Joker Go Karting

In Bandırma, a busy port in the province of Balıkesir on the Sea of Marmara, Joker Go Karting offers an open-air track open to all, with no licence or experience. The outdoor layout is driven in the open air, and people gather as a family or with friends to string together timed laps. It is a welcome leisure venue in this port town turned towards trade and shipping, where people look for an activity to let off steam.

Karting is about the simple fun of racing: a briefing, a helmet, and everyone heads off to post their best time. The short format suits beginners as much as regulars working on their lines, and groups happily set up short heats to sort out the drivers. As the activity takes place outdoors, it is best to check opening times and prices by season before coming. People rarely leave after a single run, the urge to shave off a few seconds soon taking over.

Bandırma is one of the main ports on the Sea of Marmara, linked to Istanbul by a fast ferry line that makes it a handy gateway to the region. The town is best known for the bird reserve of Lake Manyas, the famous bird paradise, where hundreds of species stop over through the seasons. Close by, the Kapıdağ peninsula and the resort of Erdek offer beaches and coves on the Sea of Marmara. The town is reached by road, rail and ferry, which makes it a handy stop in north-western Anatolia.