Monday, August 1, 2016

MY Trip to Marmaries

Marmaris is a Mediterranean resort town along the Turkish Riviera (also known as the Turquoise Coast) with a busy, pebbly beach and long seafront promenade. It’s known for buzzing nightlife on Bar Street, which is home to open-air clubs and music venues. It sits in a valley between pine-forested mountains and clear waters, which are popular for sailing and diving.

Marmaris Boat Tours and More

Marmaris offers one of the best boat trips and activities in the world. With its so many turquoise bays and boat choices no other place can came close to it. If you want fun and great summer holiday, come to Marmaris.

watch?v=AP5i8rEdLoI

Here are some links to some tours, see prices and booking options. All you need to pays very small deposit

Ciftlik boat trip
http://easymarmaris.com/Tour/ciftlik-boat-trip

All Inclusive Boat Trip
http://easymarmaris.com/Tour/all-inclusive-boat-trip

Aegean Islands All Inclusive Boat Trip
http://easymarmaris.com/Tour/aegean-islands-all-inclusive-boat-trip

Pirate ship on the Turkish coast

A trip on a pirate ship along the Turkish coast. Fun for kids, but also for the adults. A great day on the water, leaving Marmaris for Içmeler, and then further into the Aegean via the Lycian coast

DEPARTURE: Every at 09:30 from Marmaris / Icmeler.
RETURN: 19.00.
Price Includes: 30 EURO for Adults.
Price Includes: Transport, Breakfast, Lunch, Entry fees, Insurance, Guide, Drinks

How much does it cost?
Adults: €31. Children: €16.00. Children up to 6 years old: €5 .

How long does it take?
The boat leaves at about 9:30am and is back at 4pm. Always ask! At first I thought this would be a long day, but with the gorgeous scenery, the swim stops, and the meal, time flew by. My children were never bored.

Do I get lunch on the boat?
Yes, it’s included in the price. Lunch is served in the covered, air conditioned part of the boat. You may eat at the tables inside, but can also eat up on deck.

What kind of food do they serve ?
Lunch is served buffet style. It is simple but tasty food. There is a choice of chicken or fish, as well as a wide choice of salad and vegetables, rice, potatoes and bread.

And drinks?
Local drinks are free. These include coffee, tea, cola, ranja and other cold drinks, water, beer, wine and – I think – stronger drinks. You can collect your drinks from the bar, and serve yourself water from the water canisters.

Can you buy anything else?
There’s a small shop on board selling toys, biscuits, crisps, sweets or ice-cream.

Do they take photographs?
Yes, there’s an on-board photographer and a guy with a parrot who will put it on your hand. All photo’s are exhibited, and you can have a look on the way back and choose which ones you want to buy. I found them to be quite expensive, so I didn’t get any, but it’s always a nice way to remember your trip.

Can I pay in euros?
I think so, but take some lira with you just in case.

How big is the ship?
Big! 46 metres (even though it doesn’t look that big) with 5 levels.

Are you given seats?
No, you can choose your own seats. You have the choice of sitting inside, or upstairs and outside on the first deck. On the second deck there are comfortable benches. Luckily everyone was pretty calm on board, no pushing for the best seats.

Are there toilets on board?
Of course. They are downstairs. They are relatively clean. So there is not just the one, tiny loo which the other boat trips often offer.

Is it easy for kids to fall off the boat?
No. Only the back part is open, and this is closed off during sailing times. Of course, don’t let really small kids run around alone. Keep an eye on them.

Are there facilities for babies?
You can also enjoy this trip with your baby. You get on board via a ramp at the harbour, and will find plenty of shade on the boat on the lower levels. However, during the swim stops you won’t be able to get onto dry land, but not everybody does anyway. I don’t know if they have a changing room, but there will always be somewhere on board you can change your baby in peace. I also don’t know if there is a microwave on board, but you can ask beforehand. I think a pram can come on board; a buggy definitely can.

Do they have swimming vests?
Yes, kids sizes, too. The one my 5 year old had was quite big. It’s not necessary on the boat, but at the swim stops they can come in handy.

Can you snorkel?
If you have a snorkel with you, of course. I don’t know if they have them on board or not.

How do you get into the water?
At the back of the boat there is a set of stairs. Three sets, actually. Diving is also possible. There’s a slide which is set up at the second stop. This isn’t a good idea for young children; not only is it steep, it also ends at the opposite side of the boat. If you are alone with the kids it’s not recommended. But it’s great for older kids, teenagers and adults.

What do I need to take with me?
Towels, for swimming and sitting on. Bring swimming gear and water shoes; when you go ashore the pebble beach has some sharper stones. And sun cream, of course. And if you go early or late in the season, take a jacket with you.

