The Road From Antalya To Mersin

Going to Antalya I took a HAS night bus (27 YTL) and on return I was in a Guney Akdeniz day bus (25 YTL).

The day ride for the 500 km between Antalya and Mersin is much preferable to the night trip. Not only is the coastal scenery beautiful, but the windy, up and down highway makes an uncomfortable sleep almost impossible, let alone a comfortable sleep!



Sunset east of Anamur

The 300 km section between Alanya and Silifke is almost constantly hilly. The hills are covered with pine forests and the hillside properties have almond and carob trees amongst other crops. The carob is used to make ‘pekmez’, a kind of molasses.



Bananaman at the bus stop, Gazipasa (between Alanya and Anamur)

This region is the only part of Turkey mild enough to grow bananas on a large scale. Anamur in particular is famous for bananas. The bananas grow very close to the coast in either hothouses or out in the open.



Strawberry hothouse in foreground, mountains in background

Besides bananas, the hectares of hothouses also produce strawberries, tomatoes and other traditional summer crops during the winter off-season.

One week almost to the hour after leaving I was back in Mersin. I loved this trip and look forward to visiting Antalya again.