THAN TO SIT IN A HOTEL - GO TO DOLMUSHA IN SIDE!
Travel Tips
It's been a strange summer - the heat alternates with coolness and rain. . . Fatigue has accumulated, I want to go to the sea. Somewhere nearby and without transfers, but for a comfortable and sandy beach, as in advertising.
In general, the exotic immediately disappeared because of the distance, Europe followed it because of the high cost for decent comfort, traditional Egypt because of the heat, and in other directions, flying from other cities did not suit.
It was decided to focus on Turkey: firstly, from his native city; secondly, just a couple of hours of flight and visa-free travel; thirdly, for relatively normal money, you can pick up an excellent service and "All Inclusive"; fourthly, there is a chance to find an excellent coast. And here the main thing was not to make a mistake - basically there are pebble beaches, and I didn’t really want to splash in the pool when the sea was nearby.
WHO IS SURAL AND WHY SHARAY?
Thanks to the professionals from , who, after listening carefully to our wishes, provided several hotels (out of hundreds of possible) to choose from.
- And let's live in a barn? ! - the wife fervently suggested.
Why not! I agreed.
Looking ahead, I’ll say that we made the right choice, stopping at Sural Saray near Side in the village of Cholakly. As it turned out, the first word is the name of a local oligarch, who has a network of classy hotels, factories and the production of mineral water, thanks to which the hotel has unlimited delicious bottled water. It is delicious, from which there is no indigestion, heartburn and other "joys of a vacationer. " Well, "barn" is translated simply as "palace".
Next, a quick flight, a pleasant meeting at the airport and a comfortable transfer for about an hour on the way. In theory. And practically: “Dear guests! On the way, we will stop for 15 minutes so that you can buy what you forgot to take on vacation, as well as take advantage of the unique opportunity to try real Turkish ice cream and shawarma, ” said the host representative.
Next to the gas station, in front of the pavilions a la the station market, several tourist buses were already parked. The toilet, of course, came in handy, but I didn’t want to buy swimming trunks, shorts, T-shirts and sunglasses made in China at the price of branded items. However, like ice cream for a dollar for a ball or shawarma for a fiver. By the way, even before the flight, halfway on the way to the airport, we (at 4 am! ) We were also brought to the "factory" "Sorbent" with the words: "Who did not buy gifts and souvenirs. " Here there are no comments at all, although... baklava for 15 euros a small box and Turkish delight from 10 to 15...
After 20 minutes we are at the hotel. Although “Sural Saray” was built in 1994, but the recent renovation refreshed it perfectly and during the entire stay we did not find cracks, stains, rust, mold and other flaws. Perhaps it does not have pomp and grandeur, as in the new luxury "fives", but seasoned classics are always on the level. Traditional appearance, spacious lobby, all in marble and granite. A large area with tall palm trees and most importantly - its own, chic, wide, beach with soft sand. The same pleasant bottom and under the turquoise-clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. By the way, having explored the coast, it became clear that this is really the best part of it. Literally a hundred meters to the side (there are the territories of "Orpheus", "SideSunHotel", etc. ) right on the shore and in the water there are natural stone formations. Lumps, in short. As it turned out later, here at many hotels, even at expensive fives, there is a "beach across the road. " And the roads are different....
The room was spacious, with a huge bed, a large balcony overlooking the garden with a swimming pool and sea views. A large LCD TV, a comfortable bathroom, in which the countertop and main elements are also made of marble.
Breakfast and dinner - in a cozy restaurant on the "lounge floor". A table is reserved for each guest for the duration of the holiday. In general, everything is organized and thought out. Lunches in an open beach restaurant overlooking the sea.
For breakfast, they mainly offer several types of cheese and feta cheese, sausages and sausages, as well as eggs, seasonal vegetables (salads) and fruits. There are also olives, pickles and sweets.
But lunches and dinners turn into a "belly feast". Grated soups, pasta and cereals, cakes on the stone (made in front of you), several different types of meat, poultry and fish, cakes and baklava, various cakes, dried fruits and much more are added to the above. Every day, a “flavor” is added: for example, grilled trout, tobacco chicken, kebab and the like.
Water, delicious herbal teas, different coffees, hot chocolate, assorted carbonated drinks and in any quantities.
From 15 to 17 there is ice cream near the pool, and from midnight - soup in the main restaurant.
Every day from 21.00 on the stage directly above the pool of the show program. "African Show" and "Columbia" left the most vivid impressions.
I liked the hotel because of the absence of drunks (although you can pour alcohol everywhere yourself), noisy companies and discos. Every day, the animator invited everyone to dance at 23.00, but for all the time no one came!
A beautiful promenade is paved between the hotel and the beach for romantic walks (well, or sports jogging : -)
Many people come with children of all ages, from babies. But the large territory of the hotel and the beach allows you to avoid their screams.
