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Turkey Beaches are best May-Oct,
though the water is still a little chilly up to June. Beware crowds
July-Aug.
They are often pebbly or hot sand so swimming shoes are useful.
None of them are worth travelling for specifically, except the first
two and last one.
Turkish beaches [in fact Mediterranean beaches in general] are not
truly comparable with those of the Caribbean or Pacific - the water
is cooler and the sand generally coarser, or even pebbles. Pretty,
shady, palm tree fringes are also rare, though hot sunshine, friendly
locals and low prices are almost guarenteed.
Going topless is not a problem.
Patara
Beach
[picture top right] - Pictures
Rated as the best beach in the world by The Sunday Times. With all
due respect to a great newspaper, Pah! Patara may be the best in
the Mediterranean but it can't compare with tropical beaches. However
it is 14.2 kms/9miles long [the longest beach in the Mediterranean]
of child-friendly shore - medium grain brown sand - backed only
by ancient ruins and swooping dunes - with no buildings visible
save a small café at one end.
Loungers and umbrellas available for rent but no watersports or
camping. The area is inexpensive and there's a limited selection
of low-key accommodation in nearby Patara town, with beach commuter
transport or a longish walk. Alternatively day trip in from Kalkan/Kas.
50 miles from Fethiye.
Olu
Deniz Beach, near Fethiye [picture
top left] - Pictures
Olu
Deniz is a
picturesque resort area, especially the main hillside town of Belcekiz,
which has crystal clear water, and a long shingle beach curving
away from the town promenade along to a calm blue lagoon. In addition
to good value hotels - usually with pools - in Olu Deniz town, there
are some popular resort villages nearby, such as Ovacik and Hisaronu
[10 mins], which means that the beach can get overcrowded. The promenade
by the town has plenty of bars, restaurants and cafés and
there are loads of umbrellas and loungers for hire, and a wide range
of water sports available. Paragliding and Hangliding, solo or tandem,
off adjacent Babadag mountain and landing on the beach are extremely
popular, as is scuba diving. Locals claim the season is all year
round. Summer temperature averages 32C, winter 20C. 1hr 45 mins
from Dalaman Airport.
Gemile
Bay Beach, near Fethiye
If
Olu Deniz is too commercial for you, try the secluded beach in Gemile
Bay. Gemile Bay Beach is a unspoiled, picturesque cove with a great
view of St. Nicholas island [you can swim or take a boat across
to see the ruins].
Turtle
[Iztuzu] Beach, Dalyan -
Pictures
Reached by boat, Turtle Beach [also known as Iztuzu Beach], a sandbar
of the Dalyan Delta, is a national conservation area and one of
the last breeding places in Europe for the protected loggerhead
'Cretta' sea turtle. It's several kilometres long, with very scenic
surroundings, hot brown sand, and shallow water. A small café,
sun loungers and umbrellas available. Accessible mainly by an enjoyable
20min public boat ride from pleasant, relaxed Dalyan town. Dalyan
has a gorgeous river frontage looking across to Lycian tombs carved
into the rock face. Twitcher alert! Swamp bugs can be irritating
to humans but delicious to avians, so lots of bird life here, especially
swallows. Other excursions from Dalyan are mud bathing in the local
hot mineral springs or swimming in nearby Lake Koycegiz. 30 mins
from Dalaman Airport.
Çalis
Beach, near Fethiye
Çalis Beach is informal, relaxing, and excellent for watersports
or a family holiday. The coarse sand stretches for 2.5 miles, bordered
by a pedestrianized road with fairly characterless hotels, cafes
and restaurants along the water front. 4 miles from Fethiye. 1 hrs
10 mins from Dalaman Airport.
Kaputas
Beach, near Kalkan & Kas -
Pictures
Kaputas is a mountain gorge with a small shingle cove beach under
a bridge crossing the gorge, with a steep set of steps up/down to
the beach,and a steep drop off into the clear blue sea. It's a 10
minute dolmus [bus] ride from the hill village of Kalkan, a harbour
town with colourful restaurants and terraced bars overlooking the
not particularly attractive marina. Kalkan has it's own small shingle
beach too - Pictures.
More sophisticated than most Turkish resorts. 2.5 hrs from Dalaman
Airport.
Kas
There
are no beaches in Kas, but it's a really lovely, relaxed hill/harbour
town with no package tourists in evidence and easy access to little
beaches a few minutes away by public bus on the gorgeous winding
coast road. Plenty of little hotels and interesting Turkish restaurants.
An hour from Kalkan.
Ladies
Beach and Kustur Beach, Kusadasi -
Pictures
Kusadasi's most famous beach is Ladies Beach, just south of the
town centre, backed by a promenade with plenty of eating and drinking
establishments. It's a narrow, brown sand beach with loungers and
umbrellas available for rent.
Kustur Beach, 4 miles north of the town, is less crowded and more
tranquil. 1hr 15 mins from Adnan Menderes Airport, 1.5 hrs from
Izmir.
Içmeler
Beach, Marmaris Bay - Pictures
Içmeler is in the bay of Marmaris, surrounded by green hills
and next to the Marmaris resort, home-away-from-home of beer belly
and bad tatoo man. Içmeler is newer , smaller and marginally
quieter than hideous Maramaris. Its beach is half a mile long, with
a traffic free promenade stretching from Marmaris all way round
the bay to Içmeler to help the beer bellies stagger home.
Excellent facilities and amenities. 10
mins dolmus ride to Maramaris, 2 hrs 15 mins from Dalaman Airport.
Maramaris has an award-winning PADI & BSAC dive centre.
Cleopatra's
Beach, Alanya
Alanya is one of the Turkey's largest resorts, with two good beaches,
an historical site [old fortress], and great facilities. Cleopatra's
Beach, on the western side of the peninsula, is one of the best
known beaches. It's sandy, pleasant and more secluded than the other
town beach on the eastern side. It is likely to be crowded with
German and Scandinavian beer bellies in high summer. 2 hrs from
Antalya Airport.
Side
Beaches, Side
Another classic Turkish seaside village/beach scenario, but popular
with package holiday groups. Fine sandy beaches each side of the
town and some ancient ruins. 1 hr from Antalya Airport.
Kyrenia,
Northern Cyprus island
Kyrenia [also known as Girne] is a harbour town, and one of the
liveliest resorts of North Cyprus. It's located in a stunning coastline
backed by mountains, with clear Mediterranean waters in front of
it. Small villages sprawl along the coast on both sides of the town,
but the coastline continues with golden sandy beaches and rocky
coves, and the clean water is ideal for swimming and snorkeling.
Operators
offering tours to Turkey can be found in our listings here:
Turkey Tours
Greece | France |
Italy | Portugal | Mediterranean
Comment
from Craig:
Whilst
reading through information on beaches in Turkey I saw a comment
saying "pah...this may be the best beach in the med but it
cannot compare to tropical beaches"
Having travelled to various tropical places including the Seychelles
which is said to have 6 of the world's best beaches, I know many
beaches in the Mediterranean which can not only compare to tropical
beaches but indeed beat them in terms of beauty! the mediterranean
has my corners of stunning beaches...many undiscovered so I was
disappointed to see that the med's beaches on this web page have
been put down. Shame on you!
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