| Back in the late 1980's the then largest independent | | | | astonishing slash of turquoise that devours the |
| Cheap holiday company in the UK called Sunmed | | | | horizon before you and you simply cannot see where |
| secured some great little holidays to what was then | | | | the sea and the sky meet nor care to be frank. |
| a pretty virgin and relatively unknown new holiday | | | | Barring the obvious natural beauty of Olu Deniz the |
| destination. Turkey. Apart from the Turks | | | | other things that make it practically perfect is the |
| themselves no one really holidayed there or had even | | | | lack of gargantuan Hotels offering All inclusive and |
| considered it before Sunmed introduced their Go | | | | therefore downgrading the area, Olu Deniz is small |
| Turkey brochure to the general British public, and | | | | and compact, they have stringent building laws and it |
| although Sunmed Holidays are long gone, in the last | | | | was one of the very fist resorts in the Med to adopt |
| twenty years cheap holidays to Turkey have | | | | an Eco Tourism approach, part of the blue lagoon is |
| developed and flourished into a fully fledged holiday | | | | completely blocked off from tourists and locals to |
| destination contender and positioned itself into the | | | | allow the Caretta Turtles to nest. |
| top three holiday destinations not only for the Brits | | | | Further along the coast and further away from the |
| but also the rest of Europe. | | | | wonders of Fethiye we come across the leviathan |
| Whilst the neighbouring Greeks' attraction lies in the | | | | resort of Marmaris with its little neighbour Icmeler. It |
| plethora of islands that you can choose from, the | | | | has long been a firm favourite with British Tourists |
| attraction of what was once Asia Minor | | | | who do not want to be too far away from the |
| (geographically speaking it is still Asia Minor), Turkey's | | | | comforts of home, for instance McDonalds is a very |
| attraction lies in it's sheer size stretching from Asia all | | | | familiar point firmly ensconced in Marmaris and the |
| the way down to the borders of Syria and therefore | | | | bright lights and loud nightlife of the harbour end of |
| fringing North Africa. Each coast line has its own | | | | Marmaris calls its nightly siren song to all those who |
| unique personality to cover all tastes and all holiday | | | | still have boogie in their hearts. Surprisingly enough |
| requirements you may have. The Aegean Coast of | | | | despite the fact that Marmaris doesn't really have the |
| Turkey was one of the first established areas, with | | | | great beaches of Fethiye or nearby Dalyan, it still has |
| the Bodrum Peninsula with its myriad selection of | | | | much to offer in terms of things to do for those |
| resorts, small and large, quiet and lively with the | | | | whose idea of anathema is staying on the beach and |
| added bonus is that transfer times from the airport | | | | reading to be akin to them having pins inserted under |
| are a little under an hour, which in the summer is a | | | | their nails! |
| godsend. Further up the coast Altinkum's | | | | Dalyan of course is another firm favourite especially |
| metamorphosis from sleepy village to a bustling | | | | with a select bunch of ex-pats, who had been |
| harbour town, brimful of ex-pats buying villas and | | | | begging the local council to purchase property there |
| apartments and actually living there has been truly | | | | for many years, before the ban on foreign nationals |
| meteoric. I remember begging my clients in the | | | | purchasing local properties was lifted a couple of |
| nineties to holiday in Altinkum and give it a chance | | | | years ago. Dalyan has a history spanning all the way |
| and now within the last twelve years alone, Altinkum | | | | back to the times of Kaunos and apart from the |
| is one of the few resorts in Turkey that is booked | | | | geological beauty of the area, you also have the |
| at full capacity from May till October. | | | | Kaunos Rock Tombs, think Rose Red Sea of Petra |
| Then of course you have what I call The Five Star | | | | but in Turkey and in Rock silvers and greys. It's also |
| City, Kusadasi where you have several kilometres | | | | another dramatic looking resort, and frankly I hate |
| worth of four and five star hotels offering Turkish All | | | | using a generic word like resort to describe what |
| Inclusive to suit all budgets and tastes. The nearby | | | | Dalyan is, as it is an ancient town that has been |
| attraction of Ephesus offers a double whammy of | | | | around for several thousand years. With its lake and |
| interest; ironically enough it was the first fully fledged | | | | the river that runs through the town with all the |
| Christian City in the World, the birthplace of a young | | | | Kaunos Rock tombs on one side, the water taxis can |
| Mary better known as the Mother of Christ, and of | | | | cut through the river that runs into the Med and |
| course the very famous Temple of Apollo. All this bit | | | | deposit you on virgin white beaches that rarely see |
| of Turkey may sound quite amazing but as you | | | | any souls, and as for all those film aficionados the |
| travel down the coast of Turkey and past the | | | | Very Famous African Queen with Bogey and |
| Bodrum Peninsula past the Aegean Seas and into the | | | | Hepburn was filmed here! |
| Mediterranean Sea you will get to see plenty more | | | | The last bit of the holidaying Turkey is the Antalya |
| sights and sounds that definitely have that 'Wow' | | | | Region, which was first found by the German |
| factor you feel when in Ephesus but for different | | | | Tourists before the Brits started to creep in five or |
| reasons. The region of Fethiye for example with its | | | | so years ago and it is also the only part of Turkey |
| very famous coast line, the Turquoise Coast and Olu | | | | that is open twelve months of the year, enjoying on |
| Deniz in particular has acquired by now almost | | | | average more sunshine a year than the rest of |
| legendary status as the best beach in Turkey. In fact | | | | Turkey and extraordinarily mild winters it is an |
| several years back it was voted to be in the top five | | | | inexpensive winter getaway and a more than |
| beaches in the world, I remember been a bit | | | | reasonably priced summer destination, with |
| dismissive when I heard that, until I went there, | | | | uncountable All Inclusive hotels both big and small in |
| distinctly remembering the very loud 'Wow' that | | | | resorts and cities spanning several hundred kilometres |
| escaped me, I must admit I was instantly smitten! | | | | you are spoilt for choice. Side is quite amazing and still |
| There are plenty of beaches on our little planet that | | | | incorporates in the city centre the old Roman Market |
| have the 'wow factor', but Olu Deniz IS special; it is | | | | walls and arches into its current architectural setting |
| nestled in a valley, behind Olu Deniz where Hisaronu | | | | that bellies the incredible history of this thriving port |
| and Ovacik sit overlooking the bay of Olu Deniz and | | | | that was once the epicentre of all trade in the |
| for you to get to Olu Deniz you need to drive | | | | thriving centre of the Middle Eastern trade Routes |
| through a very drab Fethiye City up towards | | | | between Egypt, Syria and Rome. |
| Hisaronu, your right side completely obscured by any | | | | In finality Turkey has very much to offer the |
| view of the sea, and then by some divine miracle as | | | | discerning traveller, from its rich and bountiful history |
| the taxi turns right at the small T section at the end | | | | to gorgeous safe beaches and plenty of shopping to |
| of Hisaronu, you are instantly faced with this | | | | keep even the most fidgety difficult traveller happy! |