Take English notes or euros and a card. The machine will give you Turkish money. Take sun cream with you. It's expensive in Turkey.

Definately suncream, but toiletries in general seemed expensive to me. Especially with all the BOGOF's we can get here. I guess it's not so bad if you are a couple going for a week, but as a family of 4 for a fortnight we use loads. 4* plus hotels should give you some complimentary toiletries, but check with individual hotel reviews.

I wouldn't advise anyone to take Euros. The best thing to do is take a little lira to last the first day then get you money from a cash machine. if you open a Nationwide account you don't get charged for withdrawing cas and you get a better rate.

I agree take sun cream as it is expensive but I never bother taking toiletries as they are the same price as home in the big supermarkets (they weigh so much and I can think of better things to carry in my weight allowance than shampoo ) You can also buy mosquito repellent over there too.

If you have any electrical items eg a hair dryer, you need an adapter plug.

Yes you do need £10 each for your visa

Kedi

i agree with chris the toiletries are dearer in turkey than the uk, my mother lives in turkey and buys quite a few when she comes to the uk to take back with her and she often complains about the price of hair sprays, make up etc in turkey, we often take them with us and leave them there if buying presents gifts etc to bring home

side is an area that most of the prices are in euros so it really is up to you what currency to take, as for the visa we often hand over £20 notes for 2 people and in 27 years of holidays to turkey up to 6 times a year ive never had a problem, i just say this is for 2 people

Another difference for me is I have no interest in seeking out a 'big supermarkets' whilst on my holiday to get a cheap bottle of shampoo etc If I run out it would have to be a local shop. To me holidays are supposed to be different and special, I go to a big supermarket the other 50 weeks of the year !

Just re-read your post and the Hemera is in Side which is a German resort so I would imagine everything will be priced up in Euros.

Its supposed to be a fantastic hotel, it has excellent reviews. It's also 5* so you will probably get complimentary toiletries.

The poster asked advice on what to take, I just explained that she can get cheap toiletries in the big supermarkets if she wants to.

We also find the toiletries are a lot more expensive in Turkey so we buy ours in Boots at the airport.... handy if you only use specific brand and buying airside saves on your luggage allowance

We take English notes and change in bulk at the banks,the more you change the better the rate you get, and always remember to take your passport with you (hire a safe).

Make sure you take food and drink with you on your return flight to the airport... because the prices are extortionate. One can of sprite can be over 10lira!!! You can take liquids through Turkish airports.

On a personal note I can't live without my "Spanish fan" the evenings can be so stuffy and hot I need something to cool me down (beats using the menu to waft yaself with ) also when we used to stay at hotels I always took one of those elastic travel lines with me perfect for your cossies and smalls.

Ooooooooo and I would seek a big supermarket if there is one by you....I love visiting them where ever I travel. We buy sumac, chilli and all their lovely spices from them to bring home (much cheaper than market prices) and tins of feta cheese, olives, baklava, honey ect. Mmmm making myself hungry!!!

Oh. just thought of another thing that might be worth taking (depending on if you drink alcohol) if you like a nice drink on your balcony, while getting ready for dinner of an evening, is a bottle of your favorite branded drink. They often have offers on the aircraft or there may be a good duty free at Antalya. I am sure you could get mixers from your AI or the hotel shop.
I'm not sure what type of drinks are inclded at the Hemera on AI but often it is just local drinks.

Doe

Absolutely Kadi, I love stocking up on all those lovely things you can't get at home from the supermarket, the baklava, tulumba, cherry jam, cheese, simit, bread - now you've got me feeling hungry

Kedi

I certainly wouldnt walk far to find a supermarket for cheap shampoo. When in Turkey I do like to give the little shops some custom. Last summer we made a point of going in every day to this tiny little shop where the lovely elderly Turkish man gave our granddaughters a sweet or he would ask if we would like to sample cheese etc. before we bought. He was just SO nice.

But I have to say I think there is a huge difference in doing the dreaded boring weekly shop at home and visiting supermarkets in the resorts. Like Kadi and Kedi I do enjoy a wee browse around picking up some bits and bobs and buying things to try (and staying cool for a bit).

