Health & Safety

Health & Safety in Marmaris  There are 2 private and a state hospitals and many private clinics in Marmaris.  Medical facilities are up-to-date and equipped to cope with the majority of medical problems. There are multilingual doctors, opticians and dentists all around the resorts open during weekly business hours. For emergency medical care, you may contact your hotel reception to request a doctor’s visit in your hotel room.  Smoking  Smoking bans are not compulsory at work. However, increasingly more companies and public buildings are banning smoking as they are concerned for the health of their employees and want to create a healthier work environment. Most of these companies and public buildings have set aside areas where smoking is allowed. The Turkish Labor Law does not (yet) mention smoking specifically, however, does state emphatically that employees have the right to a healthy work environment with the least possible harmful influences.  Smoking bans apply in all public buildings owned by the national, provincial and local authorities. In buildings in which institutions, such as social cultural work, social assistance, health care, indoor sports and education departments, are located smoking is not allowed. It is allowed, however, to set aside separates rooms for smokers. A local saying goes like this: “Eat like a Turk, smoke like a Turk,” which roughly translates to “don’t expect anyone to comply with nonsmoking laws.” In theory, smoking is prohibited on public transportation, in movie theaters, in airports, and the like. But realizing the hardships of driving a bus, bus companies allow the drivers to smoke. This is a good time to work on tolerance, and remember to pack Visine and to sit upwind at outdoor cafes.  Liquor Laws  For a predominantly Muslim country, it might be surprising that alcohol is even sold in Turkey. The truth is, the drinking of alcohol is not an issue: some do, some don’t. Beer, wine, and spirits are readily available in restaurants, bars, and liquor stores, and theoretically you have to be at least 18 to purchase or consume them. Bars stay open until the people go home.  Sales of Liquor  To buy liquor you must be 18 years old. Alcoholic beverages are for sale at liquor stores and supermarkets.  Drinking and Driving  It is prohibited to drive if you are over the 0.5 blood alcohol level. Driving under the influence is a criminal offence and applies to driving a car and riding a motor bike, scooter, moped or bicycle. You risk a fine (between 0.54 – 1.7 blood alcohol level). If you are over 1.8 blood alcohol level your case will be taken to court. In addition to a fine, you may be temporarily banned from driving.  Hotel and Catering Industry  Bartenders, liquor dealers and cashiers must ask youngsters whom they sell alcohol to for proof of age. After all, it is often difficult to estimate somebody’s age. If proof of age cannot be supplied, you may be refused alcohol. The proof of age can be a passport or a driving license.  Hygiene  In most accommodations and restaurants food hygiene standards are kept to a required norm. However in hot climate you should take more precautions and keep a good diet avoiding oily foods, drink bottled water, avoid dehydration. Clearly, there are food hygiene risks when travelling to Turkey – firstly, because in hot climates there is a greater risk of food poisoning, and secondly, because levels of sanitation may not always be of a high standard. Consequently, it is not uncommon for travellers who travel to Turkey to suffer with Traveller’s Diarrhea.  Prevention of traveller’s diarrhea involves eating and drinking safely and paying attention to personal hygiene, especially handwashing after bowel movements and before eating. Food safety tips include:  1. Choose food which is freshly and thoroughly cooked, and served steaming hot  2. Eat fruit or veg that you can either peel or cut open yourself e.g. bananas, citrus fruits etc. 3. Treat milk and milk products, especially ice-cream with particular caution; make sure they are made with pasteurized (or boiled) milk 4. Do not use opened food or drink once they are longer cool to the touch  5. Drink canned or bottled drinks  6. Remember ice is only as safe as the water it is made from, and avoid brushing your teeth with contaminated water  7. Although many first-class hotels may have a high standard of sanitation and perhaps even safe water, the people working there and handling the food may not – consequently, our advice is to play safe and avoid foods such as salads and ice even if they appear to be okay.  We would like to highly recommend the restaurants featured online  Mosquitoes  Although the persistence and tenaciousness of Turkish mosquitoes might cause you to suffer, it is unlikely that malaria will. Keep in mind that you’re more likely to catch deadly mosquito-borne diseases in your own backyard than abroad. Don’t forget to pack a proven insect repellent (especially for those nights camped out on the deck of the gulet)