TURKEY OLUDENIZ & FETHIYE Destinations
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TURKEY OLUDENIZ & FETHIYE DESTINATIONS tanding between the eerily beaches or the family-friendly Turkey and a protected area of Squiet houses of ‘ghost town’ hotels, there’s as much for thrill- outstanding natural beauty – the Kayakoy, it’s hard to believe seekers or history buffs as there Oludeniz is one of perfect place to go on holiday if we’re just a few minutes’ drive is for sun-worshippers, provided all you want to do is relax, soak from two of Turkey’s busiest they know where the most beautiful up the sun and watch the sunset.” coastal resorts. to look. places in Turkey Yet it’s also the nearest resort While Oludeniz throngs to Babadag Mountain, famed with sunseekers flocking to w SELL: MIXED BLESSINGS for its world-class paragliding, the famous Blue Lagoon and Turkish gateway Dalaman is well thanks to favourable thermals. Fethiye’s market traders haggle served by flights from across Novices can take a tandem flight with locals and tourists alike, this the UK – departure airports harbour or bargain-hunting in with a qualified pilot while more now-derelict town sits empty and include Gatwick, Birmingham, the market. Yet there’s plenty of experienced paragliders can go uncannily silent. Bristol, Newcastle, Glasgow, crossover appeal in either resort, solo, but either way, it’s a serious Behind every set of peeling Manchester and Belfast – with so there’s no need to pigeon-hole adrenaline boost. wooden shutters and every yard low-cost carriers keeping prices them too strictly. Fethiye, on the other hand, has now overgrown with weeds competitive. Add to that just “Oludeniz has arguably a different vibe, with its weekly lies a tragic story of the Greek a 45-minute transfer from Turkey’s most famous beach,” market and homely, harbour- Out of community forced to abandon Dalaman to Fethiye, or an hour says Olympic Holidays front restaurants as much their homes in the wake of the to Oludeniz, and accessibility is a commercial director Photis Greco-Turkish War of the early real selling point for these resorts. Lambrianides. “It’s one of 1920s. Yet it’s also a poignant Broadly speaking, Oludeniz’s the most beautiful places in reminder of how much more there sandy beaches and shallow is to this region than its sun and waters steer it toward the family sea reputation would suggest. market, while Fethiye might be the blue While the majority of visitors a better fit for couples or older Oludeniz and Fethiye make ideal come for the picture-perfect clients who like strolls around the bedfellows for Turkish travellers @Katie_McGonagle S holiday 2 jet PICTURE: PICTURE: 94 travelweekly.co.uk 28 January 2016 28 January 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 95 DESTINATIONS OLUDENIZ & FETHIYE TURKEY frequented by locals as tourists. It’s a drink at King’s Garden Restaurant, busy year-round, so clients who like opposite the tombs – and it won’t to rub shoulders with locals will find “Fethiye is more of seem so tough. plenty of opportunities. Nearby Calis More ancient ruins await at Tlos Beach provides the obligatory helping a town than a resort, and Xanthos, each an hour away, but of sand, and a promenade packed full and great to visit for to find out more about the region’s of boutique hotels and cafes. shopping and sightseeing more recent history, the ‘ghost town’ Andrea Godsmark, Jet2holidays of Kayakoy has been transformed into contracts manager for Turkey, says: a living museum, paying testament to “Fethiye is more of a town than a the touching stories of its one-time resort, and great to visit for shopping residents. and sightseeing. The ancient harbour want to get to the most interesting If clients would rather turn their is the starting point for boat cruises to spots. The 2,500-year-old Lycian rock attention seaward, however, Fethiye the islands of the Aegean Sea. tombs, carved into the cliffs above is establishing itself on the scuba- “There’s also a great variety for keen Fethiye, are visible from ground level, diving scene, plus its harbour is a shoppers, with the Grand Bazaar in the and there are sarcophagi from the popular calling point for the traditional old town offering hand-crafted goods, same period dotted around town, gulets that ply their way up and down and the modern Erasta AVM shopping sometimes in quite unexpected spots the coast. An overnight gulet cruise mall with designer shops, bowling (we had to dodge one right in the forms part of The Family Adventure ASK THE and a cinema. For a romantic evening middle of the road, for instance). Company’s new itinerary, based EXPERT overlooking the marina, the Arena But if it’s not too hot, the climb entirely in Fethiye, which combines Restaurant has a great terrace and is to see these rock tombs up-close the natural beauty of Saklikent Gorge famous