Why Visit Turkey?

Useful Information

Religion

Whilst the population of Turkey is about 99% Muslim, the country is a secular state which allows complete freedom of worship to non-muslims. Tourists visiting coastal resorts are unlikely to see much evidence that they are in a Muslim country, except for the call to prayer which can be heard 5 times per day. If visiting a mosque, dress conservatively and avoid visiting during prayer times or on Fridays, the holy day. On the coast, dress is generally relaxed beachwear for locals and tourists alike. It is only in smaller villages, more remote areas and the east of the country that the dress codes are more formal and more traditional.

During Ramadan, or Ramazan, as it is known in Turkey, some locals may fast from sunrise to sunset. This is quite relaxed in the resort areas and should not have any affect at all to visitors.

Public Holidays in Turkey

Government offices and banks will be closed on public holidays, but life in the resort areas continues much as usual. Money exchange bureaux and most shops and restaurants open as normal.

1st January	New Year’s Day
23rd April	National Sovereignty and Children’s Day
19th May	Youth and Sports Day
30th August	Victory Day
29th October	Republic Day

Religious Holidays 2008

2nd Sept – 1st Oct 2008	Ramadan A Muslim holy month when followers may fast from sunrise to sunset.
2nd – 4th October 2008	Seker Bayram (Sugar Holy Festival). A 3 day festival when sweets are eaten to celebrate the end of the Ramadan Fast.
9th – 12th December 2008	Kurban Bayram (Feast of the Sacrifice). A 4 day festival when sacrificial sheep are slaughtered and their meat distributed to the poor and needy. This is the most important religious holiday of the year (equivalent to Christmas in Christian Countries).

The dates of the religious festivals change according to the Muslim lunar calendar and therefore occur 10 to11 days (exact difference between Gregorian and Lunar calendars is 10 days and 21 hrs) earlier each year.

Newspapers, TV & the Internet

The Turkish Daily News is probably Turkey's most popular English language newspaper. British newspapers are widely available, although they may be a day late. As in most places abroad, do expect to pay a little more for your favourite paper. Turkish TV channels rarely have programmes in English, however with the appropriate satellite it is possible to receive various news channels including C.N.N. and BBC World.

Internet cafes are available in most of the resorts. Your representative can advise you of your nearest one.

Language

Turkish is the official language of Turkey. It is one of the group of languages known as Ural-Altaic which includes Finnish and Hungarian. In the resort areas, English is widely spoken, however the locals really appreciate it if you try to use a few words.

Hello	Merhaba (merr-ha-ba)
How are you?	Nasilsiniz? (na-sil-sin-iz)
I'm fine	Iyiyim (ee-yee-yim)
Goodbye	Hoscakalin (hosh-cha-kalin)
See you!	Gorusuruz! (goo-roo-shur-ooz)
Yes	Evet (e-vet)
No	Hayir (higher)
OK	Tamam (tah-mam)
Please	Lutfen (loot-fen)
Thank you	Tesekkur ederim (tesh-ek-err ed-er-em)
My name is..	Ismim... (is-mim)

Tipping

Tipping is standard practice in Turkey. It is customary to tip a small amount to anyone who does you a small service. For porters and luggage assistance a tip of about 2-3 YTL would be appropriate. In restaurants and cafes, it is possible that a service charge may already have been added to the bill, if this is the case, then leave about 5% on the table in cash for the waiter, if a service charge has not been added, then 10-15% is the norm. It isn't necessary to tip taxi drivers unless they have helped you with your baggage for example, although it is normal to round up the fare if change is likely to be a problem.

What To Take

You can now find most western goods, including holiday essentials such as suntan and aftersun lotions, insect and mosquito repellents, and such like in most of the larger resorts and supermarkets. Taking these items with you saves time and also ensures that you can find your preferred brands. It's worth taking a high protection sunscreen, especially during high season when temperatures can soar, a wide-brimmed sun hat, and a mosquito repellent both for your room and a spray for yourself when you are outside in the evenings. Also do take a European-type 2 pin adaptor for your electrical equipment - these can be difficult to find in Turkey.

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