So we’ve set off on another all-inclusive “vacation”, this time to Turkey. Why am I putting vacation in quotes? Since I’ve been a freelancer (and actually even before that, when I think about it), it’s not always a complete vacation. I do a little work or reading every day. But back to the topic. We headed to Alanya, which is about a 2-hour drive from Antalya. It sounds similar, but one city has an airport, the other is a resort town.
Why and When to Go to Turkey?
Better go to Alanya, or rather Turkey (ideally off-season, not like us in August), if you want a good kebab, cheap expensive brands, and experience a European-Asian country.
Before boarding the plane in Prague, I bought a virtual SIM through Airalo, which would normally have cost me $18 for 10 GB of data, but thanks to you, I got it for free. And if you don’t know about these virtual SIMs, take a look – with the code ANDRE5430 you’ll get $3 to try it out, and I’ll get it too! And I’ll need it, because we’re planning to escape somewhere again at the end of the year.
We arrived with a slight delay around 4:30 pm local time (+1h), then we got on a bus and were in Alanya around 8 pm with one tourist stop for an average kebab. We stayed at a hotel on Kleopatra beach. It’s about 4 km long and quite nice. Too bad the entry into the water is through huge boulders, but otherwise absolutely brilliant. If you’re ever around, be sure to stop by.
And if you’re expecting a kebab like in the Czech Republic, you’re mistaken. They make dürüm completely differently, with different meat and vegetables and especially without sauces. And although I’m a proponent of “it can’t be dry”, their kebab is absolutely perfect!
This time too, I read a lot on vacation, taking two books with me: “How to Have More Time” by Dan Ariely and “The Choice Factory” by Richard Shotton. I read both and recommend them. But back to the topic.
No Lounging Around
The next day we walked around the area and found out what we have here. We saw Alanya Castle, which has the Red Tower right behind it, and at Kleopatra beach they set up tandem parachute jumps. We also found several markets and discovered that there are about five caves and several viewpoints and harbors in the area.
The next morning we went to the first Friday markets we found – Friday Bazar. Lots of fruits, vegetables, and all the other things Turks know how to grow. Smaller, but quite good markets. And even compared to Oba Bazar, which is huge and located just beyond the city center, where in addition to fresh fruits and vegetables you can also find clothes – just the brands and prices don’t quite fit. 😁
Since we were at the Friday Market in the center of Alanya, we also walked around the harbor, where there is a long colonnade leading to the Red Tower. At the Red Tower, we walked around the accessible parts of the walls and finished in front of the shipyard, where they wanted an entrance fee. You can get to Alanya Castle either on foot (by taxi) or by cable car from the other side of the hill.
How Expensive is Free
Because we booked through a travel agency, they offered us a “free” excursion, but since by that time I had almost finished reading the book “How to Have More Time”, we didn’t let ourselves be fooled. The full-day tour included a stop at the I Love Alanya viewpoint, the Çamlıbel Piknik (Oba Çayı) river and waterfalls, and a boat trip from the harbor in the city center. But that wasn’t all.
All these stops were interspersed with stops at a leather workshop, a jewelry store, a six-story shopping mall that no one but tourists sets foot in, and one stop at some confectionery. The excursion simply earns commissions on the high prices that people pay for leather, jewelry, gold, and sweets. Well, we fortunately avoided everything – why give 5 euros for 1 magnet in the mall when we saw them 2 for 1 euro on the street? 😅
Anyway, the I Love Alanya viewpoint was worth it, the river and waterfalls were so-so, including the catfish and turtles they keep there. The hour-long boat trip with a glimpse into three caves was also good – we saw the Pirate’s Cave, the Phosphorus Cave, and the Lovers’ Cave with a small swim. That was nice. You can buy your boat ticket in advance through GetYourGuide or at the harbor.
Would We Go Again?
For me, a good vacation for a relatively small amount of money, the last minute package deal cost us 10,000 CZK per person, which is still almost cheaper than being in Prague. Tunisia for 6,500 CZK it’s not, but what can you do. Would we go again? Probably not to the same place. But Alanya is not the only resort, so maybe next time.
And why don’t I mention the local currency, the Turkish lira, at all in the article? It has been quite weak in recent years and is getting weaker and weaker. In Alanya, they even talked about 90% inflation (in June, the website kurzy.cz reports 71.6%). This roughly confirms the fact that in 2010 you could get almost 13 CZK for 1 Turkish lira, and we in 2024 get almost 0.7 CZK.
Anyway, you’re in Turkey, a nation that loves to bargain, so take advantage of it. And if you want to head to Alanya or anywhere in Turkey on your own, you can find flights on Skyscanner for as little as 2,000 CZK.
