The modern area of Turkey, namely Anatolia is one of the oldest settled regions in the world. The oldest buildings date to 10 thousand B.C. making for incredible and nowhere else to be seen attractions. Once the richest and still the largest city of Europe, Constantinople in the past and Istanbul nowadays lies within the borders of Turkey on both sides of the Bosporus Straits. Istanbul alone can easily make for a month of tourist exploration, not to mention the remaining attractions scattered all over the country. Although Turkey is one of the most popular spots to visit in the world, there are risks and hazards involved with travel, all visitors should beware of.

Traveling info

Tourists who visit Turkey will most likely be required to obtain a visa, which may be applied for online, that is eVisa or in a Turkish consulate/embassy, however, obtaining eVisa takes only about 5 minutes unlike in the consulate or the embassy. Certain nationals may enter Turkey using only their national ID card and do not require a passport or a visa. Those who decide to drive either a private or a rental vehicle in Turkey are not required to have an international driving permit as long as their national driving permit has their photo on it. This applies for a period of 90 days. After that period, the Turkish driving permit is required. All car documents i.e. insurance certificate and vehicle registration must be in the car at all times whilst driving.

Traveling hazards

Road conditions across Turkey vary greatly. Roads range from dirt tracks to modern European highways. Whilst highways are generally well kept and routinely patrolled by the police, the roads of lesser importance are often badly maintained, with potholes, missing manhole covers, etc. Local drivers often ignore traffic rules and drive aggressively. It is important to drive defensively and expect the unexpected from the locals. When traveling on foot beware that local drivers often ignore the pedestrian right of way. Wild and farm animal often cross both major and minor roads often causing traffic accidents.

Environmental hazards

Turkey has a rich flora and fauna and along with the warm Turkish climate come to some exotic and dangerous animals which can turn anyone’s stay into a nasty one. Wolves, leopards and brown bears are present in Turkey, however, these animals are nowhere to be seen around tourist areas. To find any of these one must venture far inland and far from areas of human activity. These animals will most likely avoid humans if aware of their presence, however, approaching any of these large predators up close may end up fatally. There are 12 venomous snake species in Turkey, some of them are highly venomous however in the research conducted from 1998 till 2014 out of the 500 cases of highly venomous snake bites there have been no fatalities. There are also scorpions and centipedes however none of these have any recorded fatalities on their account. Turkish waters, both the Mediterranean and black sea coasts are generally safe. There have been reports of shark attack however the most recent one happened almost 50 years ago.
Turkey suffers from frequent earthquakes reaching quite high magnitudes. Although there are volcanoes in Turkey none have erupted since the 19th century. Turkey also suffers from serious floods with the most recent one being the worst in almost 5 centuries.

Health hazards

There have been reports of a measles outbreak which happened in 2013 and continues until the present. To prevent suffering from measles it is strongly recommended to get the routine vaccine also known as measles, mumps, rubella vaccine. The MMR is not required however for safety strongly advised. Other recommended vaccines include hepatitis A and B, typhoid and rabies vaccine. Healthcare services in Turkey are provided with European quality however facilities in large cities usually provide better quality. Services for expats are not free unlike for the Turkish citizens covered by national insurance. Despite the fact that expats must pay for their treatment, services in Turkey are considerably cheaper than in western Europe. This also applies to private facilities and although these are more expensive than their public equivalent, still are cheaper than western European services. Purchasing medical insurance should cover medical expenses in Turkey.
In case of an emergency dial 112.

Crime

There is both a risk of violent and petty crime in Turkey however the vast majority of perpetrators and victims are Turkish citizens. Tourists should be cautious with their belongings and their appearance, that is not wearing expensive jewelry or being indiscreet with money. Many thieves, kidnappers, etc. work in groups and often pick their targets on the perception of their wealth. Wearing money belts is a great way to store money safely and discreetly. Turkey is a target of Islamic terrorism. There have been several attacks in the past few years with tens over 100 deaths. Westerners may be targeted however Turkish military and governmental structures are mostly affected. Turkey has a very strict drug policy. Anyone caught with narcotics can expect 4 to 24 years prison sentence.

Summary

Although Turkey has been through political turmoil in recent years, it is steadily recovering and rebuilding a safe environment for tourists. Security measures have been implemented allowing tourists to once again explore and enjoy the wonders of Turkey. Remember that planning your trip with Travset.com will give you the quickest information about nearest emergency services and will also help you purchase indispensable travel insurance for the trip of your lifetime. Please feel free to comment and share the experiences of your travels with Travset.com.

Sources

(Visa)
http://www.mfa.gov.tr/visa-information-for-foreigners.en.mfa
http://www.mfa.gov.tr/countries-whose-citizens-are-allowed-to-enter-turkey-with-their-national-id_s.en.mfa
(Vaccinations)
https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/turkey