just to cover themselves. Better to find out if the Turkish women go for it during pregnancy. I would also discuss it with the practitioner in the hammam - after all pregnancy is a normal state of health!! They must know if it's safe or not. Hope you can enjoy it, just what would give you a lift! SX
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I'd suggest putting a question to KTLN - they have good contacts with everyone there and may be able to advise. To be honest, being a paediatric nurse myself, I doubt many of the UK midwives/Obstetricians will have much of a clue what's involved in a hammam - and they will advise you against it just to cover themselves. Better to find out if the Turkish women go for it during pregnancy. I would also discuss it with the practitioner in the hammam - after all pregnancy is a normal state of health!! They must know if it's safe or not. Hope you can enjoy it, just what would give you a lift! SX
Thanks for all the advise and suggestions, i do intend to ask my midwife at my next app, but as skunk said I imagine they wont have a clue whats involved! So that is why I asked for opinions here.
Skunk, what is KTLN? How do I put the question to them?
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KTLN - google Kalkan Turkish Local News. They have various webcams of Kalkan, a business directory with all the restaurants and other businesses in and an interactive map etc. You have to be a member but if you join (free) you can scroll down under the webcams and there is a little box for writing short messages in, which goes to John (Top Cat) who is pretty knowledgeable about Kalkan and Turkey and has good contacts. The other thing you could do is phone or email to the hotels such as the Regency, Pirat or Patara Prince, who all do Hammams and speak good English.
Good luck! SX :) :-*
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Thanks Skunk!
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Now that we are in Kalkan I am planning my turkish bath and massage. This is not OHs favourite for himself but if any of you ladies out there would like to come with me for a hamman and massage please PM me. :) :laugh:
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Hi Skunk,
Not in Kalkan until sept, been to Turkey before but have never tried a hamam. Does it really help you get a good suntan? How long does it last, and, how much does it cost roughly?
Many thanks,
Anne
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We had a Turkish bath at Atlantis on our first morning a few weeks ago...it scubs off old and dead skin so that when you tan afterwards there's no dead skin to flake off >:D It doesn't stop you burning obviously so you have to be just as careful and yes I think my tan has lasted longer....considering I haven't been able to top it up here!
I think we were there for about an hour or so and it cost £15, if you have a massage and face mask afterwards it costs a bit more.
We would definitely go again as it was basically good fun and we felt very relaxed afterwards. Go on your first day though or you'll rub off your tan!
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Well we went to Likya spa and wellness centre in the Likya residence hotel yesterday afternoon and having been to most of them I can highly recommend it. They do a package of turkish bath, clay face mask, and all over oil massage for £55. It is a bit more expensive but the spa is fantastic. While he was waiting, OH could use the pool, sauna and steam room, and we had a lovely lunch as well. The skin feels like a silk shawl today. Not sure if it improves tanning, but it definitely exfoliates the skin. Highly recommended albeit at a price.
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I do like a Turkish Bath and have found Atlantis to be the most authentic in Kalkan...that said, I think my skin feels better when I've had a mud bath on a boat trip - particularly if you use the tiny shingle stones to remove the dried mud. We usually go on a boat trip half way through our stay - so have a fair tan built up by then - and I find my skin really glows and the tan looks more golden the next day...never found anything as good as this in all my years of spa treatments. This is our secret by the way....can't have BH stopping my spa weekends now can we..? >:D :-*
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Definitely not. :o ??? ::)