Sodermalm is the name of the big island south of Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm. While the hipster takeover of the island is expanding in all directions, the area called SoFo, “South of Folkungagatan” is the heart of it. It is a pun driven from SoHo in NY, as the area is transforming into a hub of Swedish fashion designers.

A brief look at the map will quickly hint that you will be spending most of your time in SoFo. With that said, there are a few noteworthy stops on the outskirts of the island, mostly bars and Fotografiska, a must-see photo gallery.

Sodermalm Map

Getting In

– You can walk from Gamla Stan though Slussen. It takes about 20-30 minutes.
– Alternatively, you can get in by taking a subway to Medborgarplatsen (3 stops from Gamla Stan, 4 from T-Centralen which is the Central Station). Skanstull, the next stop after Medborgarplatsen is also fine.

Things to Know

Working Hours: If you want to come early, there are a few nice places for breakfast not much goes on in the neighborhood until noon. Most shops don’t open until 11 or 12 and close around 6-7. On Sundays, some shops open for shorter hours while others do not open at all.

SoFo Nights: The last Thursday of each month is the SoFo night. Shops stay open until 8 or 9, host events such as workshops or DJ performances. On some days they even hand out little treats like coffee and snacks. Sometimes they will make special discounts too. You can follow the related announcements here.

Itinerary: If you are new to Stockholm, it is a good idea to plan Gamla Stan for the first half of the day, and Sodermalm for the second. You can check out our recommended Stockholm itinerary here.

Where to Stay

$

When we are talking about low budget accommodation, it means that we can’t have it all. Loginn Hotel and Den Röda Båte are both boats converted budget hotels. They are both parked in very convenient locations and they have excellent views on Gamla Stan. The downside is that the cabins and windows can be small. On the upside, they have huge decks where you can enjoy your drinks and breakfast. If you prefer to trade a great location of the boats with comfier rooms, STF Zinkensdamm Hostel is an affordable option in Hornstull (southwest of Sodermalm). It is about a 30 min walk to SoFo and 35 mins to Gamla Stan.

$ $

Only 1.5 km from Fotografiska, Outstanding Soho Studio offers an apartment includes 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom with a shower, a seating area, and a kitchen with a dishwasher. Ideal for 3 person. Biz Apartment Hammarby Sjöstad is a bit far away from Sodermalm district ( aprx. 2 km) but it is a great choice for big families. If you prefer a place to stay which is close to the vibrant Sodermalm streets so you can pick Hellstens Glashus.

$ $ $

if you fancy a bit luxury, these charming boutique hotels NOFO Hotel; BW Premier Collection, housed in a building from 1780 or its sister Hotel Frantz, BW Premier Collection would be the right choice. But you should know that Hotel Frantz’s rooms are a bit tight. Hotel Rival is just another hotel which is housed in a 1930s Art Déco building.

Breakfast

Pom & Flora ♡

With its menu comprised of healthy juices to Instagrammable breakfast bowls & beetroot lattes, Pom & Flora is like Bali with a Swedish accent. Yes please!
The design is simple, clean, typical Swedish style. Click for location.

Café Pascal ♡

My personal favorite brunch spot in SoFo is Pascal Cafe. It is also recommended by the Michelin Guide. The sandwiches and salads are heavenly. It is also a very popular fika spot thanks to its yummy baked good and renowned coffee. Unfortunately, that may translate into congestion but it is worth the wait. Click for location.

Gildas Rum

Gildas is one of the classics of SoFo. It is not your polished cafe, rather a kitsch neighborhood hang out. Its decor has a nostalgic feeling to it. You will find tartines and grilled sandwiches, light salads and home-baked pastries on the menu. On sunny days its outdoor seating is very popular. Click for location.

Louie Louie

Louie Louis is another modest neighborhood classic. Yes, it is named after the Louie Louie song and it feels pretty much an Amerikan Dinner.  They serve breakfast until 11:00, so don’t be late. If you arrive later, you will find mostly quick fixes like sandwiches and salads and if lucky some DJ action. Mostly popular among the younger crowd for its reasonable prices. Click for location.

Things to Do

Walk & Shop

If you like nordic design, you will find some very tempting stores here. But make sure to come with a stacked wallet, as an Acne basic knit sweater costs around 350 Euros or a Stutterheim rain jacket around 300. If your eyes popped out at the price tags, you can check out the vintage stores. For a nice stroll, I would recommend sticking to Sofo, which the area between Folkungagatan Street in the north, Ringvägen in the south, Erstagatan in the east and Götgatan in the west.

Nytorget Square

In the heart of SoFo is Nytorget Square with a playground and a small park. As most popular hangouts are in this area, in the summer months the park offers a vibrant social scene. If you get hungry, go to Urban Deli at the corner of the park. It is a great place for everything from oysters to ice-cream.

You can also consider extending your visit to Bergsprängargränd. It is some stairs up the hill from the corner of the park. There you will find a cluster of iconic red Swedish houses. They used to be houses of the working-class man, now they are mostly summer retreats but  I got to admit that’s all there is to it. Click for location.

Rent a Bike

If you want to explore beyond SoFo, it is better to hop on a bike. The city has a shared biking system with plenty of docking stations. For SoFo, the most convenient stations are at Katarina Bangata and Gotgatan. Now that you are ready to venture out of SoFo, we can dig into larger Sodermalm area recommendations:

Fotografiska ♡

A top recommendation not just from Sodermalm but from Stockholm is to see Fotografiska. It is a contemporary photo exhibit where they host world-class photographers’ works. While it is off of SoFo, it is still an easy walking distance. It has a cafe/restaurant with great city views so make sure to stop by the top floor. Click for location.

Vita Bergen Park

Vita Bergen a bigger and steeper thanks to which it offers nice city views. In the summer you can catch a concert or a performance at the open-air theatre of the park. Click for location.

Monteliusvägen View Point ♡

For views of Gamla Stan, the old town, head to Monteliusvägen. It is said to be one of the best viewpoints in the city. Click for location.

The post SOFO, SODERMALM – COMPLETE GUIDE TO STOCKHOLM’S HIPSTER CAPITAL appeared first on Biz Evde Yokuz.

That makes me a cross between a tourist and a local. I am insider enough to know where the best spots are but also outsider enough to still have the excitement to carry around a camera. Equipped with the best of the 2 worlds,  I put together what I think is the best way to explore Stockholm for the first-timers. You will find a 2-day itinerary.

Best Time to Visit Stockholm

Summer: The best time visit Stockholm is in the summer. The city awakens, the streets lively up, and the weather is pleasant. Days are very long, indeed you can expect 18 hours of daylight around midsummer (24 June)! Bear in mind that while Swedes will put on their swimsuits and rush to the parks and beaches, you will find yourself putting on a sweater. So make sure to pack in warm layers. On the upside, it is the perfect sightseeing weather. Also keep in mind that most rain falls in the summer, especially in July.

Fall: Many argue that fall is a good option to visit Stockholm but the weather starts to get unpleasant after September. However, the snow doesn’t start falling until December.

Winter: Winters are very cold in Stockholm. On top of that daylight is very limited which makes it gloomy. On the shortest day (21 Dec), the sun sets as early as 14.48 making your days shrink. It feels like the whole city goes into a hibernation state. It is the least favorable time to go there but on the upside, you can go ice-skating at the frozen lakes of the sea.

Spring: The temperatures will gradually warm up but snowfall is still possible in March and early Spring. In May, however, it starts to feel pleasant.

How Many Days In Stockholm

You would need at least 2 days to cover the main attractions in Stockholm. However, you will be on a tight schedule and it won’t leave you much time for shopping or getting local. 3 or 4 is better if you are coming in the summer. This way you can even spare time to going island hopping.

Understanding Stockholm

Stockholm is home to 2 million people which is about 20% of Sweden’s population. It is one of the most diverse cities you will find in the world.  Thanks to its policies that ensure a work-life balance, it has been attracting some of the brightest minds from around the world. There are also many refugees who take shelter in Stockholm. Standing in a subway car, you may see more foreigners than Swedes. Thus the food in the city is cosmopolitan as well. While I can not say that the food scene is as vibrant as Copenhagen’s, you will find some great eats.

The city is built on 14 islands, at the intersection of Lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. However, most tourists do not discover further than 3-4 islands where most tourist attractions are accumulated.

Stockholm is very beautiful but some might feel that it is not as delightful as they expected. It takes a while to understand and appreciate the charm of this city as it is not evident from the façade. Glamour does not resonate with Stockholm. Instead, everything is programmed to be cleverly simple. Simplicity is seen as the ultimate form of sophistication. Sweden’s mindset of prioritizing a society where everyone is socially & financiallu secure shows itself the fabric of the city. Nothing is sub-standard nor very fancy. Its charm unfolds as you experience the city. The more you understand the fundamentals of the Swedish culture, the more you appreciate Stockholm.

2 Day Stockholm Itinerary

Here are some of the main areas where you  will be spending time:
Gamla Stan: The old town
Sodermalm: Hipster quarter
Djurgarden: Where all the best museums are
Norrmalm: Downtown & shopping street

I think that the best way to plan your 2 days in Stockholm is to spare the first day for exploring the old town and the artsy district of Sodermalm and the next day to see the center and visit some museums.

If shopping is a priority for you, you should know that chain stores such as Zara, H&M, Stadium, and Urban Outfitters are concentrated at Drottninggatan and the area between Sergels Torg and Kungsträdgården (they fall roughly under the circle of Norrmalm). On the other hand, Sodermalm offers design stores and Nordic brands such as Acne and Stutterhaim which are nicer but also more expansive. Finally, there are fewer stores in Sodermalm.

If you want to shop in both areas without rushing, you should consider making the following amendments to our proposed itinerary: Skip the town hall, go directly to the shopping areas, catch a walking tour in Gamla Stan and cross to Sodermalm in the afternoon. A few tips for shopping in Norrmalm: Åhléns City and NK (Nordiska kompaniet) are great department store where you will find a big variety of brands, including Swedish designers. MOOD Stockholm is a popular mall if you prefer to be indoors.

Then you can spend the entire second day museum-hopping on Djurgarden Island.

Where to Stay in Stockholm

It makes the most sense to book a hotel in the areas marked on the map above as that is where you will be spending your time. My favorite neighborhood to stay is  Sodermalm but Norrmalm is the best connected of them all. You can read about where to stay in Stockholm and our specific hotel recommendations here: Where to Stay in Stockholm

Touristic Map of Stockholm

Click to open in GoogleMaps

[column size=one_half position=first ]1. Hötorget
2. Drottninggatan
3. T-centralen
4. Sergel’s Square
5. Hobo Hotel
6. Tak
7. Kungsträdgården Station
8. Kungsträdgården
9. Royal Palace
10. Gamla Stan
11. Stockholm City Hall
12. Sjöcafeet[/column][column size=one_half position=last]13. Nordiska Museum
14. Vasa Museum
15. ABBA The Museum
16. Gröna Lund
17. Skansen
18. Rosendals Trädgård
19. Oaxen Slip
20. Fotografiska
21. Meatballs for the People
22. Södermalm
23. Boulebar
24. Trädgården
25. ThaiBoat[/column]

1st Day: Downtown & Old Town

1. Visit the City Hall

In most cities the most gilded building with be the cathedral but in Stockholm, it is the city hall. I think it is very symbolic of the Swedish political model where power truly lies in the hands of people. As it is an actively used state office building visitors are only allowed to visit with guided tours. Sadly you can not buy your tickets online or in advance, it is on show-up basis. The Nobel banquet also takes place here. The guided tour takes you to Gyllene Salen, the Golden Hall, where the guests, winner, and royalties dance after the dinner admiring 18 million gold mosaic tiles. You can check for tour hours here. Duration: 1 hr. Working Hours: 8.30- 16.00. Click for the location.

Note: It is a bit removed from all the main attractions so if it is going to cost you the time you don’t have, skip it and start your day with Gamla Stan. 

2. Explore Gamla Stan (Old Town)

Gamla Stan, which means old own in English, is where Stockholm was founded in 1252. It is one of Europe’s biggest and best-preserved medieval centers and evidently the heart of tourism in the city.

Join a Free Walking Tour

I highly recommend joining a free walking tour to discover the area. They will take you to all the interesting spots and explain to you how Stockholm evolved to be what it is today. I was pretty shocked to hear that back in the days, the city had no garbage removal system and trash was left to accumulate on the streets. Eventually, the sewage and trash grew so much that it became a hill and part of the old town is built on top of that. On a side note: Today Sweden is leading the world in waste management, recycling 99% of its waste.

Several companies offer free walking tours. They have different start times but I highly recommend catching the 10 am one as you need start early to be able to cover central Stockholm. The duration varies from company to company between 1,5 to 2,5 hours. You need to reserve your spot online. You do not pay for tickets but you are expected to tip around 5-10 euros per person at the end of the trip. Here are some companies:

Nordic Freedom Tours  / Duration: 1,5 – 2 hours
Free Tour Stockholm / Duration: 1,5 – 2 hours
The above two are the most popular. If they are booked out here are the other options:
Free Tour / Duration: 1,5 hours

Discover Gamla Stan On Your Own

Read our Gamla Stan Guide here.

3. Stop for a Fika

Fika is sometimes translated as coffee time but it is an oversimplification. Fika connotes slowing down, making space for quality time over a cup of coffee. And let me say coffee is huge in Sweden. They are among the world’s biggest coffee drinkers with an average of 3-4 cups a day. The widely used explanation is the energy it provides to push through the dark and cold  Swedish winters.

For a proper fika open up time in your schedule and go to a feel-good cafe. I would also recommend pairing your coffee with a kanelbullar, which is Sweden’s traditional cinnamon roll. It looks like a breakfast pastry but that is not how the Swedes eat it. You are very likely to see more tempting desserts such as fudge cake or healthier options such as chia pudding in the window (Swedes also eat a lot of sweets) but why not give kanelbullar a try while you are here?

4. Changing of The Guard at Kungliga Slottet (The Royal Palace), Gamla Stan

Kungliga Slottet is one of the biggest royal palaces that still serves its intended function today. Sweden is a unitary parliamentary democracy meaning that today the monarchy’s role is symbolic and representational. Kunglinga Slottet is their royal palace but they mostly live in te 1981 built Drottningholm Palace just outside Stockholm.

A very popular tourist attraction is to watch the royal changing of the guard ceremony. From April 23 to August 31, it takes place every day at 12.15 at the outer courtyard of the palace, with the exception of Sundays at 13.15. For other seasons you can learn about the change of the guard ceremony hours here.

It is also possible to visit the royal palace. Kungliga Slottet is enormous with 600 rooms and several museums inside. You can buy the entrance tickets which cost 160 Kr online. The guided tours cost another extra 30 Kr but you have to purchase them at the ticket office. You can check for guided tour hours here. Click for the location.

Next it is time to hit the hipsterdom Sodermalm. You can either walk or take a shared scooter.

5. Lunch at Meatballs For The People, Sodermalm

You will be very hungry by the time you make it to Sodermalm so we should first take care of that. There are many nice restaurants in this neighborhood. You will have a range of options from Indian cuisine to oyster bars. If you want to try the Swedish meatballs (no, not IKEA meatballs), head to Meatballs For The People. The classic Swedish meatball are made with mixed minced pork and beef and served with a side of cream sauce, potato purée, lingonberries, and pickled cucumber. If you don’t eat pork, you will be happy to hear that they also have ox, moose, and veal meatball varieties. Click for the location.

If you want to eat something else, I would recommend Nytorget Urban Deli. It is a market/restaurant where you will find local & international specialties like fish stews and oyster happy hours as well as plant-based options like quinoa. It has outside seating near the Nytorger Park which great people-watching spot in the summer. Alternatively, you can go to Nytorget6 which is a jazz bar/ restaurant with modern European cuisine.

6. Stroll Around the Hipster Central: Sodermalm

Welcome to my favorite part of Stockholm! Sodermalm is Stockholm’s artsy bohemian district where you will find vintage shops, Nordic designer boutiques, record stores, healthy cafes, workshops of artisans and artists and people a unique sense of fashion. Awareness and creativity drive this neighborhood. I tried to cram in all the visit-worthy spots here but it took over the article. So I posted a separate Sodermalm Guide. Just keep in mind that most shops close around 6 pm. You are very lucky if you happen to be there on the last Thursday of the month, which is called the SoFo night, when shops host live music and offer drinks until 8 or 9 pm.

7. Fotografiska

Frequently referred to as the Fotografiska Museum is actually not a museum. Rather it is a lightly selective, very well-curated photography exhibition space. You might be surprised to see that I left it to the end of the day. That’s because it stays open as late as 1 am and it has a great restaurant with a great view for dinner.

After having walked around all day you might be getting tired but you should most certainly push yourself to see Fotografiska. Photography Museums rarely excite me but here they put together very creative and powerful exhibits. Many experts say it is the world’s leading centers for modern photography.

If you plan to have dinner here, make sure to reserve. It is also a very popular brunch spot on the weekends or to work during the week. Click for the location.

8. Dinner & Party at Thaiboat or at Boulebar or Trädgården

The Thaiboat is a very charming and yummy dinner option. It is considered to be one of the best Thai restaurants in Europe yet the prices are reasonable for Stockholm standards. Try to book in advance on their website, because it gets very crowded.

It has a deck extension with an artificial beach which is a very popular place for late afternoon drinks. In the winter they put 2 igloos on the deck. Although the view isn’t great, it is a fun and cozy late night option. On some nights they host electronic music parties which continue until 1 am. Click for the location.

Alternatively, you can go to Boulebar in Sodermalm. It is a laid-back outdoor bar where you can play the French game boules, grab a bite or a drink. It is an epidemic in Sweden with 8 locations in Stockholm alone. If you don’t know how the game is played, you can also book a guide to initiate you. Otherwise, you can just go there to chill and watch others play. Do not underestimate the food here, you won’t find just deep-fried finger food but proper yummy meals. Open only in the spring and the summer. Make sure to reserve, especially if you want to play boules. Click for the location.

Finally, another great option is Trädgården. This is probably the hottest place in town. It is a big courtyard under the bridge, where there are ping-pong tables, outdoor parties and a few places to grab a bite. If you want to have a proper sit-down kind of dinner, inside there is a vegan restaurant called Växthuset. If you like electronic music, you might end up having a long night out dancing here. In that case, opting for the burger shack might be more filling. Once the weather gets nasty, they scale the venue down to indoor areas and it pretty much becomes an electro club called Under Bron. You can check out the program here. Click for the location.

9. World’s Longest Gallery: Subway Art

If you decide to skip on the late night-out option or return home before the subway closes at 1 am (on the weekends it can be later), you can squeeze in a few subway galleries. Similar to Moskow, Stockholm’s Tunnelbana is famous for its art displays. When they started building the subway in the 1950s, they decided to make art more accessible by bringing it to public space. Over 90 of the 100 subway stations of the city are decorated with murals, installations, and statues, which became very popular tourist attractions thanks to Instagram.

With that said, I have to admit that the art in some stations is not as striking as some of the others. So here is my personal shortlist of the favorite stations:
– Solna Centrum
– T-Centralen
– Stadion
– Mörby Centrum
– Kungstradgarden

Note: If you are doing our recommendations on your own schedule, keep in mind that taking clean photos is very difficult between 3-6 pm which is the rush hour. 

2nd Day : Djurgarden (Museums) & Norrmalm (Downtown)

If your second day in Stockholm is a Sunday, I have some good and bad news: Sweden doesn’t enforce the blue law (closing on Sundays) like most other European countries. So most malls and shops do work on Sundays, but just with shorter hours. So many shops work between 11  or 12 until 4 – 6 pm. Some smaller shops do not open at all. So Stockholm definitely feels less alive on Sundays which makes it a great museum day.

There are 4 major museums and an entertainment park at Djurgarden. If you skip downtown you could potentially see all the museums but if you want to do both, you will have to choose.
My recommendation is to prioritize Vasa and Skansen museums over the others.

10. Check Out Downtown Stockholm

Stockholm’s hearth pumps in the southern tip of Norrmalm yet I do not find this area very special. I don’t think you will be charmed, it is almost disappointing, but it is still worth a brief visit, just to see what the center of Stockholm looks like. It is also the main shopping area in the city. As I already gave my tips on shopping above, here I will briefly go over the main areas to see:

– Sergels torg is the most central public square of the city. You will see rollerbladers practicing, people chatting on the stairs and so on. But it is mostly a meeting point than a place people spend time at. Click for the location.
– Hötorget, the old hay market, is another major square in the city. It is very vibrant on the weekend thanks to the flea market that has been held here since the 1990s. On Saturdays, you will find  fruits & veggies stalls and on Sundays thrift shops. Click for the location.
– Drottninggatan is the shopping area with the chain stores. Usually, shopping areas are fun and vibrant but it is difficult to say so for Drottninggatan. If you ask me, it is not charming at all. Click for the location.
– Kungsträdgården is the livingroom of Stockholm. When the weather is nice, people come here for picnicking, playing with their kids and mostly to get some sun. Click for the location.

30 mins to 1 hr should be enough to see this area.

11. Lunch at Rosendals Trädgård

One of the best things about Stockholm is how close it is to nature while being one of the world’s leading cities. Located in the midst of a huge park on Djurgarden is Rosendals Trädgård, Stockholm’s leading is a wonderful farm to table garden cafe.

They grow their own organic and biodynamic produce on the site which turns into yummy meals, salads, and sandwiches. Even the bread they serve comes from their in-house bakery. You can either eat at the beautiful greenhouse or outside. They also do workshops on biodynamic cooking and gardening. There is a flower garden where you can pick your own flowers for a bouquet arrangement. It is delicious, healthy and very pleasing to the eye. Strongly recommended! Click for the location.

