Is Didim Safe? Answered by a Local

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Didim is a place where we love to go occasionally. It is a small holiday with a nice breeze, historical sites, and good shopping places.

Didim province, located in Aydın city of  Turkey, is an ancient settlement. The location, which was settled before 8000 BC, has a history of 10 thousand years.

Didim has many historical wonders from Lycia, Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, and Turkish civilizations. Best known historical sites in Didim are Miletus, Priene, Dydma, and Apollon Temple.

Didim is also known for its natural beauty. Didim has excellent crystal clear beaches, pine forests, and a very friendly environment.

Didim is one of the safest and best tourist destinations in Turkey. For these reasons, Didim is one of Turkey’s most visited tourist destinations.

In 2019, before the pandemic, around 3 million (1 million international and 2 million local tourists) visited this lovely Aegean town. Nearly all of these left Didim safe and sound with happy memories.

My aim in this post is to minimize your risk of having bad memories in Didim. In this post, as a frequent visitor to Didim and a Turkish local, I will give you travel and safety tips to enjoy Didim with maximum fun and zero hassle.

Apollon Temple in Dydma is a magnificent historical site to visit.

Is Didim Safe?

Didim is a safe and tolerant place. Consequently, 2.500 out of 90.000 of its permanent residents are British Expats. Didim is one of the top places for internationals who permanently decide to live in Turkey.

The real dangers of Didim are scorching summer heat and mosquitos. For the heat, always carry bottled water with you for dehydration. Also, do not forget your sun lotion.

Mosquitoes in Didim do NOT carry any illness, yet one or two mosquitoes sneaking into your bedroom can ruin your night. A mosquito repellent may solve the problem.

The Aydın area, especially Didim, is one of the most liberal parts of Turkey, and you can safely enjoy Didim’s days or nights freely without thinking about your safety. 

According to Daily Sabah, most British people living in Didim have been living in the area for more than a decade and feel secure in Turkey. British expats are also well pleased with Turkish health care and social support systems.

Recently, one problem was reported about Didim. According to the UK Government, the crime rate is low in Turkey. Yet, some British passports were stolen from some rented villas around the Didim area.

Altınkum Beach is the most crowded area at night.

Is Didim Safe at Night

Didim town center and residential areas are perfectly safe and lively at night. Especially in the summertime, many local families and tourists come to Didim to camp on Didim’s beaches. Sleeping and drinking on the beaches are common. 

Altınkum is a perfect place to spend a night out. Yet, it is too crowded during summer for my taste. 

Bored at night, in no mood for partying, you can visit Mavisehir Bazaar. My wife loves midnight shopping while I wander around brainstorming about what to write next in my blog.

As a family, shopping is another favorite activity of ours at Didim nights. (Mavisehir Pazarı in Didim)

Is Didim Safe to Travel for Solo Female Travelers?

Didim is safe for solo female travelers; you can shop in your bikinis or enjoy your night out like any European  Mediterranean Holiday Town. 

Didim is a city-sized holiday destination, be sure to check my article Where to Stay in Didim to choose your hotel and the area that best suits you.

Is Didim Safe to Travel for Families?

I always go to Didim with my family, and I believe it is perfectly safe. Didim is also one of the most popular destinations for Turkish families. There are many summer houses where locals come with their children to enjoy the whole summer season in Didim.

Another most typical way that Turkish families enjoy Didim is camping. There are many free camping sites or paid camping sites with amenities. 

Didim has excellent places for families of all budget types.

To create your bucket list of Didim, read my guide A Local’s List of 17 Things to Do in Didim Turkey.

We love to take evening walks near the sea.

Is it Safe to Drive in Didim?

Driving in Didim is easy and mostly safe. I think the British minority has educated Didim people on how to drive and follow the rules.

Yet, I would drive defensively. You do not know when you will encounter a hard-blooded Turkish driver with unpredictable behavior.

The road conditions are near excellent throughout the district, and outside the city center, it can be pleasurable to drive with scenic roads. 

Public transport is safe in Didim, Yet, most destinations are not reachable by public transport. For these reasons renting or coming with your car is the best option. Also, electric scooters or e-bikes can be handy.

If you wish to learn, check my articles on Driving tips in Turkey and how you can use foreign driving license in Turkey or Renting a car in Turkey.

