Op what did you decide to do?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are people second guessing Istanbul after the events in the last few days (re Syria?)
I think we are too scared now to plan a trip there this year.

OP here

Funny you should say that...remember how I said I was originally looking at Rome (or Lisbon or Athens) but "discovered" Istanbul because all the flights I was finding to the other cities, were through Turkish airlines connecting in Istanbul---well, when I go back to look now--all those flights are GONE (from Travelocity, and other "deal" sites, at least!) Seriously, when I started the thread, there were awesome, conveniently timed, direct flights from IAD to IST---and now, when I look, it's all connecting through other cities, and at bad times/12+ hour layovers, etc.
I don't know what happened, or if it has anything to do with the whole Syria thing?

Don't let this deter you. Access the Turkish domestic airlines via their websites, not the bigger American sites. You should be able to find flights without any difficulty. Go for it. Have fun in Turkey.

Anonymous wrote:Are people second guessing Istanbul after the events in the last few days (re Syria?)
I think we are too scared now to plan a trip there this year.

OP here

Funny you should say that...remember how I said I was originally looking at Rome (or Lisbon or Athens) but "discovered" Istanbul because all the flights I was finding to the other cities, were through Turkish airlines connecting in Istanbul---well, when I go back to look now--all those flights are GONE (from Travelocity, and other "deal" sites, at least!) Seriously, when I started the thread, there were awesome, conveniently timed, direct flights from IAD to IST---and now, when I look, it's all connecting through other cities, and at bad times/12+ hour layovers, etc.
I don't know what happened, or if it has anything to do with the whole Syria thing?

Are people second guessing Istanbul after the events in the last few days (re Syria?)
I think we are too scared now to plan a trip there this year.

Anonymous wrote:OP here

PP who recommended Pammukale (or anyone else who has been there)--did you take a tour, or did you go out on your own? I'm seeing tour companies that offer 2 day/1 night tours from Istanbul (fly out of Istanbul, arrive in Kudasi, take 2 days of tours including Pammukale, house of the Virgin Mary, etc) then fly back to Istanbul. Do you think this is easier than flying out, renting a car, and trying to tour around on our own--especially with limited time? We're really not the "tour taking" type, and generally I hate being in a huge group, having to see things Im not really interested in, and not getting enough time with the things I really want to see, etc....but I'm thinking with our limited time, and complete lack of familiarity with Turkey, it might be the way to go...

How did you see this area?

Thanks!

PP who offered weather advice on Turkey: I lived near Pamukkale, and took out-of-town guests to Pamukkale several times throughout the year. They didn't go with tour company options, but that might be a good approach, given your schedule.

OP here

PP who recommended Pammukale (or anyone else who has been there)--did you take a tour, or did you go out on your own? I'm seeing tour companies that offer 2 day/1 night tours from Istanbul (fly out of Istanbul, arrive in Kudasi, take 2 days of tours including Pammukale, house of the Virgin Mary, etc) then fly back to Istanbul. Do you think this is easier than flying out, renting a car, and trying to tour around on our own--especially with limited time? We're really not the "tour taking" type, and generally I hate being in a huge group, having to see things Im not really interested in, and not getting enough time with the things I really want to see, etc....but I'm thinking with our limited time, and complete lack of familiarity with Turkey, it might be the way to go...

How did you see this area?

Thanks!

Istanbul all the way!!!

We stayed at Hotel Angel's Home about 5 years ago:
http://www.hotelangelshome.com/
Ignore the cheesy cupids on the website. It is a really cute boutique hotel in the middle of Sultanahmet, a few blocks from the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Great service, and delicious huge breakfast buffet every morning served on their rooftop deck overlooking the sea and the Blue Mosque. Think we paid about $90/night including breakfast for a spring booking.

Very affordable vacation, great food, friendly people, easy to get around, and incredible sites. We cannot wait to go back!

PP here. Just wanted to add: Virtually everywhere there is water, someone will offer shore diving, but that does not mean there is good shore diving there, only certain places are really great (and known) for that. Otherwise it can be exhausting and difficult.

Good luck!

Hi OP- PP diver here who wrote about CR diving... It's all boat diving there, so if your DH wants shore diving, CR is out!!!
It looks like he would love Bonaire, which is great for shore diving, and pretty much the entire island is frequented by shore divers.
However, there is nothing to do for a nondiver!
I think you should clarify what your DH is expecting from this vacation, and how it fits with your wishlist!
Is the understanding that you, OP, will learn diving on this trip? (if that is the case, do NOT go to CR)
I'm just asking, because if your DH is saying no to boat diving, because it's 'only 2 dives' per day, how much diving is he anticipating to do? I wonder if someone told him of Cocos island, and that's why he wants to go to CR!? Ask him. Cocos island is supposed to be spectacular as I mentioned, with teeming wildlife- think large schools of hammerheads, whalesharks and the like.
Since it is remote, those are dive boat trips where you live on board the dive boat... Also definitely not for beginners, nor if you had a ten year pause!

