Hints and Tips for Marmaris Visitors

If you are travelling to any place for the first time you need to gather proper information about the transport there. For tourists visiting Marmaris for the first time too, a travel guide is necessary which gives all details about the transport in the city.

Local transportation

Dolmus is the name of the minibus or shared cab service in Marmaris. This minibus service in Marmaris is color coded. The color of the minibus depicts its travel route. The color code is as follows:

Green: Run within the city

Orange: Run between Marmaris and Icmeler

Bordeaux: Run between Marmaris and Beldibi

Blue: Run between Marmaris and Armutalan

Pink: Marmaris to Yalanci bay

These buses have fixed stop, but on passenger demand and request they stop at any point for pick up and drop. There is a fare board over the driver’s seat and the fare has to be paid on boarding the bus.

To go to Datca, Gokova, Hisaronu or Turunc bays you will need to hire a taxi from the Marmaris station located on the outskirts of Marmaris. There are many long distance bus service provider agencies which you can choose to travel to faraway places. You may get the tickets for these buses from their sales office at Marmaris Dancing Fountain.

Taxi service is also available in Marmaris. Taxis are yellow in color. The fare for your travel is calculated by the taxi meter depending on the distance you traveled. Taxi service is costlier as compared to buses. Marmaris has good public transport facility, using which is recommended.

Banks and exchange offices

The normal weekday operating time for banks in Marmaris is 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with lunch break between 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm. On Saturdays, some banks operate half day. Exchange offices operate daily till 11:00 pm. Some hotels provide exchange services too. Exchange bureau is the best place for currency exchange though. Marmaris has lot of Cash Dispensers. Foreign currency and credit cards are accepted. Scottish pound and soiled notes are not. If you are carrying Traveler’s cheque it s not convenient as banks and currency offices charge 10% on them.

Drinking Water

Water in Marmaris and Icmeler is chlorinated. Hence carrying your own drinking water is recommended. Bottled mineral water is easily available in shops here. If tap water is to be used it should be sterilized first. Icilmez water brand is not good for drinking. Icilir, Icilebilir or Icme Sayu can be used instead. Bottled spring water and pasteurized milk is used in Marmaris. In sunny days consumption of good amounts of water is must to prevent dehydration. Alcohol consumption should be prohibited on hot days.

Electricity and Electrical Appliances

Voltage of 220V AC runs across Turkey. Seldom occurrences of power cuts and overloads can be seen. Business offices use generators in case of power failure. Electrical appliances like mobile charge and hair styler can be easily used with a 2-pin adapter.

Emergency and useful services

Private and state hospitals, clinics, surgery doctors, opticians, dentists, and many other medical facilities are present in Marmaris with English speaking staff. You will be charged per visit, but on return to your country this amount can be claimed. It is highly recommended to have a proper medical health insurance before entering Turkey.

In case of emergency, contact on below numbers:

Marmaris Fire Department-110
Marmaris Police -155
Marmaris Medical Emergency /Ambulance Services-112

Shopping

Turkey is a paradise for shopaholics. You can find modern boutiques, traditional bazaars and bustling markets in here with a wide variety of craft and traditional goods, carpets, embroidery, handicrafts, ceramics, jewellery, metals wares and fine leather, etc. The bargains are very temping and this can sometimes be a issue. You must keep receipts of every purchase, so that if you are overcharged you can reach the local police or Directorate of Consumer Protection.

Phone, GSM and Internet System

Public phones are found everywhere in turkey. Telephone card operated Pay phones are also available in the area. Local phone numbers are 7-digit. To make a local call, you can dial the 7 digits directly. For STD calls, you have to prefix the number with 0 and the area code of the region you are making the call to. For ISD calls prefix the number with 0, country code and area code. To call our office in Marmaris you need to dial 00 + 90 (Turkey country code) + 252 (Mugla area code) + 4178493. For Operator assisted calls, dial 131 for local calls and 115 for international calls.

Turkish mobile numbers are 10 digits and they should be prefixed with 0 before making a call. Inter state and inter country numbers are roaming in Turkey hence roaming facility should be activated before entering Turkey. Foreign numbers get locked after 30 days in Turkey. Hence, declaring your number with the Customs authorities while entering Turkey is advised to enjoy uninterrupted telecommunication service.

Internet services are available in old town area and hotels. Some cafes and restaurants offer wireless internet services. Netpass cards for internet activation can be purchased easily.

Time System

Turkey is +2 hours of GMT from October to March and +3 hours of GMT from April to September.

Sun Protection

Temperature in August can rise up to 45 degrees, badly affecting your skin causing tan and skin burns. A high factor skin tan protects your skin. This tan should be taken in bits. Tanning at once can disturb the skin. Enough water should be drank and children should be protected by hats and regular intervals of water consumption.

Currency

Turkish Lira is the official currency of our country. 100 Kurus make one Lira. Currency notes of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Turkish Lira (TL) are in circulation. The denominations of coins are in 1, 5, 10, 25, and 50 Kurus and 1 TL.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited in public places, administrative offices, public transports, airports and movie theatres. Smoking can be done on smoking zones and other acutely populated areas.

Liquor laws

Turkey is a Muslim country but the due to the booming tourism here, liquor is available easily in liquor shops and supermarkets. Cross country travelers and drinkers can hence travel to Turkey without having to think about liquor. Bars operate till late night and many places hold alcohol parties running till dawn too. Turkish’s do not behave indecently or consume alcohol in public. One must be over 18 years of age to purchase or consume liquor. Identity proofs can be checked to confirm age if the seller suspects the buyers age.

Drinking and driving

Drunk driving is a criminal offence in Turkey. Sam applies to bike riding and bicycling. People with blood alcohol limit over 0.5 are prohibited from driving any vehicle. People with blood alcohol limit over 1.8 can be prosecuted and banned from driving for some time.

Hygiene

High level of hygiene is maintained in most places in Turkey. But sometimes high temperature, humidity and food poisoning incidents may occur causing Diarrhoea to the tourist. Travelers must maintain safe eating and drinking habits and strict personal hygiene. Washing your hands after using washroom and before eating anything is a must. Below tips can ensure healthy stay in Turkey.

• Eat freshly cooked warm and covered food only.
• Eat self peeled fruits rather than already peeled ones from outside.
• Use pasteurized milk and milk products only.
• Drink only canned and packaged drinking water.
• Do not brush your teeth with contaminated water.
• Make sure ice used in drinks is made using safe sterilized water.
• Always check expiry date of the goods you consume and also check the ingredients to avoid consuming something you are allergic to.
• Make sure the bathrooms, toilets, wash basins at the hotel you stay are well maintained, clean and hygienic.
• Stay attentive and careful at all times regarding cleanliness.

Mosquitoes

Turkey has some very tenacious mosquitoes but incidents of malaria are rare. At night before sleeping or when you are spending a night on an open deck, make sure to apply a mosquito repellant to enjoy a peaceful sleep and keep these insects at bay.

We hope this tour guide helps you clear all your questions. We wish you a happy and memorable stay in Turkey.