ICMELER first time in turkey advice please

[adewolves]

Ok sorry for a lot of questions but here goes. This is our first time in turkey, we being my wife myself and 2 girls aged 10 and 12. We are going August 7th for 2 weeks. We are staying in the palm garden apartments self catering. Now for the questions.
What weather can I expect at that time (a reall hot one I assume)
What sort of price can i expect to pay for food, we're simple english eating folk, kebabs chips chicken burgers etc. What is the price of the beer over there, I do like a drink more than most. Also what is the best way to take my currency, bear in mind im cluimsy so I'd prefer to take trav cheques, I'd be looking at 2 grand in sterling to last us the 2 weeks, would this suffice? Any advice and info most welcome, and thanks for a great forum.

[Doz]

Hi There and Welcome!
The weather will be extremely hot on 7th August! Make sure you take some high factors especially for your daughters..
You can make it as cheap or expensive as you want, there are fish and chip shops you can go to so you will never go hungry! The local beer is Efes and it is dirt cheap-I think we were paying 3 lira a few weeks back-which is less than a quid and its a pint of beer in a bottle. Meals wise you would be looking at around 14-20 lira I would say for a steak meal which is next to nothing.
If I were you I would take a mixture of currency as most places will accpet english and lira and euro-there are also plenty of cash machines you can use if you didnt want to take all money..you can get travellers cheques changed on every corner but the best place is the supermarket under the ICR office in the square-give this one a try.
I think 2 grand will be more than enough for you, however if your wife and daughters like to shop then there is tons to buy!
Make sure you have your tenners for the Airport Visa's at Dalaman airport!
Hope you have a fabulous time!

[redrhino12]

Wellcome to the forum.
You will love Icmeler and the children wont want to come home.

Weather...expect 45+ Degrees during the day and very warm at nightime.
Chicken Breast plus trimmings 18 YTL
Steak meal with Trimmings 21 YTL
Hamburger and Chips 6 YTL
Beer Efes Btl or pint 3.5 YTL
Coke same price as beer
Coffee 3 YTL

Take £50 of Lira with you and the rest in TC or sterling(I take sterling and keep it in the safe at the apartments)
take a few £10 notes and £5 notes for purchases from the market as they like to deal in the £
Change your money in the local bars or at the small supermarkets dotted round the resort after first enquireing about the rate.
At the moment its about 2.50YTL to the £

On entering Dalaman you will need to go to visa control and buy a visa £10 per person in each passport this visa lasts 90 days.

£2000 You could take my family as well with that.
I will meet up with you a few nights for a few bevvies and help you spend it

Gene

[dksbbs]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

You will have a great time in Icmeler, we first went in 2002 and it's the only place we have been to since.

We are also four, I the wife and two girls now 15 & 12, going back August 1st

Weather - It will be hot, around the mid 40's. Be sensible with the suncream and sun hats, drink plenty of water, we insist the girls wear t-shirts in the pool between 12:00 and 15:00. We find the days are bearable with the swimming pool etc, gets a bit sticky at night.

Drinks vary in price, anything from 2 to 6 Lira for a pint (80p to £2.40) normal average is about 3.5, if you drink shorts ask for the local version, imported shorts are very expensive.


Meals out we averaged last year 80-120 Lira including a few drinks for the four of us, you can eat cheaper or more expensive, if you like fish ask for a quote as it often charged by weight.

We averaged £110 a day last year, that covered everything from Visas. to meals, trips out, shopping etc.

I normally take 200-300 Lira, £600 in £10 notes and the rest as travellers cheques, don't change them at a change office, use a bank or a supermarket otherwise you may be hit with commission.

Have a great time


Dave

[adewolves]

Thanks for all the advice....can't wait now....it's like christmas in August. By the way any advice on the palm garden apatments, I did a search on holiday watchdog before I booked so I'm not worried just wanted to know if anyone had been there recently. Once again a big thanks.

[Scott1992]

Gurantee you will love kit. I went for my first time last year and I really didn't want to come back home. The weather is amazing, we had one bad day in 2 weeks last year. The food is absolutley amazing. If I can, I recommend the Red Lion and Three Bells. Great food and great atmosphere. Amazing.


You will love it

[redrhino12]

http://www.holiday-truth.com/holiday_tr ... partments/

Try this link on HT for reviews on your apartments.

Gene

[Annie.f]

Hi, just joined here myself. Im going to the Palm gardens too on 21st July for 2 weeks so will be back home when you arrive!. The Palm gardens were recommended to us by a couple we met on another forum so we are going to meet up when we get over there as they fly in 2 days after us. Icmeler is lovely you will have a fantastic time. The Palm gardens are close to all the main restaurants and beach so is in a great position. Already mentioned is the £10 visa. make sure you have separate £10 notes for each of you and count them out in front of the visa guys, they arent the most honest and I have heard of a few people being ripped off by being told they are £10 short and hiding one of the tenners, also, especially if you have children make sure you have enough drinks and maybe a snack to see you through to arrival at your hotel as buying food at Dalaman Airport is ridiculously expensive. The coach journey to Icmeler is quite long and tiring. There is a loo stop en route where there is a shop but again you have to pay for using the loo, not much if I remember just have some pound coins at the ready. If you can stretch to it get a private transfer it cuts the travel time down loads. Also watch on the return journey with the weight of your baggage, they are really hot on it and will sting you for being over your weight. Apart from these small negatives everything else is great. Enjoy your holiday!!