Note: To get there, cross the Djurgårdsbron bridge and follow the canal. There are some signs on the way.

12. See the Open Air Museum of Skansen

Skansen is an open-air museum where they display an impressive collection of around 150 historical Swedish houses from all around the country. The best part is it is a “living” old village. You can go into these houses and interact with the old-time saddlers or pharmacists, and so on. It is equally fun for kids as for adults.

It was brought to life in 1891 by a visionary teacher called Artur Hazelius. He realized that the traditional way of doing things will soon go extinct. Thus he proposed the creation of a theme park where Swedish life is reenacted for the future generations to see. Today it also has a zoo with Nordic animals such as moose, wolf and lynx.

It closes earlier that the other museums on the island, so I recommend that you make it your first stop.

1 January – 28 February: Weekdays from 10:00-15:00, weekends 10:00-16:00.
1 March – 30 April: Everyday from 10:00-16:00
1 May – 19 June: 10:00-20:00
Double-check working hours here.
Click for the location.

13. Scandinavia’s Most Visited Museum: The Vasa

Welcome to the most visited museum in Scandinavia. Vasa is a warship that capsized and sunk a few minutes after it started of its maiden voyage in 1628. It stayed underwater until 1961. After some years-long painstaking restoration, they managed to put together the world’s only remaining ship of this scale from the 17. century.

King Gustavus Adolphus who made Sweden the biggest power of the north, was at war against Poland-Lithuania. Vasa was one of the 2 ships he ordered his expansion. Sweden, once a great military power, is one of the most pacifist countries today.

Vasa is a must-see in Stockholm regardless of your interest in marine history because it surpasses all expectations. The ship is very impressive but also the museology is also worth a round of applause. There is a free tour with your ticket every half hour if you want to join.

Working hours:
1 September – 31 May: Everyday 10:00-17:00 (Wednesdays until 20:00)
1 June – 31 August: Everyday 8:30-18:00
Expect for holidays:
Click to double-check visiting hours.
Click for the location.

14. If You Have Time Left: Nordiska Museum or ABBA Museum or Kayaking

If you still have some time left before dinner, here are some options:

– Nordiska Museet takes you from a to z about the Swedish culture, ethnography, and history. Click for the location.

– ABBA Museum covers the story of the legendary Swedish band. It has some really features like a piano that is connected to Benny’s piano at home and plays whatever he is playing at the moment. Click for the location.

– Paddle or bike around Djurgården Island! Of the 3 recommendations here, this one is favorite (if the weather permits!). You can rent them from Sjöcafeet which is a popular cafe on the island. You can check out the rental fees from the link. Click for the location.

15. Dinner at Oaxen Krog & Slip

Oaxen, one of Stockholm’s hippest restaurants, is a great place to end the day, especially in the summer because you get extended daylight. It offers 2 venues; the Oaxen Krog which is a fine dining option with 2 Michelin stars, and the cozy Oaxen Slip if you prefer a more laid-back & cheaper option. The Slip is also a popular brunch choice among the Swedes. Make sure to reserve before you go. Click for the location.

–

That is it for 2 days in Stockholm. Of course, there are a million different ways to plan a 2-day itinerary in Stockholm but this is what we think is the best way to cover the highlights in a time-efficient way. You will have covered a big chunk of Stockholm’s best in 2 days but you can easily spend 3-4 days in the city without getting bored. Especially if you are coming in the summer, I would recommend taking 3 days. That way you can take it slow and also make time to enjoy nature which is one of Stockholm’s biggest assets.

More Days In Stockholm? Check These Out

16. Quick Photo at Stadsbiblioteket (National Library)

Stadsbiblioteket, a branch of the national library, carries over 1 million books in over 100 languages. It is a typical example of the Nordic Classicism from the 1920s. So it is no Hogwarts, instead, you will find a very clean, peaceful and accessible design which norms pretty much became the pillars of all later Swedish design from furniture to clothing. With that said, we have to note that there is not much to do here for tourists besides taking a quick photo. Click for the location.

As it is a bit off of all the tourist attractions, you might consider skipping it unless you have a special interest in design or Instagrammable spots. The working hours also don’t help planning much: Monday – Friday: 10 am – 9 pm (except Tuesday at 12 pm), Saturday – Sunday 11 am to 5 pm, and is closed on holidays.

17. Rooftop Tour

This is a very cool way to explore Stockholm for those who are not afraid of heights. As the name implies, you will be walking on a roof with a beautiful view. Needless to say, you are secured in with climbing gear. The guide explains to you about the history of Stockholm from the rooftop. However, to set your expectations right, I must also warn you that you walk only a short stretch on the Parliament building at Riddarholmen. It costs 65 Euros and it can be booked at Takvandring. Click for the location.

18. Ice Skate Stockholm

One of the coolest activities in the winter is to explore the Baltic Sea in Stockholm’s Archipelago or Lake Mälaren (the 5th largest lake in Europe) by ice-skates! It is a full day activity, taking 8-9 hours so it is the hand in hand romantic skidding in Central Park. If that sounds a bit intense, you can take the 3-4 hour beginner package which requires no previous experience. Check out Stockholm Adventure‘s ice-skating tours before global warming replaces it with scuba diving. Click for the location.

19. Subway Art Tour

As I briefly explained above, the Stockholm subway is famous as the world’s longest art gallery. There is a free guided tour you can take which explains you the art, artists, and the “cave station” architecture. You only pay for your subway ride. This is a warm activity for those coming in the winter. Check out meeting times & places here.

20. Island-hopping

One of Stockholmers favorite summer activities is to go island-hopping. The city itself consists of 14 islands but that is nothing compared to the archipelago it is in. Many people own cabins on the water where they go for a peaceful weekend. A day trip will usually suffice but if you need a retreaat you can book a hotel in one of the islands. Thanks to its proximity to Stockholm and its historical castle, Vaxholm is one of the most popular islands. You can learn about the other islands at Stockholm Archipelago, and make sure to check their food recommendations before you head out. Also when you are buying a ticket or a pass, remember to ask for a Waxholmsbolaget’s island-hopping map. Click for the location.

21. Drottningholm Palace

Drottningholm Palace is where the royal family resides. It is also one of the only 3 World Heritage Sites in Stockholm. It was built in the 17th century in French style but many refinements and changes were made over the years. The 18th century Palace Theatre is one of the most important highlights. It is still being used for performances. Another big highlight is the Rococo – oriental style Chinese Pavilion. Like many other European nations in the 18th century, Sweden also had an East India Company for trading with Asia which allowed many oriental goods such as the furniture and porcelains in this pavilion to be brought to here. Click here to see work hours or to buy tickets online. Click for the location.

22. Open-air club Trädgården

I really hope that you are coming to Stockholm in the summer because many of the most fun things in the city are available (or at least enjoyable) for from May to September, such as rooftop bars, island-hopping or outdoor entertainment venues.

I already mentioned Trädgården so I will move on to my other recommendations:
– Slakthuset is a rooftop bar and an electronic dance music Nightclub situated in an old slaughterhouse in Stockholm’s meatpacking district. Click for the location.
– Tak is another hot restaurant and rooftop bar in Norrmalm. Click for the location.

23. Gröna Lund

Djurgården is also home to Gröna Lund, which is an amusement park with great views. All Stockholmers have teary-eyed childhood memories here, either from excitement or fear. My family and their friends with kids would meet here, sit at a table all day while sipping beer and enjoying the luxury of a kids-free conversation. And us kids would be even happier, jumping from one ride to the other. There are rides for all ages; carousels and teacups for the little ones and state of the art roller coasters and giant drops for the older ones. If you are looking for something to do with kids, I would recommend planning Gröna Lund and Skansen for the same day. Click for the location.

24. Millesgarden

Away from it all is this art-induced zen cacoon of artist Carl Milles and his wife Olga Milles. They wanted to live in an artsy house. So they bought this plot, built a house and a studio on it and made a sculpture garden where you can see Carl Milles’s works. Click for the location.

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Before reading this, I would recommend reading our article titled What Happens At Burning Man.  In order to understand why you need to such preparations, you first need to know how Burning Man works. The preparations explained here are based on the information shared in the other article.

Let’s start with the most basic question: How do we find tickets?

1. Burning Man Tickets

In terms of Burning Man preparations, our first order of business was to follow the dates for ticket sales. The tickets go on sale in multiple stages. They try to improve the ticketing system every year, so these stages may vary. Here is how it worked this year–please note that this may be subject to change in the years to come:

1. Directed Group Sale

First, tickets were sold directly to the camps at Burning Man. This is done to give priority to the groups who enrich and give life to this place. Some of them have unbelievably big investments such as art cars, facilities, decorations, etc. Before opening sales to the public, camps were offered priority access to the tickets in order to ensure they weren’t left out. Apparently, 50,000 tickets are sold at this stage, for $425 per ticket + service fees, which adds up to roughly $480.

2. Main Sale

– Tickets go on sale in April.
– First you need to open a Burner profile on Burning Man’s website. You can’t buy a ticket if you don’t have a Burner account.
– Each person can buy two tickets at most.
– Tickets cost about $480 at this stage.
– If you plan to arrive by car, you also need to buy a $100 vehicle pass.
– They only accept Mastercard and Visa.
– In addition, you can only pay once using the same credit card.
– Around 23,000 tickets are sold at this stage.

IMPORTANT: Be online & already logged in the minute sales open. It’s really a matter of milliseconds. Of course this doesn’t guarantee a ticket but at least you are increasing your chances.

3. The OMG Sale 

A bunch of additional tickets are released in July. At this stage the tickets cost $550.

Those who wish enroll in the OMG sale first have to register for the sale on Burning Man’s website.  Last BM, the registration period was between July 24-26 and the sale took place on July 31.  If you miss the registration period you can not attend the sale.

4. Ticket Resale

People who bought tickets but aren’t able to go can return their tickets to Burning Man. They are put on sale on the BM website. This is the last chance to buy tickets.

Those looking for tickets enter their credit card information in the BM system and the system automatically matchs them with returned tickets on a first-come first-served basis.

IMPORTANT: You buy the tickets online, but unfortunately they don’t send them to you digitally; they send them to you via mail. Make sure they are sent to an address where it is unlikely for the tickets to be stolen/lost. Even if you have proof of purchase, you won’t be able to enter without the actual tickets.

Other Ways to Find Tickets

Low Income Tickets – There is a discount ticket program to include people from different income levels. Tickets cost $210 each. You can apply in April.

Volunteering – If you volunteer to work for Burning Man for a certain amount of time (60 hours, I think) you get a free ticket.

Black Market – Some people who have no intention of going, buy tickets to sell them on the black market. For instance, a Burner from Berlin whom we met on our flight to the U.S. had paid $1,200 for a ticket. And a friend of his had paid $1,700! This is one of the things that worry Burning Man; they don’t want the tickets to turn into commodities, as decommodification is one of its fundamental principles. Don’t buy tickets off the black market. You may actually end up with a fake ticket which the scanners at the Burning Man entrance won’t recognize.

Well, what other expenses are there? You might want to sit down first because this is only the beginning of the money you are going to spend.

2. The Total Cost of Going to Burning Man

– Standard ticket : $450

– Vehicle pass : $100

– Camp fee :  Assuming you have read our other article mentioned above, I won’t explain what the camp fee is again. For those who are too lazy to read, it is your share of your camp’s expanses. The cheapest camps cost around $120-150 per person, some go up to $2,000, depending on the scope and contents of the camp. As for plug-and-play camps, they cost $10,000.

– Accommodation: Camper vans start from $5,000 per week, shiftpods cost $800-1,300, and tents start from $40 and go as high as $1,000.

– Airfare : Burning Man is planned to include the Labor Day weekend, a public holiday in the U.S. So, plane tickets are more expensive than usual. The nearest airport is in Reno, Nevada.

– Car rental & gas

– Car wash :  $100

– Outfits : If you plan to rent, they cost about $85. If you plan to buy, there is no limit…

– Food & Drinks : Depends on how much and what you eat. We spent $120 per person on our food for the week.

– Bike: $100

– Gifts: We brought with us 500 evil eye beads from Turkey (the traditional evil eye beads, usually made out of blue glass in the shape of an eye, are believed to protect you from evil and envious eyes and keep negative energy out of your way). We also filled up two water guns with sunscreen to offer to people. This cost about $70. You could do less, or much more.

TOTAL: Usually it costs about $1,300-5,000 per person (excluding airfare).

3. Are You Joining a Theme Camp?

Theme camps are pretty much survival units and your family at Burning Man. You live together, eat together, party together and work together. Joining a camp comes with a lot of benefits and responsibilities. Read about Theme Camps at Burning Man to know what to expect, how things work and how to join them.

Because our friend who invited us to Burning Man has been coming here with the same crew for several years, so we were able to join their camp. This provided us with a shared kitchen and a lounge, a shared meal we cooked together every evening, a bar where we served pickle juice and whiskey as a gift to the community, and a facial mask party but our camp didn’t have an art car.

Of course all of these preparations cost something. On top of the evident costs such as food, there are other less visible costs such as transport and storage of the camp’s items. All costs are summed up and then divided among members. At our camp it cost about $190 per person which is very low for BM’s standarts. Our other friends at another camp were paying $2000 per person.

Ours was one of the more minimalistic camps. We had 1 shared meal a day with usually something simple like pasta and salad while some camps had 3 shared meals with extensive buffets. We had no generator, thus no fridge. There are camps that prefer to set up a generator, provide a fridge and even air-conditioning. Some bring their own toilets and set up shared showers, set up fresh and wastewater tanks, etc. The larger the package, the more expenses you have.

You don’t have to join a camp to attend Burning Man. You can come on your own and set up a tent, but it would be much more challenging to survive. Also it is really beautiful to share this experience with the camp members.

4. Year-Long Preparations by Camps

If you are in a camp, a year-long preparation process awaits you. As you know, at Burning Man the performances and events are organized by the participants, mostly by the camps. It is a part of the gifting culture here.

The camps start working months in advance to plan & craft their gifts. They build art cars and lounges, prepare shows or games, etc… I think art cars are among the best gifts the camps offer. It has a huge impact on making Burning Man a magical place. But it is a very costly gift. Most art cars are modified from vehicles. So they invest in a vehicle, in a work-shop for the modification of the vehicle, and also in the modification itself. Much money and time is spent preparing these gifts.

But don’t be overwhelmed, a gift could be as large as building an ice castle in the middle of the desert, or as simple as teaching chess or braiding someone’s hair.

To generate funds to cover these expenses, camp members organize fundraising activities such as parties, BBQs or garage sales throughout the year. As a member of the camp you are expected to contribute to these events. If you live overseas like us, evidently that’s not possible. But instead, you may offer a monetary contribution to your camp or offer to contribute by working more than other members during Burning Man.

In addition to these collective efforts, the following are the preparations you must do on your own:

5. Are You Ready for Burning Man?

5.1 Accommodation

Camper Van – Without a doubt, the most comfortable option is staying in a camper van. It has a bathroom and a kitchen, a wastewater management system… You can also use its built-in air conditioning if you bring a generator. 30% of Burning Man participants prefer camper vans. But rental companies tend to jack up their prices around the time of Burning Man. So rental fees start from $5,000 per week.

Shiftpod – The second best alternative is the shiftpod, a huge yurt made of materials produced by NASA. It’s so tall that you can easily stand up inside it and its insulation is a thousand times better compared to a regular tent. It’s super easy to set up, too. Inside we put an inflatable bed. It was very comfortable. We highly recommend it.

Tent – The least comfortable and the cheapest option is staying in a regular tent. In desert conditions, a tent may be somewhat challenging, but it is still a very popular option.

Please note that the nights are pretty cold at the desert. You definitely need a comforter or a good sleeping bag to keep warm.

5.2 Water & Water Containers

– You have to bring all the water you need for drinking, cleaning, etc your very self. It is recommended to bring a gallon (6 liters) of water per person per day, but that wasn’t enough for us. I think you should bring minimum 8 liters of water per person per day.

– Don’t forget that you will need to bring back all your wastewater, as well as all unused clean water. Those who don’t have shared showers or wastewater storage systems at their camps usually bring inflatable pools and take showers in them. The water shouldn’t touch the soil. Some of the water evaporates from the pool, but most of it remains. You put the remaining water in containers and take it back home with you. To have warm water for shower, you can simply leave your water bins outside, it will warm up in a few hours. So, finding hot water will not be a problem.

– When you leave the camp to go the playa or anywhere, you should take 2-3 liters of water with you. We used a CamelBack, which was very convenient, but you can also use other kinds of water containers.

– You should also have a shatterproof (e.g. metal) cup in your bag at all times. There will be free drinks and beverages served all around you, but you’ll need to bring your own cup.

– If you run out of water while at the playa, no matter how far you are, you must go back to your camp for a refill. The sand at the playa sucks up the water in your body. You may get dehydrated without even realizing it.

5.3 Food

– You have to bring all your meals with you. We usually brought easy-to-prepare meals like instant soups and chili. But aside from that, pretty much any time of the day, you will find some camp offering free food.

– If you are arriving from the direction of SFO, we would recommend buying your food in Reno, the closest major city. This way your food will stay fresh and you can also delay putting ice in the cooler to save yourself sometime.

– If your camp does not have a shared kitchen, you should also bring your own stove, pots, pans and dishwashing equipment.

IMPORTANT: Usually there is a lot of traffic at the entrance and exit of Burning Man. Sometimes you spend an entire day waiting in line. We suggest adding 2 extra days when planning for your food and water. Make sure to have some food and water ready to consume in the car.

5.4 Cooler & Ice

– 10 days is a long time to live on canned food. So you’ll sometimes want to have some fresh vegetables and fruits to eat. If you fill up a good cooler with ice, it lasts for about 5 days. You can find packs of ice at any supermarket in the U.S. In our experience, it works the best to put the ice bags into the cooler unopened. They last a little bit longer this way.

– There are only three things you can buy at Burning Man: Ice, coffee and tea. If your ice melts you can buy new ice.

5.5 Bike / Segway / Scooter / Boosted Board

Black Rock City is an immense place. It might take about 1-2 hours to walk from one end to the other. That’s why everyone brings their own vehicle. Bikes are by far the most common vehicle. Electrical scooters, boosted boards, etc. are also preferred. But you would also need a generator to charge these.

Usually the dust of the playa eats up bikes (and everything else for that matter). So, you need a bike that can survive in the desert:
– Beach cruiser is the best option. Mountain bikes are OK, too, but I wouldn’t prefer them as the sand/dust tends to eat up the mechanism and wiring.
– Don’t take a good bike, because you’ll end up destroying it. And don’t take a flimsy bike, because it will break. Burning Man warns to stay away from bikes from department stores or anywhere else that sells white labeled bikes because in their experience those are the ones that break down most often. Get your bike from a company that actually produces bikes.

If you are looking to buy, these are the options they recommend:
a) A new $100 3-speed beach cruiser.
b) A used $100 beach cruiser, mountain bike or electrical scooter that was originally $500 when new.
c) Craigslist and Facebook are commonly used to find used bikes.

If you are looking to rent:
If you are planning to rent, do it well in advance and secure your ride. Don’t wait until the last minute and think you’ll figure it out on the way, because places may run out of bikes. Even if you have a reservation for a rental, make sure to get there early so will have options to choose from.

– Reno Bike Project : Reno, the closest major city, is a 2-hour drive from Burning Man. Here you can find second-hand bikes designed for Burning Man. If you buy a new bike, you have to assemble it yourself, like a piece of Ikea furniture, or you can have it sent and assembled here.

– Playa Bike Repair: A camp within Burning Man. They generate funds to rent out bikes and repair bikes at the playa. You can make reservations online. Make your reservations early; because either they run out of places, or their prices skyrocket like last-minute flights.

– Hammer and Cyclery is another organization that rents out bikes and offers free repairs at the playa. If you don’t want to take your bike back with you, you may donate it to them. They have an initiative called More Than a Bicycle and they ship donated bikes to Africa.

–  Burner Bikes LLC – An affordable bike rental place located at 12 km from the playa. burnerbikesllc@icloud.com

– Of course, there are also shared bikes at the playa. But it’s so important to have a bike, we don’t recommend leaving it up to chance.

Personalizing Your Bike
Your vehicle should also be a part of your BM personality. You should radically express yourself through your vehicle, just like you do through your outfit. This is why everyone adorns and personalizes their vehicles. While dressing your bikes with lights is an absolute necessity, I highly recommend going the extra mile to decorate your bike more creatively.

Lights are a must for your safety, but if you only have lights and nothing else, your bike will look stark naked in the daytime. Believe us, we felt pretty lame out there. Also the bikes get mixed up all the time! Personalizing is also useful to prevent that, but you should still write your name on your bike just in case!

I also highly recommend using a bike basket, it’s very handy for carrying your stuff.

Repairs – There are free repair stations at the playa. But you may want to be prepared just in case they run out of materials or your bike needs special parts. It turns out every year 4,000 bikes, which is one in every 18 bikes, break down at the playa.

5.6 Lights

In addition to the lighting your camp, you should definitely bring lights to illuminate yourself and your bike, otherwise you will get hit by someone. For bikes, I love monkey lights (they’re very cute and even though they’re attached to the wheels they also light the way ahead) but anything works. The more lighting you have, the better. Because you won’t always be on a bike, you should definitely illuminate yourself as well.

I would also recommend accessories like LED gloves, capes or strings. It’s so much fun to play with them in the deep dark desert. Make sure to bring extra batteries! They run out fast!

