Back in the late 1980s, the then largest independent Inexpensive holiday company in Britain called Sunmed secured some great little holiday to what was then a beautiful virgin and relatively unknown new holiday destination. Turkey. Apart from the Turks themselves no better holidayed there or had considered it before Sunmed introduced their Go Turkey brochure for the general British public, and although Sunmed Holidays are long gone, in the last twenty years, cheap flights to Turkey have developed and flourished in a fully fledged holiday destination contender and placed in the top three resorts not only British but also the rest of Europe.
While the neighboring Greeks' attraction lies in the many islands that you can choose from, the attraction of what was once Asia Minor (geographically speaking, it is still Asia Minor), Turkey's attraction lies in the enormous size stretches from Asia all the way down to the border of Syria and therefore fringing Northern Africa. Each shoreline has its own unique personality to meet any taste and any holiday entitlement you may have. Aegean coast of Turkey was one of the first established areas, with the Bodrum Peninsula with its myriad selection of resorts, big and small, quiet and lively with the added bonus is that download times from the airport is just under an hour, which in summer is a godsend. Further up the coast, Altinkum's transformation from sleepy village to a bustling seaport, brimful of ex-pats to buy villas and apartments and actually living there really has been rapid. I remember begging my clients in the nineties for a holiday in Altinkum and give it a chance and now within the last twelve years alone, Altinkum is one of the few resorts in Turkey, which is booked at full capacity from May to October.
So obviously you have what I call The Five Star City, Kusadasi, where you have more miles to a value of four-and five-star hotels with Turkish All Inclusive to suit all budgets and tastes. The nearby attractions in Ephesus offers a double whammy of interest, ironically it was the first full-fledged Christian city in the world, birthplace of a young Mary better known as Mother of Christ, and of course the famous Temple of Apollo. All this just in Turkey may sound fantastic, but as you travel down the coast of Turkey and the Bodrum Peninsula over past Aegean Sea and into the Mediterranean Sea, you will get to see many more pictures and sounds that have determined that "wow "factor you feel when in Ephesus, but for different reasons. Fethiye region, for example, with its very famous coastline, the Turquoise Coast and Olu Deniz particular profession by now almost legendary status as the best beach in Turkey. Indeed, several years ago it was decided to be in the top five beaches in the world, remember I was a bit dismissive when I heard it until I went there clearly remember the very high "wow" that escaped me, I must admit I was instantly in love!
There are plenty of beaches on our small planet that has the 'wow factor', but Olu Deniz is something special, it is nestled in a valley behind Olu Deniz, Hisaronu and Ovacik where seating overlooking the bay of Olu Deniz and the you to get to Olu Deniz you have to drive through a very boring town Fethiye Hisaronu up against, your right hand completely overshadowed by a view of the sea, and then some divine miracle as taxi turn right at the small T-section at the end of Hisaronu, you are immediately confronted with this astonishing slash of turquoise, which devours the horizon before you, and you simply can not see where the sky and sea meet, or arrange to be honest. Barring the obvious natural beauty of Olu Deniz other things that make it almost perfect, is the lack of giant hotels offering all inclusive, and therefore the relegation area, Olu Deniz is small and compact, they have strict building regulations and it was one of the very fist resorts in the Med to adopt an Eco Tourism approach, a part of The Blue Lagoon is completely blocked from tourists and locals to Caretta Turtles to nest.
Further along the coast and farther away from the wonders of Fethiye, we come across Leviathan resort of Marmaris with its small neighbor Icmeler. It has long been a firm favorite with British tourists who do not want to be too far away from the comforts of home, for example, McDonalds is a very well-known point, ensconced in Marmaris and the bright lights and noisy nightlife of the port end of Marmaris calls his nightly siren song to all those who still have Boogie in their hearts. Surprisingly, despite the Marmaris not really have the great beaches in Fethiye or near Dalyan, still has much to offer in terms of things to do for those whose idea anathema, staying on the beach and read to be related to them which pins are inserted under their nails!
Dalyan course, is another firm favorite, especially with a selected bunch of ex-pats who had been begging the local council to purchase property in the area for many years before the ban on foreign citizens to buy local properties were lifted for a few years since. Dalyan has a history that spans all the way back to the times of Kauno and apart from the geological beauty of the area you are Kauno Rock Tombs, think Rose Red Sea of Petra, but in Turkey and Rock Silver and gray shades. It is also another dramatic looking resort, and quite frankly I hate using a generic word like resorting to describe what Dalyan is that it is an ancient city which has existed for several thousand years. With its lake and river, which runs through the city with all the Kauno rock tombs on the one hand, the water taxis cut through the river, which runs into the Med and deposit you on the virgin white beaches, which rarely see a soul, and as for all film aficionados of the famous African Queen with Bogey and Hepburn was filmed here!
The last bit of the holiday Turkey are Antalya region, which was first discovered by German tourists, before the British began to creep in five years or so ago and it is also the only part of Turkey, which is open twelve months of the year, enjoy on average more sunshine per year than the rest of Turkey and unusually mild winters, it is a cheap winter escape and a more than reasonable price summer destination, with countless All Inclusive hotels, both large and small resorts and cities, spanning several hundred kilometers you have plenty to choose from. Page is fantastic and still contain the heart of the old Roman walls and arches market in its current architectural setting that bellies the incredible story of this thriving port, was once the center of all trade in the thriving heart of the Middle Eastern trade routes between Egypt, Syria and Rome.
In finality, Turkey has much to offer the discerning traveler, from its rich and bountiful history of safe beautiful beaches and plenty of shopping to keep even the most difficult restless traveler happy!
Cheap Holidays to Turkey
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