Will I get seasick?
No, definitely not! To be honest, I was a bit worried about this, but the ship felt very stable. I hardly noticed we were at sea. And the kids were fine, too.

Is it OK for kids? Do they have child care on board?
Are there activities arranged for kids, or might they consider it boring?
They organise a number of games for the kids. Everything is done in English, but most of them will understand what needs to be done. I stayed close by and explained what they needed to do. Kids also get a pirate hat when they come on board, and can get their faces painted. It’s far from boring; take a book or a game if you prefer.

What kinds of people go on the trip?
A very diverse group. When I went there were a few families with children, but also a lot of groups of friends. There were a lot of Turks, Lebanese, Russians, Belgians and a few Hollanders on the ship. The ship staff spoke English.

How often does the trip go?
The brochure said every Thursday, but it actually goes much more often; every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, too. When I checked the website, they said daily and not only during high season but also in April, May, June, September and October. In the winter season (November to March), there are no pirate ship trips.

Can you get a transfer to the harbour?
If you book the tour from your hotel, or via a travel agent, they usually arrange this (both there and back). It couldn’t be easier. Check beforehand, and make sure you are at the meeting point on time. Should a transfer not be arranged, the dolmus service (minibuses) travel regularly to the harbour. These are great and I, and the kids, have often used them.

Where in Turkey can I go for a pirate ship daytrip?
There will probably be similar trips all over the Mediterranean, but specifically, try Marmaris or Içmeler. There are a lot of them in Marmaris, and from here you will get to enjoy the wonderful Lycian coastline.

What other places are there to visit in the area?
There are the beautiful town of Dalyan, the Koycekiz lake, and Akyaka. If you go to the Datca district go to the town of the same name, as well as lesser known places such as Bozburun and Selimiye, or the Gulf of Hisarönü.

These places don’t have the same touristy atmosphere as the popular destinations on the Turkish coast. Make sure you read this.

Which airport?
You will land in Dalaman airport, about an hour or an hour and a half’s drive to Marmaris and Icmeler respectively. If you are staying in Dalyan, the transfer takes just thirty minutes.

Which pirate ship?
There are various pirate boats on offer in the Marmaris harbour.

Are there other boat trips?
In this area, you will be spoilt for choice at the number of sailing trips. You can go on a traditional wooden boat, or gulet, or take a trip on a sailing boat or a catamaran. These trips run for half days, full days, or the entire vacation.

Can you take a boat to Greece?
You are only about 25km from the Greek island of Rhodes. There are lots of day trips organised, but you will pay about 50€ when you book the trip as an excursion (and not with a pirate ship!). These day trips are fun (we went to Samos from Kusadasi), but the province of Muglia – in other words in Turkey – has so much to see! You can see photo’s of our travels through the province on the blog, ‘Turkey’s most beautiful coast’.

Activities available in Marmaris

Whilst on holiday in Marmaris you will be spoil for choice for things to do.
There are a wide range of tours available for both day time and evening. Examples of day activities include, Jeep Safari, All Inclusive Boat Trip, Dalyan Tour, Waterpark, Ephesus, Pamukkale, Watersports. Evening activities in Marmaris such as the famous Talk Of The Town drag show, the traditional Turkish Night, and Moonlight Dinner Cruise are great entertainment.

More details of these and many more of our tours on offer can be seen here
http://www.marmaris.org/things-to-do/.

If you can’t decide which tours to book you will be pleased to know that we have offers available:
Book any 2 tours, receive Moonlight Dinner Cruise free!
Book any 3 tours, receive Turkish Bath and Moonlight Dinner Cruise free!!
Book any 5 tours, receive Jeep Safari, Turkish Bath, AND Moonlight Dinner Cruise free!!!

Most activities and tours are very family friendly and suitable for all ages, whether you are young or still young at heart there is something for everyone!
To secure your reservation for activities and tours please follow the ‘Make a Reservation’ link on each tour page. By following the link you will also find extra information on prices of the tours, and times and dates available.

If this is your first time in Marmaris, usually you will NOT know where to start. But do not worry, you will find all the guidance here at www.marmaris.org. If you like you can contact us before you come to Marmaris and we will help you plan your stay from start to end so you will get most out of your vacation.

At your first day, after you settle into your room, the first thing most people do is go for a walk on the beach front. This is where most of the action is during the day. This is a Long beach front, from Icmeler to Yacht Marina. There are tons of cafes, restaurants and bars where you can hang out. All the beach is covered with sunbeds. You want to get comfortable with some spot where you think you will be comfortable with the staff of the bar or restaurant. Because they will be serving you and entertaining you while you come to the beach to sunbathing.
You can chose to go away from hustle and bustle and go to one of the five star hotels on the same beach front. Mares Hotel has really nice Pine forest on the beach where you can relax while enjoying the beach. No one will bug you. Take a nap, read, enjoy delicious food just around the corner.