5.7 Outfits

You may have noticed that people at Burning Man look like they just popped out of a video game or Mad Max. You would feel absolutely bland and boring in your everyday clothes. Outfits are the most essential elements of self-expression and people allocate serious amounts of time and money to dress creatively.

Finding an outfit – It’s quite easy to find outfits for those who reside in the U.S. There are numerous options available online. You can always find unusual pieces at thrift stores as well.

If you live in a country where self-expression is very limited, you can order online from the US. Dolls Kill was my favorite; they have great stuff for both women and men.

Things to consider when picking an outfit – The nights are pretty cold and it gets too hot during the daytime. You end up wearing a swimsuit and a fur coat on the same day. Which means, you need two outfits per day, one for hot weather, one for cold. We found that while it is possible to wear the night outfits are several times, daytime outfits are wearable once or twice because you sweat so much throughout the day. Keep this in mind when you are planning for outfits.

There is obviously no limit to self-expression, you can also wander around naked if you want to.

When I was there, I personally wished I had brought more sparkly or illuminated things to wear. That would be my suggestion for both men and women.

Gloves – Your hands get very cold when riding a bike at night. It’s a good idea to wear gloves.

Shoes – Don’t even think about wearing flip flops or sandals because the dust of the playa is unlike anything you have seen before. It is impossible to rinse the dust off with water. It sticks to your skin and it dries it up. If you walk around in flip flops, there is a good chance that in a few days the skin of your feet will crack and bleed. So, definitely pick shoes that will protect your feet. We chose to wear boots day and night because they are durable. Also make sure to pick something that is easy to put on and take off, otherwise, it will drive you nuts each time you go in and out of your tent.

Backpacks – You will need a backpack to carry the essentials you want to have with you at all times, such as water, sunscreen, lip balm, snacks, goggles, flashlight, and a cup. Take a good look at this list, as you will want to have these things with you at all times.

Burner Bazaar – We flew to San Francisco, took a friend’s car and drove to Burning Man via Reno. Because most participants arrive from the direction of San Francisco, there are small bazaars set up along the way. Pack all your essentials before you leave, but you can check out these bazaars for the additional fun stuff.

Important – Ethnic outfits would fit the Burning Man atmosphere very well, but appropriating other cultures’ clothes or symbols as accessories may be offensive and perceived as disrespect for that culture.

Costume Theme Days

There are 3 theme days if you want to dress accordingly:

Billion Bunny March – As you can tell from the name, everyone dresses up as bunnies.
Tutu Tuesday – On Tuesday, men, women, everyone wears colorful tutus.
White Wednesday – Everyone dresses in white.

Costume theme days are fun but it is not something everyone strictly adheres to. So, don’t stress out if you don’t have something to wear, but it’s fun if you do. New Burners tend to be more into these. Some of the themes may sound “feminine”, but Burning Man is not a gender-normative place, everyone goes along with the themes regardless of gender.

5.8 Gas/Fuel

– If you are driving from the direction of SFO, your safest bet is to fill up your tank at the gas station in Fernley, which is about a 2-2.5 hour drive to Burning Man. If you can, also fill up an extra container. There’s also a closer gas station in Nixon, but it’s not always open. If it is open, fill up your tank there as well.

– The reason we insist on filling up the tank whenever you get a chance is that the heavy traffic at the Burning Man entrance and exit eats up the gas. Entering/exiting the area alone may take up to 12 hours.

5.9 Get Ready for the Sandstorm

The dust is unavoidable. Sometimes the storms get so bad that you can’t see beyond your nose. You should bring a pair of goggles and a scarf to wrap around your face. The playa dust contains hazardous, cancerogenic substances. When storms break out, it’s a good idea to wear a carbon filter mask. We bought ours on Amazon. I’d say pack two per person.

5.10 Personal Care

The sun and the dust are your biggest enemies at the playa. Together they really dry up your skin. The playa dust is really weird, it doesn’t come off with wet wipes or water. Vinegar is the most effective solution. It is recommended to pour some vinegar into the box of wet wipes to clean both your body and your stuff. If you have shower facilities, soap water also helps.

All in all, your skin will get very dry. You should apply lip balms and moisturizers every day. Also, make sure to wear a hat and lots of sunscreen.

5.11 There is No Cell Phone Reception

Before you arrive notify your office, tell your mom and dad: THERE IS NO CELL PHONE RECEPTION AT BURNING MAN!

In the previous years, they used to set up base stations and the cellular network worked just fine. They no longer do to make sure people stay in the moment. This is actually very liberating. You will feel as light as a feather, but you should take care of all your communication needs before you arrive.

In case of an emergency, go to Burning Man staff, they have Internet for certain staff members. They will help you out. Your other option is to exit Burning Man and get away to a 10-20 minute distance, where you’ll have reception again. But they charge $20 per person for each entry and exits to avoid unnecessary traffic with people going in and out just to post stuff on social media.

5.12 Download “Time to Burn” Before You Arrive

They give you a booklet upon entry. It usually covers the major events such as “sunrise set at Mayan Warrior.” But it is not a very detailed guide and you can’t find some essential information such as the places that give out food and drinks in there. The Burning Man app is the most comprehensive source of information, but because there is no Internet inside, you should download it on your phone before you arrive.

5.13 Other

Rake – When you leave Burning Man, you are supposed to remove all MOOP from your campsite, including even the tiniest piece of glitter. To do that, you first rake the sand, sort out the stones and pebbles, and then you inspect them to see whether there is anything else among them. Everyone has rakes, you can easily borrow one, but it takes forever for your turn to come! Bringing along the widest rake you can find will save you a lot of time. You will get done as soon as possible and be on your way to avoid the traffic.

Lots and lots of XXL size trash bags.

Gorilla tape – the fix all your problems.

Powerbank.

Write your name and camp address on all your stuff. If you lose them, they magically find their way back to you! Burning Man also recommends setting your name and camp address as your phone’s wallpaper. A clever thing to do.

Where Is Burning Man At and How to Get There

Where Do We Fly To?

Black Rock City (BRC) – Where Burning Man takes place. A private temporary airport set up in the desert, but there are no international flights. The information for local flights can be found here.

Reno –  The closest major city, about a 2-hour drive from BRC. There is an airport here (Reno -Tahoe). There are no international flights, but you can find connecting flights via other U.S. cities.

You can rent a car in Reno to drive to BRC, or you may take the Burner Express.

San Francisco (SFO) – SFO is the closest international airport to BRC. We chose to fly here. From there you can get to BRC via the Burner Express or your private vehicle.

Burner Express

Buses from San Francisco and Reno to Burning Man are pretty expensive. Moreover, it’s impossible to fit into them the tons of stuff that you need to take with you to Burning Man. Consider them only if you have someone who is bringing your stuff for you. The upside is, they directly enter Burning Man without waiting for the long lines forming at the entrance.

Renting a Vehicle or a Camper Van

You need to take a lot of stuff to Burning Man. Because it’s impossible to fit two people and their stuff into a standard passenger vehicle, people usually rent a pick-up truck or a U-Haul truck. Another option is getting a trailer to pull with your car.

The most comfortable option is the camper van for sure. If you plan to rent a camper van, or any other type of vehicle for that matter, you should be expecting to pay beyond the regular rental fees. Because;
1) Burning Man overlaps with Labor Day;
2) The Burning Man dust is unlike any other you have seen before. It has a sticky, lime dust-like quality and it doesn’t come off with water. When they hear you are renting for Burning Man, cleaning fees instantly pile up. Don’t try to hide it when you are renting, because no matter how much you clean up, that dust will reveal itself.

Don’t forget to buy a vehicle pass.

Entering Burning Man

The gates open on Sunday. The first few days, you might be facing an extremely long line at the entrance. And by extremely long, I mean waiting for 12-15 hours. So, you should come with your lunch, etc. prepared. They set up a couple of porta-potties along the way, but not that many. So use them whenever you see one. While you are waiting, tune in to Burning Man Information Radio (94.5 FM). It provides you with a constant flow of information on waiting times and procedures.

Because we entered the area on Wednesday, we didn’t experience any traffic.

Orientation & Finding Addresses

How do you find your camp, friends, events in a temporary city with a population of 80,000 set up in the middle of the desert? Burning Man has its own address system. For instance, our camp’s address 8.45 & C.

The Man in the center of the playa and the Temple, which I have indicated with a star above, are the two biggest and most visible things at the playa. You draw a mental line that passes through them. The end that extends towards the camps is at 6 o’clock; the other end extending towards deep playa is at 12. This way, you can tell directions. The streets of the camp are formed in concentric crescents, which are named alphabetically from A to Z, starting in the middle and progressing outwards. To avoid any miscommunication, people usually spell them out with words, C as in Cupid, E as in Echo, so on and so forth.

Most of the points of reference you see at the playa are mobile. When you stop, try to lock your bike at a stationary installation and pay attention to the time slice it is located at.

Burning Man Rituals

The Man Burn

There is no doubt that burning of The Man is the best known Burning Man ritual. It happens on Saturday, the night before the last day. 70,000-80,000 people form a gigantic circle around it to watch. Artcars form another circle around the people sitting on the ground. As lights and music emanate from all of them, The Man is burned accompanied by fireworks.

Temple Burn

The Temple is the most emotional place at Burning Man. A friend of ours had told us he started crying when he entered, and at the time it didn’t make much sense to us. But once I was there, my eyes welled up with tears, too. When you enter the Temple, you leave the joyful atmosphere of BM and face how much pain there is in the world.

The temple is a place dedicated to loved ones people have lost. People prepare remembrances for those they miss and leave them here. Some made photo collages for lost spouses, some brought their father’s hat, and they have written long letters to them. They have expressed how they miss them, their regrets, all that is left unfinished. This is also a place to bury the pain you want to eliminate from your life. For example someone who is fighting with cancer brought the apparatus she has to wear, another whose wife has cheated on him brought her underwear, another who can’t forgive himself for what he did to his loved ones brought their photos and wrote he’s sorry on them, and there are many other examples.

On Sunday, the last day of Burning Man, they burn the Temple to symbolically end all the pain. Once again, all burners make a 70,000-80,000 person circle around it and art cars line up behind them. This time there is no music or talking. You listen to the crackling of the wood in the deep silence of the desert. And to those who are softly weeping and sniffling after their loved ones.

Lamplighters

The road to “The Man” needs to be illuminated with lanterns every night. In 1993, this turned into a tradition. Every year 1,000 people volunteer to for this task. It has a symbolic meaning, just like the Olympic torch. If it is your first time at Burning Man and you don’t know what to volunteer for, this is the right place to start. You can find the information for volunteering here.

Post-Burning Man : Decompression

If you fly back right after you leave Burning Man, you will be so depressed. So people have come up with rituals to gently ease into real life after Burning Man, which is known as “decompression”.

Before we get into these rituals, let’s quickly talk about the hustle and bustle of leaving BRC: After the burning of the Temple on Sunday evening, Burning Man starts closing down. But the exit traffic begins earlier, on Saturday. Despite hitting the road early Sunday morning, it took us 6.5 hours to get to Reno, which is normally a 2-hour drive. So, we would recommend getting on the road in the early hours of the morning to avoid the exit traffic.

Once you get in line, tune into Burning Man Information Radio (94.5 FM) at once. They announce  the expected waiting times so you can guess how long you’ll be waiting in traffic for.

Arriving In Reno: The first decompression ritual is staying in one of the burner friendly hotels in Reno. Here is what burner friendly means:
– They take all the trash you have brought with you (You can not dispose your trash anywhere, you have to take them to specific locations and pay. So this is a huge service that they are providing)
– They have high-pressure air nozzles at the hotel entrance to remove your dust (true story)
– They have burner pool parties.

But of course, the best part is that while you get to enjoy the comforts of returning to the civilization like the warm showers and spring mattresses, you are still not completely detached from the Burning Man community. On the streets, in the hotel, everyone still keeps wearing their Burning Man outfits. People usually stay for two nights, on Monday and Tuesday, but one day was enough for us, because Reno is like a small version of Las Vegas and to be honest I’m not a big fan of these factory-like casino hotels. Nevertheless, it felt so good because Burning Man had kicked my butt. The two most preferred hotels are Grand Sierra Resort and Sands. Try to get a room in one of these.

Lake Tahoe: The second decompression ritual is to go to heaven on earth, Lake Tahoe after a night in Reno. Tahoe is so beautiful and serene that many other natural wonders would pale in comparison.

If you can go to Reno and stay in the Grand Sierra Resort or Sands for a day. Get cleaned up, eat out, get your trash taken care of, hang out with fellow Burners another day.  The next day go to Tahoe either on a day trip or for an extended stay.

Few skip Reno altogether and go to Tahoe right away after Burning Man. In my opinion, Reno is a much-needed pitstop but everyone has different priorities. Withthat siad if you end up having to choose between the two, go to Tahoe. It’s a gorgeous place. We couldn’t get enough of swimming in the lake and taking walks in the forest. If you go there, make sure to rent a canoe from Sand Harbor. Secret Bay is the most beautiful bay, but if nudity is not your thing, it may not be the right choice for you.

You can book a house on Airbnb here. It makes more sense if you are a crowded group because the houses are quite huge and expensive to rent on your own.

I guess that’s all the Burning Man advice we have to offer! Happy burn!

The post THE COMPLETE BURNING MAN GUIDE FOR FIRST TIMERS – TICKETS, PREPARATIONS & MORE appeared first on Biz Evde Yokuz.

I said this to explain that no matter how wide the attendance to Burning Man from around the world is, it is still a very San Francisco based event. And we all know that San Francisco is something else. Since the summer of love in 1963, it has been sending ripples of art & love-fueled revolution across the world. From the hippies to the anti-Vietnam protests and the African-American revolutionary movement the Black Panthers, San Francisco has been home to many leading counter-culture movements.

The development of Silicon Valley has brought a different kind of revolutionaries into the cultural fabric of San Francisco. Some of the biggest tech game-changers in the world such as Airbnb, Facebook, Pinterest, Google, WhatsApp are here.

With the two revolutionary forces coming together, the city has become the world’s greatest center of innovation and creativity. San Francisco is a futuristic dynamo of revolution with a hippie soul and an engineer’s mind. And that is exactly what you see at Burning Man both in attendance and spirit.

Everybody Is Here, from Hippies to Google, Facebook, SpaceX and Other Tech Giants

I met with many people from NGOs, firefighters, masseurs, teachers, hippies, and artists. Basically people from all walks of life. However, it is an undeniable fact that the cost of attending Burning Man forces a natural selection so they are not the most represented professions in my personal experience.

The real statistics could be very different in reality but most of the random people I met were from the tech circles.  For instance, Elon Musk (SpaceX), Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg are some of the tech bosses who attend Burning Man. You won’t believe how much the feeling of the playa resembles the cyberspace.

As a matter of fact, while looking for a new CEO, Google founders Larry and Sergey took their candidate Eric Schmidt to Burning Man to test him. There they observed his adaptation skills, how he works with the team, how open he is to change and how he deals with difficult conditions and then hired him. If you are interested, you can read more about it here.

Is It True That Burning Man Is Becoming Increasingly More Elite?

Here are some numbers that demonstrate how participants are becoming more elite:
According to a study, in 2004 61% of the participants had at least a college degree, and this figure grew to 67% by 2013. Meanwhile only 29% of the general U.S. population has a college degree or higher.

Naturally, the participants’ income level also got higher: As of 2004, the annual income of 11% of the participants was $100,000 or more. This increased to 21% by 2013. Here is the article if you’d like to read it.

CNBC reported that the median annual income of participants was $60,000 in 2017.

Burning Man and Celebrities

https://www.instagram.com/p/B19rDJCndhu/

Often we hear about celebrities who attended Burning Man. Everybody is welcomed to attend Burning Man, but its association with these celebrities paint an image of Burning Man as an exclusive playground for the jet set. Another result of this association is that sometimes people tend to project their impression of a celebrity on Burning Man. This is enhanced by the media which loves to cherrypick the juicy parts of any event.

While I do think that there is a mismatch between Burning Man’s true spirit and the way it is percieved because of the celebrities, it does not mean they don’t belong here. Many popular figures attend Burning Man. In addition to the famous tech bosses, stars like Susan Sarandon and Will Smith, Paris Hilton, Victoria’s Secret models also come to Burning Man. Under their costumes that they enjoy a relieving anonymity here. I would imagine that blending in with the rest of society is a rare luxury for them. And they love Burning Man for it. Here is the photo Diplo, Paris Hilton and Blondish took together at Burning Man.

Reactions to the Rich People Who Don’t Follow the Burning Man Principles

As more and more wealthy people are attending Burning Man each year, rich camps known as the Billionaire’s row started to emerge. By many their percieved as a threat to the Burning Man spirit and principles, so there were some backlashes.

The Backlashes

Burning Man is the most effortful and inconvenient thing in the world to participate in. You can’t just buy a ticket and go to Burning Man. The preparation process takes months. Throughout the year, camps organize events (BBQs, movie nights, tours, etc.) to raise money for their Burning Man expenses; design their works of art and gifts to offer to the Burning Man community and take care of the entire infrastructure of the camp, from generators to furniture. They do it together with all the camp members. There is a great culture of solidarity and collaborative production around Burning Man.

And the effort doesn’t end there. When you get to Burning Man, you get a completely empty land allocated to your camp where you set up all your facilities together as a team. This takes a few days. Oh, and there is the traffic to enter the area, which can take up to 20+ hours. When you’re in the desert, every day is a struggle with all sorts of deprivation. There is no electricity nor running water to you need to cook, clean yourself, etc. Burning Man takes a lot of effort, but this is exactly where its spirit lies.

Burning Man CEO Goodell said, “Burning Man is anything but convenient, and therein lies its transformative potential!” People are indeed reborn from their ashes in the harsh conditions of the desert.

Burning Man Shuts Down Turnkey Luxury Camps

For years, there has been a big discussion about wealthy people hiring teams to set up camps with the luxury and comfort of their homes. These were referred to as turnkey or plug-and-play camps. When their owners arrive, they are met with their cooled-down rooms, warm meals, and entire camps set and ready to go. The word is that they also hire cleaning personnel and chefs.

Throwing money and buying their way into this process (apparently, it costs them about $10,000) violate many Burning Man principles such as  radical self-reliance, decommodification and communal effort. They are also criticized for putting barriers around their camps to close themselves to visitors. Some think that it damages the feeling of unity and brings in the class differences to place. Normally at Burning Man, you could ask politely to eat, drink, stay and use the facilities in camps that aren’t yours. This is what the Burning Man culture is like. So the turnkey camps are believed to threaten the Burning Man values.

In 2018, Burning Man shut down the billionaire camp called Humano the Tribe for not complying with the environmental rules and issued warnings to 12 other camps. According to Mashable this camp cost up to $100,000 per person. Well, we should also keep in mind that the media tend to exaggerate these kinds of things.

Burning Man Is Looking for Ways to Include the Wealthy Without Discrimination

At the same time, another significant Burning Man principle is radical inclusion. Nobody should be presured because they are millionaires or celebrities. It’s neither realistic nor fair to expect someone like Elon Musk to allocate this much time from his life, or someone like Paris Hilton who probably doesn’t even iron her own clothes herself to come here put stakes in the ground to build a camp.

Larry Harvey, Burning Man founder who died of a heart attack last year at the age of 70 had said, “I stay at a turnkey camp, too” to point out that this issue has been overrated (Source: Sacbee). There are so many older people at Burning Man, who shouldn’t be expected to show such an effort, either.

In short, they are trying to find a way to consolidate these two contradicting principles.

The post WHO GOES TO BURNING MAN – FROM HIPPIES TO THE BILLIONAIRE’S ROW appeared first on Biz Evde Yokuz.

How do you join the theme camps?

Upon invitation. Camps are made up of groups of friends who have been attending Burning Man together for years. If you have a friend who is part of a camp, that person can ask the camp leader if they have a spot for a newcomer that year. Usually, all camps accept new members, by referrals.

What do the camps offer?

Each camp decides on its own format. Here are some questions you might want to ask your camp:

1. How many shared meals will be served?
Only the dinner was a shared meal at our camp. We would all take turns to cook and wash the dishes. People managed all other meals on their own, but the shared kitchen was available for everyone to use. We would leave it as found.

Our friend’s camp had three meals. But then again, there were camps that did not even set up a kitchen. The camp decides.

Of course, the more meals you have, the more dishes there are to be washed. For us, our camp’s meal program was just perfect. It was ideal for us to come together with the rest of the team and enjoy dinner together and be free for the rest of the day.

If you’d prefer, you could also offer the camp different arrangements: “ I don’t know how to cook, maybe instead I could work at the set-up?” etc…

2. Will the camp set up a shared shower space? If it will, will the wastewater be stored together?
If there is no arrangement for wastewater collection and transport, you have to figure out a solution on you own. For ideas you can read our Burning Man Guide.

3. Are we going to bring generators?
Our camp did not have a shared fridge. People had brought their own coolers. We didn’t have other things that require electricity such as a music system or an air-conditioned lounge. So we didn’t have a generator. When you do have a generator, you also have to budget for fuel. Some camps use solar power. Of course, all these things would introduce additional expense items.

4. Will we set up a shared shade space?
Usually all camps have one. Some feature camping chairs, and others corner sofas. It is up to the camp.

5. How will we decorate the camp?
Some camps have elaborate constructions and decorations. Other don’t. Remember that you are expected to work to set up the camp.

6. Will we build an art car?
Art cars are fantastic. They are fun and they are great gifts to the community but it will raise the costs.

