Overview

Turkey is known for its warmth and hospitality to medical travelers. Health and wellness travelers see Turkey as a popular destination because of its natural thermal spa resorts and mud baths, which alone attract nearly a half million visitors.

They boast a network of 300 private facilities with working relationships with prestigious international medical centers. Affiliations include Harvard Medical International, Johns Hopkins, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering and New York Presbyterian. They have 44 JCI-accredited hospitals.

Turkey's specialties include transplantation (bone, kidney, liver pancreas, stem cell), genetic testing, neurosurgery (brain cancer, degenerative spine disorder, peripheral nerve surgery, epileptic surgery), ophthalmology (one of world’s largest vision clinic networks is headquartered in Istanbul) cardiology, orthopedics (spine, shoulder, knee, sports and pediatrics), cosmetic surgery, and dentistry.

State Department Information

You need a valid passport and visa to travel to Turkey. If you are traveling for up to 90 days within a 180 day period, you can apply for an e-Visa online.

You should drink bottled water or water that has been filtered and boiled. Bottled beverages are safe to drink. Most local dairy products, including milk, yogurt, and cheese, are safe to consume. Take care when buying perishable products to be sure vendors use adequate refrigeration. Wash vegetables and fruits carefully and cook meat thoroughly before eating it.

Quick Facts
Alerts and Warnings

Securing Your Money When You Travel

Carrying large amounts of cash is obviously unsafe in a foreign country. Also, be careful using your credit cards when you travel. Never give out your PIN, never let anyone else swipe your card and don't ever let anyone take your card out of your sight (example: at a restaurant). Make sure your cards are "Chip" enabled, require a PIN to use and carry in a wallet or case that shields the data from being scanned on the street.

Many clinics are no longer accepting personal checks, cash or travelers checks. Wire transfer and credit cards are your best bet however they can come with high bank fees per use internationally, variable exchange fees and lower daily spending limits when being used in a foreign country.

A Simple Solution to keep your money safe - Travani offers 3 secure travel products to carrying money for expenses and for paying your doctor. There are no credit checks, low fees, and you don't have to worry about having your money or identity stolen off of your card. In fact, leave those important cards at home and get a FREE RFID shield!* Find out more.