Last edited by Annie.f on 09 May 2008 15:38, edited 1 time in total.

[LynnJenny]

you are going to love it the people are lovely and they love children their are some great trips the boat trips are a great day out and you must go to the markets have fun

[Misspiggy]

Hi

You will love it in Icmeler. Very friendly, very hot and very cheap. £2grand will be plenty. I know people who have stayed at the palm gardens and they highly recommended it. Like Scott1992 says try the Three Bells great food, great atmosphere and great yorkshire puddings on a sunday lunch you cannot go back home without trying them.

Have a great time you will love it and I guarantee you will book to go back.

Mandy

[Fanny]

how great is this site - with newbies annief and adewolves going at the same time and staying at the same place !
you'll be old friends by the time you get there ha ha

just a couple of things that I don't think have been mentioned....visa at airport, make sure your tenners are English as Scottish are not accepted - not sure about Ulster ones so would avoid those too

also great places to eat are the pide [kebab/pizza places] they are sooooo cheap and the food's great

nearly forgot to say welcome adewolves, also we may well bump into you and annief's crew cos we're going at the same time

you'll be hooked once you've been!!!!!!!!

[kazz59]

Welcome to the forum. How I envy you your first visit to Icmeler. We are going on the 30th July for two weeks for what will be our 17th visit (I think, but I may have lost count), and I never imagined ever going to the same resort that many times, but Icmeler is more than just a holiday - it's like "going home". Hard to explain how we all feel about the place, but once you're there, you'll understand. Enjoy

[ola]

I'm new on here


I am going back for my second visit to Icmeler in September with a friend of mine who has never been to Turkey. I told her she will love Icmeler.

I went with the other half last time but he can't go in September and told me to go and have a good time. (can't take more time of college, Mature Stident)

i know we will both go back together 1 day, the place is lovely.


Ola

[loldan]

Hi Adewolves we are also staying at the Palm Garden apts, we fly out on the 11 Aug for 2weeks no doubt we will bump into each other,we also have 2 girls aged 12 and 8.

[john G]

Hi adewolves,
All good advice above, you will love icmeler. We went last year in August and had a great time - that good we are going back for 2 weeks on August 2nd. We ate out for just about every meal and didn't have one bad one, and that includes 2 fussy eaters aged 6 and 11, at the time (both girls). I think we spent about £1300 and that was self catering for a family of 4 with a few trips, loads of eating out and loads of efes.

Try their food - its delicious. Hope to bump into you and your family - there'll be 9 of us staying at the celik.

Cheers John

[madnesstiger]

Me and Zoe were newbies to Icmeler in 2006.

We went again in 2007.

And we've just booked again for August 11th 2008!

It's the first place abroad where I've been for a second time, never mind a 3rd!

***

You have been warned... you and your family will love it there and can imagine that you'll be back agian next year - Join the club!


From our experiences there, we find that as long as you don't mind the staff wanting you in their bars for meals and a bit of friendly banter, you'll get on extremely well. Make sure you can live upto your word, as the staff WILL remember you (yes, even after a year in some cases!).

Make use of some of the excursions as they usually work out at incredible value and try a variety of eating places - our favourites include The Love Boat, The Waterfall and Captain Bulls**ts, although we've hardly had a bad meal anywhere.

Also, echoing alot of the other members, ensure you use plenty of sun cream as IT WILL BE HOT! Not sure which countries you're familiar with, but don't be surprised it it is in the 40's constantly throughout your stay (I hope it is for one, as I'll be there in August too!) and you may well find it doesn't frop below 30 throughout the night.

Other than that, I wish you a great holiday!

[KarenH]

hya,

we are also off to palm gardens, again this year

we loved it last year..we go 24 july

hi annief

we fell in love with icmeler, and loved captain bullshits restaurant,

last year, we couldnt find the ICR offices, but we must this year, as we want to book some trips, specially the jeep safari.

and i must remember to book out transfer again, as i am not going to sit on a coach for hours!!

who do i pm to sort out transfers please? i cant remeber who i spoke to lat year



karen ( the wife)

[adewolves]

Thanks for all the advice, most welcome. Couple of thing s I forgot to ask, what is the general price of hiring a safe for 2 weeks, I think it cost us about 50 euros in spain. Also is the sun cream any cheaper over there or just the same, I'll make sure the kids and us use plenty just don't want to load for cases up with to much the daughters will want to load them up with clothes on the way back...lol

Loldan...be great if we bumped into each other the kids should get on fine with our 10 and 12 year old girls they love mixing and having fun.