7. What will we offer the Burning Man community as gifts?

As we mention in our What Happens At Burning Man article:

Camps spend thousands and even hundred thousands of dollars out of their own pockets to build art cars, give out free food, set up air-conditioned dormitories, etc. Those with more modest resources may set up low-cost things like hair-braiding stations.

You will be expected to participate both with your money and time in these preparations.

8. Will the camp set up its own toilets?

These are some of the essential questions a camps has to figure out. But there are also much more sophisticated camps.

Note: Keep in mind that every “yes” to the questions above means time commitment and money. Because you will bring everything, set it up, take it down, store it and maintain it. All of these require time commitment as well.

Camp fees

You don’t pay rent for your camp space. But all the things mentioned above constitute expenses which are equally distributed among members. Everyone pays her share to the camp leader.

The camp gear is stored so that it can be used again in the following years (hence the storage fee). For instance, if the kitchen equipment is bought in the first year, the following year that budget is allocated to something else and the camp is further improved every year. The decorations of some camps are absolutely amazing.

I don’t have any burner friends. Can I go without joining a camp?

There are many people who camp solo. You can definitely go alone, but it would be more challenging. It is very convenient to be able to use the shared spaces.

If you have a tent, storing and taking back your wastewater (taking showers, washing hands, preparing meals) will be your biggest problem. So, if you decide to stay in a tent and don’t have a camp, you should plan very well what to do about the wastewater.

If you have a camper van, most of your problems are solved as you would have all the equipment and facilities you need.

If solo participants need something, they should go ahead and ask the camps for help. Everyone welcomes each other with open arms.

What are the preparations I should make for myself?

Going to Burning Man requires serious preparation. You can read our checklist and recommendations here: The Complete Guide to Burning Man: Tickets & Preparations

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So many people seem to have formed opinions based on assumptions without even having been there. Is it a rave? Is it a cult or is it a sinful millionaire playground? What happens at Burning Man? I wanted you to hear it from someone who has actually been there and loved it. But do read other peoples’s opinions as well. Some are less enthusiastic, some are thrilled. As they say, everybody experiences a different Burning Man and here is mine.

We travel around the world for work and we made our living organizing festivals and other events. Yet, I have not seen another experience in the world that transcends this. Having seen Burning Man, everything else pales in comparison and seems to lack creativity; all other ideas feel simply inside the box.

I recommend reading this article without skipping because there is a certain flow and if you miss certain parts, you may not be able to follow the rest. If you are new to Burning Man jargon, you can find out little glossary at the bottom of this article.

How Did We Decide to Go to Burning Man?

Let me introduce myself first. My name is Duygu. I graduated from Brown University in 2006 and I live in Istanbul, Turkey. I got married to my husband Bilgehan in 2018.

At our wedding, one of Bilgehan’s dearest friends Oktay, who knew I dreamt of going to Burning Man, said, “My wedding gift to you will be taking you to Burning Man.” Yes, we are totally blessed to have such great friends.

While we paid for our own tickets, Oktay made most of the preparations for us which is the most difficult part. I should also note that getting Burning Man tickets is so hard the search for tickets for us to purchase was enough of a gift in itself.

Oktay was able to find us tickets sort of the last minute, so the airfare was just too expansive. So we ended up taking a two-day trip with various layovers through Istanbul-Stockholm-Helsinki-San Francisco. As a result, we made it to Burning Man on Wednesday morning, 3 days after it started.

What is Burning Man

I’m not sure if it can fit into a single definition. Everyone experiences Burning Man differently. Ask a hundred Burners and you will get a hundred different responses. Some think of it as a party, others as meditation, and still others as a family…

As for me, I think of Burning Man as a new civilization. It demonstrates all elements that define a society: There are nuclear families, extended families, a shared identity, traditions, rituals and a shared moral code. It has a settlement called the Black Rock City with protected borders and over 70,000 citizens. While it mimics a standard societal system, the nature of these elements is very different than what we are used to. Families are not formed by blood, things that are looked upon with disgrace such as nudity outside are welcomed here, and other things that are glorified outside like money are useless here. So in a way, it is a new civilization.

So calling Burning Man a festival is extremely reductive. Yes, it offers the best entertainment the world has ever seen but that is only one of the many pillars that is built on. Art, entertainment, communal life, spirituality, open-mindedness, and creativity make up the cultural fabric of this civilization.

Unlimited Freedom?

Burning Man is perceived as a wild place but that is a very shallow approach if you don’t know where it is coming from. One of the biggest values of Burning Man is creating a safe space for everyone. While in our everyday societies the moral code is shaped much by taboos (about nudity, sexual preferences, jobs, appearances, etc), here the moral code is built around about being absolutely judgment-free about personal choices. In a way, taboos are the taboo here.   A judgement-free allows people to lower their guards, open up their hearts and let themselves be free.

What would you do with yourself if no one would ever judge you for your preferences? Perhaps this is where the entertainment aspect begins. Everything is magical at Burning Man. There is an infinite amount of stimuli. And you have all the freedom in the world to do what you want with it. You feel an explosion of happiness, hope, and inspiration.

This is exactly why everyone has a unique experience of Burning Man. Nowhere else in the world you can be so free to be simply  your true self. Everyone follows their own inner call. Some find themselves at the fighting pit, others dancing naked on an art car or handing out warm omelets at dusk. Here they are all equally acceptable ways to participate in this society and all are typical Burning Man. In other words, Burning Man is what you make of it.

Ten Golden Principles of Burning Man

While it is an incredibly free place, there are also very strict rules, all of which are to build a community of respect and harmony. We can call these the code of ethics of Burning Man:

1- Radical self-reliance:  There is no infrastructure like running water or electricity at Black Rock City, which is where Burning Man happens. You are face-to-face with the challenges of the desert. You have to think about your meals, water and shelter, etc. So you have bring with you everything you will need to survive here. You can read about How to Prepare for Burning Man here.

2- Decommodification: It is forbidden to use money or sell anything in Black Rock City.

3- Gifting: Burning Man encourages the citizens of the Black Rock City to engage in acts of kindness without expecting anything in return. Everyone strives to contribute to the community in some way. Some people volunteer to work as staff, others throw parties or BBQs, while others create awesome art. Everyone contributes in their own way.

It is very impressive the extents people go to prepare gifts for this community. I have seen tens of thousands of dollars worth art cars and camp sites. But you can also contribute by doing something that doesn’t cost much like braiding people’s hair for one hour.

4- Leaving No Trace: A lot of effort is put into protecting nature and minimizing Burning Man’s impact on the desert. Things that don’t belong there shouldn’t be left there. That even includes spilling drinking water on the ground. It didn’t come from there, so by introducing it you are harming the ecosystem. You should pick up even the smallest glitter that falls off your face, because it simply doesn’t belong there. You collect not only your trash, but everything including you brought there your body hair, all wastewater, absolutely anything and everything you can think of, and take it back home with you.

5- Radical Inclusion: Anyone and everyone—all individuals with disabilities, the elderly, children, homosexuals, asexuals, hijabis or nudists, etc.—is considered a valuable part of this community and the people of Black Rock should embrace everyone without any prejudice.

6- Radical Self-Expression: What you wear, how you decorate your bike or your camp are all ways of expressing yourself. You are encouraged to get creative and limitless. By expressing we create art and also contribute to other people’s experiences at Burning Man.

7- Communal Effort: Looking out for one another, creating art together, collaborating is very important. People also have a deep sense of belonging here. There is a saying, “The playa provides,” which refers to the culture of taking care of each other here. If you ever need something during Burning Man, just ask around and someone will find you a solution. Say, your one week’s worth of food got somehow ruined and you have nothing to eat for the rest of Burning Man. You will find food, maybe even more than you need.

8- Civic Responsibility: Individuals need to keep in mind the law and social good in all their actions and behaviors. This is common sense and should be valid everywhere, but nevertheless a reminder is always useful.

9- Participation: The principle that the change in the world starts with the individual. As stated in the Burning Man principles, “We achieve being through doing. Everyone is invited to work. Everyone is invited to play. We make the world real through actions that open the heart.”

10- Immediacy: Not being in the moment detaches us from our inner world, the people around us, and nature. Burning Man tells us to be in the moment, not just physically but also mentally.

We can definitely say that everyone was usually pretty loyal to these ten principles.

The Tickets Cost $450 but You Don’t Get Any Infrastructure or Entertainment

Yes, you read it correctly: In exchange for $450 all you get is the good old porta-potties. They don’t provide you with any electricity, running water, concerts or other activities.

The entire city is set up by participants. So you bring your own electricity, water, kitchen, activities, etc. The environmental rules are quite strict, which brings about an extra workload. For instance, MOOP (matter out of place) is a highly sensitive issue. Want to shower? That water cannot touch the ground. You have to store the wastewater and take it back home with you. Similarly, you can never light a fire on the ground and you have to take all your trash back home.

You have all these exhausting rules, which are also necessary. You have to prepare very well and it is very far from comfortable. As you can see, from start to finish, Burning Man is quite a laborious and inconvenient affair.

It may sound crazy, but it is thankfully so! Because in a way, this brings about natural selection. People who can’t be bothered or obsessive types think this is a bit too much and decide not to go. Thus possible problem makers are filtered out.

The living conditions have encouraged people to come together and build theme camps, shortly known as camps. It would be very hard and costly for individuals to set up generators, kitchens, and showers and to store wastewater on their own. As a result, camps have emerged to do these things collectively.

Of course, this is not just a pragmatic union. Participating in Burning Man with the same people year after year, you become a family. You have fun together, you are deeply moved together, you look after each other, take care of one another.

Can You Tell Us a Bit More About These Camps?

Sure. You can read on about what theme camps are, what to expect and how to join them here: Theme Camps At Burning Man

How Do We Have Fun?

Burning Man is not a festival. They do not book performances nor provide entertainment. Yet, I don’t think I have ever had more fun or seen a bigger performance in my entire life. Burning Man is by far the most extreme and strongest expression of the transformative power of art.

When you first arrive, you are absolutely spellbound. Especially when you ride your bike into the Playa on your first night, it feels like having crossed into a different dimension or planet. The darkness and vacuum of the desert also have a magnifying effect. Tens of thousands of lit-up bikes and people are on the moving around you like a horde of fireflies.  Art cars pass by left and right. You pedal through the installations and works of art in the playa. It is really really fascinating.

All activities are organized by participants! They spend thousands of dollars out of their own pockets for this!

We are talking about a 24/7 whirlwind of activities, an explotion of performances which are all organized by the participants.

But do not think of art only as of just the music, sculptures and the installations at the playa. Here every person is a performance in itself in the way they dress, act, be present. All Burners try to enrich each other’s experiences. People make plenty of preparations both collectively as camps and individually.

So everyone is a participant, a curator, an artist and sometimes the work of art itself all at the same time. It is quite a revolutionary approach. 

How Do You Become a Part of the Performance?

People offer their talents and resources to others without expecting anything in return. For instance, if you are good at reading fortunes, you can contribute by doing that; or you can offer people a small recital by playing tunes on the pianos placed on the playa. You can amaze people with your costume. You can sing or read poetry at open mic stages. When you meet new people, you can offer them small and unexpected gifts.

We brought 500 evil eye beads with us from Turkey to give out to people that we meet (the traditional evil eye beads, usually made out of blue glass in the shape of an eye, are believed to protect you from evil and envious eyes and keep negative energy out of your way). We also filled water guns with sunscreen to offer a squeeze to people who were scorched by the sun out there.

Imagine the happy feeling you would get if someone came up to you and said, “Your cheeks look a bit red, I thought you might want some sunscreen” and the fun you would have if the sunscreen were squirted from a tiny water gun. Ta da! You yourself have become a performance that enriches others’ experiences!

The Camps are the Real Deal

Camps (theme camps) usually take on much more complex activities. They spend thousands and even hundred thousands of dollars out of their own pockets to build art cars, give out free food, set up air-conditioned dormitories, etc. Those with more modest resources may set up low-cost things like hair-braiding stations.

Ultimately, everyone contributes to the community and no one expects money or any other favor in return. Everything is free of charge and available for all. Everyone has a single motive: Contributing to the Burning Man community.

How Do We Follow the Activities?

All camps submit to Burning Man information about the location/time of the activities they will organize. And Burning Man compiles all this information in a book and an app. Upon entry, you are provided with the program booklet, but its content is a bit more limited. It is best to download the app before you get to Burning Man.

How Does One Day Pass At Burning Man

Most people prefer stay up during the night and sleep thought the heat during the day

The sunset and sunrise are the most beautiful times of the day in the desert so, like most people, we tried to catch both. So we would be up until the sunrise, then we would go to sleep around 7 or 8 am. This way we also were sleeping though the day time heat as much as we could. However, around 11 am it got too hot in our shift pod and we had to wake up. Do not expect to sleep much at Burning Man.

Upon waking up would escape to our friend’s van and together we’d prepare breakfast. It would last till 1 p.m. so it was more like lunch. Then we would get on our bikes and pedal from camp to camp to join their activities. Or if there was an activity at our camp, we’d stay and work there like attending the bar.

Day Time Activities
If you want to party, you can find a party any time of the day. It doesn’t matter if it is 2 pm. But we preferred to use the day to hang out at different camps, attending their activities and meeting new people.

There are so many great activities at the camps; seminars, workshops, games, treatments, shows, etc…  You can attend download the Burning Man has an app called Time to Burn where all activities as listed. The abundance and diversity of activities will blow your mind. So we would hop on our bikes and ride them from one activity to the other. Most of the time we couldn’t make it to our intended destinations because we would get lured into different camps on the way. Very often there will be a person with a megaphone inviting you to the activity at their camp. That is how ended up at the wife-carrying contest where we won the trophy in the photo.

Shared Dinner at Camp

At our camp, dinner started around 7 p.m. If we were on duty, we would need to come an hour or so earlier to help. Most of the meals prepared at the camp were effortless meals but since the meal would be for 25-30 people it still took some time.

If we were not on duty, we were always around 30 minutes late and all the food would be already gone.

After dinner, you feel a bit sluggish. Of course, the sleep you get in the morning is not quite enough. So we used to take a nap for two hours or so after dinner. We would sleep like sailors, in multiple shifts, one shift in the afternoon and one in the evening.

Nights at the Playa

When we woke up, we would get on our bikes and go straight to the playa. The playa is so beautiful and stimulating at night that sometimes we would do nothing but ride our bike around aimlessly for hours. Other times we would park our bikes, climb on the installations and just chat, or chase after art cars, find DJs, etc… Then people would start gathering somewhere; we’d get curious, we’d go there and join them… We’d go up to the Temple and get wrapped up in our emotions. Until the sun rises you enjoy a mix of experiences and feelings.

There is no guidelines to how to spend a day at Burning Man. The simple answer is to say yes to every call.

Who Is Burning Man For?

So much talk has been going on about whether Burning Man is for hippies or for Billionaires. The truth is everyone is welcomed here. Ont the other hand, while being n hippie & artsy in spirit but surely it is becoming more and more the playground of the privileged. San Francisco’s rise as a tech hub a direct effect on the matter. Burning Man is trying to find a balance between keeping old Burners content and adjusting to its changing audience.

You can read on about the some flash Burners such as celebrities and billionaires here : Who Goes to Burning Man

I Want to Go to Burning Man. Where Do We Start?

Finding tickets and the preparations are a whole other adventure. You can read about them in our article: The Complete Burning Man Guide

Then Why Aren’t the Tickets Free?

Here is one of the most frequently asked questions: It is one thing for the tickets to be paid, but doesn’t it contradict the Burning Man principles for them to be so expensive?

Burning Man is a non-profit but as you might imagine it has a pretty good turnover. According to their 2017 tax returns, Burning Man made $36.7 million in revenue. This money is used to run the organization. Any remaining balance is kept for the following year’s event. Let us not forget, every year an entire city is built almost from scratch. Even a temporary airport is set up in there to serve during Burning Man. It is an incredibly big operation. It requires a large team and a budget.

Consequently, Burning Man has a full-time team on board throughout the whole year. When I asked someone who worked there, I was told there are about 200 paid employees. This is based on somebody’s statement, so I’m not sure how accurate it is. There are also thousands of volunteers who work there, but it turns out that paid employees take on some of the more critical roles.

In addition to the expenses for personnel and setting up the city, Burning Man also provides funds for art projects. For instance, an artist from Turkey applies to Burning Man about the idea of a jellyfish installation. There are many expense items such as the artist’s living and travel expenses, the costs for the work of art and transportation. Burning Man helps out with these expenses, but I’m not sure how and how much of them. Maybe they only allocate some funds for the work of art and travel.

To encourage the participation of people from all walks of life, they also support the participation of people who can’t afford it. For instance, they had covered all the expenses, including airfare, for a group of participants from Africa.

They also need to raise funds to rent and clean the land upon which the city is built, for health services and other services to be offered in there.

I think this is what the ticket fees are used for. I don’t know if there is ever a remaining balance or not, I have no idea. But in the future I’m expecting more creative and equalizing fundraising solutions from such an organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Social Media

They dislike social media, especially influencers. In fact, in the previous years they had Internet, but they didn’t this year. There are several reasons for that:
– It detaches people from the moment.
– Photos are simply insufficient to do this place justice.
– Influencers and celebrities come here with sponsorships and use this place to make money. It is completely wrong to come here sponsored by Victoria’s Secret, using the works of arts as a background to market products, but unfortunately people do this. This year Diplo arrived at Burning Man on a Popeyes plane. He posed in front of the huge-ass Popeyes logo on the plane with two huge Popeyes bags in his hands and shared it on Instagram. Not cool.

This is like placing dynamite into the values of Burning Man. It is not just the influencers who act so ridiculously. But when they do it, it is transformed into a global scale.

How Much Does It Cost?

You can read about it in our Burning Man Preparations article.

Substance Use

Burning Man takes place on federal land in Nevada. Which means anything except for alcohol is illegal. The bars inside serve alcohol for free. In the U.S. the legal drinking age is 21. You have to show your ID at the bars to drink. They also accept a photo of your ID on your phone, instead of the actual ID. Obviously, this place is not exempt from such regulations. There is police at the entrance of events and inside the events. There is also undercover police. There are volunteer Burning Man Rangers, who serve as a buffer between security forces and participants. They are on patrol 24/7 on their own vehicles.

Children and the Elderly

There were more children than we had expected at Burning Man. Those who were once young people with flowers in their hair in the 1960’s are coming to Burning Man with their grandchildren today. You can easily see people from three different generations.

There are campsites and activities for families with children. Families take children to age-appropriate places. I don’t think they fully understand what is going on around them, but I’m sure they find it very interesting. That said, I wouldn’t want to take my own kid there. Not because I wouldn’t want them to see the things they’d see, but because I wouldn’t want to expose them to the unsanitary conditions of the desert. I guess I’m not so open-minded enough regarding these matters.

There are also many participants around ages 70-80. And some of them even volunteer to work. Burning Man is really an age-less place. The only condition is being open-minded.

Pollution

Burning Man openheartedly discusses the environmental impact of the event.

The event’s impact on the desert is minimized with the collective effort of all the participants. As I explained above, people make sure not a single thing that doesn’t belong remains there. You won’t be able to see a single piece of trash on the ground at any point of the event. If a loose feather or something from someone’s costume flies off, someone would be sure to pick it up. After the camp is taken down, all camp members line up shoulder-to-shoulder and thoroughly clean up the entire area.

After everyone leaves, Burning Man teams do the same thing; they line up shoulder-to-shoulder, clean up the entire city step by step, which takes about a month. They also restore the changes done by vehicles and bikes on the territory. During this process, they also assess and grade each camp site’s cleanliness and publish a map. Camps that appear green on the map are invited again and red ones are banned from participating.

Burning Man is not only concerned with the environmental issues on the playa. They don’t want participants to clean up the playa and pile up all their trash in the containers of a nearby town. Because that would also constitute Burning Man pollution. It is also frowned upon and people are warned about urinating in the bushes on the way. But some people still violate these rules.

Toilets

Let us first warm up to these two terms:
Grey Water – Wastewater such as water from the sink, washing machines or dishwashers. It is the participants’ duty to dispose of the grey water they produce. Black Water refers to the toilet water with urine and feces. These two terms are used to refer to the toxicity of the water.

They deal with the waste from the porta potties set up in the area. But if you are not going to use them, you need to come up with your own solution. And you are responsible for disposing of your waste in line with to the rules.

Conclusion

Looking at photos and its reflections in the press may look Burning Man as a crazy festival or party. This is true to a certain extent; Burning Man is indeed a marginal place and a great party, but this is only the tip of the iceberg. It can never be reduced to just that.

I don’t blame anyone who thinks that way. At the end of the day, Burning Man isn’t s something you can fully grasp without experiencing it for yourself. Despite having several friends who had gone to Burning Man many times, I have to admit that even we didn’t understand it fully either. But that only occured to me after having been there.

As they say, “Burning Man is what you make of it.” For some it is a therapy, a way to let some steam off. Others find a sense of belonging. It is love, folly, exhaustion, challenging the limits, emotional breakdown or resurrection all once. It is a magical place that is going to give you whatever it is that you came to with the intention to get.

It is really a place woven with love. People really approach one another with kindness, compassion, and respect. Prejudices is not allowed in there. And those who can’t handle this much freedom and open-mindedness do not come back, leading to a sort of natural selection.

