After much research, a few visits, and speaking with other ex-pats living in Turkey, I felt it was a safe place for me to plant new roots. The next step was to inform my family of my plans to become an ex-pat in Antalya, Turkey. This bit of news caught them by surprise, and after they composed themselves, their first question was, “Is it safe there?” I assured them that I had done my homework, and I was confident in its safety.

As an experienced international traveler, I wasn’t concerned about traveling to Turkey, but the questions posed by my family members led me to doubt myself a little. Before embarking on the move, I did quite a bit of research about Turkey and the region surrounding it. I wanted to be sure that my husband and I would be safe while living in Antalya, Turkey.

U.S. State Department

After checking the U.S State Department website for any travel advisories and getting a “boots on the ground” perspective from several Turkish friends and American ex-pats, I decided to move forward with my plans.

Safety tips that will help you when traveling no matter the destination:

Be Aware

Travelers to Turkey should follow the usual safety precautions with a few extra steps:

• Be aware of all political developments or military action and check the U.S. Government Travel Department or your respective embassy for any alerts or advisories.
• Be aware of your surroundings always.
• Have a photo of your passport on your mobile device
• Always make sure to have your passport on you, as well as money, emergency contact numbers, and the location of your nearest embassy or consulate.

Laws are different in Turkey

• Since the militia coup in 2016, Turkey’s government put laws in place that prohibit or limit criticism of the government. Social media posts critical of Turkey’s government or retweeting an anti-government post can land you in jail.
• Although LGBT is accepted and legal in Turkey, they are not given the same legal protections as heterosexual couples.
• Cannabis and all other illicit drugs are illegal in Turkey.
• The legal drinking age of alcohol is 18 years of age, but they can be denied alcoholic drinks at certain events.
• Respecting the police or any government official is expected of you.
• Traffic lights have cameras on them, and moving violations will result in a citation being issued along with a hefty fine.

Visiting Big Cities

• When traveling on buses and trains, in markets and other crowded places, guard your bag, pockets, purse, and wallet for pick-pocketers.
• Wear your bag/purse cross-body to avoid bag snatchers, who will bump into you to take your bag.
• Con-artists are everywhere in the world! They may ask to see a dollar or ask you to watch something, and before you know it, they steal your money/wallet without you knowing it.
• Although many refugees are begging for help, beware as some will try to steal from you. The Turkish government helps the refugees, so most Turks don’t like it when tourists give to beggars.
• When traveling with luggage, get a taxi, or coordinate with your hotel to pick you up. Uber and Lyft are not available in Turkey.

Political Demonstrations and Protests

• Avoid large gatherings, either planned or spontaneous, related to political protests.
• Do not engage in demonstrations. Period! No matter the cause. Remember that you are in a foreign country.

Areas to Avoid in Turkey

Although tourism is on the rise in the last couple of years, some governments suggest using caution when visiting Turkey.

• The media in the U.S. has played a big part in creating fear in would-be visitors; however, tourists from other parts of the world see it as extremely safe. The Turkish government has increased security throughout the country because tourism is a $37 billion annual revenue.
• The war in Syria and the conflict in Iraq have made the eastern border of Turkey a Level-4 danger zone and not a safe place to travel. Avoid visiting eastern Turkey due to military action and threats of terrorism.
• Most popular tourist cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, or the southwest region of Turkey are safe, outstanding cities to visit.

Tourism Industry

• In 2022, Turkey welcomed over 45 million foreign visitors, and tourism revenue hit a historic high of $37 billion. Istanbul had nearly 26 million tourists, while the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya, where I currently reside, had approximately 12 million visitors.
• Most foreign visitors to Turkey are from Russia, with approximately 7 million visitors. Europeans follow them from Germany (5 million) and Bulgaria (2.7 million). Since living in Antalya, other than North American ex-pats (the U.S. and Canadian citizens), we have met people from the U.K., Australia, Western European, Eastern European, and Scandinavian countries.

Exploring Turkey must be on your bucket list of places to see around the world. While it seems unlikely that the average traveler will run into danger, it’s a personal choice to visit a country if you don’t feel safe. DO NOT let the media or others influence your decision. Do your research, talk to others that have traveled there, or travel with a group.

Enjoy your travels! Please read my blogs about other exciting places around the world at Traveling Lens Photography.

If you want to read more about Antalya, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest as I share my journey.

Inshallah (God willing!)