Something tells me you didn't read the thread on 'Hassle' on here before you went!

hassle is one thing but what we experienced was to the extreme!! We have been on holiday to other countries before and been hassled to go in their restraunts, bars shops etc.... but we weren't prepared for hassle on this scale. my 12 year old daughter was physically taken into a shop which i was not happy about!! they also kept making comments about my older daughter being 17 which she does not look the slightest bit 17yr old. they are just very shady people!! the best people we met were kurdish

donny lad and lass

Interesting comments, where's the best place to holiday in your opinion ?

Wilson

HI there, I just read this thread and i really dont understand, the turkish people are one of the nicest people i have ever met, i was there 2 weeks ago and i cant understand where you are coming from we had an absolutely fantastic time and have just book up for next year, you abvoicley had a bad experience but really im speachless in the way you speak about Marmaris and the people, you should probably stick to your regular haunts, i find Turkish people where the most intresting and most welcoming people i have ever came across.
But sorry to here about the holiday from hell, where as many people would disagree with you.

donny, I'm afraid that Marmaris may not have been the best choice for a first time to Turkey because it doesn't offer anything like a real Turkish experience. May I suggest that you do return and perhaps go to a more laid back, relaxed and less busy resort?

The men that work in Marmaris are not typical either although as anywhere you will always meet pushy types and those that take flirting a little too far. I should know I married and divorced a real Turkish rat and had an horrendous experience. That has not however put me off either the country or the people because I know he did not represent the majority, just a nasty minority.

Most Turkish people couldn't be more welcoming and helpful hosts, especially if you get off the beaten track a little or take the opportunity to give a little of your time to them.

My personal opinion is that Marmaris is the pit of hades that brings out the very worst in people however, the rest of Turkey and her people are not. Try somewhere else. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

We have just come back from Icmeler, an all female party consisting of myself a 42 yr old mum, daughter and friend both 14,. I can honestly say that never in my life have I been treated with such respect and politeness as was shown while we were there. Ok, we got hassled a bit at first, but all it took was a polite "well thank you, maybe tomorrow" and they were fine. I couldn't believe the first night we were there, I went down to the bar.................was very late, I was the only one there, wanted a light for my ciggie, the guy behind the bar got a young lad to go out to get a lighter just cos I needed one, was like "omg, you shouldn't have" And I must mention the Dreamboys staff, totally brilliant, nothing too much trouble, can't wait to book again!!!!! Just really sorry you had a bad experience, but don't let it put you off, if I coped with 2 very naive 14 yr olds, survived,lived to tell the tale and actually enjoyed it!!! There is hope for everyone out there lol

donny lad and lass
please don't be put off as this is not the normal responce from visitors to turkey although marmaris is a good choice for so and not others but the turkish people in general are kind and very helpful
but tourist resorts do tend to attract some more forceful sellers
and hassling has been outlawed so all you have to do is report it

Donny lad and lass,

How disappointing! I fully understand where you are coming from.

Like most of the people who are likely to reply to this thread, I am totally in love with Turkey, and in particular the Turkish people. We have been going for the last 14 years, and fortunately we have never experienced anything like what you have suggested.

However, I sincerely hope that you may give Turkey a second chance - perhaps with a different resort - as Marmaris can be a bit full-on.

PS. I am a Sheffield Lad 'born n bred', just in case my sign-on makes anyone think that I may be a Turkish national.

Best Wishes.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience in Marmaris, Turkey.

I was very wary of going to Turkey, after a day trip to Bodrum many years ago, when I was holidaying in Kos. Until last July, when I needed a cheapie holiday to tide me by until I could holiday in September. The cheapest holiday I could get was Marmaris, 1 week, allocation on arrival. We were placed in Marmaris Beach Hotel, right on the sea front, and within 2 hours I was having the best holiday ever. I enjoyed the hospitality and the resort so much, I booked again to go in September, but for 2 weeks this time, to a different hotel. This holiday was just as enjoyable as the first. Me and my Husband kept in touch with 2 of the waiters who we became friends with through-out the winter.

Already been twice this year, and am going back out again Sept 24th for another 2 weeks. I will never return to Spain unless I get a mega good deal, as I find the Spanish arrogant. The Turkish people are the nicest people I have ever met, and I find they cant do enough for you. Absolutely nothing is too much trouble for them. I wasnt even allowed to go to the local shop, about 50 yards away to buy a top up card for my phone, one of the waiters insisted he went for me.

Hopefully you can try somewhere in Turkey, that will possibly suit you better than Marmaris. After all, we are all different, and it wouldn't be nice if we were all the same.

Please don't be put off Turkey after only visiting one place.

TC.

Hi Donny, what made you pick Marmaris over the other resorts?

Laurence

I think what people don't like about turkey is the pestering from restuarants, bars and shops. At least in spain you can walk down the street without being hassled. I have always found the spanish to be very nice people and I will often have a drink in the hotel with the reception and bar staff.

I am considering a A/I to turkey next year and my daughter are 14 and 17, what worries me the most are men out there giving my daughters hassle. My mate has just come back and his daughter and her friend who are both 14, with him having to tell turkish men to get away from them. He said one night to a restaurant owner he will be in later to shut him up, the next day this restuarant owner spotted him and was angry he didn't use his restaurant. He was in marmaris.

