Sunflower Complete Series: TURKISH COAST: ANTALYA TO DEMRE

Published 2007; updated 13/09/2010

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Updates given below supplement the information provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

Money - new series of notes: In 2009 a new series of banknotes was introduced to replace the "New Turkish Liras" described in the book. The new money is just called "Turkish Lira (Türk Lirasi)". It has exactly the same value.

Hotel and restaurant in Antalya: The restaurant at the Hotel Alp Pasa has asked us to include their telephone number 2475676 in the next edition. They also say "we have and original open air museum." Apparently a lot of people have shown them the recommendation in the guide. (Sunflower, 10/07)

Hotel: I recently went on holiday to the Turquoise Coast of Turkey and used your two
books, Turkish Coast Antalya to Demre and Kas to Dalyan for guidance with hotels, walks and places to go. Excellent. I would like to recommend a hotel in Cirali (Olympos) which doesn't appear in your guide to Antalya to Demre. It's the Odile Hotel Cirali (www.hotelodile.com.tr)on the north beach. Set in very large beautiful gardens, very high quality rooms with en suite shower and wc and a large swimming pool. Bed and breakfast Euro 50/60 per night. Outstandingly good value.

Termessos, plan page 108: The back 'steep path' at Termessos which descends from the site to the
car park via rock tombs is not a path at all - broken rock and stone, slippery and difficult to follow. Not suitable unless you are fit and strong - walking poles would help. Your site map on page 108 shows it as bigger than the King's Road way up - definitely not the case! (User, 1/09)

General: We've recently returned from a holiday in Turkey (last week October, first week November), where we used your book and thought you would like some feedback. Sima Pension, Cirali, was our favourite accommodation. Aynur Kurt and her cooking were just as delightful as your quide suggested. We also liked White Garden in Antalya. Sundance Camping was a lovely location with good food, but perhaps a little pricy (see web-site). It's a short nice walk along the coast to Phaselis, where the swimming was lovely. We loved Termessos and Guver Canyon, and stayed at Yesil Vadi Restaurant-Pension, which is ideally situated next to Termossos. The man running Yesil Vadi was very friendly and helpful. The rooms were clean and they and the food were both good. There are three pensions just South of Bugrum bridge in Koprulu canyon. We stayed in Perge Pension, which was good, and had some good trout. We had a lovely, good value, meal at Restaurant Hasanaga in Antalya, with very good live traditional music. After the meal, we were persuaded to stay longer with free basket of fruit and tea coffee. It was an ideal time to go. Everywhere was quiet, the weather was good for swimming, but slightly hot for walking at sea level. (e-mail, 11/08)

Tahtali Dagi: The cable railway to the summit of Tahtali Dagi is now open YTL50 per person (Euro 25). Highly efficient operation with wonderful views from the top and well worth the cost of the journey (but the restaurants and cafe at the upper cable station are very expensive) . (User, 6/08)

Travel to walks: We had a rental car for the week. The book seems to assume that walkers will travel to the walk by bus or dolmus. It would be helpful to have more information about parking, and how far it is possible to drive along some of the tracks. (User, 10/09)

Lycian Way: This was not in as good condition as we expected. We did not find your "easy" walks particularly easy underfoot and the waymarking was erratic. We failed to find the proper route up to the second set of flames at the Yanartas (Walk 13) and ended up scrambling up a hillside over loose stones. We saw several other walkers going the wrong way here as well. We also had trouble finding the way from the acropolis at Ucagiz to the main track to Simena (Walk 15). (User, 10/09)

Walk 5: After leaving the third viewpoint, to make the circuit the text should read: "From here continue ahead along another wide track which swings away to the right, following the line of the second canyon for a short while. Ignore a wide junction on the right (a short-cut); 1km further on, the track bends right, then right again (just before the woods). After just over 1km you rejoin the main outward track near the second viewpoint (2h10min). Turn left here, back to the park entrance (just over 3h) and the main road. (Sunflower, 9/10)

Walk 6, Termessos: The "awkward section" at 1h10min is not difficult to cross, but the continuation of the trail on the other side of the landslide is not visible in the first instance: it continues lower than at the beginning of the landslide area. The walk becomes difficult after the clearing, because the vegetation has obscured the way and goats and other misguided walkers leave misleading traces, so I found myself in thorned bushes several times. I could not record enough waymarks for that area, so much more waymarks or a more detailed track would be necessary to solve this problem. Perhaps other users can contribute. (Sent in by a user, who also sent in the waypoints below.) (1/08) + The tombs of the Southern Necropolis, mentioned in your guide, are not easily found. If you follow the path to the Southern Necropolis, you will eventually end up at a fire lookout tower with an amazing view over the site, the mountains and forests to the South and the sea to the West (worth the effort). Gengis, one of the two on duty there, took us to see the Lion tomb, but we wouldn't have found it without his help. (User, 11/08)

Antalya to Demre, Walk 6 Termessos (WGS 84)

Waypoint TR_Trm_01_mainroad N36.98579 E30.56185
Waypoint TR_Trm_02_fishfarm N36.95792 E30.51241
Waypoint TR_Trm_03_fork-upw N36.96903 E30.48375
Waypoint TR_Trm_04_bend-E N36.97105 E30.47596
Waypoint TR_Trm_05 N36.97498 E30.46980
Waypoint TR_Trm_06_ridge N36.97393 E30.46890
Waypoint TR_Trm_10_gate N36.98286 E30.46568

Walks 8 and 9 - Goynuk Canyon: There is now a barrier and entrance fee for the canyon area just before where your map shows the ford. There is a a nice short walk, along a newish track to Goynuk Canyon, where you can enter the canyon in an inflatable canoe or go canyoning. The walk is about 50 minutes each way from the park entrance. There are stepping stones across the river and good views from the track. (User, 101/09)

Walk 14 Olympus - Musa Dagi. The start was difficult to find just past Limon Pensiyon, that almost appeared blocked, though as we went on to find the route so difficult most probably is the case. We found the markings behind the woooden hut and up into the trees at the point 1h10 fallen pine trees the route was nearly impassable as lots of trees had fallen due to a fire 2 years ago the vegetation that had grown was dense and thorny. We eventually came out on a track that we consider must be new, though we found the flashes again and assumed we had picked up the route in the book again, I
don't think this is the case as the ground doesn't fit with the book and we lost the route again by the shepards hut as the signage was unclear, We think new tracks have appeared to remove wood. And suspect that the route from the valley has a different start point due to all the fallen trees. We eventually picked up the route back down to Olympos after some hunting for flashes. The route took us 7hours, so you may wish to advise people not to use this route for the time being until someone is able to do a new recce. Also when we got back to Olympos there is no signage and if you did the route in reverse it would be difficult to find the start, you have to cross the river bed, and the government have put up a high fence that cuts off the route from the signage for the Lycian way that has been put up! A compass is essential! We stayed in an excellent small hotel in Cirali, Hotel Canada clean, lovely garden with a small swimming pool, very good food and pleasant staff. If you want to add another one to your guide. (User, 9/11)