DESTINATIONS OLUDENIZ & FETHIYE TURKEY
frequented by locals as tourists. It’s busy year-round, so clients who like to rub shoulders with locals will find plenty of opportunities. Nearby Calis Beach provides the obligatory helping of sand, and a promenade packed full of boutique hotels and cafes. Andrea Godsmark, Jet2holidays
ASK THE EXPERT
Akin Koç, managing director, Anatolian Sky Holidays: “When recommending 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,
although the beach at Oludeniz is long and fairly flat, many of the hotels are built into the hillside, some with steep steps that mean access for those with mobility difficulties isn’t always easy. Fethiye is a much better choice, particularly the hotels along the harbour front, so anyone who has trouble walking will be able to get around much more easily and have a more relaxing and enjoyable experience.”
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contracts manager for Turkey, says: “Fethiye is more of a town than a resort, and great to visit for shopping and sightseeing. The ancient harbour is the starting point for boat cruises to the islands of the Aegean Sea. “There’s also a great variety for keen shoppers, with the Grand Bazaar in the old town offering hand-crafted goods, and the modern Erasta AVM shopping mall with designer shops, bowling and a cinema. For a romantic evening overlooking the marina, the Arena Restaurant has a great terrace and is famous for its seafood.”
w SEE: ROCK THE BOAT Sightseeing in Oludeniz or Fethiye can be as effortless or strenuous as you like, depending on how close clients
“Fethiye is more of a town than a resort, and great to visit for shopping and sightseeing
want to get to the most interesting spots. The 2,500-year-old Lycian rock tombs, carved into the cliffs above Fethiye, are visible from ground level, and there are sarcophagi from the same period dotted around town, sometimes in quite unexpected spots (we had to dodge one right in the middle of the road, for instance). But if it’s not too hot, the climb
to see these rock tombs up-close is a rewarding one. There are steps, and lots of them, up to the Tomb of Amyntas (entrance about £1.25), but break up the hike with photo stops to admire the sweeping views over Fethiye harbour – plus the promise of
a drink at King’s Garden Restaurant, opposite the tombs – and it won’t seem so tough. More ancient ruins await at Tlos
and Xanthos, each an hour away, but to find out more about the region’s more recent history, the ‘ghost town’ of Kayakoy has been transformed into a living museum, paying testament to the touching stories of its one-time residents.
If clients would rather turn their
attention seaward, however, Fethiye is establishing itself on the scuba- diving scene, plus its harbour is a popular calling point for the traditional gulets that ply their way up and down the coast. An overnight gulet cruise forms part of The Family Adventure Company’s new itinerary, based entirely in Fethiye, which combines the natural beauty of Saklikent Gorge and Patara Beach with exploring the archaeological ruins of Xanthos and Letoon, and all-out family fun at Oludeniz Water World Aquapark. The Family Adventure Company product manager Tim Winkworth
LEFT: Fethiye Harbour
BELOW LEFT: Lycian rock tombs BELOW: Diving in Fethiye
PICTURES: TURKISH CULTURE AND INFORMATION OFFICE; JET2HOLIDAYS; THOMSON
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