The weird thing is, while you may not feel like a love bug on your first days and do certain things just to adapt and go along with everyone else, in a few days you see your heart opening up. If you don’t believe it, let’s hear it from the infamous Facebook enemies:

For those who are not familiar with the story, here is a short version of the big fight: Facebook’s founders were roommates at Harvard. Evidently, they had “stolen” the idea from ConnectU, the company of their Harvard classmates the Winklevoss twins. Not only did they not talk to each other, but they also shredded each other to pieces at court and eventually Facebook had to pay the Winklevosses $65 million. The great enemies ran into each other at Burning Man.

Moskovitz: “These guys are among the only people on earth I might describe as real antagonists in my life or even enemies, but on playa my first instinct was that I quite obviously needed to introduce myself and start with hugs [You meet and greet people by giving hugs instead of shaking hands]. They had just arrived so I wasn’t sure how they’d react, but they were very gracious at the time and I knew they’d understand more deeply by the time they left.

Almost immediately when I got back, I had a Facebook friend request from Tyler [Winklevoss] and we started a thread mutually extolling the virtues of the festival. In no uncertain terms, he described a spiritual experience. I had created all kinds of dark fantasies about how meeting them would go (Tyler assures me it would have been cordial regardless), but on playa it was laughably clear. There, we were all part of the same community. We were always part of the same community.” Source: Business Insider

I think this is the greatest success of Burning Man: Creating a new civilization that resets the mind to new beginnings. It is really magical that this experience can truly transform you so that you would hug a person whom you’d wish to strangle the day before.

Burning Man Glossary

Here are some definitions to help you through this article, so you don’t ask yourself  “What is this girl talking about?”

Black Rock City (BRC) – Where Burning Man takes place. An immense city is built in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. It lasts for around 10 days.

In addition to this, there are many other Burning Man gatherings in Africa, Israel, China, Miami and various other places.

Playa – The area where you can find the installations, the temple and the man at the BRC. If you have seen a map of BRC,  it is the open space in the inner circle.

Deep Playa – The farthest corners of the playa.

Theme Camp – They are shortly referred to as camps. The camps logde, eat and survive together at Burning Man. Also the activities and entertainment at Burning Man are organized by these theme camps. In other words, camps are the fundamental units that realize and sustain Burning Man.

They are called theme camps because they revolve around a theme of their choice. For example our camp was called Pickleback Mountain so we operated a bar where we served pickle juice and whiskey. Some of my friends were at a camp called Bee Charge. Their art car was in the shape of bees and camp decorations were black and yellow.

Art car (or Mutant Vehicle) – Functional vehicles that have been turned into works of art. Magical things! Some of them feature sound systems and lighting, starting a party wherever they go. Some are simply works of art that you can’t take your eyes off of.

Burner – Someone who has graduated from Burning Man

Man – The Man. In 1986, Burning Man founders Larry Harvey and Jerry James met up with their friends on the beach and burned a wooden man figure to let go of the burden of a relationship that was over. Over the years it became a tradition and eventually became the symbol of the event. The man is burned on the night before the last day, on Saturday. Its design changes every year.

Temple – A non-religious structure of deep spiritual meaning. It is filled with emotion. The design changes every year, giving it a different name and theme. This year (2019) it was called the Temple of Direction.

MOOP (Matter out of Place) – Things that do not belong to the desert and pollute the playa. This is a rather broad concept. You shouldn’t even spill clean water on the ground, because the water doesn’t belong there so you would harm the ecosystem.

Ranger – After years of participating in Burning Man, some people volunteer to be Rangers in service of other burners’ safety and well-being. Whenever you have a problem, you reach out to rangers. For instance, lost your passport? There is a police station inside, but going to a ranger first is a better idea. Do you need to contact your family because of an emergency? Go to a ranger. And so on and so on.

Now that you have the necessary vocabulary, we can roll on.

The post WHAT HAPPENS AT BURNING MAN appeared first on Biz Evde Yokuz.

For many tourists, traveling internationally can be a relaxing, carefree experience with the biggest hitch being a baggage delay. But if you’re reading this site, it’s likely you agree that the magic of life only starts when you step out of your comfort zone – and India will push you out of yours. It’s impossible to truly experience a new country and culture without being faced with new realities and ideas that challenge your norms.

Two sides to every coin

Life in India involves vast gaps between the rich and the poor, and it is the second-most populated nation in the world. But that is also why it is so culturally wealthy, far surpassing the United States’ own designation as a melting pot.

The world’s biggest democracy and homeland to one of the oldest civilizations, India has made significant contributions to arts, science, philosophy and – of course! – food and trade, and so much more.

Recognizing the duality of life in India is important when planning your trip, because in a country with such structural, economic and class disparities, the bad does come with the good.

A necessary disclaimer

A lot of nuances are needed here. I would never wish for anyone to think I was speaking negatively about such an incredible place. But the fact remains that life in India can be overwhelmingly different from what many are used to. Our intention in this article is to prepare you for the challenges you might encounter while traveling to India. We even hired an Indian editor to make sure we aren’t speaking with false authority.

That is also why we are going to be talking about some hard truths, and not enough about the immense contributions the country has made to the world.

Lastly, India is a world in itself with hundreds of cultures, provinces, languages, beliefs and more… It is simply impossible to sum up such a vast, culturally rich country. Some things that apply to certain parts of India don’t for other parts. However, we still have made some generalizations about life in India for the point of informing the uninitiated.

Should I Go To India?

We had the trip of a lifetime! But I agree that it is not for everyone. One thing is for sure, one does not simply “go on holiday” to India – one travels in the fullest sense of the word. If your main expectation from a vacation is beach vibes & chilling out, you would be better off picking a spot like Bali or Tulum. India is more for people who are ready to trade their comfort zone for an immense cultural experience.

While you are there, you are quickly exposed to many of the negatives to life in India. As your mind is preoccupied with the challenges you face every day during your trip, you can appreciate it more upon return home when you are thinking in retrospect. India is a fascinating experience that takes a little while to digest (much like Indian food for many newbies 😉 ).

Our Guide for Surviving in India

If you are planning a trip to India, you might be asking yourself:

• What health advice do I need to consider? Do I need vaccinations?
• What are prices like?
• When and where should I go?
• How do you get an Indian visa?
• What should I prepare before I go?
• What should I bring?

For these kinds of questions, skip to our essential India Survival Guide.

Life in India Overview

Size: 3.287 million km² (The seventh largest country in the world in landmass)
Population: 1.3 billion (according to 2016 World Bank data). The second highest population in the world, but expected to exceed China by 2030.
Capital: New Delhi
Other major cities: Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Bangalore, Hyderabad, Varanasi, Goa, Jaipur
Currency: Rupee

A Colossal Cultural Mix

With all its converging ethnicities, cultures and religions, India may be the most colorful and flavorful country on the planet. The subcontinent is surrounded by three seas on three sides and hemmed in by the Himalayas to the north, isolating it from the world. Thanks to this natural protection, India was able to develop a mind-blowing variety of unique traditions and cultures.

Although united under one flag, many Indian sub-communities could constitute a nation in themselves. The country was already made up of 565 princely states that persisted as divisions of administration until 1947.

The country’s terrain is just as mixed. It encompasses the snowy peaks of the Himalayas, the barren deserts of Rajasthan and jungles so thick one can barely see a foot ahead.

Every community that has settled in the subcontinent has left an indelible imprint on life in Indian – be it the Mongols (who begot the Moghuls), Persians, Africans, Europeans or East Asians.

Pavings its own path

Of these, no doubt the influence of centuries of rule by the long-standing Moghuls and, more recently, the British, have had the greatest impact on the modern country’s history. But India has succeeded in carving out its own course, owing much to the spirit of independence it carries.

What is probably more impressive is that these converging identities have preserved their traditional ways despite long years of colonialism and the intrusion of widespread global pop culture. Today, many women still wear the wonderful sari and men the turban. Many Indian folks eat with their hands and marry via an arranged marriage. These traditions persists at all levels of society, from the white-collar engineers building the nuclear head to people living in India’s shanty towns.

Is India ‘Dirty’?

There are a lot of blogs out there whining about how “India is filthy.” Yes, the issue of litter and waste disposal is indisputably a major one in Indian cities. It’s also true that many streets are flooded with debris, and they can stink up the streets. BUT this is not the case everywhere. I find that some blogs like to exaggerate the scale of the issue and talk about surviving India like it’s an act of bravery.

There are a lot of hygiene issues but it is no heroic act to overcome these challenges. The guidelines for staying healthy are quite simple, but also critical. Please, please make sure to read about them here before you go:

Our Little Observations…

• One day we needed to wash our clothes, so we tracked down the laundry service being used by 5-star hotels in Mumbai to wash bedsheets and towels. We saw that after linens were washed, they were hung to dry on a line. Then, once dry, they were thrown in a pile on the street to be collected.
• Mice freely ran around the counters of a street food vendor we stopped at in Varanasi.
• Paneer (Indian cheese) is used in a lot of Indian cooking and is made by hand in the morning. In Varanasi, we saw a cow wander over to lick from the bowl in which a man was making paneer, and he simply carried on mixing.
• We witnessed many people relieving themselves in the streets.

Bear in mind that the situation changes according to which city, and where in that city, you find yourself. It would be wrong to generalize the whole country one way or another. Such issues were almost absent in certain parts of the country – namely, Kerala and Goa. For instance, Alleppey, in Kerala, is held up as the cleanest city in India.

Many return from India a bit disturbed because:

1) Hygiene issues were visible on a scale we simply weren’t prepared for.
2) Because of structural issues, which we go into below, many folks in India have been normalized to these issues. But for many foreigners, even seeing a mouse pass in front of a store is reason not to shop there.

Cleanliness in Hinduism:

Though tourists might feel struggle with hygiene in India, it’s good not to forget that cleanliness of the body is extremely highly regarded in Hinduism and, for this reason, homes are tidy and clean and people are expected to shower or bathe every day. India is a very complex place to understand.

The Case of the Bathroom

India is currently trying to address the fact that only 50% of homes are equipped with a toilet. In fact, there is a wider ownership of TVs and cell phones than toilets. So, what does this mean? Over 638 million people are forced to relieve themselves outdoors, on the streets or in the fields every day.

According to the World Bank, India spends 6% of its annual GDP on combating the effect this has on life in India – especially regarding health. Efforts to address the situation have increased in recent years, and systems are being fitted throughout the country. We have seen government sponsored toilet extensions to houses. But there is still a way to go.

One Day in Delhi is Like Smoking 50 Cigarettes

Delhi is the 14th most badly polluted city in the world. A day in the city is held to be as bad as smoking 50 cigarettes. The situation is so bad that smog makes for poor visibility on the roads – to the point that many accidents are caused and even flights have had to be canceled.

Some suggest traditional farming methods contribute to the issue, with smoke from the fires used to clear fields drifting into the cities. According to a Green Peace report, every year in India, 1.2 million people fall ill directly due to air pollution. We had a constant headache during the time we spent in Delhi. So it is not a bad idea to keep your Delhi trip short or wear a face mask.

Water Warning

Although natural water sources are plentiful throughout India, the problem is one of access to clean, potable water, especially in rural areas. India has some of the most polluted rivers in the world, with the holy Ganges river considered to be one of the worst. Some guides even discourage brushing your teeth with the city water. Make sure to avoid ice or water-based foods and drinks as much as possible. Always carry sealed water bottles you’ve bought at a grocery store – never on the street.

The Bigger Question: Why Isn’t It Cleaned It Up?

The Move from Organic to Synthetic: Many link the huge issue of waste disposal to the rapid shift from organic to synthetic materials in daily life in India. For instance, it used to be the case that biodegradable banana leaves were used in place of plates (and sometimes they still are!). Everyone has their own take on this, but I think it’s insufficient as an explanation on its own. After all, the same shift has occurred the world-over, but without so many problems.

The Effect of the Caste System: Another theory links the issue to the caste system. It suggests that in a system where certain castes can’t even touch the shadow of certain casts, it has become impossible to share the same public space. People are drawn more to their private spaces. So the feeling of ownership of public spaces has degraded resulting in apathy in public spaces.

The Issue of Pride: This theory is linked to the above reason. The act of cleaning is seen only worthy of the lowest order of the caste system (Untouchables, or Dalits). When Mahatma Gandhi told Indian Congress members in 1901 that the caste system was an unconscionable aspect of life in India and that everyone ought to clean their own toilet, he was greeted with ridicule. In order to lead by example, Gandhi, a member of the upper caste, cleaned his own toilet in full view of others.

It should also be noted that the state is now working on initiatives to clean up India’s streets.

How Important is the Caste System?

The caste system has been a part of Hindu culture for the last 3,000 years. For more on some of the principles of Hinduism, click on the link to our brief guide.

The Four Castes

1. The highest group are the “Brahman” – This group is the abode of highly regarded wise men such as priests, doctors and lawyers. Belief holds that the Brahman was created by the mind of the god Brahma.
2. The second tier at the “Kshatriya” – The group is for warriors, kings and administrators – created to protect the Brahmans and were created from Brahma’s arms.
3. The third group is the “Vaishya” – Merchants and tradesmen. This group is thought to come from the legs of Brahma.
4. The fourth group is the “Shudra” – Farmers and workers. This group comes from the feet of Brahma.

There also exists a class that has no place in the caste system. The “Untouchables” or “Dalits” are given jobs deemed below that of other Hindus, such as collecting trash, slaughtering animals and manufacturing leather. They are alienated from the majority of Hindu groups in Indian life and they inhabit areas far from others.

Caste System Among the non-Hindus
The caste system was born of Hindu principles. However, as the dominant culture in the region (80% of the population are Hindu), it penetrated all parts of the society. There are some similar hierarchies that have made their way into Muslim, Sikh and Christian groups in India.

Implications

The caste system governs all areas of social and communal life in India. Trades are passed down from father to son and marriages can only occur between members of the same caste. Even drinking from the same well is deemed inappropriate, and it is not possible to ascend from one group to another.

Although the system is officially outlawed and a coalescence has occurred in the cities, it still holds sway in most areas of the country. In order to combat the worst effects of the system, a programme of affirmative action has been afforded groups like the Dalits in both the education system and for representation in parliament. KR Narayanan became the country’s first Dalit president.

Slow but steady change

As the power balance tipped in favor of the trading and commercial castes, a gradual loosening of the old norms has taken place in the country’s major cities. This has reinforced the work embarked on in eradicating the system since the Indian Constitution outlawed the practice in writing.

But the problem is deep-rooted, and given that for 2 out of 3 citizens,  life in India extends little further than the kind of villages and rural towns where progress is slowest, the problem looks likely to persist into the future.

Given that, in many regions, voting is coordinated along class, ethnic and caste lines, it is clear that the caste system is much upheld through its use as a political tool.

Marriage and Weddings in India

As evidenced from any Bollywood movie, the question of marriage is an important one in India. This is also why weddings are no small affair. There are countless regional and cultural variations on the ceremony, and the exact nature of the agreement, but a number of traditions transcend local differences, one in particular that has captured the minds of many though it was once practiced the world over: arranged marriage.

Marriages for love are fairly uncommon in India. There is much pressure on people to get married as soon as possible, and the idea of pre-marital relationships is still rather taboo (even if it occurs).

Highest Rates of Arranged Marriage

Even today, most of India’s marriages are a product of a deal between families before the would-be happy couple have had a chance to meet. If the family can’t find a good candidate themselves, they put an “ad” online or even in the paper. These ads include salaries, profession, appearance (especially skin tone), dietary information, neighborhood and even a dowry on offer. An alternative is to go to a local match-maker – an agency full of CV files where one can peruse candidates.

Even the parents of many second and third generation Indians in foreign countries seek an Indian bride or groom for their children, searching far and wide for a good fit.

Dowries

In the negotiations for a marriage, a dowry can be asked from the bride’s family! This tradition emerged in good faith. As a daughter would not be returning to the family home, it was considered logical that a father gives his daughter her share of inheritance at marriage. However, over time, it since seems to have become a test of the value of a potential husband. Plus, the cost of the wedding is put on the bride’s family.

Given Indian weddings are no small affair and can see the attendance of 500 or more people, the cons are pretty evident and daughters were thus deemed less desirable. In the most tragic cases, this led to the abandonment of female infants – but the state has largely addressed this issue and intervened. Balance in gender has now finally reached a healthy 9.4 girls to every 10 boys.

Attending an Indian Wedding? Some things to look forward to:

• Henna Party: A henna night is celebrated by female family and friends the night before a wedding. Incredibly ornate classic designs and motifs are decorated on the bride’s hands with henna. One maxim is that the darker the henna stain makes on the skin, the more passionate the marriage will be! Some hold the bride shouldn’t have to go back to work until the time the henna wears off completely. Guests can also expect to be adorned with henna.
• Groom’s arrival: The groom arrives before the bride’s family at the wedding venue in a huge convoy. Songs are sung to welcome him.
• Three symbolic elements of a Hindu wedding include: 1. A four-posted pavilion called a mandap. Each post represents one of the couples’ parents. 2. A holy fire representing life and  3. a Hindu priest.
• Walking around a fire: The couple circles the mandap four times before the priest symbolically places a shawl around both parties.

Education in India

School education has been compulsory for all children ages 6-14 since 2010. However, attendance is poor, with the result that only 10% of the country attends university and 75% are literate. Since the population is massive, a rate of 25%  illiteracy makes India the country with the biggest illiterate population in the world.

This is in stark contrast to the fact that 36% of NASA scientists, 38% of American doctors and 12% of US scientists all hail from the subcontinent. Just another example of the huge contrasts and contradictions of Indian life.

Sexual Assault

In 2012, news that Jyoti Singh was raped and murdered by six men on a bus in Delhi sent shock waves across the world and led countless Indian women onto the street in protest.

But generalizations are tough to make and, statistically, Sweden, Norway, the US, Italy, as well as a host of countries generally perceived to be “safer” appear to have a higher rate of incidents of rape. However, the stats are offered by official state reports and, in India, rape that occurs between partners is not considered a crime and multiple acts of rape between the same people are considered one case. Also, the number of women who report such a crime varies country to country but, in India, the fact remains that women have more barriers when it comes to speaking up about sexual assault.

That said, India has only relatively recently begun confronting attitudes towards sexual abuse and the issue has now entered public discourse, with incidents gaining a higher media profile than ever before. The struggle of life in India for women is now receiving the place in the media it deserves. The road will be a long one, but progress is underway.

Much more than I expected, I found myself to be the only woman on the street after sunset. There is still a widely shared view that a woman’s place is her home. Yet, there are great examples of powerful women in India, too. In the above photo, you see the team of Indian female scientists who led India’s first mission to Mars celebrating their success.

Terrorism

It’s not just the airports that require a security check to get in but any Starbucks, McDonalds or hotel in Delhi or Mumbai! After all, India has seen more than its fair share of terrorist incidents. The relationship between India and Pakistan is one wrought with tension, and many tragic incidents have emerged as a result. India itself is also home to some religious/leftist/minority nationalist terrorist groups. India largely blames Pakistan for supporting these groups in terror attacks and others blame the UK or the Indian deep state itself as being behind the rivalries that divide the terrain here. While who is behind the attacks is up for debate, the toll is quite evident and somber.

Terrorism in Figures

Targets can take the form of state buildings, public transport, crowded events (marches, party rallies, celebrations, festivals, etc.), places of worship, bars, restaurants, shopping malls, hotels, and places where foreigners gather. The risk is increased on election days, during foreign ministry meetings, and national holidays such as Diwali, Republic Day (26 January) and Independence Day (15 August).

We were in India during Independence Day, but didn’t attend any events that could be deemed risky. We never felt any consequences of terrorist attacks or threats over the course of our trip. But it pays to stay on the look-out – true for everywhere in the world these days, be it London, Paris, Istanbul or Mumbai. It’s better not to let paranoia get the better of you. After all, life will go on despite these sad affairs.

Religion in India

As we mentioned, around 80% of the country is Hindu. It is important to read up on the basics of the beliefs and value system surrounding Hinduism to avoid ignorant questions or assumptions. After all, many aspects of life in India are informed by its principles. Click on our page covering the basics of Hinduism for a brief overview.

The country has a large number of Muslims, making up 13% of the population, with 2% being Christian (mainly in Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and the Meghalaya region), 2% Sikh, (mainly in Punjab), 1% Buddhist (Maharashtra region), 0.4% Jain (Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Gujarat regions as well as big cities),  and 1.6% other (Jewish, Zoroastrian, Bahai, and various tribal religions).

Both Jainism and Buddhism emerged as a response to Hinduism, but share many common elements. If 0.4% appears insignificant, don’t forget we are dealing with a country whose population totals around 1.3 billion. Even that tiny percentage represents 5.2 million people. Likewise, the 13% of the population who are Muslim make up the second largest Muslim population in the world!

Indian Food

Social life in India mainly revolves around food. Every occasion is marked by a variety of mouth-watering items. You can ask for food not to be super spicy, but it will never come without spices. I once asked a waiter to just fry up a fish without any spices. The result was much panic for the poor guy – as if there was no other way to cook it!

As we both love spicy food, it was a great pleasure to enjoy the variety of yummy Indian specialties on our first day. The thali and naans did flow. But it can grow to be a bit much after a few weeks, though. If you need a break, you may encounter foreign staples in the big cities, but even these will have an Indian twist to them.

How do pickles, lentils, and rice sound for breakfast? In the big hotels, you may get the option of pancakes or eggs, but in smaller cities, this won’t be an option.

Top Recommendations

Throughout the country, the best vegetarian options usually involve paneer cheese cut up and mixed with a vegetable sauce. Food in the southern part of the country is generally more replete with vegetables. Naan bread needs no introduction, and goes down great with everything. Okra and lentils make some superb main ingredients. Everyone is a great fan of the lentil-based daal.

