During the 2023 Eid holiday, my son Gibran invited us on a family vacation. Since he had just welcomed his new baby, then 8 months old, we opted for a destination that would be manageable for a family traveling with an infant. We planned a trip for five: myself, my wife, my son, my daughter-in-law, and my grandchild. After considering a few destinations, we agreed on Turkey, a place my son and daughter-in-law had never been to.
Traveling with a baby requires thorough planning, so we chose not to join a tour package. Tours typically have tight schedules, which didn’t suit our need for flexibility—essential for a baby like Kyra who may need breaks and rest. With this in mind, we decided to rent a car and explore Turkey independently over eight days. We booked flights with Etihad, with a layover in Abu Dhabi, and arranged hotels through Booking.com. We rented a car via Carrentals.com.
We left Jakarta on the afternoon of April 22, 2023, and arrived in Abu Dhabi around 11 p.m. local time. After a three-hour layover, we continued to Istanbul, landing on April 23 at around 6 a.m. After clearing immigration, we went to the car rental desk, where our travel adventure took a twist. I hadn’t realized when booking that I had selected Sabiha Gokcen Airport as the pickup location rather than Istanbul Ataturk Airport. The rental staff confirmed this and directed us to Sabiha Gokcen, which is quite far—about 70 km away. After breakfast, we took a taxi there, but by the time we arrived, our car had been given to someone else due to the delay. Luckily, we managed to rent a Dacia Duster compact SUV, which was spacious enough for the five of us and our luggage.
Once the rental was settled, we headed to central Istanbul to visit the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace. Being the second day of Eid, the area was packed with locals celebrating. The queue to enter Hagia Sophia stretched for hundreds of meters, so we decided to leave it for our return visit to Istanbul and admired it from the outside. We explored the Blue Mosque area and continued to Topkapi Palace.
In the evening, we left Istanbul for Ankara, where we stayed at the Ickale Hotel, a classic 4-star hotel in the city center on Mustafa Kemal Boulevard.
On April 24, our second day in Turkey, we visited the largest mosque in Ankara, the Kocatepe Mosque, whose architecture closely resembles the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. We arrived around 11 a.m. and took the chance to perform noon prayers together. Next, we visited the Ataturk Mausoleum, the monumental tomb of Turkey’s founder, Kemal Ataturk. The site is grand, and in addition to Ataturk’s resting place, it also holds the graves of other prominent Turkish figures, with buildings around the mausoleum displaying Turkish modern history.
In the evening, we headed toward Cappadocia, about a 300 km drive from Ankara, which took around three hours. My son-in-law Naufal and I took turns driving. We arrived in Cappadocia around 9 p.m. and stayed two nights at the Naturels Cave House, a charming hotel carved into the cliffs, giving us the feeling of being cave dwellers. The friendly family who owns the hotel accommodated us in a family suite with two bedrooms, a private lounge, a balcony, and a rooftop.
On the morning of April 25, we visited the Goreme Open Air Museum, a sprawling complex featuring unique 17th-century rock-cut churches and dwellings originally carved by Christians. The complex houses many churches, some with beautiful frescoes, though photography was prohibited in most of them.
From Goreme, we continued to Uchisar Valley and Pigeon Valley, where the stunning landscapes are filled with tall, cone-shaped volcanic rock formations created from millions of years of mud eruptions and solidification.
On the early morning of April 26, we headed to Love Valley, a popular location for hot air balloon rides. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t ideal—the winds were too strong, and the air wasn’t cool enough for the balloons to fully inflate. Despite a few attempts, none of the balloons managed to take off. Instead, we explored the area, admiring the unique mushroom-shaped volcanic pillars. There were even some couples having wedding photo sessions in this beautiful setting.
After a satisfying walk around Love Valley, we returned to Naturels Cave Hotel for a delicious Turkish breakfast. Around 11 a.m., we checked out and set off for Pamukkale. Along the way, we passed through the town of Sultanhani, known for its historic Caravanserai, where traders from different cities used to meet, trade, and negotiate. Next to the Caravanserai was a bustling local restaurant where we stopped, and to our surprise, one of the popular menu items was Indonesia’s own Pop Mie by Indofood—proudly witnessing an Indonesian product’s popularity in Turkey!
In the afternoon, we continued to Konya to visit the Mevlana Museum, home to the tomb of the Sufi mystic Jalaluddin Rumi. The museum also holds a box containing a strand from the beard of the Prophet Muhammad. We then resumed our journey to Pamukkale, arriving around 11 p.m. and checking in at the Venus Suite Hotel.
On April 27, we visited Hierapolis, an ancient Roman city known for its grand ruins and stunning white travertine terraces, also known as “cotton candy.” The site is vast, so we spent the whole day exploring, including the Hadrian Theater, the Agora, and the Sanctuary of Apollo.
After a full day in Hierapolis, we left Pamukkale for Kusadasi, a charming seaside town famous for its seafood. Although it’s by the sea, Kusadasi has hilly terrain, and after dinner at a seafood restaurant near our hotel, it was quite a climb back up!
On the morning of April 28, we departed Kusadasi for Ephesus, one of the most well-preserved Roman ruins in Turkey. Here, we saw the stadium, Hercules Gate, and the impressive Celsus Library. At specific times, there are even Roman-era drama reenactments. Ephesus is a UNESCO World Heritage site and truly awe-inspiring.
From Ephesus, we continued to the historic city of Bursa, then made our way back to Istanbul in the evening, where we stayed at the Residence Inn Marriott Istanbul.
On our last day in Turkey, April 29, it was time to shop at the Grand Bazaar. But first, I took the opportunity to meet my college friend, Badahan. We met at 10 a.m. and explored some less touristy areas loved by locals. We enjoyed warm tea with views of the Bosphorus Strait, which divides Istanbul between Europe and Asia. After lunch, I rejoined my family at the Grand Bazaar and then continued shopping at Taksim Square. Satisfied with our outing and shopping, we returned to the hotel to pack for our early morning departure.
On April 30, we left Istanbul in the early hours and arrived in Abu Dhabi at 11 a.m., with a 14-hour layover. Having applied for a free online transit visa in advance, we seized the chance to explore the city. We first visited the majestic Bin Zayed Mosque, the largest in the UAE, taking a taxi from the airport. We arrived around 1 p.m. and enjoyed lunch at a mall near the mosque before touring the impressive complex. Around 6 p.m., we visited the Corniche area, enjoying the seaside views of Abu Dhabi and dining there. By 9 p.m., we returned to the airport to continue our journey back to Jakarta.