I am bike touring through Turkey and was wondering if anyone
has done it. I am going down the West Coast and hopefully
going to make it to Antalya (I've got 16 days). A few
questions:
1. How bad are the roads for biking?
2. Is camping going to be a real hassle? (as LP suggests)
3. Is bike theft a strong possibility (without extra
anal precautions)?
4. And last but not least, has anyone seen any
*singletrack* while there?
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I've been all through Turkey, although driving, not cycling.
The roads aren't really that bad all down that west coast,
the drivers are pretty mental, the buses and trucks overtake
on corners etc ! Its really quite mountainous in parts and
will be fairly tough on a bike, but there is some brilliant
scenery. Camping is fairly easy, there are places we camped
on a deserted beach (near Ephesus) just ask the two army men
who 'guard' it and they aren't bothered. We also camped at
a place sign posted as Guney off the main road towards the
sea, thru a tiny village which turns into single track and
very hairy ride in a 4x4 right down to a peninsular with a
ruined castle on top. This was a deserted place with banana
plantations all around. You may get a couple of locals
coming to have a look, but its just curiosity. There are
loads of places like this, just go exploring, you won't find
much of a problem camping anywhere.
I had an engine on my bike, but I met quite a few people who
did it on push bikes and loved it. The main roads are fine,
and if you get off them almost anywhere you'll fine some
great single track stuff. I rode inland from Izmir and then
north, accross the mountains to another main road and the
track I followed was absolutely fantastic, extremely remote
for somewhere so close to the coast. I shouldn't so the
west coast, it's packed with tourists and overpopulated
compaired to a bit inland.
Camping is no problem at all (except maybe in the more
touristy/built up Med coast bits, but even then it's fine
realy) lots of locals do it when they travel. I got visited
a bit by shepherds and occasionaly a whole village would
come for tea, but they seemed delighted to see a different
face. Keep your fires small, and have a brew on the go to
offer anyone who looks interested, if your near a village.
I shouldn't worry about bike theft, it's not like Eastern
Europe. Outside Istambul there pretty honest, you'd have
more problems here than in Turkey.
Best of luck old boy
John
lots of alone bikers in TURKEY.You can find lots of camps
to stay everywhere...People are so friendly and
helpfull.And TURKEY is very safe to travel.
hi there
i arrived in istanbul a couple of weeks ago with my bike,
intending to cycle down the west coast. took a ferry to
yalova to avoid city traffic and that's when the trouble
began. no matter where i went i was told there was no
camping, although the turkish campguide said there was.
problem was, the season doesn't open until later in the
marmaris area. so no camping. also, i did do some riding,
but often there's no shoulder on the roads at all. and do
avoid the main highway at all costs! eventually i gave up
and started hauling my bike on buses to get through the
huge ugly cities.
that said, apparently things are easier on the west coast,
where the season opens earlier and there are more
campgrounds. being a solo female tourer, i don't want to
free camp, which i did for one very scary night in Termal.
also, it's going to get very hot down south very soon. i've
already had reports from travellers heading northward that
it's reaching upper 20's. i'm in eceabat now, across the
dardanelles from canakkale and have been hanging out here
for a week, trying to decide what to do. i came here to
cycle, but i've found it really daunting up to this point.
we'll see!
also, people have told me they've met cycle-tourers doing
the coast, so there are people doing it.
cheers
Robin