Our favorite, without a doubt, is a thali combination platter, served with naan and a little rice. It’s basically like tapas, but it does the job. Indian food is so varied and unique that you are sure to survive the best part of two weeks with nothing else.

One thing is for sure, wherever you go it is important to sample the delicacies. When else are you going to get the chance? After all, there’s plenty of time for you to stuff your face with your regular treats when you get home!

A Country of Unbelievable Contradictions

Prepare yourself for a mental meltdown in your attempts to understand life in India. Here are just a couple of examples we had fun trying to comprehend:

• The Ganges is a sacred river. Many believe the water has cleansing properties for the soul. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t also serve as a wonderful place for sewage to end up.
• Sex is still largely taboo. It is not common to even see men and women sitting together in many places. Likewise, skimpy clothing – even spaghetti strap tank tops – are not deemed appropriate.  However, there seems to be no taboo about taking it all out to urinate in public in some places!
• The cow is a sacred animal. And eating beef is a big no no for many, but whipping the animals to get them to pull plows is fine.

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption and possession is illegal in Bihar, Gujarat, Nagaland and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. Life in India is mainly legislated at a state level. This means states apply their own separate rulings to issues such as alcohol. Thus, while alcohol is a rather luxurious commodity in some states, in Goa it is completely tax-free.

Lie in India under the Raj

Another subject worth dipping into before, or even during your trip, is that of the British Raj. The British spent around 300 years in India and thus had a huge effect on Indian life. They first arrived to set up trade with the Moghul Empire – one of the richest, most powerful empires in the world. They gradually shifted this power dynamic until India represented “the Jewel in the Crown of the British Empire.”

Even a brief introduction to this chapter of history is enlightening in terms of understanding political dynamics, the birth of the modern world, and the consequences of cultural encounters between powerful groups.

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi is without a doubt the most famous personality to emerge from the Indian subcontinent and is an icon of social justice in his own right. His concept of passive resistance made waves not just in India but across the globe. Protest leaders as far afield as Martin Luther King in America’s civil rights movement to Nelson Mandela in South Africa’s struggle to end apartheid would hold Gandhi’s ideas and actions in high praise.

Six months after the British left India, Gandhi would be assassinated by a Hindu nationalist. Gandhi had a huge effect on Indian life. Many Indians see Gandhi as the “father of the nation,” but he is not popular with everyone.

The reason for this is that Gandhi can not only be seen as a crucial figure in the achievement of Indian independence. He was also a revolutionary who fought tirelessly to eradicate the injustices of India’s long-established caste system.

Make sure you clue yourself in on the man himself before you head out to India. Our article, Who is Gandhi, is certainly worth a peek.

Another Great Personality You Ought to Know: Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru hasn’t quite achieved the international fame of Mahatma Gandhi but is at least just as admired as a great activist in the promotion of India as an independent, secular, democratic state – and one of the country’s founding fathers. Nehru spent much of his early life fighting British rule together with his mentor Mahatma Gandhi, and spent much time in and out of prison in the process. He ruled India from the time independence was declared in 1947 until his death from a heart attack in 1964.

Nehru’s family had a huge effect on life in India, before and after independence. His father had twice headed the National Congress and his sister would become the first female prime minister present at the United Nations. His daughter Indira would twice take the same office.

Nehru’s history

Like Gandhi, Nehru also studied law in the United Kingdom but was never interested in becoming a lawyer. He entered politics at a young age. Aside from helping achieve Indian independence and establishing the new country as a secular state run via parliament, he also promulgated reforms aimed at improving social conditions for life in India. These included laws regarding female equality and outlawing the caste system…

However, with such a vast and varied political geography, it is impossible for Nehru not to have fallen foul of critics. Many point to his agreement to divide former British India into India and Pakistan – a separate state for Muslims, as an unconscionable stance. Critics also point to his recognition of Communist China (India being the first state to do so), as a poor decision given China would soon enough capture Indian territory in the Himalayas.

The Controversial Leader Indira Gandhi

Indira Gandhi was not in fact related to Mahatma Gandhi. Indira Priyadarshini was the daughter of former president Nehru but coincidently went on to marry a Parsi husband with the surname Gandhi.

Nehru was loved throughout and beyond India. Due to his popularity with Indians, it was largely considered that Indira Gandhi would be primed to continue the work that her father had done throughout his time in office. Although she served in office twice from 1966-77 and from 1980-84, Indira Gandhi did not prove quite so popular.

Victories and Controversies

Her economic and agricultural reforms had a great effect on Indian life. Meanwhile, her diplomatic moves were key to bringing about a peaceful resolution to the conflict with East and West Pakistan. However, her  uncompromising manner and a string of scandals wrought the ire of many Indians against Indira Gandhi.

In 1978, she was imprisoned for improper conduct during elections and for using public resources during the campaign. However, the even more dismal failure of her replacements in office led to her return to power by 1980.

She was killed in 1984 by two Sikh bodyguards in response to the awful damage inflicted on an important Sikh holy site during a military operation backed by Gandhi.

Indira Gandhi’s son Rajiv Gandhi took over from his mother after her death, but himself fell victim to an assassination in 1989.

The Indian Capital: New Delhi

New Delhi is home to a population of over 26 million and is the second most populated city in the world. After Mumbai, the capital is the second richest city in the country, home to 18 billionaires and 23,000 millionaires.

Like our home town of Istanbul, the city has formed the center of numerous empires and still forms the seat of the Indian government. Also, like our hometown, traffic here is intense, but the city is generally better maintained than Mumbai. If you are planning a trip, then check out our article on Delhi.

Indian form of Government

According to its constitution, India is an “independent, socialist, secular republic” and is ruled via the parliamentary system.

As India covers an expansive and varied area, the state is administered along state lines. India is made up of 29 states and 7 union territories. The central state manages issues regarding international affairs and the economy, while domestic affairs relating to Indian life are generally handled on a state level. Each state sets its own laws regarding health, education, and social initiatives. This is why alcohol, for instance, can be illegal in one place and not in another.

What Language is Spoken in India?

• India is home to over 1,600 different languages!
• 22 of these languages are recognized as official: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Meitei, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Brahui.
• The most commonly spoken languages are Hindi and English.
• English emerged as a lingua franca for Indian life, thus many TV programs and newspapers are in English. Most Indians are educated in their local language during primary school and are taught in English from the 5th grade on.

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Önemli Duyuru Önümüzdeki günlerde 2 kişilik 9 ülke gezmeli Kuzey Avrupa Turu hediye edeceğiz! Kaçırmamak için mutlaka bildirimlerinizi açın,arkadaşlarınıza haber verin! Bildirimleri fotonun üstündeki 3 noktadan açabilirsiniz. Gelelim bu cennet köşesine. Burası Kerala, bu da bizim houseboat’umuz. Nilüferlerin içinden, palmiye fışkıran kanalların arasından Hindistan’ın en büyük gölüne gidiyorsunuz. Herşey çok güzel ama o kargalar çok fenalar. Az bi dalgınlığınıza geldi mi masaya pike yapıp yemeklere dalıyorlar. Köşede seni kesen bir karga, böyle ürke ürke masada yemek yiyorsun. Zekiler, kindarlar ve uzun ömürlüler, insanın gözünün içine bakıyorlar falan ya ben geriliyorum. Biraz da Hitchcock’un Kargalar filmi psikolojimle oynamış olabilir tabi. #yarışma #kerala #houseboating #india #hindistan #doğa #bizevdeyokuz #evdeoturanerkenölür

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Finding such an isolated, unexploited place that is so easily accessible is the most pleasant of surprises. Its beaches are absolutely breathtaking (truly prettier than anything we saw in Bali), its forests remain pristine and the villages authentic. There is no Western development. One wonders how it has managed to stay off the radar for so long.

Demons and evil spirits, particularly one disease-spreading being locally known as I Macaling, are to thank for Nusa Penida’s concealment. Even today, when a disaster like a flood occurs or an epidemic spreads, the Balinese point fingers at Nusa Penida. It was such a bad omen that in the 18th century, people were sending prisoners to be exiled on Nusa Penida. Locals would only go to the island on religious holidays requiring their participation.

However, Nusa Penida’s days of loneliness are long over now that Instagrammers have discovered its phenomenal beauty. On top of its spectacular views, it has spiritual and cultural importance as well as natural riches, both on land and underwater. It is a great place to see big marine species such as manta rays, whale sharks and mola molas. Most divers have the time of their life here. It has been making its way onto every Top Things To Do In Bali article, including our own.

Though it is still very far from being touristy, a flow of people to the island has definitely begun. We should also point out that there is a lack of touristic infrastructure on the island. It is not where you go for a luxurious holiday. Roads are bad, even terrible in some places, and accommodation and eating options are limited.

This is actually a good thing for the preservation of the island. Only those who can appreciate it for its ruggedness should be coming here. Unfortunately, it seems all that is going to change fast, as investors are chasing building lots around the island.

Things to do in Nusa Penida mostly revolve around its natural beauty. Let’s take a look:

http://www.instagram.com/p/BpeE0w7AGCB/

How Many days In Nusa Penida

At least 2 days to see around + 1 day for diving. So 3 or 4 depending on how much time you have in Bali. Here is a great source to see how can plan your time: Bali Itinerary.

Top Things To Do In Nusa Penida

1. Broken Beach, Nusa Penida

Broken Beach is one of the world’s most scenic beaches. The photo is quite self-explanatory but briefly, the waves dug a cave in the cliff until one day the top of the cave collapsed and formed this epic hole. Unfortunately, there is no access to the beach below. You can only watch from above.

You might feel like exploring the beach at least with a drone. We must warn you that the hole is known to be a drone eater. One guy crashed his DJI Pro into the waters in front of our eyes and he burst into tears. Apparently, at some point down the hole, the signal gets lost and the wind gets strong, and RIP sweet drone.

Lastly, beware that the drive up to here is very challenging, especially with a scooter. The road gets worse and worse, at one point you are driving over holes and rocks. Make sure to invest in a good bike. If you aren’t an experienced driver, arrange transport. Most importantly, make sure you don’t drive in the dark.

2. Angels Billabong

After visiting Broken Beach, you can walk to another epic spot called Angels Billabong. They are 5 mins on foot away from each other. This nook in the coast of Nusa Penida gets filled with waves during high tide and makes up world’s coolest infinity pool. While the untamed waves of the ocean hit against the rocks, you are swimming in safety of the calm waters of this natural pool. So remember to pack in your bathing suits.

3. Kelinking Beach & T-Rex

Kelinking Beach is the most famous beach in Nusa Penida. It also offers the most spectacular view of the island but it is also the hardest one to access. The road to Kelinking is in terrible condition. So the same warnings we have for Broken Beach apply. Once you park, you need to walk down some very primitive stairs dug into the ridge of a very steep hill. It is slippery and can be dangerous if you are not careful. A lot of people were complaining but I actually loved the experience.

The walk down takes 15-20 minutes and the way up around 30 mins to 1 hour depending on your fitness level. There is no facility on the beach. If you have health problems it may be wiser to just enjoy the view from the top. Nusa Penida beaches are gorgeous to look at but they aren’t the best for swimming anyways.

4. Diamond Beach

The next 4 attractions; Diamond Beach, Thousand Island View Point, Rumah Pohon and Atuh Beaches, are conveniently located in one spot.

Diamond Beach is one of the fantastic beaches of Nusa Penida. I will let the photo speak for itself. There is a warung where you can buy fresh coconuts and snacks on top of the stairs. There is also a place on the beach where you can buy basic things but I would recommend taking care of things before heading down.

5. Tree House (Rumah Pohon)

Imagine a humble little tree house built where the earth ends. That’s what it feels like here. There are 3 of them on a steep cliff watching the ocean on the east side of Nusa Penida. They are much more in demand than most hotels. Indeed it gets booked out months in advance. You can try to book it here. The good news is, you don’t have to stay there to visit and take photos. It is near Diamond Beach if you feel like stopping by.

6. Atuh Beach

Diamond Beach, the tree house and Atuh Beach are very close to each other and make a good day-trip together. Atuh Beach has more facilities then Diamond Beach. You can rent beach beds and eat at the warungs.

7. Thousand Island (Pulau Seribu)

Pulau Seribu means Thousand Island in Balinese but as you can see there aren’t that many of them. It is pretty much the same view that you see from the tree house. There is a viewpoint and a shrine at the tip of the cliff. To help you get oriented, the first small beach you see in the photo is a no-name beach, the second one is Diamond Beach and the one after that is Atuh Beach but it is left outside the frame here.

8. Crystal Bay

Crystal Bay is where people go if they want to hang out on an easily accessible beach, it is also a good snorkeling spot. There are a bunch of warungs, little shacks where they sell food and basic amenities, on the beach so it is hassle-free in every sense. If you don’t like isolated places, Crystal Bay is the liveliest beach around. You can also rent bean bags or sun beds. The warungs also rent snorkeling equipment if you feel like trying.

9. Palm Road

Just as you are approaching Crystal Bay, you pass through a road with tall palm trees on both sides. You can stop for a quick photo.

10. Manta View Point

Manta rays go to cleaning stations where they go to let the other fish eat off their parasites. They have few cleaning stations around Nusa Penida which make here one of the world’s best locations to see these amazing creatures. Since manta rays are huge, sometimes up to 8 meters wide, you don’t even need to get wet to see them. You can just sit at Manta View Point, which is on top a cliff, and watch them swim around.

11. Diving Or Snorkeling With The Manta Rays

Watching the mantas from the viewpoint is very nice but seeing them up close is a thrilling experience. They are huge but gentle creatures. They will just circulate around you gracefully. We suggest you give a chance to this once in a lifetime experience.

If you have a scuba-diving license there are plenty of dive centers on the island. They get booked 1 or 2 days in advance. So make sure to contact them as soon as you get on the island or write them before you get here. Whatsapp is frequently used in Bali to make such an arrangement. If you don’t have a license don’t worry, dive centers also do discovery dives. They also take snorkelers on their dive trips.

The manta rays are around all year but your best chance of seeing them is from March to June. Most schools take divers to Manta Point to see them. Sometimes the visibility isn’t great. Unfortunately, the waste dumped in the ocean circulates around the world and some of it may wash up on shores of Nusa Penida, too.

The currents can be strong in some spots, so let your dive master know beforehand if it’s been a while since you last drove or you don’t feel comfortable.

12. Diving With The Mola Molas

If you are in Nusa Penida sometime between June to October another impressive creature you can see here is the Mola Mola, more commonly known as the sunfish. They can be up to 3 meters and weight 1 ton! For the mola molas, you need to be an advanced diver as they inhabit the deep waters. If you have just open water certification but enough dives, they can fix a one to one dive with an instructor.

Even if you are in Nusa Penida out of season, we would still recommend diving or snorkeling here. Indonesia is situated in an area which considered be the Amazon of the seas. There are so much color and so much fish that you will never regret snorkeling or diving here. If you are really lucky you can even see whale sharks!

Where to snorkel in Nusa Penida

You don’t need to take a boat to go to great snorkeling spot. You can simply drive to a beach and get in the water. Toyah Pokah, Mangrove Point, The Wall, Gamut Bay and Crystal Bay are all kaleidoscopic spots.

I should also warn you that although the aquatic life is fantastic, the waves  can take away from the fun of snorkeling.

Which Dive Center

We went with Sanctum Dive and we were very happy but I suggest you also do your own research before deciding.

13. Pura Goa Giri Putri Cave

As we talked briefly mentioned in the introduction, locals associate Nusa Penida with demons and black magic. Ironically this makes Penida an important place of worship because maintaining the balance between the good and the evil is an important principle according to Agama Hinduism.

Pura Go Giri, also known as the cave temple, is the most important temple on the island. You go down about 100 stairs to find a small mouse hole sort of opening on a wall of rock. That is the entrance to the massive cave temple. You get blessed with holy water by a priest and get a sarong before you enter. You are expected to make a donation of 10,000 IDR. Women who are menstrating are not allowed int the temple.

14. Peguyangan Waterfall & Seganing Falls

If you have seen the waterfalls of the Munduk or Bedugul region, as a waterfall alone Peguyangan might not be so impressive. The blue stairs that descent to the waterfall is more interesting than the waterfall itself. At least its location is nice. It falls from a cliff into the sea. On the side of the cliff there is a tiny pool you dip in.

The other waterfall is Seganing but of all the things to do in Nusa Penida, it really is at the bottom of the list. I would rather put my time into seeing everything on our Top Things To Do In Bali list.

15. Amok Sun Set Bar

Each sun set in an occasion to celebrate in Bali and sun set bars are the place to be. Up and coming Nusa Penida caught on the trend very fast. Amok is Nusa Penida’s first sunset bar. It is not as happening as Finns or Potato Head but it is fun in chill Nusa Penida kind of way. It is also a good place eat.

Best Eats In Nusa Penida

Breakfast At Penida Espresso

It is nothing like the stylish cafes of Bali but it served the breakfast food in Nusa Penida. We liked it so much that we skipped our included hotel breakfast to eat there. Their smoothie bowls are excellent.

Dinner At Ba’Bar

After eating at many of the top recommended fish restaurants and leaving disappointed, we decide to follow our instinct instead of TripAdvisor. As we passed in front of it we noticed that Ba’Bar was packed every night, so we thought we could give it a try. The food turned out to be so much better then we expected. They make French/ Italian food but their seafood was also better then the seafood places.

Accommodation In Nusa Penida

We’ve compiled a list of the best hotels (not-to-mention, famous tree house!) that Nusa Penida has to offer visitors on every budget. The beautiful, lush island, with its stunning sea vistas has a wealth of options for all types of traveller, from entripid backpackers to those seeking a romantic getaway.
Where To Stay In Nusa Penida

Map Of Nusa Penida

In order to open the map on GoogleMaps, click on here

[column size=one_half position=first]1. Nusa Lembongan Island
2. Ceningan island
3. Amok Sunset
4. Crystal Bay Beach
5. Broken Beach
6. Angel’s Billabong
7. T-Rex Bay
8. Kelingking Beach
9. Cliff View
10. Seganing Waterfall
11. Peguyangan Waterfall
12. Thousand Islands[/column][column size=one_half position=last]13. Diamond Beach
14. Atuh Beach
15. Goa Giri Putri
16. Rumah Pohon
17. Ocean Terrace Suite And Spa Luxury
18. Swan Beach Inn
19. Petak Cottage
20. Penida Espresso
21. Sanctum Dive Center
22. Ba’Bar
23. Penida Bambu Green Villas
[/column]

How To Get To Nusa Penida

– The 3 ports on mainland Bali from where boats operate to Nusa Penida from are Sanur, Kusamba, and Padang Bai.

– Sanur is the most convenient one for most tourist because it is near tourist centers and there are frequent departures. It makes sense to sleep in Sanur the night before to catch the first boat to Penida. Also this way you can go to the port at night to buy your tickets to guarantee yourself a spot on the boat.

– We recommend staying at Umah Bagus in Sanur which is cheap and conveniently located across the port. The owner will help you reserve the tickets and at the local price too! Just contact her after booking a room.

– You can also get to Nusa Penida from Nusa Lembongan which is its neighboring island.

For boat times & ticket and information on how to get around once you are in Nusa Penida you can read How To Get To Nusa Penida.

Now let’s look at the best things to do in Nusa Penida.

Getting Around In Nusa Penida

– Warning: In Nusa Penida roads are in bad condition. While the main roads are alright but the main roads will only halfway to the places you will want to go. After the main road, you will find yourself in an offroad driving experience. Certain roads are not for scooter rookies. So we made sure to give you information about road conditions for your journeys below.

– You can rent a scooter for around 70,000 IDR per day. A car with a driver costs around 500,000 IDR per day.

– For more details read the section on getting around in Penida from How To Get To Nusa Penida.

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Without a doubt, the Princes’ Islands, formerly known as the Prinkipos Islands, is the most beautiful place in Istanbul (especially during the spring). Well, it’s located off Istanbul in the Sea of Marmara only about an hour ferry ride away. And the ride is worth it. The islands that make up Princes’ Islands are dotted with historic villas nestled among the pine trees. You can easily ride a bike only five minutes to get to a beach, as well as experience the island culture – all within a short ferry ride from the center of Istanbul!

The islands remind me of the old Istanbul which is slowly disappearing. My heart hurts a bit whenever I go to Princes’ Islands because I see just how beautiful Istanbul used to be. Both the architecture and nature of the island are breath-taking. It’s also why, if you’re in Istanbul, then you should take advantage of checking out the islands. The island’s local culture is also slowly starting to disappear as so many tourists come – too many for an island like Büyükada to handle. With quantity goes quality.

It’s possible to feel two very different things while on Büyükada. You can either feel like you’re visiting an charming Aegean island or a crowded bus station. In this post, you’ll be able to find tips that help you distinguish between heaven and hell on Büyükada.

Buyukada Island In The Summer

Our first tip – and it hurts us to say this – is to avoid going during the summer. Unfortunately, it’s the time where you’ll want to go the most. Even if you’ve only been in Istanbul a short time, it can be a great way to escape the chaos of the city, even if only for a day. But you’ll find that it’s so crowded during the summer – even during the week – that it might be hard to enjoy yourself. Of course, if your trip to Istanbul happens to fall on the summer, then you could still go, but keep the crowds in mind. If you can, wait until September to go to Büyükada or go in May before the crowds set in.

Ok, now that we’ve addressed the potential problem of crowds, let’s start talking about the tips & things to do on Buyukada we mentioned earlier.

You can view the map by zooming in.

