Side, Turkey: A Sleep‑Deprived Digital Nomad’s Messy Travel Tale

walking into side the first thing i noticed was that the air was thick enough to taste, a mild 17‑degree bite that made my skin feel like it was wrapped in a wet towel. the humidity hovered around 73 % and the pressure stayed steady at 1012 hPa, so i just glanced at the thermometer on the bus stop and saw it stuck at 17°C. it’s one of those places where the sun barely shows up, and you can hear the sea sigh from every corner of the town.

- *lightweight notebook - a 13‑inch ultrabook that folds into a backpack and runs on a single USB‑C port. i keep it open on the rooftop café, typing away while a stray cat curls around my feet. TripAdvisor shows a few cafés that have power outlets (example: Side Café Power Outlets).
- portable charger - a 20 W power bank with a USB‑C input, because the voltage in the wall plugs is lower than the phone’s greed. i’d recommend the Anker model that’s been hyped on Reddit; it’s been the lifesaver in the evenings when the street lights flicker.
- universal plug adapter - the EU‑type two‑pin (or three‑pin) adapter that fits the 230 V sockets. i bought one at the kiosk near the harbor and it works for the whole city and most of the neighboring villages.
- waterproof shoes - a pair of Vibram‑reinforced sneakers with a breathable membrane. Side’s walkways get slick after a drizzle, and you’ll thank yourself for not slipping on the marble tiles of the ancient aqueduct.
- fold‑up umbrella - a compact 1‑foot umbrella that collapses into a pocket and is cheap enough to lose without crying. i keep it in the side pocket of my day bag and use it when the occasional gust pushes salty spray onto my hair.
- portable coffee grinder - a tiny burr grinder that fits in a pouch, because every night at the rooftop bar the barista will ask me to grind my own beans for an espresso shot.
- mirrorless camera - a Sony a7C that’s lightweight enough to stay on a hiking strap. The locals love it when you snap the sunrise behind the crumbling walls; TripAdvisor’s photo gallery shows them too.
- sleep mask - a silk mask that blocks the ever‑present streetlights from trickling into the room when i rent a cheap Airbnb in the back alley.
- basic Turkish phrasebook - not required, but a hello and thank you on the back of my hand help get a discount on the market’s dried figs.
- grab a Turkish SIM card early - the Kiosk near the harbor offers a 2‑GB plan for about $10; it’s the fastest way to stay on top of the 3G networks that still cover the ancient ruins. Yelp SIM vendors has a decent list.
- walk the cobblestone alleys at sunrise - the light is low enough that the graffiti tags on the walls stand out like neon, and the crowds are still sleepy enough to let you sip tea without feeling rushed.
- use the public buses for the 15‑minute trip to Perge - the local bus line 12 runs every half hour and stops right in front of the amphitheater. You’ll save a lot on rides and avoid the constant traffic on the highway.
- check the local Facebook group ‘Side Nomads’ for weekly meet‑ups - the community posts about free bike rentals, coffee discounts, and nightly rooftop jam sessions.

- don’t ask locals for the best spot - they’ll just point you at the random kiosk they run and laugh. The market’s fish vendors will tell you the freshest fish is whatever they happen to have that morning, not a ranked list.
- avoid the early morning rush at the harbor - the fishermen pull in their nets at 6 am, and the smell of salty brine blends with the humid air, making the crowd a bit too heavy for a casual stroll.
- respect the no‑photography signs - some small cafés have a hand‑painted sign that says no phones because they want a moment of real conversation, not a digital buffer.

- Perge - the ancient ruins of Perge are a 2‑hour bus ride north, offering cooler breezes and shaded columns where you can practice your handstand against a marble pillar. If you get bored, the highway threads you straight into Perge’s ruins or Antalya’s bustling market after two short hours behind the wheel.
- Antalya - the city of Antalya lies east on the highway and feels like a bigger sibling; its seaside promenade has more nightlife and a modern shopping mall for anyone craving a Wi‑Fi hotspot that’s not the ancient aqueduct.
- Marmaris - if you crave crystal‑clear water, the short drive to Marmaris gives you a backdrop of pine‑capped mountains and a harbor where sailboats dip in and out like a painter’s brushstrokes.
- Silifke - a tiny town on the Çukurova plain that’s perfect for cheap street food stalls; rumor says the doughnuts there are fried in olive oil.

- kebab secret menu - i heard that the kebab joint down by the harbor has a secret plate of lamb and peppers that changes daily. The owner smiles and says ask for ‘the mystery’.
- the dive bar’s backroom DJ - over the weekend i stumbled onto a back‑room where a local DJ spins vinyl while the bartender serves tiny glasses of mezze. The vibe is low‑key, the ceiling leaks a little, and the crowd seems to stay until sunrise.
- the rooftop café’s sunset argument - someone told me that the rooftop café’s manager insists that the sunset there is the only true view in Side, and they’ll charge you an extra €5 for a seat. In practice, you can find a better spot on the ancient wall where no one asks for payment.
- the Airbnb host’s midnight stories - one host, a retired teacher, tells me every night about the Ottoman poet who supposedly walked these streets. He says the poet’s ghost likes to wander through the old stone alleys at 2 am, whispering riddles about bread.
- the weather stays stubborn - the temperature rarely jumps above 20 °C, so pack layers. The humidity keeps the streets a little glossy, perfect for spontaneous slip‑n‑slide moments.
- rain showers are brief - when a cloud decides to pour, it’s usually a quick 10‑minute drench, enough to soak your shoes but not your hair.
- sunny spells arrive around midday* - even on a humid day the sun sneaks through the clouds for a quick tanning session. Bring sunscreen anyway.

If you ever run out of caffeine, there’s a tiny espresso stand in the back of the market that’ll serve you a shot that feels like it’s been ripped from the ground by the very humidity we’re trying to avoid. i still haven’t figured out whether that’s a good thing or a curse, but the locals swear it’s the secret to staying awake for the midnight yoga sessions.

Reddit Side travel thread