Turkish Delights & Exhilarating Heights!
After a whirlwind stop in Germany for the Berlin Marathon and Oktoberfest, we were ready for some beach time! And we were extra excited because our friends Megan and Kevin spontaneously decided to join us on our trip! We’re so glad they did!
We rendezvoused at the Antalya airport and began what was supposed to be an easy three hour drive to Kaş (pronounced like cash 💵). It ended up being more like five. After spending the first hour sitting in bumper to bumper traffic and the second hour driving through what felt like the middle of nowhere, we all started to wonder where we were going and whether it would all be worth it. And if you choose to stop reading here, we’ll just say it was VERY worth it!
Although a bit difficult to get to, Kaş turned out to be one of our favorite beach towns we’ve visited all year. Set on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, Kaş was a perfect blend of Med chic and Turkish hospitality. The food was incredible, the water was crystal clear, and prices were so friendly even our wallets were smiling!
Although we had visited Turkey in the past, this was our first time exploring beyond Istanbul, which provided us the opportunity to try out new Turkish dishes. Manti (essentially Turkish ravioli) quickly became our favorite. Prepared in many different ways, including boiled and fried, filled with meat or cheese, they were all delicious. And let’s not forget the mezze dishes. We practically ate our weight in all the mezze.
In between food comas, we spent time relaxing by the water, taking a day trip to Kapatuş Beach, and going on a sea kayaking tour! Kapatuş was a small, secluded beach tucked away in a cove off the side of the road. The drive from Kaş to the beach was beautiful in and of itself, and the beach was unbelievable.
The water was see through and an absolutely perfect temperature. We spent the morning and afternoon alternating between baking in the sun on our beach chair and baking in the sun in the water. It was such a peaceful and relaxing way to spend the day and we were all beat afterwards, having been drained by the sun. But it was absolutely perfect.
After two nights in Kaş, we headed back to Antalya for our final night with Megan and Kevin before they headed back home. We did not really know much about Antalya prior to visiting as we slacked on our research, and we all ended up being pleasantly surprised. It was a sizable city that was full of hustle and bustle, but nothing compared to that of Istanbul. We even spoke with a few locals who said they moved from Istanbul to get away from the hectic city life. While in Antalya, we explored the old town and stumbled across a sports bar that was showing the Liverpool match. There were a surprising number of fans and we decided to join in on the fun. We played cards and laughed the night away.
The next morning, we bid adieu to Megan and Kevin and embarked on what was supposed to be a six hour drive to Cappadocia. It was not the most enjoyable drive, but it was the most cost and time efficient route from Antalya. Rain, unclear speed limits, and a closed car rental drop off led to a comedy of errors… but hey… all part of the adventure, right? When all was said and done, it ended up taking us almost 10 hours from the time we left Antalya to the moment we were settled at the new hotel we had to book when we arrived. Here’s how it all went down…
Upon arriving to the airport to drop off the rental car, we found no one around. We thought we went to the wrong place, but alas, it was just a closed airport. After about 15 minutes of searching around, a man finally appeared and told us he called the Avis representative to come and help us. Step 1 - Complete.
Next, we tried to find our pre-arranged hotel transportation, which also never showed up. Poor communication on the hotel’s part left us in a bit of a pickle because not only did we not have transportation to town, but the hotel owner also refused our stay because he didn’t appreciate that we questioned him regarding the pre-arranged transportation. It was a mess. We ultimately ended up having to track down a taxi driver to bring us to town and finding a new place to stay. Thankfully, we were able to do some research in the cab ride and found a place that seemed reasonable. We showed up and asked for a room… thankfully they had one available! All is well that ends well.
Our hotel ended up having a wonderful manager who was super nice, hospitable, and really turned our day around. She also helped us book our hot air balloon ride, which ended up being another very chaotic experience and rather annoying process. We learned that within the last year or two, the hot air balloon operators in Cappadocia joined together to create a cartel (no, not a drug cartel) to control and drive up prices. As a result, the cost of a balloon ride is dynamic and changes daily, sometimes multiple times a day. It felt like playing the stock market.
Unlucky for us, there were high winds and rain the day before we arrived, the day we arrived, and our first full day there. As a result, the prices kept increasing because no one could fly and the demand continued to increase as more and more people arrived.
While we waited for the weather to clear, we enjoyed exploring the town and going on a few short hikes in the area. The landscape in Cappadocia was unlike anything we had ever seen, with “fairy chimneys” and “cave hotels” everywhere. Everything was so otherworldly.
On our third day, we were finally able to go up! We ended up paying more than we would have liked, but we were in Cappadocia to ride a hot air balloon and we were not sure we would ever be back. So, we fell prey to the cartel and paid up.
Travel Tip! If you ever plan a trip to Cappadocia and are looking to ride in a balloon, make sure you plan at least two days, if not three, to ensure you get favorable weather. The area is known for its very good and consistent flying conditions, which is why balloons have become very popular… in addition to the beautiful landscape, of course! Even then, they only fly around 200 days per year (or roughly two out of every three days).
Ultimately, we are so glad we made the decision to open up our wallets and let the balloon operators gouge us because it truly was an incredible experience. Neither of us had ever ridden in a hot air balloon, and we’re glad we saved it for Cappadocia. The landscape is nothing like we’ve ever seen, with large rock formations in whimsical shapes. Flying in an open basket at 3,000 feet was a very crazy experience, and for someone like Britt who is generally afraid of heights, this was a real achievement in overcoming fears.
Our final adventure was making our way from Cappadocia to Ankara to catch our flight. This time we took a bus, and it was a breeze from start to finish. And just like that, our Turkey leg (pun intended) of the trip was over. We are so glad we finally had a chance to venture beyond Istanbul because the country is absolutely stunning! Until next time, Turkey!