If you want to learn to dive and DH wants shore diving I recommend Bonaire, if you want to learn to dive and DH will boat dive: Turks and Caicos.
If the vacation is to be split between (boat) diving, but also some culture (other things to do) I recommend Belize, or the Yukatan peninsula.
If you want culture and spectacular shore and boat diving and want to fly further: Egypt.

I agree with all the wonderful advice you got from PPs about Turkey, but I did not dive there, so I can't speak to that.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I would spend 2-3 days in Cappadocia. I think if you do one day, you will feel cheated. Also, because it is so much quieter than Istanbul, it's kind a great place to recharge. There are great hikes, bus tours, etc. And you can easily arrange things once you arrive on the scene there. Just beware that November will be very chilly, so you should have some warmer clothes with you. If you are there in November, a lot of tour operators will have shut down for the season along the Meditteranean coast, so if you are headed that way, just don't expect to have all the services and options you might read about in travel books.

I hope you get to go!

(P.S. I'm an avid diver -but given the choice between diving in Costa Rica or traveling around Turkey, I would definitely pick Turkey!)

I agree that it takes time to appreciate Cappadocia, which is why with limited time I'd skip it and do the turquoise coast.

I've been to both, and Turkey wins hands down -- fewer tourists, less expensive, and more to see. Tell your husband that on the Turquoise coast you go diving in spots where the water is so clear you can see the bottom (60 meters below) from the boat. Kas or Fethiye are great choices for that.

Anonymous wrote:OP, I would spend 2-3 days in Cappadocia. I think if you do one day, you will feel cheated. Also, because it is so much quieter than Istanbul, it's kind a great place to recharge. There are great hikes, bus tours, etc. And you can easily arrange things once you arrive on the scene there. Just beware that November will be very chilly, so you should have some warmer clothes with you. If you are there in November, a lot of tour operators will have shut down for the season along the Meditteranean coast, so if you are headed that way, just don't expect to have all the services and options you might read about in travel books.

I hope you get to go!

(P.S. I'm an avid diver -but given the choice between diving in Costa Rica or traveling around Turkey, I would definitely pick Turkey!)

Temps might vary from year to year. Better check the weather reports before leaving. During my first stay in Turkey, the weather was temperate through the beginning of December. If you're going to the east of the country, the weather will probably be colder

Unless DH is ready to put in the time you've already devoted to research travel options, and come up with an awesome itinerary for Costa Rica, I think you should go with Turkey. Has he provided any details for why he wants Costa Rica?

OP, I would spend 2-3 days in Cappadocia. I think if you do one day, you will feel cheated. Also, because it is so much quieter than Istanbul, it's kind a great place to recharge. There are great hikes, bus tours, etc. And you can easily arrange things once you arrive on the scene there. Just beware that November will be very chilly, so you should have some warmer clothes with you. If you are there in November, a lot of tour operators will have shut down for the season along the Meditteranean coast, so if you are headed that way, just don't expect to have all the services and options you might read about in travel books.

I hope you get to go!

(P.S. I'm an avid diver -but given the choice between diving in Costa Rica or traveling around Turkey, I would definitely pick Turkey!)

OP Here

Ha ha! Well, thanks for reaffirming my position that Turkey would be a better vacation destination!

I am totally not a "lie on the beach and relax" vacationer...my ideal vacation is more of a wake up early and hit the streets to look at historical sites, museums, etc. type of trip. When at home, I do like to take hikes and see nature, so I thought Costa Rica might be nice for me in that respect, but it seems Dh isn't really interested in that.

To the PP who is a diver--thanks so much for your imput. I will let him know that Costa Rica isn't even that great of a diving place. I've never never done it before, so I'm really not even sure about exactly what he's looking for, since I can't really relate. He hasn't been diving in about 10 + years, and most of his experience is on Okinawa, Japan and off the California coast. I just know he balked at the idea of diving in Turkey when I showed him the site of one company I found--he didn't like the idea of boat diving because you are usually limited to just one or two dives and he wants to do shore diving. I thought the pictures on the Turkish diving site looked beautiful, so I'm not sure why he wouldn't at least want to try it--but since I don't dive, I guess I just don't understand.

Oh, and thanks so much for that beautiful picture of Cappadocia. That is definitely on my list of places in Turkey I'd like to go. I've found a couple companies that offer one day tours of Cappadocia--leave at the crack of dawn for a flight down, don't return 'till late at night...I'll have to think and research more if that' the route I'd want to take, or if it would be better to just fly down and spend more than one day down there... Part of the reason I've been finding affordable rates are because it's flight/hotel package for Istanbul, so I'm not sure how to work it if I end up spending the night (or several nights) in different cities...

And I will be looking up Pamukkale!

Thank you everyone!