I was planing to go to Assos for the weeknd but now found out that actually it would take around 7 hours from Istanbul now its a bit putting me off dont want to travel that long. Do you know any shortest wayof going to Assos? Or any advise where can I go closer to Istanbul that the taste is closer to Assos?

Hi there! What about Bozcaada or Gokceada? They sound lovely, unfortunately I haven't been yet! Assos is wonderful but save a visit for there til you have more time! happy travelling!

Ayvalık/Cunda Adası are very nice this time of year.

Thank you very much is Ayvalık Cunda closer?

Fenerbahçe-Ayvalık using the Eskihisar-Topcular ferry is 6 hours.

I guess you'd knock at least an hour off that if you use the Yenikapi-Bandırma ferry (depending on your departure point).

Ağva is great and it's a lot closer to the Bul. Also Avşa island is worth a look before it gets too crowded.

http://www.enjoyturkey.com/info/sights/agva.htm

Ağva is nice, but the hotel prices are crazy as it's a popular place for Turkish businessmen to take their mistresses.

Ayvalik is great, I usually take the Yenikapi-Bandırma ferry ( a two hour crossing), then it's about a three hour drive. Cunda is right next to Ayvalik. If you don't need posh hotels there is a place called ADA Camp which has caravans, cabins and an area for camping. I almost always stay there as it has it's own (small) beach and in the evening is a fantastic place to watch the sun go down.

http://www.adacamping.com/eng/default.asp

I stayed in Ayvalik on my way down the coast last summer and absolutely loved it.

Depending on what kind of accommodation you are looking for, I discovered a great pansiyon while there...

Details would be great - thinking about a weekend trip too...

The Taksiyarhis Pansiyon was where I stayed during my visit. The cost was reasonable, although we chose not to pay for the somewhat pricey breakfast (we were budgeting for a summer-long backpacking trip). The rooms on the 2nd floor are pleasant and clean with hardwood floors. One room has 3 single beds and one room has a single bed and wide loft. Both of the rooms and the terrace on the 2nd level have pretty spectacular views of the town and the sea. I am sure the other rooms in the building are equally nice, but I didn't explore much. Location was great - close to public transportation, shops, etc., but still tucked away up a quiet, little cobblestone street. All in all, we felt 17 YTL/night was a steal.

I went to Ayvalık/Cunda the last weekend of May last year and the weather was amazing. I chose to stay on Cunda (also known as Alibey Adası) near the center and found a family-owned pension with aircon for 40 ytl for a double. I bargained as there were not many tourists. In fact, one of the main draws for me in the entire area is that I was the only foreign tourist we saw in town that weekend.

For atmosphere you could check out Zehra Teyze'nin Evi on Cunda. It is right next to an old church in a great house, however service was less than attentive when we asked to see a room so we skipped it: http://www.cundaevi.com

There are great restaurants in Cunda center. Fish and Aegean specialty mezes are the norm but about 1 block in from the seaside was a mother & daughter-owned restaurant that was very contemporarily decorated with amazing food. I wish I had the name but the town center is very compact and if you wander around you're bound to run into it.

Things to do in Ayvalık/Cunda:
* Explore Cunda the island which is best with your own car as the island is pretty big.
* Wander around Ayvalık and admire the quaint streets and architecture. Check out the mosques which have been converted from churches. Olives and olive oil is big here and many shops do tastings.
* Catch the sunset at Şeytan Sofrası which is a hilltop overlooking the bay about 15-20 minutes south of Ayvalık. Not sure about public transportation to this spot, however.
* Boat tours of the bay are a great value and a great way to spend the day but beware - the water is freezing! Apparently the area is cold-water springs galore and frigid year-round. However, I've heard (N. Europeans?) that some people like that.

[quote user="cowgurlsblu" post="90200"]The Taksiyarhis Pansiyon was where I stayed during my visit. The cost was reasonable, although we chose not to pay for the somewhat pricey breakfast (we were budgeting for a summer-long backpacking trip). The rooms on the 2nd floor are pleasant and clean with hardwood floors. One room has 3 single beds and one room has a single bed and wide loft. Both of the rooms and the terrace on the 2nd level have pretty spectacular views of the town and the sea. I am sure the other rooms in the building are equally nice, but I didn't explore much. Location was great - close to public transportation, shops, etc., but still tucked away up a quiet, little cobblestone street. All in all, we felt 17 YTL/night was a steal.[/quote]

I just spent a night there in April and wasn't too happy with the accomodations actually, despite it being highly recommended to me. Most of the rooms were under renovation/spring cleaning so we were stuck with a dark, bare room in the back with a long walk to the bathroom (very shared - by the whole hotel I think). The breakfast terrace was nice enough but having stayed at other pensions in Ayvalik (Bonjour pension comes to mind), it's quite normal to have a lovely view while eating. We paid 22 YTL each plus 8 YTL for breakfast - I think we could have better spent our 60 YTL elsewhere. Just my two kuruş worth...

Cunda seems a good destination as far as what you say. I need to find the ferry times but after i get to bandırma how will i go to the island? I dont have a car. Then after i arrive Ayvalık will take another ferry to arive cunda. MAy be i should find a closer place to go just for the weekend

There are probably coach services all the way to Ayvalik from Istanbul, including the ferry. I seem to remember a bus service between Ayvalik and Cunda, it's not very far.

Iam agree with CH Ağva is a nice place and a cloose destination. check that place is lovely http://www.agvagreenline.com