So it is a good idea to go and walk the Long_beachfront, the Marina area and if possible Icmeler beachfront. Basically and practically you can walk from Marmaris Marina to all the way to Icmeler. It is just so beautiful. Most importantly you will get a clear idea of the most active parts of Marmaris. Restaurants, bars, clubs, cafes, beach, majestic yachts, cruise-ships, activities are mostly are along on this beachfront. You can do this during the day on in the evening.

You have to start making plans though according to your lifestyle. Of course you don't want to spend your whole vacation on the beach. You want to take some tours and laugh, enjoy and see more of Marmaris.

The most popular tours are “Daily Laz-y-Day Boat Trip“, ” Turkish Bath“, “Turkish Night” and “Jeep Safari“. These are the most popular tours that you might want to join more than once. So much fun . Check out our other Excursions that you might like. Just pick some more to enjoy based on your lifestyle.

Standard Marmaris Excursions: Dalyan-Caunos, Pamukkale, Diving, Ephesus, Cleopatra Island, Quad Safari, Horse Safari, Rhodes, Aquadream Waterpark, Talk of the Town.

If you have joined any of these tours, please write reviews about it so that it can help our other visitors. We already appreciate it.

Hotel in Marmaries

D-Resort Grand Azur Marmaris

During my Eid Holiday I stayed at D-Resort Grand Azur Marmaris, its Five star hotel. This hotel is 2 minutes walk from the beach. Fully renovated in 2013, D-Resort Grand Azur Marmaris is situated in a tropical garden just a few steps from the Mediterranean Sea. It has a private beach area, large outdoor pool with sun-lounger terrace and offers air-conditioned guestrooms.

The restaurant serves international cuisine and traditional Turkish dishes made from fresh ingredients. Each morning a buffet breakfast is offered with fruit and hot coffee. Hotel also offers set menu on half-board basis.

Guests can enjoy a massage, or visit the fitness center which features free weights and cardiovascular equipment. The resort has a tennis court and an indoor pool.

D-Resort Grand Azur Marmaris is just 2 km from the lively center of Marmaris, and Marmaris Castle is less than 3 km away. The resort offers 24-hour front desk service and free private on-site parking.

Hotel view look click here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONxDTDzky-8

Hotel Private Beach view click here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONxDTDzky-8

For Reservation by booking.com
http://www.booking.com/hotel/tr/resort-grand-azur.en-gb.html?aid=311984;label=maritim-grand-azur-qmLo9SPSlfvlEF3Mw_jygwS86585065245%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap1%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap1t1%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atiaud-146342137750%3Akwd-1554182635%3Alp1012089%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm;sid=40e200fa60524546653adec5748e777a;dest_id=-764696;dest_type=city;dist=0;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;srfid=72ab46d9fa7b21f2a37a49528dae38966033392aX1;type=total;ucfs=1&

Top10 Recommended Hotels in Marmaris, Turkey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFxKUOUNM8M

Sunday, May 22, 2016

What to Pack: The Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist

Whether this is your first trip or your hundredth trip, it’s always helpful to have a rundown of what items you may want to pack so you have a travel checklist. Bookmark this packing list, because you'll want to refer back to it to make sure you've thought of everything you might want to pack. We even have trip-specific resources at the end.

Step 1: Collect Important Travel Documents, Cash, and Credit Cards

Start by collecting all of your important documents in a travel document organizer (this travel organizer holds a passport, ID, seven credit cards, coins, documents, a boarding pass, and a pen!). This will help ensure everything you need to get from one place to the next is all in one place. Think about including the following documents:

Passport/visa(s)
Personal ID, including a student ID card if you have one
Frequent flyer card(s) and other loyalty program cards such as a hotel or hostel
Cash and credit card(s)
Health insurance cards/document(s)
Travel insurance info
Reservations and itineraries
Hotel and/or tour contact information
Transportation tickets (plane, train, bus, car, etc.)
Emergency contacts and important addresses

It’s a good idea to double-check your passports and IDs aren’t expired. You’ll also want to inform your bank if you’re traveling abroad so they don’t assume fraudulent activity and freeze your card. You may also want to email yourself a copy of your passport, driver’s license, medical cards and itinerary, so if anything happens to them you’ll be able to access them online.

