For most visitors from the UK, Ireland and the EU, Turkey is now visa-free for short holidays — but always confirm your own nationality at evisa.gov.tr first, and make sure your passport is valid 150+ days from entry. Carry some lira but expect cards to work everywhere; an eSIM beats a pricey airport SIM; and Turkey is very safe, so your real planning is for sun and heat, not crime.
The one trap that catches people out: standard travel insurance often excludes paragliding, scuba diving and serious hiking. If you plan to fly off Babadağ, dive in Kaş or walk the Lycian Way, buy a policy that explicitly covers those activities before you go.
Visa & entry
The good news first: entry to Turkey has become noticeably simpler. As of 2024–25, many nationalities — including UK and Irish citizens, most EU passport holders and a number of others — no longer need a tourist visa for short visits, typically up to 90 days within any 180-day period. For a one- or two-week holiday on the Lycia coast, that usually means you simply turn up with your passport and a return ticket.
But visa policy is set country by country and does change from time to time, so please don't take a general statement — including this one — as gospel for your own passport. Before you book and again before you fly, check the official Turkish e-Visa portal at evisa.gov.tr for your exact nationality and the current rules. If your country does still need an e-Visa, that is the only official site to buy one; it is quick and inexpensive, and you should avoid the many look-alike third-party sites that charge a markup.
Whatever your nationality, two passport rules apply almost everywhere. Your passport should be valid for at least 150 days from your date of entry, and it needs at least one blank page for any stamp. If your passport is close to expiry, renew it before you travel rather than risk being turned away at check-in.
Money & currency
The currency is the Turkish lira (TRY, symbol ₺). Turkey has lived with high inflation for several years, which has two practical effects for visitors: prices move, sometimes between one season and the next, and the menu price you saw in an old blog post may no longer hold. Don't be alarmed by the big numbers — for travellers with euros, pounds or dollars the country generally remains good value.
Cards (Visa and Mastercard) are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and larger shops, and contactless is completely normal. Even so, carry some cash: taxis, village cafés, markets, small kiosks and tips all run more smoothly with lira in your pocket. ATMs are everywhere — use the machines attached to recognised banks rather than the standalone currency-conversion kiosks, which tend to charge more.
One habit will save you money throughout the trip. When a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency rather than lira, always decline and pay in lira. The convenience of seeing the price in pounds or euros comes with a poor built-in exchange rate, sometimes several percent worse than your own bank's. As for changing cash, you'll generally get a better rate inside Turkey than at your home airport — but compare a couple of exchange offices, and never change money on the street.
Tipping is appreciated but modest: around 5–10% in restaurants if service isn't already included, a little rounding-up for taxis, and a few lira for hotel staff and tour guides who look after you well.
SIM & connectivity
Turkey has excellent mobile coverage, including along the Lycia coast, on three networks: Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom. Your own phone will work on roaming the moment you land, but data roaming can be expensive depending on your home plan — fine for a quick map check, painful for a fortnight of browsing.
You have three main options. Buying a physical tourist SIM at the airport is possible but tends to be the priciest route, with inflated visitor tariffs. A local SIM from a network shop in town is cheaper but takes time and your passport. For most short trips the easiest answer by far is an eSIM — from a provider such as Airalo — which you buy and install on your phone before you leave home, then switch on when you arrive. No queues, no paperwork, and you keep your normal number for calls and texts. Beyond that, free wifi is common in hotels, cafés and restaurants, so many holidaymakers get by on wifi plus a small eSIM data plan.
One quirk worth knowing, though it rarely affects a holiday: Turkey registers mobile handsets by their IMEI, and a foreign phone used on a Turkish SIM can be blocked after roughly 120 days of use unless you register it (which involves a fee). This is only a concern for long stays or anyone living in Turkey — a one- or two-week visitor will never hit it.
Safety & health
Turkey is generally very safe for tourists, and the Lycia coast — Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Kaş, Kalkan — is a relaxed, family-friendly holiday region where the biggest daily risk is sunburn. Apply the same common sense you would anywhere: keep an eye on your belongings in crowded markets and bus stations, where petty theft is the main (and uncommon) annoyance. Violent crime against tourists is rare.
