Is Van a good base to visit Turkey and Kurdistan?
I am planning to spend 3 weeks in Turkey and Kurdistan.
I'm told the region is relatively small and I could feasibly stay in Van and explore from there. Is that wise? If not what other cites would be interesting and safe to use as bases?
Best Answer
There was an earthquake in Van last month and there has been many smaller ones since then. Many buildings have collapsed and there are problems in the electricity network. So I definitely don't advise you to visit Van any time soon. However, it is a nice city with history and nature.
I do not know where exactly you mean by Kurdistan, but I suggest Ad?yaman and Mardin if you'd like to visit the eastern part of Turkey. Mount Nemrut is the main touristic attraction of Ad?yaman with huge statutes made in 62 BC, also watching sun rise there is lovely. Again, this season is not the best time to visit there due to cold weather. Mardin has such a unique architecture. You can find many mosques and churches, also high quality hand made and relatively cheap silver jewellery.
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Is Van Turkey safe?
Like most places outside of tourist cities in Turkey, Van is very safe and you won't be meeting any problematic characters while you are here. The locals are friendly and most are very genuinely helpful unlike touters in a disguise as helpful locals you often meet in other touristy places.Is eastern Turkey safe?
Safety in Eastern TurkeyTurkey is generally safe, however, incidences do occur although the likelihood is small. In Eastern Turkey there have been concerns with ISIS along the border region with Syria and it had been considered dangerous in the past.Which Country Do You HATE The Most? | IRAQI KURDISTAN
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