I have been meaning to write this post about Kusadasi for quite a while but other ideas have popped into my mind and it was pushed on a back burner. You see, Kusadasi is a place in Turkey that I neither love nor hate.
It does not excite me but it does not disappoint me either. I have spent many years both living in the resort and also traveling to it from my home resort of Altinkum. Now I could write a post just like the travel brochures, however I feel that I would be greatly misleading my readers.
Travel Brochure Description of Kusadasi
On the country’s west coast, south of Izmir, Kusadasi is one of the most popular choices for holidays to Turkey. In fact, it is reputed as one of the most attractive cities of the Aegean. With a classic story of a fishing village turning into an attractive resort, Kusadasi is packed with sun, sea and fantastic weather.
My Travel Description
The only man to ever call Kusadasi attractive was a blind man. Going into the resort, it is impossible to miss the five tall buildings on the hills that have stood like looming ugly giants for the last decade. They are half built and first time visitors to the resort could well assume them to be the local ghetto.
The reaction these parts provoke from me is that I would really love to be commissioned for a series of “let’s knock your house down and rebuild it”. While it is not the most unattractive resort in Turkey, that I have ever visited, I would not give it the crown as being the most attractive either.
Shopping in Kusadasi
Shopping is an uncomfortable experience and anyone would understand if a person blew their top after being hassled for the fifth time to buy a leather jacket in the heat of the summer. If it is not leather jackets, then jewellery is shoved in your face. God help you if you decide to go shopping when the cruise ships dock in as the hassle is increased tenfold as everyone battles for the rich holiday makers docking in for the day.
Nightlife in Kusadasi
The great thing about Kusadasi nightlife is that it has two faces. There is the cosmopolitan nightlife which is all about cafes, fine dining and good conversation but head to bar street and you will find that it resembles a row of bars from your local neighborhood back home. The Turkish personal of these bars wear football shirts and speak with a broad European accent that confirms they spent the winter watching western soaps in an effort to woo a pretty, sunburnt holiday maker.
Next year they will have been branded as a love rat of Turkey for breaking so many hearts. October is granny month and this is when the older women desperate for some male attention will hit bar street in attempt for a young, viral man to make them feel like they are eighteen again.
Hotels in Kusadasi
Hotels in KusadasiNow this is where I do pay homage and get down on bended knees to pay respect. Kusadasi has done many things wrong but their selection of hotels is excellent. There are still old B&B’s that should be condemned by the local council but they suit the traveler who is just looking for a place to rest their head at night.
There is also a selection of top notch luxury hotels that know how to give service and could be called the best in Turkey. I stayed in the Korumar hotel on my wedding night and while it cost my hubby a lot of money, I had a fantastic time and was well impressed.
Things to do in Kusadasi
Things to do in KusadasiOne of the better aspects about holidaying in Kusadasi is that there are a wide range of things to do close by. If the hassle of the shops annoys you and running around after young Turkish men is not appealing then head out of the resort to the nearby sites of Ephesus, the Virgin Mary’s house, Davutlar and Dilek national park.
If you want to lose the kids permanently, then just shove them in any of the two water parks and turn your back. The traffic going through these popular places will ensure that you never see your off-spring again. To get round and about, I would say hire a car for the day but the makeup of the traffic system was done by a drunken man and would confuse even the most confident of drivers. Instead get the bus or buy local excursions.
I have been living in Ku?adas? as a having summer house in there nearly 25 years i say. The old days of Ku?adas? was great. Views,lived people,worked people were extremely cute and very kind. But, nowadays Ku?adas? is over and getting bad day to day. This reasons are inner migrations, economical corruptions,environmental pollution and the most serious problem that too much concrete structure either centrum or the other holiday places. So as a living Turks, I can not recommend to come ku?adas? for holiday. if your holiday budget can affort for bodrum,antalya,fethiye which are also placed in Turkey for holiday, you can go these place for your holiday and more better to stay these places. Greetings From Ku?adas?…
Dear Mr. or Miss Nomad:
Whatever you wrote about Turkey and its people is 100% false and you are undermining generous people of Turkey. I do not know what your purpose is but I can tell you my opinion about Turkey and its people. They are the greatest and frendlies people I have ever seen in my life. I have lived in UK, Germany, an US many years visited a dozen of countries and have not found any frienship like in Turkey. Friendship in Turkey is forever. Of course, Turkey has ups and downs like any other country. If you tell me where you come from, I can find thousand things that I do not like it but unlike you I would not post or put commenst like you did because of my respect to your country and its people. Please DO NOT visit Turkey becasue you do not deserve to be there!!!
kusadai lovely place…turkish people look after you very well,,loads nice places too see,,,
Nice post, heard about great nightlife in Kusadasi. I am planning to go there this summer, on a party trip
Fethiye definitely is better!
I’m not sure whether I would like Kudasi or not. Overpriced and westernized (but in a bad way!)? I think I would like Fethiye better!
-Maria Alexandra
Thanks Corinne, glad you liked it
I couldn’t agree more with your post. There are plenty of beautiful spots near Efesus that you do not have to stay in Kusadasi! I wouldn’t! Great post!
Good news if it has Pat. Will tidy it up a bit
Would just like to say that when I visited last year it looked as if work had begun on renovating old Kusadas?, up the hill above the harbour. If that is done well it could be quite impressive. Let’s see what happens.
