Fearless Traveler: Camping in Turkey often quite primitive

Q. My family would like to visit Turkey. We have camped in Greece and all over Europe, as well as in the United States. Are there campgrounds in Turkey, and is it safe to camp there? When is the best time to go?

A. It is possible to camp in Turkey. Just don't expect the same level of service that you have experienced at commercial sites and national parks in the United States and Europe. Although the Turkish tourism office publishes a brochure listing more than 450 campsites, many are underdeveloped, and the standards aren't as high as those of U.S. and European campgrounds, according to several experts. Still, the country's gorgeous seacoasts and otherworldly interior provide spectacular settings, and camping can be a good way to see parts of Turkey rarely explored by tourists.

"The Turks are just not big campers," said Tom Brosnahan, an experienced Turkey hand and author of the Turkey Travel Planner Web site (www.turkeytravelplanner.com). Roughing it was popular 30 or 40 years ago, he explained, in part because there were few hotels. But after the economic boom of the 1980s, many campsites converted to cheap pensions or bed-and-breakfasts.

Still, Brosnahan said, people do hike the St. Paul Trail and Lycian Way and camp along the route.

To find campgrounds, check the commercial tourism site Turizm.net, which has a good list at www.turizm.net/turkey/tips/tur_camping.htm.

The tourism office's camping brochure, available by calling 202-612-6800, also has information on facilities, as well as regional tourism information bureaus, with details on camping in national parks.

For recommendations from fellow travelers, check the readers' forums on Turkey Travel Planner. For example, Akcakil Camping (www.akcakilcamping.com) on the Turquoise Coast, open year-round, has tent, RV and bungalow facilities with hot showers and toilets, a restaurant and 24-hour security. Some sites have electrical connections, and there are mature shade trees on the grounds. The cost for two is about $17 for an RV (caravan) or $70 for a bungalow with breakfast in high season.

High season is June through October, but beware the heat of July and August.

For basic information on Turkey: Turkish Culture and Tourism Office, www.tourismturkey.org.

Q. When I travel by air, I need to use a wheelchair. Can you inform me of the tipping amount in the United States and in South Africa, which is my next trip?

A. First of all, remember that tipping is not mandatory. Wheelchair attendants are provided by the airlines to get you to and from the gate at no extra charge. You may, of course, want to tip for good service, especially if the attendant goes beyond the standard duties.

Air Serv, an Atlanta company that provides wheelchair attendants to many of the legacy carriers, trains its employees not to ask for tips, said spokesman John Ridgway.

He said that travelers should feel free to ask for extra help from attendants.

How much to tip is a matter of some debate. Online recommendations range from a couple of bucks to $25. One expert quoted on the AARP Web site advises starting at $10 and going up to $20 if the attendant helps with a tight connection, carries luggage or summons a taxi.

But Sue Maris Allen, co-author of Wheeling and Dealing, a guidebook for travelers with disabilities, writes on her blog that two wheelchair attendants she interviewed told her that only about half of their passengers tip. When they do, the average is $5.

As for South Africa, tipping is customary there. Hotel porters expect 20 to 50 cents a bag; I would tip a wheelchair attendant several times that.

Spend a little time on Web sites catering to seniors and those with disabilities, by the way, and it becomes clear that not all wheelchair attendants are bursting with human kindness. Ron Smith, author of a book on consumer scams, writes on SeniorNet that he and his disabled wife frequently encounter attendants who refuse to help, are rude or ask for money. Travelers who experience such treatment, he said, should get the name of the attendant and report the problem to an airline representative.