Safety in Turkey

Go. If the Syrians push the artillery right up to the border, it'll only reach about twenty miles into Turkey, max. Not much down that way that's of tourist interest, anyway.

As a tourist you should be just fine almost anywhere in Turkey, even near the Syrian border. Istanbul is in the northwest - well away (>500 miles) from both the Syrian border in south central Turkey and areas with PKK problems in southeastern Turkey. I would recommend that you go ahead and schedule your trip. Turkey is a NATO country. Given what that means in terms of military response and Syria's own internal troubles, there is virtually no risk of anything beyond border clashes. If I was traveling right now I would probably avoid heading much further south or east of Antakya or south of Gaziantep (two cities in south central Turkey) just to be safe. Have fun!

Hi NetaVee, I don't mean to rain on your trip but remember that the U.S. State Department recently stated that "Benghazi, Syria" was SAFE. "?&%#" That didn't work out so well.

you should be ok as far as you stay out of the troubled area. you definitely want to be careful, although it's hard to predict where the trouble will come from. i was in turkey a few years ago, no warning of any kind, spent a lot of time smoking/watching soccer games on tv in taksim, only saw a few small protest. 2 weeks after getting back to the US there was a bomb attack in taksim, could have hit that if i were there 3 weeks later.

Hello again NetaVee, OOPS, make that Benghazi Libya, not Syria.

Go. It's a huge (and wonderful) country and the border where there's trouble is a long way off from Istanbul and the south. I'd go in a heartbeat.

I just bought my ticket for December. I'm looking at Istanbul and Ephesus so I'll be far from the border. I'd be really surprised if things get out of hand.

Emma, Turkey, Syria, and Libya are nothing alike. There is absolutely no reason not to visit turkey because of what is happening there. The only risks you run are the standard risks of travel, and I would argue that the risks are worth it.

NetaVee, you'll have a great time. My first trip to Turkey I stayed along the coastline, almost everyone spoke some English, food was fabulous and hospitality was the best I've ever encountered.

Nicholas, You may be correct but it seems to me that if things go "BANG" it's pretty much the same everywhere.

I guess this comes down to how comfortable you are with risk. Turkey is safe. Syria right now is clearly not and Libya is probably not. You should avoid places where things are actively happening, but the fear of something happening, especially in places like Turkey (or for that matter New York, Seattle, Oslo, or Stockholm), should never dissuade you from visiting.

I just came back from a solo trip around Turkey and out of the 30 countries I have traveled to, I felt extremely comfortable traveling here. Any major city has its potential for disaster. No one would think twice about visiting NYC. Go to Turkey, I have never experienced the warmth and hospitality that I experienced in Turkey anywhere else. Be prepared to drink lots of tea, and not all the places that offer you tea will pressure you to buy. Most shop owners wanted to talk and practise their English.

Thanks for all the great comments. My friend and I have decided to go ahead with our trip due to all of your help. Happy travels!

Thanks for all the great comments. My friend and I have decided to go ahead with our trip due to all of your help. Happy travels!

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