Syria: Travel Updates Part 2
Replies: 209 - Last Post: May 22, 2013 9:06 PM Last Post By: yoda9999
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Syria: Travel Updates Part 2
This is a continuation of the previous Syria sticky thread.If you have any on the ground reports to add then please do so here rather than start a new thread.
Any news items posted should be a brief excerpt only, with a link to the original website. Any lengthy news cut and pastes will be deleted.
Crossing Syria from Jordan to Turkey: 20 & 21 Dec 2011 from poster bcfarley, post #272 in the previous thread (much appreciated btw), is the most recent on the ground report I noticed so for anyone not wishing to read through all the other posts...
This is an information thread on the ongoing situation in Syria as it affects travel to Syria, not a chat or political argument thread so please don't let this thread go the way of the previous.
Andreas_at_LP
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Hi, I live in Syria but I have been out of the country for a week to celebrate Christmas/NY with my family. I will fly back on Amman (because of the cheap easyjet flight) and plan to drive back by service taxi. Has anyone done that in the past couple of days? I assume it is still safe, but just in case... Thanks!2
The only thing I have for you at the moment is this Google map provided by Shaam news network (see facebook) which shows the places where there have been protests, arrests and shooting in Deraa:http://maps.google.com.kw/maps/ms?msid=204048334530339865955.0004b569453b79b533834&msa=0&ll=32.794779%2C36.000137&spn=0.331892%2C0.617294
If you click on the pins on the map you will get to a youtube link about what happened there.
Also, there have been some demonstrations in Darayyah yesterday which is on the road to Damascus, right?
Hope this helps for now. Marcopoloo may know more about this.
Edited by: seftali
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OK, LonelyPlaneteers, I am actually in Damascus right now, and I can assure you that all is well. You can actually get more for your money these days and, although prices have gone up slightly, it is still a great deal.You should visit the country and see for yourself. Things are quite normal here. The weather is mild and pleasant in the daytime. With the exception of that city up north, the rest of the country is OK.
People genuinely seem happy to see tourists. I'm not sure about your border question, but I suppose as long as you have the necessary documentation, you'll be just fine.
And that is my "on the ground" report. So come and visit Syria! Still a great bargain, and then some.
:)
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Sounds good, Prototype. Just stay out of certain suburbs, esp. on Friday. Now what do you mean by "you get more for your money" while "prices have gone up"??? How can you have both at the same time?When I was there in September, yes, after i moved out from my friends' house, my favourite hotel gave me a double room for the price of a single (I was the only guest, the rest of the few staying there were family and friends of the owner and the manager) , and he let me stay for 1.5 nights and charged me for 1.5 nights exactly because my flight left very late at night.
How do they celebrate New Year?
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This is from a travel warning from the Australian government (I get this via subscription to www.smartraveller.gov.au) :"The Arab League has agreed to sanctions on airline travel to and from Syria with a 50 percent reduction in flights from 15 December 2011. This is expected to result in the cancellation of many commercial services. We recommend you contact your airline to see if your flights will be affected"
Today a French journalist was killed during a rocket attack in Homs area. http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/01/11/187760.html
The advice from the embassies regarding Syria "Do not travel" still stands, and it seems things have been getting worse instead of better. Elections have been announced for the beginning of March, it remains to be seen if this will improve anything.
So sad. Pray for the Syrian people.
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So Seftali, are you actually in Syria on the ground - posting this report ?9
#Idlib#jabalzawiyya: the army has set up a checkpoint at Jbala and Rob3 Al Jur/Tahitaya/and also on the international highway. Warning to everybody and spread the news (twitter comment on Al Jazeera Syria live blog)Last warning from the Canadian embassy in Damascus to all Canadians to leave the country immediately. The Canadian embassy is probably going to be closed and the 14th of January is the deadline for voluntary evacuation.
http://www.international.gc.ca/media/aff/news-communiques/2012/01/12a.aspx?view=d
It sounds like something is up and about to happen. Saad Hariri (ex-prime minister of Lebanon) has said that he thinks the president of Syria is about to be put out of power. http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2012/Jan-14/159889-hariri-says-change-in-syria-imminent.ashx#axzz1jSLFjlgq
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Dear All!I have browsed through many topics on this forum and wanted to clarify some things. If someone is able to help me out, thank you in advance!
I am a Polish citizen. I would like to visit Syria for few days crossing from Turkey and going back there. As I read I cannot get a visa in Ankara for I am not a resident of Turkey. The area I would like to visit is the one adjacent to Mardin area. So I would use a border crossing in Al Qamishli.
So my question is what am I required to show/ prove/ do in order to obtain a visa at the border. As it was explained elsewhere on the forum two Irish were refused a VOA because they could not prove their employment. Should I have a printed statement of employment? Prepared a number to my employer who could admit my employment? What else apart of money prepared for the fee should I possibly have? (I am a hitch-hiker travelling without his own car)
Thank you in advance!
Piotrek
Edited by: rozwal
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Mardin is supposed to be very beautiful but with the political situaton right now I would advise you be very careful, even in the area around Mardin, there have been clashes between Kurds and Turkish military, from what I recall..From the sounds of it, attacks may be being planned on Syria in the very near future, and crossing in the area near Qamishli may not be safe. Deir az Sur, the nearest city south of Qamishli also does not sound suitable for vacationing right now, and reports of protests and shoiting in that city keep coming in.
But I am not in that area, so I cannot tell you for sure.
A friend who works as a tour guide in Syria from Britain just wrote today that all her Middle East Tours have just been canceled.
I advise you to carefully study the news this week, on Al Jazeera, CNN etc. before making any decision to enter Syria at a time like this. The Canadian embassy just issued their last call last week for all Canadian citizens still in the country to leave Syria by Saturday, the 14th of January.
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First timer to Syria: Am I ok to travel to Syria on Iranian passport without Visa? I have an Oz passport aswell.Thanks
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Bahram - you really haven't given us enough info about how you plan to get into Syria, and wehre you're comng from.If you're flying, check with your airline. Otherwise, try and check with your embassy.
I know the latter is difficult, as many don't answer phones or emails, but at least try.
If you're going overland from Turkey, for example, a bus may refuse to take you unless you have a visa.
