We already had just about every sort of recreational sport type thing here anyway, but now it appears that hot air balloon rides are coming to Antalya. A company from Kapadokya is expanding their operation to the Serik district of Antalya, where a one-hour ride will cost 250 euros per person.
I have to say, I’m pleasantly surprised about the price. Okay, sure, it’s not cheap cheap, but most tourist recreation stuff here is so outrageously expensive that this looks reasonable by comparison. Operators get away with marking up so much because although the prices are expensive for Turkey, they’re not so out of line for visitors from most European countries, and in any case people are willing to spend the kind of money when they’re on vacation that perhaps they wouldn’t dish out at other times.
I’m not sure I’m willing to pay 250 euros for an hour’s ride over Serik, and I don’t know what the actual costs of running a hot air balloon are, but that price certainly sounds more reasonable than others I’ve heard. We have some friends who are heavily involved with a company who run helicopter rides over the coastline, and for a similar one-hour tour we were quoted a per-person friend price well into four digits (euros), which nearly made my jaw hit the floor. If that’s the friend price, I’d hate to hear what the tourist price is. Maybe I will pay 250 euros for the balloon ride after all. It sounds relaxing, at least. Link
[photo of hot air balloon over Kapadokya courtesy of Bora’s Grand Tours]