14 replies to this topic

[lozengelegend]

A lot of people have asked me this before or said something that gave me the idea that, y'know, they weren't sure!

Well Turkey is made up of several different provinces that are a bit like counties in the UK or states in the US. Within those provinces are administrative districts (like boroughs or council areas - yes I'm from London....) and within those districts are towns and neighbourhoods.

So:

AYDIN is the province
DIDIM is the administrative district
ALTINKUM is the town - as are Akbuk (well part of it), Yesilkent, Yenihisar, Mavisehir and a few other places.

A LITTLE TURKISH RANDOMNESS!
If you want to know about neighbourhoods, look for the word "Mahalle". They aren't that good on addresses here though so the rules sort of wobble a little; for example, I live in Aydin, in Didim, in Altinkum, but in Camlik Mahallesi NOT Altinkum Mahallesi (there IS an Altinkum Mahallesi, over the road), and the area I live is known as Palabiyik (which means "handlebar moustache"). Yes, when I get on the bus, I ask for a fare to "Handlebar Moustache". Really. And I don't laugh.

[crisp]

Hi Laura!

I was interested in your post as i am planning to travel to Didim Altinkum to stay in an apartment there which belongs to friends of ours, we are combining our holiday as well as looking for potential rental propertys.
we don't know much about Turkey and the property market there so it is very early days for u.

We have book a flight and are looking to book a shuttle or other form of transfer when we arrive, we have an address but no idea of where it is, i don't want to put a full address on here but we will be staying at setan cad, can you give me a clue where this is or what to ask for please.

Many thanks
crisp

[Abi]

Hi Crisp, Unfortunately Laura doesn't visit the forum very often now as she has had a baby.

If you look at the top of this page you will see a section called Maps if you click on it will open up with a list of different places, look down and click on Altinkum. You are right it is not a good idea to put an address on a forum.

If that doesn't help let us know

[crisp]

Hi Abi,

Thank you for replying to both my post's, i noticed only after i posted this reply to laura that it was dated 2007 lol, oh well will take more notice next time.

I am enjoying reading an browsing the forums and am sure i will be posting more soon, but just for now its question questions question sorry, so please have some patience with me.

many thanks
crisp

[Abi]

Don't worry crisp you can ask as many questions as you like it's not a problem

[sunny]

Crisp, I've sent a PM to Natalie who lives in the area asking if she could help you.

[Natalie57]

Hi crisp,

I have not heard of Setan Cad and can not find it on Google maps either. If you want to Pm me the full address including the complex name and I will give you more information about the surrounding area and what to tell the transfer driver.

If I were you I would book a transfer before you come. The taxis from the airport to Didim are expensive and if you try and get on one of the reps buses, they will not drop you at your apartment only at the nearest hotel.

If you type "Altinkum transfers" into Google, all the transfer companies based in Altinkum will come up and they are all very good. Door to door service. You can choose between a shared transfer or a private transfer.

If you have any other questions just let me know.

Speak soon

Natalie

[crisp]

Hi Natalie!

Thank you for your offer of help! i have sent you a message with all the information i have so hopefully you you can point me in the right direction.


Thanks again abi.

crisp

[nitrox]

I was on the bue a couple of days ago travelling from Akbuk to Altinkum. A family got on who were clearly on holiday and asked for Didim which costs 3.75tl. On arriving at Didim Belediseye the drive said Didim. They asked is this the stop for Didim and I replied this is Didim? They looked a little confused so I said just walk a little further along the road and you will come to the main didim shops.

Later That day they got on the same bus as me travelling back to Akbuk and they said to me that they think they got off in the wrong place because they had to walk a very long way to the beach area. Right away I realised their mistake. They should have asked for Altinkum which is 4.75tl and is the last stop on route.

They were very grateful and without having to get into lengthy discussions about the difference between Didim and Altinkum they already understood. Simple really it costs another lira

[holly]

to be honest didim is not a nice place i mean the turkish people in didim, the estate agencys the shop owners market stall owners, there very aggresive to tourists. i wont ever step foot in turkey again to be honest. especially didim.

to many conmen operating in didim. i know because i lived there and never never again will i live in turkey corrupt sums that country up

[sunny]

I'm sorry you've had bad experiences in Turkey, but not all areas are the same and many people are happy living here,

[Abi]

Unfortunately you have been very unlucky Holly whilst there are some bad emlak and builders in that area there are also some very honest ones.

[Barbles]

We had been coming to Altinkum/Didim for three years prior to our move and never, in all this time, come across any aggressiveness from any of the locals. If anything, we've found them to be the exact opposite, friendly, obliging and can't do enough for you. You will always get the odd pushy tout at restaurants but there are ways and means of dealing with them. It's all about what you,"put out," show kindness and you get it back a thousandfold.

Les

[swabs]

I have found since they brought the law in that they are not allowed to bother tourists that there is no problem anymore. When tourists walk past most shops the turkish shop keepers just say a polite hello (in almost every language!) I am pretty lucky as people think i am turkish so dont really acknowledge me but my friend is blonde so often gets mistaken for german.

On the issue of the behaviours of turkish people, i dont think that you can categories as it is the same anywhere in the world! You generally have the nice helpful people but off course of the other hand you have the not so polite minority.
I agree with Les that if you show kindness that they will do alot for you, i have many good and close Turkish friends where i live in side and they always go out of their way for me x

[samanthaozkara]

Sorry to hear Holly that you have had a bad experience while living in Didim. I have never been to Didim before but I have heard so many good things about it and never once hear that the locals are rude or aggressive.

x