Bitez, Turkey

swearne

Hi all,

I'm off to Bitez in August for 2 weeks , really looking forward to a bit of sun.
Just wondering if anybody has been here before, and has any advise on the area. Dos, Don'ts, Nightlife, restaurants, water sports etc...

Also would it be better to change to Turkish Lira here (Thomas Cook say it is 2.04 per 1 euro, however XE.com have this as 2.17), or will I chance changeing it over there in the hope of a better exchange rate???

Thanks in advanced!

dustie1

I was in Bitez about 10 years ago.. its a nice little seaside resort.. When I was there it was only the beach, few hotels and restaurants. Gumet is a town which is very close (5mins on bus) and where to go for nightlife.. been there more recently and its much more active and got lot of shops. Bodrum is the main city in the area (10-15mins on bus) that has loads of nightclubs etc.
Sometimes the best exchange rate you get is in the shops in turkey.. you can bargain their commission rate.. I've been to Turkey about 8 times now and i normally wouldnt get lira before travelling out there.

zeslim

By the end of my week long holiday in Bitez at the end of June, I was vowing to write out a list of do's and dont's for surviving as a tourist in Turkey. I hope I have at least a few pointers that might prove helpful

* Don't buy something from the first shop you see it in. It will always be cheaper at the next one.

* When you do go to a shop, don't point at things unless you want to buy them. If 'that watch looks interesting', I guarantee your personal salesman will try to make you wear it, the one next to it, and the hat to match.

* Do haggle. The best bargains we found were by halving the original asking price and going up from there.

* Do wander around, as the best prices are to be found off the beaten track, in the back alleys of busy shopping areas.

* Do have a very good idea of what you want before you go into a shop so that you can find it, examine it, haggle and get out. You'll save yourself time and pressure.

* Do consider taking a day trip, such as to Ephesus or Dalyan, and either rent a car OR go with a tourist company. You'll save yourself a lot of hassle and surprisingly, a lot of money if you book with one of the many companies along the beachfront.

* Do go on a boat trip. Go on a boat trip. Go on a boat trip. They start at 10am and end at 5pm, and will provide you with loads of sun and unique opportunities to swim out at sea, explore island caves and snorkel. Plus they cost 15euro, and that includes lunch.

* Don't go to the first restaurant you see, but instead take a few minutes to explore your options. The farther you walk, the cheaper they get, and high prices aren't indicative of good food. Trust me.

* When the waiter asks you if you want salad with that main course, don't assume it comes with the meal. Likely it'll be charged separately, at around 12-14 lira.

* Do remember to specify no ice in your drink if you want to avoid the local water.

* A good tip for restaurant deals is to look interested but hesitant. They'll try to entice you with free starters and/or a free drink. This works especially well on the first night, as they all seem to intuitively know exactly when you arrived, where you're from and when you're leaving. Take advantage of it.

* Do stop by a tourist company stand if only to get the free maps. Likely they'll keep you talking, but those 15 minutes proved useful for us in our navigation of the local area. Plus we learned about the tours on offer.

* Do bring after-sun lotion. Even if you're slapping on SPF 80, you're going to have a hard time avoiding a bit of sunburn, and that after-sun lotion will be a lifesaver.

Keep in mind that everyone will try to sell you everything. People will try to get you into their restaurants, into their shops, and over to their tourist stands. They do this by starting up conversations as you walk by. Don't feel obliged to stop, as often you can just take a pamphlet and keep walking, or gesture that you're not interested and they'll leave you alone. While they can be very pushy salesmen, we also found them to be quite nice. They tend to remember your face, especially if you've eaten at their restaurant at any point during your stay. As they all kept reminding us, "it's your holiday", so you shouldn't feel obligated to buy what they're trying to sell.

Bitez beach is gorgeous, and offers quite a lot. We did water sports and found that it cost the same price in Bitez as it did in Gumbet, a larger resort area nearby. We thought it might have been cheaper, but it seems the prices are fairly similiar throughout the peninsula.

Nightlife would be much more vibrant in neighboring Bodrum or Gumbet as partying isn't big in Bitez. Most of all, enjoy your holiday. Bitez is gorgeous, many of the restaurant bars offer great deals on cocktails at night (some even advertise happy hours), and it's all fairly laid back.

swearne

Some great info here, thanks.

zeslim wrote: »

We did water sports and found that it cost the same price in Bitez as it did in Gumbet

What water sports are available? Was there any wake boarding or jet skiing?
Also would you remember roughly how much these cost?

zeslim

I actually brought back a price sheet with me from the company (Okaliptus) that offers Water Sports on Bitez Beach and in Bodrum:

Banana - Per person - 30 YTL / 18 euro

Ringos - Per person - 35 YTL / 20 euro

Fly Fish - Per person - 40 YTL / 22 euro


Waterski/Wake Board - 80 YTL / 40 euro

Parasailing (Single) - 80 YTL / 45 euro

Parasiling (Double) - 120 YTL / 65 euro


Fast Trip (speedboat) - 1 hr - per person - 40 YTL / 21 euro


Catamaran - 1 hour - 40 euro

Wind Surf - 1 hour - 40 YTL / 22 euro


Jet Ski

Single/10 mins - 50 YTL / 28 euro
Single/15 mins - 65 YTL / 34 euro
Double/10 mins - 70 YTL / 37 euro
Double/15 mins - 80 YTL / 43 euro

I've double checked, and those are the prices listed on the sheet. Some of them don't seem to make sense but that's exactly how they're listed. They're very easy to find along Bitez Beach, as they're the only stand offering water sports. We did the Ringos when we were there, which lasted about 10 minutes, and it was great fun. We had been interested in parasailing but thought it was a bit expensive. We asked about the length of each activity and weighed it against the cost to see which one we liked, and I wasn't quite brave enough to try the Fly Fish. You can search for them online if you're not quite sure what they all are, or look at the pictures they have at the stand when you get to Bitez.

sarah_k

Hey just booked a last minute deal to the romantik apts in bitez with sunway holidays. Anyone gone with them before??? any review on romantik?

Just a few queries really! wondering what day is the good day for shopping in the bodrum bazaar? As far as i can remember, the last one i went to was by the bus station in Bodrum, full of handbags etc! Would love to return! also how much does it cost to get there?

Whats the latest visa entry fee? have heard 10e and 15e.

How much are Turkish baths??

Im going with my boyfriend and want the nightlife so we'll be travelling into Gumbet, does anyone know how to get back to bitez?? Are the dolmus' constantly going?

Finally what is the overall cost for Turkey living wise? in other words how much is enough spending money to bring for a week??

Hope someone can help!!!
Sarah