for its seafood.” is a rewarding one. There are steps, and Patara Beach with exploring Akin Koç, managing and lots of them, up to the Tomb of the archaeological ruins of Xanthos director, Anatolian w SEE: ROCK THE BOAT Amyntas (entrance about £1.25), but and Letoon, and all-out family fun at Sky Holidays: Sightseeing in Oludeniz or Fethiye can break up the hike with photo stops Oludeniz Water World Aquapark. “When be as effortless or strenuous as you to admire the sweeping views over The Family Adventure Company recommending like, depending on how close clients Fethiye harbour – plus the promise of product manager Tim Winkworth resorts to older clients in particular, it pays to know about the layout of the resort – simple facts can make all the difference to creating a really special holiday. For example, LEFT: Fethiye Harbour although the beach BELOW LEFT: Lycian rock tombs at Oludeniz is long BELOW: Diving in Fethiye and fairly flat, many of the hotels on S are built into the hillside, some with thom S; steep steps that mean access for holiday those with mobility 2 jet difficulties isn’t ; always easy. Fethiye office is a much better choice, particularly the hotels along information the harbour front, and so anyone who has trouble walking will be able to get culture H around much more S easily and have turki a more relaxing and enjoyable experience.” PICTURES: 96 travelweekly.co.uk 28 January 2016 TURKEY OLUDENIZ & FETHIYE DESTINATIONS says: “Fethiye is fun, vibrant, and full of history so we thought this was a perfect place for our next family adventure. It's a great place to relax and soak up culture, plus it's close to historic sights so families don't have to brave long journeys. Plus there's a trampoline in the harbour, and what kid doesn't love that?” Prices start at £976 per child and £1,084 per adult, including flights, accommodation and some meals. w STAY: SMALL PACKAGES The accommodation is as diverse as the clientele in these neighbouring resorts, with small family-run boutiques rivalling larger all-inclusive hotels, though you won’t find as many saMPLE of the latter here as in some Turkish an adult-only property with a relaxed PRODUCT resorts. The majority of hotels have atmosphere, but access to all the fewer than 100 rooms, and locally- Fethiye is a great place facilities at the family hotel. owned properties far outnumber Many larger properties straddle Olympic Holidays international brands. to relax and soak up the divide between family resort and offers a week’s Among family-friendly properties, culture, plus it’s close romantic escape, from the 330-room half-board at Thomas Cook’s top picks are Liberty to historic sights Hillside Beach Club, featured by the five-star Ece Hotel Lykia in Oludeniz and Majesty Prestige Holidays, to the all-inclusive Saray Marina & Club Tuana & Park in Fethiye. The Sensatori Resort Fethiye, which opened Resort in Fethiye former, a five-star hotel in a private last summer. While parents are swayed from £665 for bay, has more than enough to keep by Sensatori’s swim-up rooms, adult- travel in May, with kids amused, with 10 pools, water the little ones conk out from their only pool and daily yoga and pilates, Gatwick flights slides, tennis courts, a climbing wall exertions. If that sounds like fun for the kids will be easily won over by a and transfers. and evening entertainment, as well grown-up clients too, suggest the Play House children’s club, Sensory olympicholidays. as spacious family rooms for when next-door Sentido Lykia Resort & Spa, Nursery and daily kids’ activities. com But if couples want a more personal touch, try one of the many boutique- Thomson offers style properties around these resorts. seven nights’ Top-sellers in this sector include the all-inclusive at family-run Oyster Residences, where Sensatori Resort each of the 26 rooms is individually Fethiye from decorated and the restaurant – which £510, based on sticks to traditional Turkish and two sharing with Mediterranean cuisine – has a great flights from vantage point over Belckiz beach. Luton on May 6, High up in the hills, Beyaz Yunus and transfers. has just seven suites each boasting thomson.co.uk a private pool or Jacuzzi and Turkish hammam-style bathrooms, all hidden Travel 2 offers away in the cliffs above Oludeniz bay. a week’s B&B It’s new for Anatolian Sky Holidays and at the Oyster Ilios Travel this year, with prices via the Residences in former starting from £999 for a week’s Oludeniz in a B&B with flights and transfers. double pool and But if clients are focused on saving garden view pennies, the good-value Montebello room from £529, Resort in Oludeniz – a favourite of with Gatwick Monarch customers – makes up for flights and ABOVE: Sentido its lack of beachfront location with a Lykia Resort & Spa private transfers regular beach shuttle, free Wi-Fi, daily departing May 2.