The things that actually need respect here are natural. The sea is beautiful but real: open beaches like Ölüdeniz can develop currents on windy days, so look for any flag system and don't swim far out alone. The summer sun is fierce — 35°C and above through July and August — so pace your sightseeing, seek shade in the middle of the day, and drink far more water than you think you need. Tap water is chlorinated and treated, and locals cook and brush their teeth with it, but most visitors drink bottled water, which is cheap and sold everywhere.
If something does go wrong, you're well looked after. Turkish pharmacies (eczane) are excellent and a great first stop for minor ailments — pharmacists are knowledgeable and many speak some English. The single emergency number across Turkey is 112. And take out travel insurance: it's strongly advised for any trip, and it is essential that your policy covers the specific activities you plan to do, which brings us to the one mistake worth avoiding.
What to pack
Pack for the season, but a few coastal-Turkey specifics apply year-round. Many beaches here are pebble rather than sand, and you'll want to wade the cold river through Saklıkent Gorge, so reef or water shoes are one of the best things you can bring. The sun is strong, so high-SPF sun cream and a hat are non-negotiable from spring to autumn. And if you'll visit a mosque, bring a light modest cover-up — shoulders and knees covered, and a scarf for women to cover their hair.
By season
Summer (June–September): light, breathable clothes, swimwear, sandals, sunglasses, and the sun kit above — but still pack one light layer for breezy boat evenings. Spring and autumn (April–May, October–November): warm days but cooler evenings, so bring light layers and a packable rainproof for the shoulder-season showers. Winter (December–March): mild but genuinely wet — a warm layer and a proper waterproof jacket.
A few extras earn their place whatever the month: good shoes for clambering over ruins and walking the Lycian Way, a dry bag to keep phone and valuables safe on boat trips, and a Type F plug adapter for the 230V sockets. Most chargers are dual-voltage, so you won't need a converter — just the adapter.
Turkey at a glance
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Currency | Turkish lira (₺) — carry some cash, but cards work almost everywhere; pay in lira |
| Plug / voltage | Type F (two round pins), 230V / 50Hz — bring a Type F adapter |
| Emergency number | 112 (single number for all emergencies) |
| Tap water | Chlorinated and treated; most visitors drink bottled |
| Tipping | About 5–10% in restaurants; round up taxis |
| SIM / data | Turkcell, Vodafone, Türk Telekom; an eSIM is easiest for short trips |
| Visa (UK / most EU) | Not required for short stays — always check evisa.gov.tr for your nationality |
| Passport validity | Valid 150+ days from entry, with a blank page |
| Best months to visit | May–June and September–October (warm sea, fewer crowds) |
Plan your trip
Or read up on the best time to visit Fethiye · one week in Fethiye · Dalaman → Fethiye transfer
Frequently asked
Do I need a visa for Turkey?
It depends on your nationality. As of 2024–25 many nationalities — including the UK, most EU and others — no longer need a tourist visa for short stays of up to 90 days in 180. Rules change, so always check the official site, evisa.gov.tr, for your own passport. Make sure your passport is valid 150+ days from entry with a blank page.
Is Turkey safe for tourists?
Yes — generally very safe, and the Lycia coast is a relaxed family region. Use normal common sense against petty theft in crowds and markets. The real things to plan for are the strong sun (35°C+) and the sea, which can have currents on open beaches. Emergency number: 112.
Can I drink the tap water?
Tap water is chlorinated and treated, and fine for brushing your teeth, but most visitors drink bottled water — partly taste, partly older plumbing in some buildings. Bottled water is cheap and everywhere; a filter bottle is a good plastic-cutting compromise.
Should I bring cash or use cards?
Both. Cards work almost everywhere and contactless is normal, but carry lira for taxis, markets, village cafés and tips. Use bank ATMs, and always pay in lira (decline the "pay in your home currency" option) to avoid a poor exchange rate.
Will my phone work / should I get a SIM?
Your phone works on roaming (which can be pricey). Networks are Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom. Airport SIMs are expensive; for short trips an eSIM (e.g. Airalo) you set up before flying is easiest. Free wifi is common. The IMEI-registration rule only affects long stays, not a holiday.
What plug adapter do I need?
The European Type F plug (two round pins), at 230V. Bring a Type F adapter. Most phone, tablet and laptop chargers are dual-voltage and need no converter — but check hairdryers and other heating appliances before plugging in.