There are enough sun loungers for everyone. Mattresses are given out for them, but if you want to save on "baksheesh" - then you can take it yourself near the shower. When it gets hot on the beach, it is advisable to move into the shade of the palm trees by the pool.
On especially hot days, an ambulance is always on duty near the hotel.
The friendly staff (it is especially pleasant to communicate at the reception with the administrator Zamira Akhmedova - a fair-haired woman who is fluent in Russian, English and German) left a good impression. Cleaners do their work so imperceptibly that sometimes it is not even clear why it is always clean. Usually 2-3 packs of mineral water without gas are left in the room.
Conclusion: the number of rooms in Sural Saray, a picturesque area with a riot of greenery, staff and service, food, pool and beach - everything is 5+!
"LITTLE SHANGHAI" OR RUINS?
As soon as we arrived, we were scheduled an information meeting with a representative of the host country (“Otherwise, they say, you won’t know when to fly away…”). He really told us that the day before departure we would need to look into the blue folder at the reception desk, where there would be information about when the transfer to the airport would pick us up. Then he “remembered” that the other day their company began to provide a unique promotion: those who bought an excursion on the first day will receive a discount of as much as 5 percent. You can, for example, go to Antalya (about 60 km) for 55 dollars per person, to Side for 40 or Manavgat for 35. I also offered DiscoveryPark with dinosaur models (you can drive in 10 minutes yourself), etc. We promised to think and went shopping.
In a 10-minute walk there is "Sural Bazaar" - a large pavilion with many small and not very shops. On the way, we looked into a local shop, where we almost bought a delicious Akdeniz Turkish delight for $2, but looked at the expiration date in time. It expired a year ago, so the price per dollar is less than it should be.
I note that it is more profitable to take dollars with you, not euros, since the Turks count them one to one when calculating (although they don’t change it like that : -).
At the "Bazaar" we again encountered the fact that more than half of the things are expensive (and traditional bargaining here, for some reason, is not held in high esteem) and, if you look closely, they are Chinese. Maybe because the tourist here has nowhere else to go and nowhere...
We looked at a pharmacy and a good Migros supermarket.
Well, maybe there is nowhere to go, but you can go!
Dolmush (Turkish minibus) can be stopped simply by waving your hand on the street or waiting at the bus stop.
You need to go to Manavgat by Cholakly 1 bus. You arrive for a dollar and a half per person and in 20 minutes to the very center, and then as you wish: walk around the town or go shopping where you can find Turkish things.
In general, those who live in Sural Saray are very lucky with shopping. If we understood this on the first day, then we would not waste time later. On the "lounge floor" there is a shop, in a small area where you can find more than in the bazaar. And, most importantly, things (men's, women's and children's) are really of high quality - real factory Turkish. The hostess of this "clothes paradise" is a friendly and affable Karina - a true professional in her field. Having visited her property several times, we saw that people who vacation here every year definitely come to her for fashionable new clothes.
The next day, in the same way, we got to “Antique Side” (this is the name of the final stop) on a dolmush - three bucks for two and in twenty minutes you are walking among the ancient columns. Next - an impressive amphitheater (colosseum) and then a beautiful embankment, the ruins of the Temple of Apollo and much more.
There are many shops along the way, but we do not recommend buying there, as this is the "calling card" of the region and the prices there are appropriate. But near the dead end of minibuses, we recommend drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice for a dollar!
Having dealt with public transport and realizing that it is much more interesting, exciting, and, most importantly, unlimited in time, we decided to go to Antalya.
We will not describe what is there and how, since this is already known. Unless we note the opening of the largest oceanarium in the world. But we wanted to wander on our own through the bewitching streets of the Old Town and not spoil the impression of jewelry, textile, leather and other "factories" with unrealistic prices, where guides bring tourists instead of giving them the opportunity to "plunge into history"...
Leaving the hotel, we immediately saw the “first” dolmush passing by. For two dollars, he drove us to Cholakly Kaushak (intersection with the central highway D400), where we got off at the bus stop. We crossed the road and literally five minutes later a large regular bus appeared, which we stopped. Tall and comfortable, with a working air conditioner, a free glass of water and a steward, for 14 Turkish liras per person, he drove us to the cherished Antalya in just an hour. By the way, standing places are not provided here.
Going out to the "otogar" (bus station) we asked how the easiest way for us to get to the old city. They advised on the tram, the signs to which were everywhere. So it was no longer necessary to learn the way. At the ticket office, they explained to us that we need to go seven stops and get off at the 8th Ismetpasa (Ismetpasa) and for this distance (round trip) they sold one e-ticket for two, which must be applied to the terminal.
The fascinating trip passed quickly and we, having specified the direction, after 10 minutes were already walking along the most picturesque ancient streets.
The whole trip cost us $26 for two. But, the main thing is that we were the masters of our time - and this is the most precious thing not only here, but also in life!
Andrey TSURKANOV,
photo by Irina TSURKANOVA