Places to See

1. Aya Yorgi Church
2. Anadolu Club
3. Splendid Palace Hotel
4. Reşat Nuri Güntekin House
5. Büyükada Greek Orphanage
6. Hamidiye Mosque
7. Anastasia Meziki Hotel
8. Trotsky’s House
9. Museum of the Princes’ Islands
10. Sedef Island

Where to Eat

1. Yücetepe Restaurant
2. Eskibağ Terrace Restaurant
3. Roma Dondurma
4. Prinkipo Dondurma Waffle
5. Fıçı
6. Yalovalı
7. Büyükada Pastanesi
8. Lale Büfe
9. Ada Kahvaltı
10. Milto
11. Prinkipo Meyhanesi Fıstık Ahmet’in Yeri

TOP 11 THINGS TO DO BÜYÜKADA IN 1 DAY

We prepared an itinerary for you to experience the best side of Büyükada in the course of only one day. Everything is listed in the order we think you should do them.

1. Island Brunches That Make You Feel Like You’re On an Island Vacation

Come to the island hungry, and you’ll be able to start your day off with an island breakfast. By “island breakfast,” it’s not anything too special, particularly if you’ve already adjusted to Turkish breakfast. But even just eating bread and cheese on the island will feel different. It’s hard to explain. Eat breakfast on the island, so you can feel like you’re taking a vacation on an island, not visiting Turkey’s biggest metropolis. If you’re not sure where to go, then you can head over to our Breakfast on Büyükada post for all our recommendations.

2. Decide Whether or Not You Want to Swim or Sightsee. For Swimming:

If you don’t want to go swimming, then you can skip down to number three.

Is Buyukada island safe to swim? Most Istanbulites refrain from swimming in the Marmara Sea, except for the locals of Buyukada who pretty much swim everyday and it is pretty much their favorite thing to do.

If you want to swim on Büyükada, then the best thing to do is to take a boat and go out swimming that day. When you get off the ferry onto the island, you’ll be able to get on one of the boats in the harbor. If you decide to go on a boat ride, then you can skip down to number five. If you don’t want to be tied to a boat during your Büyükada visit, then you can check out our articles on the most popular beaches: Beaches on Büyükada.

3. Rent a Bike and Make Your Way to the Top

We suggest that you rent a bike as soon as you set foot on Büyükada island and escape from the crowds along the shore and in the bazaar. Ride to the top without losing much time. Along the way, you’ll pass through streets full of enchanting beauty, and you’ll be able to breathe in the sweet air among the pine trees. We can guarantee you that the best way of touring around Büyükada is by cycling. This is best tip we can give you for things to do in Buyukada.

While there are cafes and restaurants throughout the island, you can also have a picnic if you want. So make sure to pack a picnic blanket or towel and get some snacks and drinks, and you’ll be able to find a quiet corner of the island away from the rest of the crowd.

You’ll be able to see places to rent bikes near the bazaar on almost every street, but some of the bikes can be quite old and neglected. Be careful.

A few important warnings

– Don’t forget to check your brakes before renting your bike; Büyükada is quite hilly, and you’ll be going downhill a lot.
– Although bicycle tourism has developed on the island, there are no routes aside from the 14-km big tour and the 12-km small tour. The smaller route is called the Aşıklar Road. You can also easily do this on foot.
– You have to go to the center of Lunapark to start this tour. This is the starting point for both the big and small tour. Don’t worry, there are signs that will point you in the right direction.
– Nizam Road is nice, but it is quite crowded with tourists and cyclists. The way there is much calmer if you walk or cycle down Maden. It lasts for about 75 minutes, and the small tour lasts 1 hour.
– Also, there is no bicycle path. Vehicles and bikes all use the same road. Just be aware.

Make sure to make a note of these magnificent mansions while pedaling

4. Navigate the Nostalgic Streets Full of Magnificent Mansions

If you’re cycling, then you can navigate the island as you please. The main appeal of Büyükada island is the historical and ornately decorated mansions made out of wood. You’re likely to come across a mini palace on every street. Hop on your bike and go mansion hunting. The most beautiful mansions on the island are concentrated in the Nizam region, but there are also some beautiful structures in the Maden neighborhood. Don’t worry; you’ll find these places in our Places to See in Büyükada section.

You can wander around aimlessly until you reach your final destination of Aya Yorgi Hill. It’s important that you come here before the sunset.

5. Our Favorite Place is the Aya Yorgi Church on the Aya Yorgi Hill

Ok, so we’ve rented bikes to reach the hills of the island to bypass the unpleasant crowds, and now we are headed to Aya Yorgi hill. To get to Aya Yorgi, you first have to pedal to the Lunapark area located about three kilometers from the pier. As we mentioned earlier, Lunapark is the starting point for both the small and large routes. Park your bikes there as you’ll have to up a steep slope, and you’ll have a difficult time with your bike – and also, they don’t allow for bikes or any vehicles up to the church. You don’t have to be in shape to go up the hill, but it lasts about 25 minutes. At this stage, most of the tourists will have been gone, and you’ll be left to your own devices on the delightful hill above. There are three great things here: one is the Aya Yorgi Church, the other is the Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu, and the last is the sunset.

Aya Yorgi Church

When you get to the church, then you can light a candle and make a wish. The original name is the Agios Georgios Greek Orthodox Monastery and was built for St. George in 1751. There are two days in the year when the church is full – April 23rd and September 24th with people from all walks of life who come here to make wishes.

The most valuable thing in this church is the Saint George icon, which has a story. According to popular belief, during the Byzantine period, priests of the church buried the icon and other sacred relics so they wouldn’t be destroyed while during times of occupation. Years later, Aya Yorgi began dreaming of a shepherd. The shepherd told him to dig, and so he listened to this prophecy and found the icons buried under the church.

This church is considered as an important pilgrimage place for Christians – similar to the Virgin Mary’s House near Ephesus – on April 23 to celebrate the coming of spring and on September 24 to commemorate Saint Thekla. They go up the church without wearing shoes or speaking, and they tie pieces of cloth to the branches of trees and make wishes as they go up to the church. When they get to the church, they get a key or a bell from the church. If you want your wish to come true, then you have to bring back the key or the bell for the church. But let’s warn you ahead of time that the island is insanely crowded during these two days. If you want to visit the church as a tourist, then definitely don’t come during these two days. Of course, it’s a different story if you come here to experience those religious days. Click here for the location. Number 1 on the map.

6. Eat Turkish Meatballs While Enjoying the View from Aya Yorgi Hill Yücetepe Kır Gazinosu

The view is worth it to bike three kilometers and climb uphill half an hour. Yucetepe Kır Gazinosu, which has been in operation next to Aya Yorgi Church since 1978, has never lost its soul. You’ll understand what I mean as soon as you walk in. It’s a shabby, family-run restaurant with wooden tables and chairs. But of course, it serves up one of Turkey’s staples: meatballs, or köfte.

You’ll also be able to find a special type of sausage, homemade stuffed grape leaves, and cheese filled pastry. Our favorite is eating meatballs while sipping on a beer. If you have to come here during a full moon, we guarantee you that your moon will be incredible. This is a great place to eat lunch – but be forewarned that it’s not one of the places right on the beach. Save dinner for later. The business is open all year, and we think it’s one of Istanbul’s best-kept secrets. Click here for the location. Number 1 on the map.

7. Watch the Sunset at Aya Yorgi, One of the Most Beautiful Views in Istanbul

Be careful who you bring with you. If you haven’t already fallen in love with them while doing one of the first seven items on this list, then you definitely will while watching the sunset. Kır Gazososu has the best view on the island. The sunset is spectacular. We think it’s on the top five of best sunset spots in Istanbul. And what’s so great about it is that it’s a place that not many people have discovered: when you leave Aya Yorgi, go to the rocks behind the restaurant. The view is just…terrific. There’s a great rock where you can sit and watch the sunset. If no one is there, grab it for yourself!

8. Eat Dinner at the Eskibağ Terrace Restaurant

When you’re walking around the island, you’ll see a ton of restaurants on the shore. But the restaurant that we recommend is located in the back at the furthermost point of the island. At this restaurant, you’ll be able to eat by ordering from a simple menu and sitting on wooden chairs. But if you’re looking for something nicer or more adventurous, then you can check out our What and Where to Eat in Büyükada post. Click here for the location. Number 2 on the map.

9. A Büyükada Island Classic: Eating Ice Cream (But at a Local Favorite)

As soon as you get off the ferry, you’ll see people eating ice cream on a cone stacked five scoops high. These massive ice cream cones have become a tourist attraction in themselves on Büyükada.

But we wanted to go to a place that is preferred by the local islanders – so save your sweet tooth for an ice cream maker named Yunus. He makes his ice cream from whatever fruit is the freshest and in season. This is a family-run business, and the family prepares the ice cream fresh every day, and they sell them from wheelbarrows. Often, the cart is parked in front of the Anadolu Club – there aren’t that many varieties – lemon, cherry, peach, chocolate, and cream. The process of making this ice cream in crushing the fruit means the flavors are intense. Also, the ice cream is less creamy and has more of a sorbet consistency. Another characteristic of Yunus’ ice cream is that when he scoops it to put it on the cone, it’s in the shape of a rose, not a ball.

If you can not find Yunus

– The head to Sariyer Dondurmacısı. The milk ice cream (sütlü dondurması) is delicious.
– And if you want another option, then you can go to Roma Dondurma on the left when you’re leaving the square. Their signature flavor is melon, but they have a lot of other options. Click here for the location. Number 3 on the map.

Tarihi Prinkipo Dondurma & Waffle is known for their waffles and different types of cones covered in chocolate, nuts, and other sweets. But this is the most touristic place out of the options we’ve provided, so don’t be surprised if you have to wait in line. Click here for the location. Number 4 on the map.

10. Eat Sunflower Seeds in a Tea Garden and Mix with the Locals

Well, to be honest, it doesn’t appeal to us very much, BUT the classic thing that locals do here is to go to a tea garden on the shore with friends after a meal. Here, they play games such as backgammon and dominoes and munch on sunflower seeds. If you want to hang out with the locals for a bit, this is the place for you.

PLACES TO SEE IN BÜYÜKADA

1. See the magnificent mansions of Büyükada

With a bike, you’ll easily be able to reach every corner of the island. There are tons of wonderfully ornate historical buildings on the island, and you’re guaranteed to see one on every street you ride down. But there are different neighborhoods on the island:

On Yirmiüç Nisan Street

– This street is full of mansions right on the beach. These are the mansion you’ll see when you approach the island by ferry.
– 2 icons of Buyukada, Splendid Hotel and Anatolian Club, are on this street. Anatolian Club is a very populer posh hang out amongst the elders of the island. Both its historical atmosphere and clients give it a very cozy and nostalgic vibe. Unfortunately, only offers affordable prices for its members. Click here for the location. Number 2 on the map.

The other icon of the island Splendid Palas Hotel is unfortunately not the most hospitable place. So we would not suggest staying over night but you should stop by a visit. As soon as you walk into the lobby, you’ll be transported back to the 1920s with its grand piano, red curtains, and an elegant lobby full of art. The hotel, which has been passed down six generations, is a serious historical artifact.

The hotel was built in 1908 by Kazim Pasha after he retired from the Ottoman army to recreate European hospitality. Even though it has some French influences, it also has eastern influences in its architecture like its domes. Although the hotel was not open for customers, Atatürk liked to come here when he was in Büyükada to have dinner. Click here for the location. Number 3 on the map.

In The Nizam Area

– Çankaya Street is home to some of the most beautiful and historic mansion on the island. On this street, you’ll see the Fabiato Pavilion, Izzet Pasha Pavilion, Con Pasha Pavilion, Mizzi Pavilion (which is also known as Al Palas), and the Yalman Mansion, which is the set for a famous soap opera in Turkey. On this street, there are now Adalar Cultural Center. 

– You’ll see the Azaryan (Seferoğlu) Mansion on Nizam Street and Kuyumcuyan Mansion, which is also known as the Mazlum Bey Mansion.

– The house of Reşat Nuri Güntekin, who is a famous Turkish writer, is located on Yılmaz Türk Street. Click here for the location. Number 4 on the map.

On The Road To The Forest

– The Greek Orphanage, which is the second-largest wooden structure in Europe, is located on the road that goes to the Hagios Sotiros Christou Monastery. It’s a dilapidated building that has not been in use since 1964 and has suffered a lot of weather damage since then. They’ve closed most of it off, so there’s not much you can see. Because of this, we don’t recommend that you come here in vain. The Greek Orphanage was selected as one of the seven endangered cultural heritage sites in Europe so it’s currently under renovation. Great news! So be on the lookout in the next couple of years to see if it’s been renovated. Click here for the location. Number 5 on the map.

In The Maden Area

– Check out Hamidiye Mosque and Meziki Mansion (Click here for the location) Number 6 on the map. on Malul Gazi Street. The mansion is now used as a hotel and a film set. Click here for the location. Number 7 on the map.

On the side of the is the Trotsky house, which was the house of the famous Russian politician while he was exiled. Even if it’s not in good condition and you can’t make it inside, you can still stop by and see it from the outside. Click here for the location. Number 8 on the map.

2. If You Have Time, Check out Adakule for a Great View

Büyükada has a lesser-known hill called the Hızır İlyas Hill in addition to the Aya Yorgi hill. On the Hızır hill, there is a fire tower named Adakule, and all of the island can be seen from here. If you’re used to climbing up hills, then go for it. It’s much more secluded than Aya Yorgi. You don’t need me to tell you, but I will anyway – wonderful views await you here. To get here, walk only 700 meters from Lunapark.

3. Explore the Adalar Museum

Nikola Hangari’s permanent exhibition called “Princes Islands in 10 Minutes” provides a comprehensive history of the formation of the islands to life today. It is open every day except Monday. Website Click here for the location. Number 9 on the map.

HOTELS ON BÜYÜKADA ISLAND

If you can fit it into your Istanbul itinerary, we strongly advise that you stay in Büyükada one night. It’ll do you some good, believe me. This way, you won’t have to worry about getting in all the attractions the same day and running to catch the ferry on the way back to Istanbul. Our dream has always been to rent a place on the island for the summer, but we haven’t yet. We’ll have to settle for staying one night. And the great news is that the island provides accommodation options for people on all budgets. I can not tell you so well.

**Important Reminder **
Turkey has complicated relationships with Booking.com:
– If you are abroad, you can book a hotel in Turkey on Booking. It is best to do your bookings while you are away.
– If you are in Turkey, you can no longer book on Booking.com. So you need to connect with VPN in order to use Booking or you can switch to Agoda which is also owned by Booking.com.

Aya Nikola Boutique Hotel

Click here for more details and to make a reservation: Its not available on Booking or Agoda

Çenar Konak

Located just 200 meters from the shore, the Çenar Konak, with its lush gardens, is a small hotel with 7 rooms to let. The home, which contains its own cafe/bar, has a terrace that overlooks the island and the Marmara Sea. The establishment also offers breakfast. Click here for more details and to make a reservation: Agoda / Booking

Sergüzeşt Otel

Just 600 meters from the shore, the Sergüzeşt Otel is equipped with gardens and rooms with a sea-view. Breakfast service is provided for each room, the wifi works, but pets are not allowed. Click here for more details and to make a reservation:  Agoda / Booking

Ada Palas Hotel Buyukada

Click here for more details and to make a reservation: Agoda / Booking

WHAT & WHERE TO EAT ON BÜYÜKADA

Relax, if you’ve finished our one-day itinerary that we recommended for you, then you won’t miss much. But because some people reading this might come back to the island several times, we wanted to add more for some variety. And we also realize that people might want to go to some popular places even if they are a bit touristy so we inclueded those too. For more options, check out our Büyükada Restaurants post.

1. Popular Places to Eat on Büyükada

Here, we’ll list some other signature places. Let’s warn you from the beginning – this is list is not for everyone.

1. If you’re feeling adventurous and don’t mind eating fried things, then you can head over to Altın Fıçı in Büyükada’s market to eat fried mussels (midye tava), grilled sheep’s intestines (kokoreç), french fries as well as a beer to go along with it. Click here for the location. Number 5 on the map.
2. Also located inside the bazaar is the deli market (sarküteri) called Yalovalı. Their signature dish here is potatoes croquette. This specialty is an island classic. Click here for the location. Number 6 on the map.
3. Büyükada Pastanesi is one of the island’s most established businesses. You can come here for breakfast to nibble on some pastries with powdered sugar while sipping on some çay (tea). This bakery is also famous for its other baked goods such as its Turkish delight and flour cookies. While you’re here, you might as well get some cookies for the road. Click here for the location.Number 7 on the map.
4. Eat some famous Büyükada ice cream. You can find our favorite ice cream makers in number 10.
5. Taste some seafood such as sardines and mackerel widely consumed on Büyükada. You can find the restaurants lined up on the beach. We’ve listed our favorites down below.
6. Up until a couple of years ago, one of the best things to do on Büyükada was to go see a movie at the Lale Open Air Cinema– but unfortunately, it closed. But right next to the cinema is Lale Büfe. They are known for making incredible toast that blends salt and sweet. They make a grilled sandwich that has both chocolate and kashar cheese that is oddly good. Click here for the location.Number 8 on the map.
7. Another favorite food item in Büyükada is watermelon jam. You can taste and/or buy watermelon jam at Ada Kahvaltı. Click here for the location.Number 9 on the map.
8. We know that you’ve probably stuffed yourself, but hang in there a little longer. After 5 pm, you can find a guy selling pickles near the clock tower. Turkey has a long history of pickling different vegetables, and you can pick your favorite combo. Our suggestion is to drink some pickle juice before leaving – if you can stomach it.
9. You’ll also be able to find someone who sells pişmaniye, which is the Turkish version of cotton candy. If you happen to see the guy selling it, then definitely buy some from him to taste it if you haven’t already.

2. Eat Appetizers and Fish and Drink Raki

If you like seafood and are interested in taste testing Aegean food – which can be incredibly refreshing if you’ve spent the whole day in the sun – then you have two options on Büyükada island.

1. If you don’t mind intermingling with the tourist crowd, then you can eat at one of the restaurants right on the shore. All of Büyükada’s restaurants that serve appetizers, fish, and raki (a Turkish spirit flavored with anise) are lined up one after another on the coast. In terms of quality and cost, they are all about the same. But we’ve gone ahead and chosen one for you: Milto. 

2. But of course our top picks are located far away. One is the Eskibağ Teras Restaurant that we mentioned in the section about breakfast, and the other is Fıstık Ahmet’s Place (Fıstık Ahmet’in Yeri) Prinkipo Restaurant that we talk about down below.

Fıstık Ahmet’s Place Prinkipo Restaurant

This place is known as being an island class and is located after you pass the line of restaurants on the coast and is owned by Fıstık Ahmet. This is a great place to come to have some appetizers and drink some rakı. There’s also live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Click here for the location. Number 10 on the map.

Milto

As we said before, most of those restaurants that are lined up on the coast on Büyükada are all about the same regarding price and quality. But if you were to ask us for the best option out of all of them, then we would have to say Milto. Here, you can try the grilled meats, calamari, octopus, and fish, which are all lovely but might be a bit more expensive compared to the other places we’ve listed in this post since this is a touristy place. Click here for the location. Number 11 on the map.

BEACHES ON BÜYÜKADA ISLAND

There are several places where you can swim on Büyükada. For a list of the cleanest and most well-maintained places, then check out our Beaches on Büyükada post.

IF YOU STAY ON BÜYÜKADA OVERNIGHT, HEAD TO SEDEF ADA THE NEXT DAY

This is a great traveler’s tip we have for you: Sedef Island is a paradise that is little known to tourists and locals alike. The island is just composed of a couple of places to swim and a couple of restaurants. The best thing to do here is to go swimming during the day and to have a meal at Elio Sedef Restaurant.

As we said, there aren’t that many places to choose from. One is Elio Sedef Restaurant that owns that beach in front of it, and the other is Liya which also provides services for the beach. There is also a public beach where you’d have to pay to get in, but we don’t recommend it. If you’ve come all this way and are going to spend money, then it should be at Elio Sedef Restaurant or Liya.

There isn’t frequent transportation to Sedef Island, but you can find boats that leave from Büyükada that provide transportation for Elio and Liya customers. The other option is that if you’re with a group of people, then you have the option of renting a boat or taking a sea taxi. Click here for the location. Number 10 on the map.

HOW DO I GET TO BÜYÜKADA?

There are two ways to get to Büyükada: by boats operated by private firms and state-owned ferry boats (Şehir Hatlar).

Boat To Buyukada

You’ll be able to find plenty of options if you go with a private company. A company called Mavi Marmara (it’ll say it on the boats) go to Büyükada from Beşiktaş, Kabataş, Eminönü, Yeşilköy, Kadıköy, and Bostancı. If you’re staying close to Sultanahmet, then you’ll want to leave from Eminönü. Click here to find the timetable for both the winter and summer seasons.

Prens Tur also has some boats leaving from Kartal going to the island. Click here to find the timetable.

Turyol‘un also has some boats going to the islands. Click here to find the timetable.

Ferry To Buyukada

You can find ferries run by Şehir Hatları going to Büyükada from Eminönü, Kadıköy, and Bostancı. From the European side, the trip there lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. It’s shorter from the Asian side – it’s half an hour from Bostancı and 1 hour from Kadıköy. Click here for prices and times.

Also İDO has some ferries going to the islands. Click here for prices and times.

The post COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BUYUKADA ISLAND, ISTANBUL appeared first on Biz Evde Yokuz.

