The best way to experience Turkey southern-western coast is undoubtedly by sea, for many years boating enthusiasts have been drawn to this region for its uncomparable natural beauty. Today the region has a flourishing tourist infrastructure and gulet cruises depart daily from harbours along the Turquoise Coast. Many Cruises also run between Turkey and Greece,

ALTERNATIVES TO TOURISM As fun and exciting as traveling the world (or even just part of it) can be, actually living in a country and working, volunteering, or studying for an extended period of time can often be a more rewarding and complete way to truly appreciate the local culture arid environment. This chapter outlines

MINORITY TRAVELERS In Turkey, Caucasians are a minority. While Turks have a well-deserved reputation for hospitality and openness Lo strangers, travelers of African, Asian, or Latin American descent, especially those traveling alone and/or in non-touristy areas, may have an experience different from that of their Caucasian counterparts. Turks often have no qualms about staring at

BISEXUAL, GAY, AND LESBIAN TRAVELERS Although homosexuality is legal in Turkey and Northern Cyprus, religious and social dictates keep most homosexual activity discreet. Homophobia can be a problem, especially in remote areas; expect authorities to be unsympathetic. Gay and lesbian travelers will benefit from the close contact that Turks maintain with same-sex friends. Public displays

WOMEN TRAVELERS Foreign women, especially those traveling alone, attract significant attention in Turkey. Catcalls and other forms of verbal harassment are common; physical harassment is rare. Regardless of whatever signals a foreign woman intends to send, her foreignness alone may suggest a liberal openness to friendly or amorous advances. Because Western movies and TV often

ORIENTATION AND STREET ADDRESSES Since few Turkish cities follow a grid plan, maps can be difficult to use. To avoid confusion, a three-tiered addressing system is used. Mahalle refers to the neighborhood, cadde or bulvar are avenues or boulevards, and a sokak is a street. A slash after the street number, or the word kat,

BY MOPED AND MOTORCYCLE Motorized bikes offer an enjoyable, relatively inexpensive way to tour coastal areas and countryside, particularly where there axe few cars. They don’t use much gas, can be put on trains and ferries, and arc a good compromise between the high cost of car travel arid the limited range of bicycles. Exercise

DOLMUŞ DOS AND DON’TS To the uninitiated, mastering this quintessentially Turkish mode of transportation can appear daunting. Travelers can avoid a dolmuş faux pas by following these suggestions. Dolmuş flexibility and price is somewhere between those of taxis and buses. They run along set but unpublished routes, usually beginning from a secret hub somewhere in the