Shopping, Eating & Working In Fethiye

08esrefFethiye is very definitely a ‘working’ town, despite its attraction for both tourists and yotties alike. There is an abundance of restaurants and cafes if you’re just wanting to relax or dine out. If you’re working on your boat or your house then you are spoiled for choice when it comes to shops, suppliers and repairs.


I’ve tried to capture this sense of industry with a little photography project I’ve titled ‘Fethiye At Work’. All photos were taken in one afternoon in May 2009 after jumping on my bike and going for a cruise around the back streets, industrial estate (sanayi) and shops. One thing you should know about Turks: they love having their photo taken! I made many friends that afternoon.



Click on the following thumbnail for a slideshow and descriptions of my photographed subjects.; to escape from the slideshow, click on the image.






The photographs are complemented by the following article that outlines some information on shopping and eating in Fethiye, useful not just for the boat owner but anyone visiting this unassuming working town. It is based on a Google map, showing the location of each shop we recommend. The map can be displayed in your browser, or you can download the .kml file to view in Google Earth offline. The article follows on from the light-hearted look at Shopping In Turkey. Add the two articles together and you’ve got a light-hearted but useful guide to Fethiye! It is followed by some photographs I took of ‘Workers In Fethiye’.

If you have any personal recommendations we will be happy to add them to the google map.

 

Download KML file here for Google Earth[urldisplaymode=nomap]

 

Map displays here

 

The following descriptions follow the map above, working from left to right. Click on each marker for a name of our recommended shop/restaurant.

 

 

Yacht Plaza Hotel

We spent the winter here and were looked after like royalty by Banu and Batu, and the ever faithful Big Mustafa and Little Mustafa (size is based on age, not height). Banu is uncertain if liveaboards will be able to winter here for 2009-10 so please ask her directly. The usual rules apply with staying there over the summer, where the rates are halved if you eat in the excellent restaurant. Swimming pool , showers, wi-fi etc.


URL: http://www.yachtplazahotel.com/

Tel: 00 90 252 612 50 67 / 8

Email: info@yachtplazahotel.com

 

Captain Eddys

I’m not sure how long Captain Eddys has been in Fethiye but he is certainly going from strength to strength. He and his friendly new co-ordinator, Murat, have done a lot of satisfactory work for us at a good price, though we have not used a lot of Captain Eddy’s services. We can only comment on what we have had done or used:

  • dinghy upholstery

  • awning upholstery

  • customs and formalities

  • well stocked chandlery

 

I spent most of my winter in the new shop which is pretty well stocked. It saves having to walk into town and the prices appear to be fair.

 

Captain Eddy also quoted for stainless steel work which we ordered, but had to cancel at a later date. Despite paying the deposit he very kindly said the money could be used to pay for some of the upholstery we’d ordered. Flexible and friendly are words that spring to mind.

 

The upholstery workshop is new and Metin and Halil, the upholsterers, made an excellent job of our dinghy cover. They also undertook a lot of extensions to our old sun awning but this required Murat to be present to translate. In some instances we had to make the suggestions instead of them coming up with the solution, but the quality of work is good and a lot cheaper than places we’d found in Marmaris. So far we’d only found one place cheaper in Marmaris and their cushion covers fell apart after one season.

 

Because of the new checking-in rule for boats over 10 tons we had to pay an agent to do our paper work. Despite being more expensive than Marmaris Yacht Marina we were able to hand our money and passports to Murat and leave him with the headache.

 

 

Shop:

Contact: Eddy and Murat

URL: www.eddysyachting.com

Tel: +90 252 614 25 26

Email: info@eddysyachting.com


Upholsters:

Contact: Metin and Halil

English: none

Address: 1 Karagozler Mah. Fevzi Çakmak Cad. No:27/A

Tel: +90 252 614 25 26

 

Blues

Perhaps because it was winter, maybe because we were the only people shopping in there, we found Blues to be pretty cheap by Turkish standards. I certainly don’t remember them being like that last summer but they were even doing deals on International anti-foul. Of course despite being a small shop front it has the backing of Blues in Gocek. Ali who runs the marina store is a very nice bloke and can get most things in a day from Gocek. Always ask if you don’t see what you want.

 

Contact: Ali

English: Good

URL: www.bluesyachting.com

Tel: +90 252 612 9287

Email: ali@bluesyachting.com

 

Iskele – Restaurant

What a great place this is! A great mix of Turks, ex-pats and tourists make this a busy yet affordable place throughout the year. I can recommend pretty much everything on the menu but if you can, insist on the octopus in mushroom sauce for starter. It is divine.

 

Belediyesi Cafe

Freshly squeezed orange juice for three lira? Same price for a large Efes? No wonder all the locals hang out here!

 

Nefis Pide – Restaurant

Quite simply the best pide in Fethiye.