It sounds like donny had the same experience as my mate in marmaris. He said you couldn't walk down the street with being hassled at every restaurant or shop. His wife, daughter and her friend were being hassled by the men. I can understand where he is coming from.

I think the best place to holiday majorca, the best beaches in the med. With the amount of people visiting majorca every year there must be something about the place. Busiest airport in the med. I have never once been hassled and my daughters have never been hassled.

oh sorry 3 hear you have not had a very nice experience. we have been going to turkey for 7 years now, did the spain hoildays when the children were small, marmaris was our first holiday in turkey,i found it a bit off putting at first, hasseled to go in resturants, bars, jewelers, sun beds the list goes on . a polite no thanks worked for me. we went in july this year and found most of the hassel from shops resturants had stopped, most of the turkish people we have met have been lovely people, and they remember us from years ago, dont be put off, try another resort, one thats a little quieter, icmeler is lovely,

in reply to people who have asked where we normally go on holiday, we have been to the balearics last year we went to Bulgaria which we really enjoyed, i think people are getting the wrong idea about us if you have ever been to Bulgaria you will know you do get hassled, but there is one thing to be hassled and another to drive you crazy!!
in response to the question about, why did we pick Marmaris?
we were advised through a thomson agent when booking. I think we did pick the wrong resort and maybe a few years down the line may return p.s we are not Johnny English we like to go on holiday to try different cultures we are not fosters drinking, heinz, nescafe buyers and we do not eat english breakfasts everday!! lol
I do have to say the best part of the holiday was the little turkish restaraunt, which our taxi driver kindly pointed out, as we were so desperate to try proper turkish cuisine, which was Ali Khans opposite the big Tansas supermarket. gorgeous food I can reccomend the kebabs and stuffed aubergine

by what you have just described then sadly you were recommended the wrong resort ive been going to turkey for 25 years now and to lots of different resorts some lively like marmaris to quiet typical turkish ressorts like the lovely akyaka. we love turkey and i have travelled extensively to many other countries that give you more hassle than turkey, 1 of them being tunisia which we hated we stayed in hammamet about 3 years ago, but decided after many recommendations to give it another go we are booked to go to PEK in jan so we will see and at least ive given it a 2nd chance. there are some fabulous places in turkey and scenery to die for if you get away from the main tourist places, i love marmaris out of season but dislike it in the summer, but thats because they are mainly catering for the tourists and its too much, have a read up on other quieter resorts and give it a 2nd chance. i also have 2 daughters and my oldest is now 20 and has been going since she was a baby and shes never had any really bad hassle, despite being blued eye ,blonde and a very pretty girl and shes went with her friends when she was 17 to icmeler and all was fine , so sadly i think you had a bad experience

hi, can't think of a user name.
that is entirely correct about the men with my daughter., and if you have a daughter with blonde hair as we do, well your holiday is ruined as soon as you step out of the airport!! i like majorca too, we went to cala millor in october of last year and i really enjoyed it as it was quiet with no hassle. I don't know where they get this idea from that they need to hassle you into eating or drinking in there bars. As the only thing we did was cross the road or go a different way to avoid these people. we ate in the little ones that are really laid back and leave you to eat your meal in peace, although we do understand that they need to get customers in there but they are going the wrong way about it. they are the most friendly and warm people i know but on the other hand they are the most annoying people too! thinking of trying greece next year if there are any recomendations out there! lol

I'm so sorry you didn't have a happy holiday, you were indeed given the wrong advice on the type of resort that would suit you. It does indeed appeal to many and I certainly had a great time there back in 1996 when I was 25. It's not somewhere I would holiday now, it's really not the place for me.

There are many other resorts big and small which are so different and so Turkish. I have visited bigger resorts like Marmaris, Bodrum and Kusadasi but now my choice is quieter resorts such as Dalyan, Olu Deniz and my fave Kalkan.

You probably won't feel like giving it another chance and I understand that - with all these countries to choose from why take the risk? But do think about it and peruse here and the websites for more specialist tour operators to Turkish resorts and you may find something just idyllic .

hi, what is kalkan like? i.e beach, food etc....

Donny,

In your first message you said:

The Turkish people have put me off for life, I have never in my life met such an annoying and ignorant race of people in my life!!

You then go on to say in your last post:

they are the most friendly and warm people i know



With all due respect to yourself, you don't come across as a shy, retiring type too scared to say Boo! to a Goose - so I'm surprised you felt so distressed by this awful hassle you proclaim to have experienced.

Marmaris isn't one of my favourite resorts, it's really geared up for cheap package holidays, which is why you booked it I take it. I see that you also toyed with the idea of Altinkum, which again, caters for the cheap package tourist.

There are some beautiful places in Turkey, but they may not suit your taste. Who knows?

It's true that in some parts of Turkey people will get hassled, and it's got nothing to do with your hair colour either. The Turks see thousands of blonde women every year throughout the season; and some real stunners too from places like Scandinavia (Sweden), Germany, Russia etc: Turkish men flirt with all women, irrespective of hair colour, age, or looks. It's mainly done as a bit of a joke, and unless they push themselves too far, it's best to be gracious enough to laugh them off. That's what I do.

Strawberry