How is Healthcare in Didim?

Didim is trying to increase its share in health tourism, and Didim has many hospitals and medical centers with high service standards.

Additionally, adequate English-speaking medical staff is employed by this health center to serve Didim’s high expat population.

Check out my guide on Things to Know Before Coming to Didim to learn more travel tips about Didim.

Dangerous Parts of Didim

There is no dangerous part of Didim town center. Yet in winter, outside of the town center, Didim may feel deserted. Use your common sense and ask locals’ advice if you are in doubt.     

Is Tap Water Safe to Drink?

Didim’s tap water is safe, but I would not recommend drinking it. The tap water is highly mineralized and sometimes salty. 

Yet, tap water is perfectly safe to brush your teeth, and wash yourself and your clothes. 

You can check the article on the safety of Turkish tap water to learn more.

Security Risks (Terrorism) in Didim

Didim approximately 1000 km away from the conflict zones of the Middle East. Didim is as safe as any Greek Holiday Resort in the Aegean Islands. In fact, from most beaches of Didim, you can see Greek islands.

Natural Disaster Risks in Didim

You may feel small earthquakes, they happen rarely, but they have nearly zero effect on daily life. As I told you in the beginning,  mosquitos, sun, and heat are the real dangers in Didim.

You will encounter a very diverse selection of fruits in Didim. (Mavisehir Pazarı in Didim)

Is Food Safe in Didim?

Besides being safe, the food is very tasty in Didim. The food in Didim is typical Mediterranean cuisine with a touch of English cuisine. You will have many options that are cooked with fresh local vegetables with fresh seafood. 

I would not go for kebabs in Didim; stew or lamb meat dishes are tastier in this area. Kebab is not the traditional food in Didim. 

If you are a vegetarian, you would be surprised by the diversity of vegetarian dishes. 

You will also find that some Turkish recipes are specifically modified to be more pleasing for the Brits.

Check my other guide if you wish to learn more about Turkish Food and What to expect in Turkish Cuisine. 

Are Taxis Safe in Didim?

Taxis are safe in Didim. Didim has one of the highest taxi fares in Turkey, but taxis are strictly regulated. 

You can report any misconduct to taxi stop managers and Didim Municipality.

The taxi fare is calculated in the same way day or night. Few years, traveling at night was more expensive than a taxi ride during the day.

Unlike other Turkish cities, there is no minimum fee in Didim. The taximeter should be restarted when you get on the taxi, and you should pay the TL amount displayed on the taximeter when you get off.

Check my other guide if you wish to learn more about Taxis in Turkey and the cost of taxis in Turkish cities, common taxi scams, and more tips.

How Much Taxis Cost in Didim?

The starting fee of taxis in Didim is 6 TL (0,72 USD), and you will pay an additional 6 TL (0,72 USD) per kilometer.

The Turkish Lira value will change due to inflation, but you can always calculate a rough estimate of your taxi travel.

You can check the distance with Google maps and use the USD numbers above to calculate your rough taxi fare.

Example cost taxi calculation.

A 20 km taxi ride in Didim will cost you around 15,12 USD. 0,72 USD (starting fee) plus 14,40 USD (20 km x 0,72) for 20 km.

Taxi fees do not change day or night or for any other reason. 

Last Word About Travel Warnings about Turkey

You may also wish to check the United Kingdom, United States Government, Australian Government’s travel warnings. 

Remember, these warnings are not prepared city-specific, and they are written for Turkey as a whole.

I’m afraid I have to disagree with these reports. I believe the travel warnings exaggerate the rare instances and are not adequate for basic warnings. In this guide, I tried to give you basic and crucial tips to avoid small things ruining your trip to Didim.

2 thoughts on “Is Didim Safe? Answered by a Local”

  1. Why I never saw any mosquito in Didim this year?
    Also never saw any small airplane spraying anti mosquito chemicals

    Reply
    • Anti Mosquito chemicals are sprayed not by planes but by small trucks with sprayers at the back. Lately, they have been odorless, but they are definitely there. The trucks usually pass at the evening times. And there are mosquitos, if you do not believe me open window curtains and your lights at night, you will see them swarming to your light bulb.

      Reply

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