Hi marina, re working. Please see this post
https://turkishtravelblog.com/work-in-turkey/
Hi Natalie!
My name is Marina, I am from Serbia. I liked your blogs and your “non-stereotypical” ways of description.
Just a thought. Are there possibilities to work in the region? I speak English, Russian, Spanish and my native l. Any suggestion would be appreciated!
Best wishes, M
There is a lot in Kusadasi to see and do. Glad you like it though. It is just not for everyone
this will be my second time to Kusadasi on a cruise the first time I liked it now on november 11 I shall see how she looks. For us these oriental way of life is always fascinating. We like shopping but dont cheat us! We suppose Kusadasi has lots to see for one day!
I do not agree to what you say.
Hi Dedee, This post is just my personal opinion. There are a lot of people that head to Kusadasi year after year because they love it. The Korumar will be a extremely nice hotel for your honeymoon. Maybe you will like Kusadasi, you never know. As mentioned it is also a great base for getting out and about and seeing some of the fantastic sights of Turkey. If it turns out that you do not like Kusadasi then there is another excuse for a second honeymoon somewhere else.
I am so confused after reading this as my soon to be husband and I were thinking of heading to Kusadasi for our honeymoon in July. The travel agent recommended Korumar but for a nice price! Not sure what to do now…..
Loved your story Joe, I would be of been mortified if it turned out the hotel I was staying in was a brothel!! Totally, agree about the music. Always seems to be the song song in every bar.
Are the grannies looking for “virile” or “viral” young men? (Sorry, I’m being a smart-ass) but I couldn’t agree more about Kusadasi. It was always a hazard but I stopped going there altogether years ago.
I am not sure what finally got to me. That deafeningly loud music- there’s one CD that seems to make the rounds and you’d better believe it is the shittiest music ever, or the unbearable tourists with pierced everythings and tatts all over them like moldy bread, or whether it was the shady Turkish characters that were always on the make, for one thing or another.
I have some good memories however of a tiny hotel on the edge of town. The prices were extraordinarily cheap and the pool was clean. The owner would always be mighty generous with the beer. It was great.. but there were strange things too. People always coming and going at strange times. Finally the owner confessed that there was a kind of genel ev (brothel) operation going on. All very discreet and you really could hardly know it was happening. Finally the police made an about face and busted the place and closed it down. Fortunately I was NOT there at the time because I can just imagine how unflattering my photo would be on the firat page of the Vatan.
I was in Kusadasi for a day while traveling to Ephesus. I thought it was pretty ghastly, especially in comparison to the other parts of Turkey we visited. But then people who’ ve live there longer may like it better……
I live and work in Kusadasi, I have to admitt there are issues. Unfortunately nothing seems to improving in the last years. Kusadasi infact loosing its beauty..
When I was looking to buy a property in Turkey I had a look at Kusadasi & also Didim but did not like it or even feel safe there, it reminded me so much of the UK on a saturday night (drunks, tramps etc etc). I find that the easiest way to describe the area is typical club 18-30 of Turkey!!
I have now bought a place in Ovacik which is up the road from Hisaronu or Oludeniz in which I am quite happy for my wife or even my 16yr old daughter to go out to either on their own.
I find that this area is more family orientated & you do not get hassled anywere near as much in the shops & restaurants (there are only one or two shops in the area that do this).
Sorry if this upsets anyone that does like the area, these are my own personal views of this area.
I’ve never liked Kusadasi. My husband is working there this year and it’s too far for him to travel back each day. One solution would be for me to move there for the season, but I don’t think I could stand it. When I lived in Selçuk I only ever popped over to Kusadasi to meet up with friends once in a while….that was enough for me.
Hello, I live in Bulgaria and work in travel agency. Here one of the most popular Turkey destinations is Kusadasi. Not because there is a big variety of hotels and the prices start from 10 euro, but it is not too far form Bulgaria. We have regular groups from the beginning of May, till the end of September. I think Kusadasi is a great tourist destination for people who want to have a nice holiday.
I live 12km from Kusadasi and I go there maybe once every month or so. I shop in Selcuk markets, I’ve never been to bar street, I take a Turkish Bath on the outskirts and I avoid it totally in July and August. There are some nice restaurants around the marina area and a nice view of the harbour from the viewpoint above the Korumar. The sunset views from anywhere along the coast there are amazing. The outlying districts have much more appeal and anyone who said it was a pretty town is indeed blind!
@Jack – I think there is still quite a way before they learn that hassling puts people off.
@Eljay – I am starting to favour the small villages instead of big resorts. Altinkum is growing as well and losing its charm.
@Sarah. I like the night cafe there too. Very cosmopolitan.
Interesting write-up, shopping wasn’t my thing but the part of night cafe might work for me.
I LOVED Kusadasi 20 years ago, but I was with my Turkish boyfriend at the time, now I dislike it I’m afraid far too much development, shops and tourists too. It could be anywhere now, high rise, but not the stylish sort.
Maybe I’m getting old, but give me the old fashioned turkish villages any time like Kusadasi USED to be! Hey ho.
When will people realise that hassling in shops, restaurants and bars is completely counterproductive? Bodrum may be not as bad as some resorts but I just won’t spend my cash is places that try to drag you in from the street.