 

Contact: Aile

English: good

Address: Eski Cami Sok No: 9 – 48300

Tel: 0252 614 55 04

 

Sulyman’s – Chandlery

The most popular chandlery in town where the whole family all speak very good English. You’ll find a lot of the local fishermen buying their tackle from here as Sulyman is a keen fisherman in his spare time: fishing tackle takes up a third of the shopfloor.

 

Fish Market

The famous fish market where you buy your fish cheaply over the counter and then take it to one of the surrounding restaurants. Good fun evening out.

 

Kultur Cafe

Very cheap food and beer. Great for watching the football on a very small screen. Don’t let the fact it’s a popular Brit hangout put you off.


Çiraali Giyim – Drapers
Great selection of materials sold by the metre. Åženol doesn’t speak English but will always offer his customers a tea. It’s where I buy my cloth for me flags.

Contact: Şenol Çirali
English: none
Address: Cumhuriyet Mah. Okul Sok. No: 24
Tel: 0252 614 88 40


Casper – Computers
For your computing needs. I forget the name of the assistant there but there is a young chap who speaks good English. Don’t forget they can order most things and also offer installation services.


My Dent – Dentist
This came from a recommendation from Banu’s husband. I had to get my gold cap stuck back on and I got a check-up and a clean too, all for 100 lira. The position on the map is not accurate but you can’t miss it.



Can Bisiklet – Bicycles
There is supposed to be another bike shop near Migros that people recommend but I used this one to rebuild Liz’s bike, including a new pair of second-hand front forks for 35 lira! What I like about this place is the one master bike repair man who is apprenticed by any number of school kids. Don’t let that put you off: they’ll install that basket or bell in no time!

Contact: Can
English: Good

Tel: 0252 612 11 43


Uzman Elektronic
I put this one in because it’s the only place I could find to buy circuit breakers!

Contact: Erkan
English: little
Address: Çarsi Caddesi No. 139/B
Tel: 0252 614 13 33



The Mother Of All Hardware Shops
After all this time I still can’t remember the name of this hardware store but it is THE shop in Fethiye, whether you are a boat owner or house owner. The ground floor serves up all manner of tools, garden stuff, glues and stuff whilst the basement has the biggest collection of paints and varnishes you’ll ever need. It even sells Turkish anti-foul. There is just one assistant who speaks English who is very busy with all the ex-pats and yotties, so be patient if you can’t find what you want.



Sistem – Plumbing
If you are plumbing and can’t find those annoying pipe fittings you may well find them here. They have a big stock out back of piping rated at different pressure.

Contact: Salih
English: yes
Address: Inonu Bulvari No. 145/A – 48300
Tel: 0252 614 79 55



The Market
A huge market on Tuesday and a smaller one on Friday. Sells everything you would expect from a local market.


The Sanayi
This is the industrial estate of Fethiye where most things can be made or repaired. It’s a fascinating place just to wander round but learn the Turkish for whatever it is you are after as little English is spoken here.

Please note that I have tried my best to get the locations right but looking at a satellite picture of an industrial estate is very difficult to identify where exactly these shops are. Make a note of the name and telephone number and try asking around.


Japon – electronics
Sells some car electronics and cable fittings. Japon is not the name of the shop but look out for the sign above the entrance that says Japon. Opposite the second Pirelli garage (yellow sign) and next to Tornaci Ramazan.

Contact: Gulip
English: little
Address: Sanayi Sitesi 3 Blok 259
Tel: 0533 484 2789



Torhaci Niyazi Kaymakci – stainless
The only place I found in the sanayi that does stainless steel. We got two replacement rowlocks made up for 80 lira. We just took in the old one, made of plastic, and they copied it. Took it in one afternoon and picked it up next day.

Address: Snayi Sitesi No 42
English: none
Tel: 0252 614 55 87


Hasan Bűyűkteke – general store
A real treasure trove of fittings, hose pipes and other mans toys for your boat. Their inox screw collection is exhaustive. I found this place useful for getting high pressure hose for our water maker. Has a dark red shop front with big windows.

Contact: Hasan Bűyűkteke
English: None
Tel: 0252 614 12 93
Email: buyukteke@superonline.com


Lider Mutfak – Laminates
As Idris keeps telling me this is merely the workshop for his shop just down the way but it is here you take your ply to be laminated.

Contact: Idris Çakal
English: None
URL: www.lidermutfak.com.tr
Tel: 0532 614 84 35



Ply Workshops
One road up from Lider are a couple of workshops that specialise in ply. Not necessarily marine ply by cheap and good work.


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4 thoughts on “Shopping, Eating & Working In Fethiye”

  1. Excellent article and fantastic portraits! I wonder if I could get away with taking photos of some of the workers in my local Essex market town without going home with my camera up my arse.

    I love the Senol one – you could start a business in alternative postcards for tourists.

    Also, love the fact that C&A now do petrol in Fethiye.

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