Step 2: Prepare Your Personal Item Carry-On Bag

The next thing you’ll want to do is prepare your personal item carry-on bag with anything you’ll want with you on the flight. It’s always a good idea to make sure you have an outfit (or two) and a few essential toiletries in your personal item just in case your luggage is lost. If you’ll be traveling around to multiple destinations, make sure this bag has items to keep you cozy on any train, boat or bus rides. It's always nice to have a bag that's easy to access so you don't have to get in your main travel bag each time you need your eye mask. But remember, you’ll be carrying all of this, so keep it light.

We recommend you consider using a small daypack or backpack as your personal item. Here are some good things to include:

Technology

Mobile device and charger
iPad or e-reader and charger
Headphones (consider noise-reducing headphones if you're sensitive to sound)
Camera and/or a video camera, memory card, and charger
Electrical converters and adapters

Travel Comfort, Entertainment, and Information

Travel pillow, blanket, eye mask, and ear plugs
Travel journal and pen
Books and magazines
Games
Guide books, travel guides, maps, language guides, etc. (if you will need any of these upon arrival at your destination, put it in your carry-on)

Health Items

Hand sanitizer or wet wipes
Prescriptions in original packaging (you’ll want to make sure you have these in your carry-on bag just in case something were to happen to your checked luggage)
Glasses and case

Step 3: Choose Your Main Bag

Whatever you're planning, we recommend luggage that is versatile, lightweight and big enough to hold all your essentials. The most important decision you'll make as far as luggage is finding a piece that's versatile and can fit lots of gear while also being easy to carry. If you’ll be going through different types of terrain, or switching from airports to cobblestones, having a bag with the option to roll it or carry it like a backpack or duffel is handy.

Step 4: Organize Your Stuff

When you have many different types of activities and a variety of gear to pack in your suitcase, keeping everything organized can be a challenge. One of the best things you can do when you're packing for any trip, especially one that requires you to pack lots of layers, is to make sure you use packing organizers. Keeping your suitcase organized with packing organizers will make it easy to get from one place to the next without having to rearrange your entire bag every time you reach a new destination.
You can keep clothing organized in compartments based on outfit type or activity type using packing cubes. These are zippered organizers that make it easy to keep your bag organized and neat and provide quick access to all the different things you'll need during your trip. You can use Pack-It™ Compression Sacs or Pack-It™ Specter Compression Cubes to reduce the volume of your clothes by up to 80%. This is especially convenient for bulky items such as sweaters and jackets.
- See more at: http://www.eaglecreek.com/blog/what-pack-ultimate-travel-packing-checklist#sthash.lK6mZ3Yc.dpuf

Step 4: Organize Your Stuff

You can keep clothing organized in compartments based on outfit type or activity type using packing cubes. These are zippered organizers that make it easy to keep your bag organized and neat and provide quick access to all the different things you'll need during your trip. You can use Pack-It™ Compression Sacs or Pack-It™ Specter Compression Cubes to reduce the volume of your clothes by up to 80%. This is especially convenient for bulky items such as sweaters and jackets.

Step 5: Pack Your Toiletry Bag

If you’re carrying on, keep your toiletry bag light and TSA-compliant. The TSA’s 3-1-1 rule makes it easy to remember: liquids, gels, aerosols, creams, and pastes must be 3.4 ounces (100ml) or less per container and they must be in a 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag. To make this as easy as possible for you, we have a set that includes four 3-ounce silicone bottles in a quart-sized clear pouch that’s wipeable and has a water resistant zipper. Click here for more info about TSA rules regarding what you can pack.

Don’t forget the following for your toiletry case:

The Toiletry Bag Basics

Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash
Hair brush or comb, hair ties, barrettes/bobby pins Deodorant
Shampoo and conditioner
Sunscreen
Make up
Face wash and/or makeup remover wipes Moisturizer
Lotion
Lip balm
Personal hygiene items
Feminine hygiene products
Extra contacts, solution, and case

Toiletry Bag Extras

Mirror
Cologne/perfume
Hair products
Clothesline and detergent
Shaving kit and extra razors
Sewing kit/clothing care kit
Facial tissues
Scissors, nail clippers, and tweezers (must be in checked luggage)

Travel Health

First aid kit (bandages, gauze, adhesives, etc.)
Personal prescriptions (copies of scripts)
Pain and fever relievers (also children’s strength if you are traveling with kids)
Thermometer
Cold medicines and throat lozenges
Diarrhea/laxative medicines
Allergy medicines
Hydrocortisone cream/antibacterial ointment
Multivitamins
Sunburn relief
Insect repellent/mosquito net/sting reliever
Motion sickness pills or bands
Eye drops
Moleskin
Medicines and vaccinations specific to the region/activity