Most regions in Turkey are safe for travelers and local citizens alike, as seen in the millions of foreigners visiting each year and the numbers steadily increasing. However, there are travel warnings regarding Turkey’s border with Syria, and areas around its border with Iraq should be avoided if possible.

Additionally, there were wildfire threats this summer, with the most recent case taking place in Southeast Turkey. This Pacific Prime article will serve as a safety guide for travelers wishing to visit Turkey.

Is Turkey Safe?

Most regions in Turkey are safe for travel. However, the Foreign Office currently recommends refraining from traveling within 10km of the border with Syria and any unnecessary travel to the provinces of Sirnak and Hakkari.

The Foreign Office also emphasized the severity of terrorism threats, saying political protests and demonstrations have turned violent. Thus, as with any destination, travelers should stay vigilant and be sure to follow the latest travel safety advice from the Foreign Office or other authorities.

According to the Foreign Office, the majority of the terrorist threats against Turkey took place in Southeast Turkey, Ankara, as well as Istanbul. Meanwhile, the country is also impacted by protests and demonstrations in the Hamas-Israel conflict, which brings us to our next point.

Protests and Demonstrations: Is Turkey Affected by the Hamas-Israel Conflict?

While there haven’t been any signs of Turkey being affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict, or since Iran launched missiles at Israel back in April, the Foreign Office stated that protests took place outside diplomatic missions in Istanbul, Ankara, and other major cities.

President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told the congress of his AK Party that they’ve called for restraints “from all parties” and both sides must refrain from “aggressive acts.” Additionally, he also mentioned that Turkey will do its best to stop the violence and ease the tensions.

Visitors should avoid all demonstrations and leave the area as soon as possible if one develops. Additionally, protests and demonstrations may also disrupt local transport routes, resulting in traffic congestion.

Wildfires in Turkey

There is also a risk of wildfires in Turkey, with the Southeastern coast being the latest victim back in June 29th and 30th. In an effort to stop the fire, helicopters were deployed in the Diyarbakir and Mardin provinces while some hotels and houses in Izmir and the resort in Kusadasi were evacuated.

Turkey’s interior minister, Ali Yerlikaya, attributed the possible cause of the wildfire to “stubble burning”, which is a farming method that involves removing crop residue from land to make way for a new season.

In the updated advice from the Foreign Office on June 28th, it was stated that Turkey is susceptible to frequent wildfires during the summer and if there’s a fire in any area, local authorities may instruct you to leave the area, and their directions and guidelines must be strictly followed.

Entry Requirements of Turkey

Travelers can visit Turkey for up to 90 days, out of any 180-day period, without a visa. If you want to stay longer, you will need to get either a visa or residence permit. Turkey requires travelers to have at least 150 days left on their passport validity upon arrival.

You will also need a completely blank page for the entrance and exit stamps.

Travel Safely with Travel Insurance

Now that you know the risks in Turkey, let’s discuss one factor that can help you safeguard both your wellbeing and finances, and ensure your time spent in Turkey is as safe as it is healthy: Travel Insurance.

Let’s say you end up sick or injured during your vacation abroad, or your luggage gets lost during the layover process, your travel insurance policy will cover item loss in addition to illnesses or any injuries sustained during your trip.

What type of travel insurance plan you should get depends on the circumstances of your trip. For instance, a single trip option will do for one-off trips for a set period of time while an annual or multi-trip policy would be more cost-effective if you have multiple trips within a year.

On the other hand, the family alternative is strongly recommended for parents with children under the age of 18 as it covers both the parents and children.

Secure Travel Insurance with Pacific Prime

As a leading international health insurance broker with over 20 years of experience, Pacific Prime has helped both expats and local citizens seek out a suitable health insurance plan that matches both their comfortable budget range and unique healthcare priorities.

Whether you’re a traveler looking to visit Turkey or an individual or family looking to stay safe and healthy while on vacation abroad, we can help you by offering completely impartial advice to you at no additional cost.

If you have any further questions, please get in touch with us and get a free quote here for plan comparisons.

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Wish Sutthatothon

Content Writer at Pacific Prime

Wish Sutthatothon (Nickname: Guy) is currently a content writer at Pacific Prime Thailand, an insurance broker that connects individuals and businesses with insurance providers worldwide. He creates and edits blog articles, guides, reports, webpages, and other types of digital content.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, Media & Communication major (concentration: Creative Content) from Mahidol University International College (MUIC). During the compulsory major elective period in the summer of 2021 and voluntarily during the summer of 2022, he also interned as a video and photo editor at Mbrella Films.

He has experience working as an English Content Writer at a real estate buying/renting/selling platform in Thonglor. There, he crafted company blog posts on a multitude of topics. Topics include market trends, legal issues and disputes in property businesses, financial guides, expat guides, home insurance, home decoration and maintenance, and weekly real estate news quick-recaps. Occasionally, as part of the blog-writing process, he would also translate existing Thai blogs to English.

In his free time, Guy enjoys doing scriptwriting and storytelling for comic strips, watching movies, and listening to music (particularly film scores).

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