Apologies I have gone a little off topic!!!!

The Hemera is a great hotel and they have branded spirits.
I would take an alarm clock to get up early enough if you want a sun bed by the pool.

I too love looking round the supermarkets (but there again, I love shopping!) and we found toiletries in there the same as home. A lot depends on what board you're on. If you're self-catering, doing a supermarket shop can be fun and save money on buying snacks all the time. Oh Kedi, you've made me hungry and just wanting some simit, cherry jam, local honey, olives and the brilliant bread - and the cheese and the "mystery" meat (we call it mystery 'cos we're never sure what it is). Also the fruit and veg from the local market is to die for. It makes a difference us having a house there, as we do a large shop for the week.

Sorry if that's a bit so I'll try and get back on track now. Using a Nationwide account saves you money as you get a better exchange rate and they don't charge you for getting money out of the ATMs (which are all over the place). Also it saves having to carry around a load of cash. It's a good tip about taking a bottle of your favourite tipple 'cos branded alcohol is quite expensive. It's also nice to be able to have a relaxing drink on your balcony looking at the fantastic scenery while you relax!

Definitely suncream - enough to last the holiday - as it is pretty expensive over there. I always take batteries with me (if I have anything for them to be used in) as sometimes they can be hard to find and they can be more pricey than at home.

If you read a lot on holiday, take some books as it's not easy to find English books over there (although hotels sometimes run a swap shop).

Apart from that, don't worry if you forget anything as you can get anything you need over there. As for anything else you need to know, haggle for goods in shops (but enjoy it and don't get stressed about it). Drink plenty (water that is) as it's easy to get dehydrated in the hot sun. Take the time to have a look round where you are staying and maybe catch the dolmus (little bus) to another part 'cos it's fun and the scenery is lovely.

As others have suggested, most of the pricing in the Side area tends to be in Euros but given the current dreadful rates, GB pounds or Turkish Lira would probably be a better bet. The ATM's in Side give you a choice of US dollars, Euros or Turkish Lira. We found the shopkeepers were quite happy to accept any of these currencies or GB pounds.

We stayed at the Hemera a couple of years ago before it was refurbished and loved it. You've made a great choice of hotel.

We always take some lira to get us started for a couple of days ,with english notes to exchange where we can get the best rate and cards only for backup .A few years ago my card had a small nick in it and when i went to use it the machine swallowed it ,did not get it sorted out untill i returned home ,if the missus never had cash with her we were right in the doo doo .Always take toiletries as they are far dearer out there especially sun cream and after sun ,then on the way home dump whats left to leave you more room in your cases for anything you wish to buy.

Bluepeterno1

Well I must have a knack of finding cheap toilettries then I do agree sun cream is expensive though

Kedi, it's probably 'cos like us, you go to the supermarket a little out of town (our fave if Kipa but Migros is good too) whereas the shops in resort do tend to hike the prices up. The first year we went to Turkey, we were astounded at the price of a bottle of shampoo but once we discovered the supermarket, we now leave it until we get there to buy what we need.

When we have ATM cards, we have a joint holidays savings account with Nationwide and we both have cards so in the worst case if one of them got swallowed (which has never happened in many, many holidays abroad), we always have the other one to fall back on. It really does save you money with Nationwide.

That's right we usually go to Carfour or Migros and sometimes Tansas, I have never shopped for shampoo in the smaller markets in Gumbet so I don't know what the prices is there.

my mother lives in turkey and shops at tansas, migros etc and says that toiletries, make up etc is dearer in turkey than the uk and she stocks up when she comes to the uk, her toothpaste is about 3-4 times dearer over there, maybe its the none turkish brands that are dearer, anyway i think we will leave at agree to disagree as most people seem to think its dearer in turkey and this will just end up getting silly

I lived in Turkey and my toiletries weren't expensive, I'm not making it up I did use mainly Turkish brands though so maybe that's it or maybe the shops in Bodrum are cheaper... Anyway I think we have gone way and the original poster must think we are crazy discussing the price of shampoo on her thread