Can you reassure me???

[Buzzy]

Hi I am new to the forum and reserching going to Turkey for the first time. It's our 25th wedding anniversary on 14 April and we wanted to go somewhere warm but are not in a positon to spend a lot of money. We usually go on drivng holidays in France but have been to Spain and Greece in recent years and are getting more interested in trying out other places and cultures. Our problem is that around 20 years ago we had a dreadful experience in Tunisia when we both had bad food poisoning. We were ill for several weeks after the holiday and missed most of the holiday itself. I know no one can give me any guarantees but how many of you have stomach trouble when you are out there?

[Fanny]

Hi Buzzy and welcome to the best forum going!!

we've been to Turkey lots and lots of times with no problems at all
in 2007 though, we had gripey stomachs while we were there for the last couple of days, but it got really bad when we came home
we put it down to the milk and water at home after having spent almost 3 weeks on bottled water and long life milk in Turkey
only me and hubby were affected though fortunately

we were just unlucky I think and it certainly won't stop us from our annual jaunt over there

we always take immodium with us just in case and had to replace them last year cos they'd gone out of date ha ha

can't recommend Icmeler enough and there's lots to see, the folk are so very friendly and there's all sorts of food to choose from

best thing I can say is go for it and have a good look around on here - almost 2000 people can't be wrong

[Jozzyd]

Hi Buzzy i have had major stomach surgery so consequently i cannot be sick, I have had no problems whatsoever in Icmeler and will be returning this year with last year's immodium untouched. I can go to Icmeler without any problems but cannot go to Northampton to visit family without a dodgy tummy. No need to be over cautious either

[Erik The Viking]

Unlike many UK cafes and restaurants, the ones in Icmeler are spotlessly clean - they have to be, any report of sickness would spell seasons end for most!

If you steer clear of tap water and wash any fruit before you eat it there should be no cause for concern.

I have been going for years and not so much as a dicky belly...and ive got plenty of belly to go dicky!!

[LynnJenny]

we have been to turkey for the last 5 years and i eat allsorts and drink allsorts and have had no problems you will love icmeler its such a pretty place once you been to turkey once you will want to go again

[peli]

Hi Buzzy
No guarantees, but if you have been to Greece then you can treat Turkey with the same caution/respect in regard to hygene etc. We have never been to Tunisia but from what Ive heard off others, Tunisia seems a bit behind both Turkey and Greece in these matters.
As others will say on here its common sense in regard to cleanliness etc, and I along with a lot of others on the forum will say Icmeler is a very clean town, and I feel sure you will be pleasently surprised when you get here, as I hope you will do
Welcome to the forum and a little bit of heaven[Icmeler]
If you do come I feel sure you wont regret it
Best Regards
Peli
P S
20yrs ago food poisoning was rife in a well known" English holiday camp"

[salford_steve]

Never had a problem with food poisoning. Restraunts are very clean, and the food is cooked well.

Steve

[dksbbs]

The Turkish people of immaculately clean, as others have said drink bottled water, wash fruit before eating. My wife and I and two children have been going to Icmeler since 2002, we have never had an issue, we take the normal precautions, always check that chicken has been cooked etc, always eat freshly cooked food, no buffets.

Go and have a great time.

Dave

[peli]

Hi Buzzy:- [Again )
RE:- the posts above.
Turkey is a very misunderstood country it is far from being backward or dirty, as I have often heard it described, on the contrary it is a very forward and modern thinking country that still has its old-worldly culture, that we as "Icmelerites", have come to love and respect.

Please feel free to visit here with every confidence.
As you can see by reading the posts on this forum, there are many people on here who can vouch for that, providing a bit of common sense is used.

Peli

[KarenH]

hi and welcome......

i have only being to turkey 4 times, 3 to icmeler.....

and to be totally honest, i feel its one of the cleanest places i have ever visited.
i would advise going self catering or bed and breakfast, as that way you can be in control of what and where you eat, there are lots of fabulous places.

the only time we have ever been ill, was when we went all inclusive to spain, after that, it has been self catering all the time for us.

good luck in choosing somewhere and i hope this helps you to make your mind up.
x

[davoal2]

Hello me and my partner went to tunisia to a resort named sousse,After many so good reports about the place we decided to give a try. This was one of our worst holidays we had,only glad we only booked a week. We have been visiting turkey mostly twice every year and have been going for 12 years or so and never have we had a bad stomach(even after eating on the plane)The food quality is 1st class enjoy....dave

[paty]

hi we have never had any problems with tummy upsets and we have visited turkey many times.and i having a very sensitive tummy was very worried the first time we went but had no problems at all