Many Turks and foreigners own summer houses in Bodrum. Since a big part of Istanbul’s population and wealth migrate here for the summer, it is frequently referred to as “little Istanbul”. It is massive, with its size doubling most Turkish cities in the summer which means there is a lot going on but not everything is worth your time.  It can be tricky even for the Turks to find the right spots.

So as your local friend who spent around a dozen of summers in Bodrum, we prepared you Bodrum guide explaining where to stay, how to plan and get around, and the top things to do in Bodrum.

Things to Know Before You Go To Bodrum

Bodrum vs. Bodrum Peninsula

A common confusion is what Bodrum refer to. Bodrum is 2 things:
1. In the map above you see the administrative regions of the city of Muğla. The peninsula marked in yellow is called Bodrum. So it is the name of a grand administrative region.
2. The Bodrum Peninsula takes its name from a town called Bodrum which we commonly refer to as Bodrum merkez, meaning central Bodrum.

Why Go to Bodrum

The obvious answer is the sun & the sea but being a peninsula country Turkey has no shortage of beaches. So why Bodrum?

Back in the 80’s when there was nothing but a fishing village here, artists and intellectuals started hanging out in Bodrum. Then its fame spread among the elite. As artists and rich people are the 2 favorite topics of the paparazzi, Bodrum found itself in the spotlight. You know how it goes from here.

It is no longer the modest bohemian town it used to be. Today we can speak of 3 Bodrums:
– The posh Bodrum with marinas where you see boats worth millions, world-famous beach clubs chains like Nikki Beach, and restaurants where a single meal costs about the minimum monthly wage in. (Mostly around Yalıkavak and Türkbükü regions)
– Local’s Bodrum. (Spread around the peninsula)
– Cheap tourists’ Bodrum, which is nothing like Bodrum. Irish Pubs, tacky bars, and so forth. (Mostly in Gümbet and around Bodrum center)

So the long answer to the question is that it offers everything from some of Turkey’s most luxurious hotels & hangouts to simple pensions.

Where To Stay

As you can deduct from above, each region of Bodrum has a different character. Commuting between them can take hours because of the traffic jam. So you do not want to be stuck in the wrong part.

Our recommendation is renting a seaside villa with a pool in a traffic-free region. It is far more pleasurable and affordable than a hotel, especially if you are more than 2 people.

If that sounds good to you, I recommend Nirvana Residence. It is in Güvercinlik which is one of the only few places in Bodrum where you can enjoy both the forest and the sea together. Plus, it is conveniently located halfway between the center and airport which allows you alternative routes to by-pass the traffic. Since it used to be fisherman’s village there are plenty of great fish restaurants in the village.

The villa has terrific sea views, a pool, a garden and American style BBQ area. Owners are exceptionally nice people. I say no more, you can check it out for yourself on AirBnB: Nirvana Residence

Best Time to Go

Mid- May to Mid-Sept: This is the best time for Bodrum. As soon as the schools close for the summer vacation (usually in June), Bodrum gets very busy and it stays that way until the schools reopen in the first half of Sept. The obvious high season is the months of July and Aug when there are plenty concerts and parties but it is also very crowded and expansive in this period. Too hot? Yes, but that is the point of going to Bodrum anyways.

April & May: I have swum in April but most Turks would consider it too early. The upside of spring is that is very green and cheap.

Oct – Mid May: Bodrum is clear of tourists and it is a good time to get really local. If you go to Bodrum off-season, make sure to stay in the center which is the liveliest part of the town.

Warning: There are 2 religious holidays when Turks have an extended vacation; Kurban Bayramı and Şeker Bayramı, known as the Eids. Because Islam uses the moon calendar, they fall into a different month every year. Never go to Bodrum during Eid if it is in summer. It gets so packed that traffic jam starts inside the airport.

Getting Around

Bodrum, as a region, is so vast and the things to do here are so spread out that renting a car is the most practical option. Sure, minibusses called dolmuş that shuttle you from one place to the other, but the routes can be so winding and the connection stops so numerous that you will lose a lot of time.

As for taxis, forget it. The taximeters are so merciless that you will lose half your budget. Car rentals, then, are the most practical and affordable option.

Top Things To Do In Bodrum

You can view the map by zooming in.

Places to See

1. Bodrum Castle
2. Karakaya Village
3. Etrim Village
4. Zeki Müren Art Center

Where to Eat

1. Doy Doy Balık Restoran
2. Lagün Fish Restaurant
3. Limon
4. Gelato Pioppo
5. Marmarina Saraylı Restaurant
6. Xuma Village
7. Midyeci Şehmus Usta’nın Yeri
8. Havva Ana Kahvaltı Evi
9. Toprak Ana Gündoğan
10. Mahmut Kaptan
11. Kısmet Lokantası
12. Katip Cocktail Bar
13. Savra Bodrum
14. Zai Bodrum

1. A Trip to the Beach

Although the area is best experienced outside the tourist season, splashing around in typical tourist fashion is still one of the best things to do in Bodrum.

It has with 67 blue-flag beaches, which is a stamp of approval given only to cleanest waters. However, as the temperature starts to rise, the beaches begin to crowd out – but there are plenty of hidden options for you to avoid the chaos.

We go into detail on these in our Bodrum Beaches article. Whether you are looking for a beach club or public beach, some isolated corner or a popular beach, you can find your answers there.

2. Historic Places: Bodrum Castle & Underwater Archaeology and Halikarnas Mausoleum

Don’t be fooled into thinking Bodrum is nothing but beaches and clubs. In fact, there are plenty of things to do in Bodrum that are bursting historical intrigue.

Two of the foremost of these are the Halikarnas Mausoleum which is listed as one of the 7 wonders of the world and the world’s most important shipwreck.

Halikarnas Mausoleum was destroyed as a result of a catastrophic earthquake. Not much is left of this former wonder of the world, though the artifacts uncovered from the site and the shipwreck made and impressive meseum today. Underwater Archaeology Museum is located in the Bodrum Castle. Click here for location. Number 1 on the map.

3. The Ultimate Fish Dinner at Bargilya or Güvercinlik Towns

Güvercinlik 

Güvercinlik is an old fishing village which has managed to retain its character as just that, despite the construction of a number of hotels on the outskirts. It’s situated in our favorite bay in the area, as it is one of the few places around Bodrum where you can enjoy the sea as well as lush vegetation. It offers a nice stretch of coastline ideal for walking off dinner over.

As people who have sampled the delights of many sea-food restaurants, we recommend Doy Doy Restaurant if you are going for fish even though there are places whose overall decor is more pleasant and inviting. One of the most relaxing things to do in Bodrum is to watch the sunset over dinner here. Make sure you reserve your seat beforehand, though!

Tel: 02523746230 Click here for location. Number 1 on the map.

The Lagün Restaurant is our favorite fish place in Bodrum. The establishment is situated right next to the lagoon from which it gets its name. This saltwater lake is a natural habitat for flamingos and various mollusks and fish, providing the most peaceful and beautiful setting. It is a bit far from everything else, but very close to the airport. So you can stop by on your way in or out of Bodrum. Note: This place is often confused with another restaurant in Bargilya so make sure you the contact information provided below.

Tel: 0535 768 6426 Click here for location. Number 2 on the map.

4. Watch the Flamingos in Bargilya

Yes, Flamingos. If you’ve checked out the location of the Lagün Restaurant, you’ll see there is a small ford connecting the road to the island in the middle of the lagoon. The beauty of this place is astounding in terms of natural beauty and wildlife. In the winter months, it is a favorite stop-off point for migrating flamingos.

5. Hippies-Gone-Mainstream: Gümüşlük

Gümüşlük is certainly a part of Bodrum which has earned a reputation as a boho hip and happening get-away location. The only problem is that too many people have discovered it. Although we prefer the place at emptier times of year, it always seems to deliver. In terms of dining options, the fish restaurants along the coast are fine – but they can not beat Lagün nor Doy Doy restaurants.

Gümüşlük, rather, we love for the chance it gives you to have a relaxing walk along the sea, enjoy a beer and a musical showcase at the Jazz Cafe, to check out the sale items at Cadı, and part at Limon in the evening.

Gümüşlük is also ideal for nature walks. A pleasant 40 -45 minutes can be spent heading to Bayraklıtepe enjoying the view of the islands and scent of sage. Gümüşlük also has the MOS (Museum Of Sweets) that has more than earned its reputation for cheesecake. In the evenings, you can also catch good live performances as Off Gümüşlük.

6. Hiding from Pirates in Karakaya Village (Gümüşlük) 

If Karaköy is a little on the quiet side, it’s only to evade detection from pirate raids. The village, that lies on the other side of Mount Peksimet near Gümüşlük, was built by locals in the 16th century, thanks to its ideal, hidden location around half a kilometer from the coast on a hill with a commanding view of the bay.

And this was not all they did to secure their location: the locals plastered their hovels in mud and straw camouflage. Although the village was abandoned and left in a state of despair around thirty years ago, life returned as it has welcomed the investment and restoration projects. Around half of the 60-odd homes that make up the village are now once again occupied.

Two signs are visible upon entry forbidding the entry of any vehicles and banning smoking on the site. The main draw is undoubtedly the view, which at sunset is simply magnificent.

Though the town is alive again, there are no cafes or restaurants, not even a gaudy supermarket in sight. So not much to do here but it is nice for a quick visit. Luckily the village makes a great stop-off point on the road from Gümüşlük to Yalıkavak. So you can easily drop by. Click here for location. Number 2 on the map.

7.  Limon (Gümüşlük)

Turkish writer Ali Rıza Kardüz wonderfully lists off the small pleasures gifted by the natural fruits and vegetation of this region: “Poppy syrup from the garden poppies, fig vodka from the local figs, liquor from the neighbors’ strawberries and cherries, and tea mixed with thyme…”

It’s such small, natural wonders like these that the Limon restaurant best showcases. This boho garden establishment offers far-off views of the village of Gümüşlük and the Greek isle of Myndos, not to mention some awesome local meat dishes and mezzes.

As visitors are invited to eat in the garden, you should probably leave the high-heels and come in a mood to relax and have fun. The place is an ideal choice for both breakfast and dinner. Don’t forget to reserve and to come before the sun is down.

Together with Lagün, they are my 2 favorite restaurants in Bodrum.

Tel: (0252) 394 40 44, (0554) 740 62 60 Click here for location. Number 3 on the map.

8. Dive Down to the Wreckage of a Sunken Plane 

Although diving activities are available all over Bodrum, the experience barely competes with other areas. Diving in Kaş is considerably more exquisite, by far. It’s, unfortunately, a sorry state that our seas are in when you can barely see any marine life.

If you are a diving enthusiast looking for things to do in Bodrum, however, you still might get some joy from the wreckages of a C-47 Dakota fighter plane or a SG115 coast guard ship on the sea floor. The set-up is wholly artificial, but still quite impressive. There are a number of tours and courses for beginners available.

Blue Escape specialize in a choice of two types, and come highly recommended.

9. Cycle Around Mumcular 

Physical outdoor pursuits are not recommended under the July heat. But from October until May, visitors to the area have a vast window in which to enjoy the lush hills, mountains, and abandoned villages by bike. Mumcular and Kızılağaç are ideal – as well as Etrim, as we detail at number 16.

– Erkan Şehirli is a biking and trekking expert who we highly recommend renting bikes and trekking guides from. He is based in central Bodrum, but organizes tours throughout the region. Whatsapp him on 05322762574
– If you want to rent a bike in central Bodrum, call or write NeO Bisiklet on: 0533 215 0744.
– Plus, if you want to go along on an organized bike tour with our cyclists, the Bodrum Bike Club is a good group to look up, even for recommendations on where to rent your equipment from.

10. The Posh Side: Yalıkavak and Türkbükü

As the destination of countless Turkish pop and movie stars, Yalıkavak and Türkbükü have a reputation for being a flashy. Maybe so, but there are some flashy places worth visiting if you have the chance.

Yalıkavak

1. Yalıkavak is a little far-out, but the view certainly makes the journey worth it.
   2. Gelato Pioppo is an ice cream vendor worthy of its reputation. You won’t find anything similar elsewhere. Click here for location. Number 4 on the map.
   3. Palmarina is the more up-market end of the village with a number of amazing clothing shops selling designer and vintage wears. Marina Saraylı, based in the marina, also specializes in some amazing traditional Ottoman summer treats, like melon ice cream for one. Tel: 0533 510 20 30 Click here for location. Number 5 on the map.
   4. The coastline around Yalıkavak is known to be a little choppy, so we recommend Xuma Village’s popular Beach Club for a dip. 0 252 385 47 75 Click here for location. Number 6 on the map.
   5. Havva Ana. All will be revealed about this place below…

Türkbükü

The shoreline around Türkbükü used to be accessible only by boat in my childhood. Although it is now a far cry from that humble fishing village of old, its beaches remain beautiful as ever. The only problem is that none of this is public, and so you’ll have to pay to swim or to stay. As you can expect the prices are steep.

1. Evening Markets– Check out the jewelry on show at the stalls set up along the beach.
2. Le Kabbak– Our favorite Bodrum-based designer was Le Kabbak, who make home decorations and souvenirs with seashells and natural materials.
3. Midye Şehmus Usta – This is a hut specializing in midye – or mussels filled with fried rice. This is a favorite street food in Turkish coastal communities and the prices at Şehmus Usta are reasonable. Click here for location. Number 7 on the map.

11. Havva Ana Breakfast (Yalıkavak)

Time to get local (somewhat). Havva Ana (Mother Havva) is a villager from Bodrum and she turned her cozy garden to a breakfast place. She offers breakfast/ brunch spread in a garden lined with vegetables and herbs and surrounded by orange and lemon groves.

She serves Turkish breakfast and things keep coming to your table from her oven; böreks, pies, bread and so on. The portions are impressive and much of the produce is natural and home-made.

This used to only be known to a special few, but the place has since grown so much in popularity you need to book to reserve a place. The only issue, as might be expected with such popularity in Bodrum, comes with the prices. Click here for location. Number 8 on the map.

If that sounds like a push, then we have heard equally good reviews about Toprak Ana in Gündoğan, which is a similar type of place but more reasonable. Click here for location. Number 9 on the map.

12. Give Captain Mahmut a High Five (Bodrum Center)  

Unfortunately, as Captain Mahmut hits the high seas during the summer months, this rakı and fish restaurant, or meyhane, is closed in the high season. At least this should give you even more reason to enjoy Bodrum during the autumn or spring season.

Mahmut Kaptan Yeri offers the best atmosphere to enjoy a good evening of food, drinking, music, and bonhomie in Bodrum. The cozy, quaint establishment is guaranteed to be full most days of the week. Don’t forget to book ahead.

Tel: 252 316 3864 Click here for location. Number 10 on the map.

13. The Mandarin Gardens of Bitez and Ortakent

Countless visitors come to Bitez and Ortakent every summer hoping to take their pickings of the mandarins that grow here. Unfortunately, they go home empty-handed, because the real pickings are available in October and November. It is around this time of year the fruit ripens and the weather eases up.

14. Free-Diving Activities in Bodrum

Free-diving is an experience that deepens body and soul in every sense of the word. No other activity seems to focus one’s mental sharpness and control in the same way.

We would have never got the same experience, however, if it hadn’t been for our instructor, Memo: Possibly one of the most qualified teachers imaginable.

15. Windsurfing  

Bodrum’s windmill-lined northern shores are especially famous for their winds. For beginners, there are a number of bays where the winds are constant enough that you have time to master your craft.

One of the more professional courses available in the area has been launched by Turkish windsurfing champion Lena Erdil.

16. A Sumptuous All-Day Boat Tour

Bodrum has a special wooden ship called gulet. You can see it in the above photo. The best way to enjoy the sea in Bodrum is by gulet.

There are boat tours that depart every morning from every town of Bodrum. They are cost-efficient but we don’t enjoy them much because 1) they are so packed it is not relaxing, 2) the service quality is mediocre. So consider doing a private boat tour.

Although the cost of an all-day private boat tour might seem extortionate, it’s really a question of doing the math. If you gather up 4-5 friends to split the costs it, in fact, comes out reasonable. Also, the smaller the boat, the cheaper it is to hire. You depart around 10 and return around 18, lunch is included.

There are many operators to choose from, but it is best to avoid those working right out of central Bodrum. This is because, with so much demand, they tend to cart travelers off to the same series of nearby bays every time. Some bays start to feel like a bus terminal so it beats the point of a boat trip.

Rather, board one of the operators a little further out for a more tailored experience. We especially recommend boats heading out from Torba and the Yalıçiftlik area. At least find some way of getting out into the pure, open water when planning things to do in Bodrum.

You need to go to the harbor of the town to arrange a deal. Better do 1-2 day in advance.

17. Etrim Village  (Mumcular)

The village of Etrim is a small hamlet outside Mumcular that specializes in woven rugs and carpets. Traditional life continues much unchanged here. The local women continue to weave their products, and even offer to give you a taster course in their techniques. While here, you definitely also ought to stroll along to Mazı to enjoy the beautiful bay area. Plus, on the return, make sure to have a bit of sea-food at either the Güvercinlik or Bargilya restaurants. Click here for location. Number 3 on the map.

18. Kısmet Restaurant (Center)  

Kısmet in the summer is an experience that deserves a separate article all by itself. It could be the best, casual, decently-priced, cafeteria-style restaurant in the country and diners can pick out portions of what takes their fancy from countless options. The best choices here are Mediterranean and Aegean flavors that give Turkish mothers’ secret recipes a run for their money. As it is only open in the day, it’s an ideal stop-off for lunch. Click here for location. Number 11 on the map.

19. The Zeki Müren Center  

Zeki Müren was a legend of Turkish “sanat music” – an emotional and elaborate style that has had a huge influence on Turkish songwriting since its hey-day. Müren is remembered not just for his songs, but his elegance, fashion style, and charming persona – not to mention his love of Bodrum. In fact, the artist spent the last six years of his life hiding away in his Bodrum summer house.

The house has since been taken over and managed by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and now serves as a museum and art center. For Turkish music fans, a visit is a veritable pilgrimage and the most sacred of activities in Bodrum. To check out some of his works, click on this link and perhaps you might like to pay homage to the man himself with a visit.
Address: Kumbahçe, 48400 Bodrum/Muğla Tel: (0252) 313 19 39 Click here for location. Number 4 on the map.

Opening Times

Summer opening times: 08.00- 19.00
Winter opening times: 08.00-17.00

20. Festivals & Music Activities in Bodrum

A number of big musical events take place in Bodrum throughout the summer, including the Chill Out Festival, Sun Splash Festival, Ancient Amphitheater Concerts, Bodrum Ballet Festival, Gündağan Sucuk Party, open-air cinema showings, and Bodrum Mandarin Festival. With so many artists and musicians having taken residence in the area, it’s little wonder arts and cultural activities in Bodrum are so rampant throughout the year.

21. Walk Along a Stretch of the Karia Round

The Karia Road is one of Turkey’s top four walking routes. That said, this should be top of the list for those looking for active things to do in Bodrum. The road spans an 820 km network of routes over the countryside between Muğla and Aydın. Two of routes stretch through Bodrum.

22. Kâtip Cocktail Bar

As the home of the Sandoz Shot cocktail, many Bodrum activities are capped off with this drink in the evening. Sandoz is a mix of vodka, mandarin, sugar, local orange liquor, and ice. This is the ideal place to sample this before enjoying mojitos and other cocktails. There are bars to be explored and discovered all over town, but our favorites were definitely Katip, Adamik and Gekko. For more recommendations on clubs and night haunts, have a look through our Bodrum Nightlife article. Address: Çarşı Mahallesi, Meyhane Sok. No:23, 48400 Bodrum/Muğla Click here for location. Number 12 on the map.

23. Enjoy Dinner and Live Music at Savra

Savra is one of Bodrum’s most sumptuous boutique hotels. But it is also a successful restaurant in its own right. The menu is rich in olive oil-based mezzes and fruits de mer presented in a fusion of Mediterranean, Aegean, Italian, Spanish, and South American styles. The place also offers an extensive choice of wines and even uses vegetables and herbs sourced from its own garden as a matter of ethics. Dinner here is also usually followed by performances by some rather note-worthy and well-respected Turkish singers and jazz performers.

Address: Bitez Mahallesi, Adliye Cd. No:85 Tel: (0252) 363 04 63 Web Site:www.savrabodrum.com Click here for location. Number 13 on the map.

24. Geek Out on Literature at Zai Bodrum

Last year saw the opening of a different kind of library in Konacık. Zai, (the root form of the term for olives in most Eastern languages) holds regular events ranging from talks and signing days from new authors to concerts and exhibitions. Mostly, however, it’s just a great place to enjoy books over a coffee. Address: Çırkan Mahallesi, Halide Edip Adıvar Cad. No:7, 48400 Click here for location. Number 14 on the map.

BONUS 25. A Ballet Summer Camp at Ortakent!

Source: www.yoncabale.com

Ortakent holds a summer ballet camp hosted by Turkish State Opera and Ballet artist Mutlu Cankup. Accommodation is included for the duration of the eleven-day course. The course is open for all kids who wish to learn ballet who are over the age of nine and studying at private schools or conservatoires. The language of instruction is Turkish, however. For more details, check out www.mutlucankup.com Click here for location.

DINING

We barely had room to fit the best of Bodrum’s dining option in this article alone. But fear not! If you want to hear more of our essential culinary advice from this fish-lover-friendly resort town, go on to our Bodrum Restaurants article.

THINGS TO DO IN BODRUM AT NIGHT

We explore Bodrum’s famous nightlife options in our Bodrum Nightlife article.

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