[Buzzy]

Thank you so much for all your replies. I did not mean it to sound like I thought Turkey was "dirty" or "behind" I am just aware that we all adjust to our environment so a British stomach might not easily tolerate what people can tolerate in Turkey. Having said that I had no problems in Greece and eat just about everything. Just to put in in perspective when my husband was a young man he used to break out in blotches just visiting Ireland ( doesn't happpen anymore) which was a souce of great humour watching his granny dab him all over with calamine lotion (at age 20)

[bill atkinson]

hi go to icmeler its beautiful,i,ve been 20 times since i finished work,its warm may till nov. food wise keep on what you know suits you, try nothing silly,wash all fruit, use bottle water, ice cubes also can be dodgie,drink bottled beer its fresher,but not to cold as it can give you a chill, i only drink draught beer at jimmys okimo bar because i know he keeps his beer equipment clean,and having been in the trade ,its important,also you have to have quick turnover with draught beer. lastly keep away from places who have exposed kitchens. bill atkinson PS you will go back to icmeler enjoy

[peli]

Hi Buzzy
Please dont think I was refareing to you personaly when I mentioned people slagging Turkey off and your post certainly did not appear that way, Im very sorry if my particular reply appeared a bit "strong"
I was refareing mainly to our own experiances, we used to get it a lot over the years when we mentioned "Going to Turkey" and it was some of my work colleagues who were having a "pop" at me for going to Icmeler a lot, I put it down to their ignorance and jelousy though.
Regards
Peli

[mazz]

Hi Buzzy

I've never suffered with a dodgy belly in all the years I've been visiting Icmeler.

As everyone has said, Icmeler is kept spotlessly clean and in many of the restaurants you can see right into the kitchens from the dining area - how many restaurants in England have their kitchens on view?? Not many.

In fact, if you're curious as to how a particular Turkish dish is made restaurant owners will be more than happy to take you into the kitchen and get the chef show you (depending of time of day of course!)

In which other countries do you see waiters religiously washing down the frontage, pavements and roads outside their restaurants twice a day? I've only see that happen in Turkey.

It's worth bearing in mind that one thing that will cause an upset tummy is too much sun, especially if mixed with too much alcohol so it's important to drink lots of water to keep hydrated, especially in the high summer months.

So Buzzy I reckon you should book a week to try Icmeler in May (my favourite month out there) and not long after your wedding anniversary (congratulations by the way)... just take a look around the forum for hotels, restaurants, shops and parts of the beach people have recommended and go armed with a list.

The Bonjour Hotel is a nice place to stay - spotlessly clean, central, with it's own very good restaurant and a couple more excellent restaurants with spitting distance.

Guaranteed you will not be disappointed and you'll be left wanting to go back (we call it the Icmeler bug by the way!)

Mazz

[MUSTAPHABUN]

hi Buzzy
i have never had a problem with the food in Turkey.quite the opposite i eat far to much of it.the only thing is in mid April it can be quite cold especially at night.may is a lot warmer.

[reesy1959]

Hi, the only person suffering from tummy bug is my Husband, Phill, thats not due to the food consumption, its due to the lack of food. He hardly eats anything and always suffers, where as me on the opposite shoe, I try everything and anything and I can honestly swear by the food in Turkey, its superb. Everywhere is spotless, I just wish the UK could follow the example set by Turkey.

Have a super time when you go.

[madmackem]

Got to agree with Ressy, some places in this country could take a leaf out of the Turkish handbook when it comes to resturant cleanliness.

As far as I am aware all food is cooked from fresh, no frozen reheated rubbish that we've all had at sometime or another. The taste quality and presentation of the food in Turkey is unbelievable, only one warning from me, BEWARE THE PEPPERS.
A coulpe of years ago me and OH were in a traditional Turkish Resrurant, just near the Taj Mahal, and when our meal arrived there were whole grilled peppers on the plate. Now OH is never to sure about trying things , so I told him not to be stupid it's only a pepper, to which he replied, "well you B***dy eat it", so I did. Boy did I regret it, my throat burned and my eyes and nose ran like a tap, OH eyes ran as well with tears of laughter , he couldn't stop, he really is wicked . From now on I will keep my mouth firmly shut and he can eat what he wants.

Elaine

[toz]

Hi,
All depends on how strong ure stomach is!
If u are prone to such sickness, then you will have to be careful on the type of food you eat (alot of turkish food is rich). But although no guarantee, there should be no problems, all of bars and resteraunts are clean and i belive that there are laws for food poisoning and such so your pretty much covered on tht front.

As long as you dont drink tap/sea water then you should be FINE!!

Enjoy your holiday!