did think about Lykia World . . .but struggling to find out who to book with / through . . .

You might like Dalyan. It's not a large resort but it's bigger than Turunc, and it's in a wonderful setting by the river and the rock tombs. The taxi-boats take you down to the beach, which is beautiful, lovely and sandy and protected so no building allowed, and in the other direction on to the lake at Koycegiz.
The restaurants by the lake are in a spectacular setting.
Couldn't recommend anywhere to stay as we were there years ago, but I'm sure other Dalyan fans on here will know some good accommodation.
Have fun choosing somewhere!

My recommendation is Altinkum and staying at the Panormos Hotel which is B & B. If you scroll down to 7th October, you will find the Altinkum Discussion Topic.

Les

Kalkan

Don't get me wrong EIJhem, we've been to Kalkan twice, staying at Hotel Nur and loved it but then, we are a couple. Karen has an 11 year old boy and if she wants access to a beach then as well you know, the nearest is Patara which is a dolmus ride away.

Les

Been to Kalkan with my four sons when they were younger and they loved it. There is Patara, Kaputas (sp) the town beach area and the beach clubs. Boat trips, the gorge, try dives etc.

Hi guys,

thanks for the suggestions so far . . .

cruisecontroller ~ can I ask why you recommend Altinkum? Its not an area Ive looked at before, don't know anything about it. One of our clients through work has an apartment there and has said before about renting it out if we were interested . . .am just wondering whats the place like, whats to do etc

Started having a peek at places and holidays today . . .wow the prices have gone up . . .flights are coming in at the same price we have been quoted for NYC!

Hi Karen, before I start, what is it about Icmeler that you don't like ?? When my wife read your post, she felt that Kusadasi may be more to your liking seeing as you like walking and shops, Ephesus is literally a dolmus ride away with Pammukalae a bit further, you've also got Aqua Fantasy Water Park just outside Kusadasi. If you should decide to come to Altinkum and are near Manchester or Stansted airports then book your flights through Pegasus Airlines but make sure that it is the direct one and NOT via S Gokchen(Istanbul). Last year I booked my flights on Boxing Day and got a really good deal. For Transfer, we use Ionia Tours on INVALID URL we always use the shuttle service as it is cheaper. End of December beginning of January is when we've booked holidays in the past and got some good deals.

We've been coming to Turkey for thirteen years and seven years ago decided we might like to live here permanently. Our favourite places, Icmeler and Kalkan were too expensive and so we ended up here in the Didim area of Altinkum(means Golden Sand). Buying more for our money at half the price of the other two resorts. We didn't like it when we first came here three years ago but the place and the people have grown on us, everyone is so friendly, in fact, we've been living out here for the past four weeks and so far we love it.

On places of interest, there is the Temple of Apollo. There are boat trips available to Bodrum and Kos plus there are other types of boat trip available. There is a water park out at Mavisehir, also here, a market is on every night. There is a funfair and plenty of good beach area to choose from. Ephesus and Pammukalae are within easy reach. You can take a dolmus to Akbuk and spend the day on the beach, plenty of eateries nearby. Restaurants, you are spoilt for choice but we love the traditional Turkish ones, they are so cheap and the food is excellent. If your lad fancies something different there is Pizza, Pizza, Burger King and Dominos Pizza. Tourist Market Day is on Saturday, located next to the bus station but most dolmus will take you there. On a wednesday there is a Farmers Market which is held up by the new Mosque. Hope this helps/answers your question.

Les

It certainly does, thank you and the chance of visiting Ephesus/Pammukale is a bit of a bonus as its always been too far.

As for Icmeler. . . although it was nice to have the town to walk around in the evenings, it just wasn't nice to walk around. We had to stay away from the promenade area due to all of the children lurking and "begging" and being offensive and rude, meaning that we couldn't really enjoy that walk along in the evenings.

We had some good meals there, we had great weather, but our favourite day was when we headed over to Turunc, it was so much more laid back and relaxing, much friendlier and just a whole lot nicer than Icmeler. It was also cleaner and the whole surrounding area just felt more "Turkey" which for us, Icmeler and certainly Marmaris area didn't . . .

For me Icmeler just didn't feel like Turkey, and certainly for me, wasn't as picturesque or as friendly as Olu. And I certainly didn't feel as comfortable or as "safe" as what I have done in other places, which travelling as a single parent is important.

And we headed over to Marmaris mainly so DS could go to the water park, and it was just awful. I just really didn't like it and had actually paid over the odds to go as we had heard lots of good things about it . . .

If we all felt the same about places it would be very boring and I know we all want different from our holidays Icmeler and Marmaris, isn't what I want LOL

Thanks for the info on Altinkum tho, Im sure the people we know have their apartment in Didim.

On our last visit to Icmeler(about five years ago) we went to Turunc by lunatic dolmus and came back by water taxi, a lovely experience. Sorry to learn of your bad experience of children, we've not come across that here. We have found the children to be polite and respectful, they also like to practice their English skills on you. Another fact about this area is that a lot of Turks have got holiday homes here and across the bay in Akbuk, hence there's quite an abundance of them here in the summer.

Les

Les,Do you know if any UK companies go to any accommodation in Akbuk?
Our freinds have an apartment here and we would love to go when they are there.

Hi Jay, if you type in your search engine, holidays in Akbuk, it will bring up a list. You may have to find your own flights but if you look at what I posted to Karen you won't go wrong. Ionia Tours do transfers to Akbuk which get dropped off before Altinkum. If you can't get a booking to Akbuk then I recommend staying at Panormos Hotel in Altinkum and you can take a dolmus from outside the hotel to Akbuk, 9 Lira each way for two people.

Les

Thanks,I will find out the dates when they are going next May.

Jay, Ionia Tours charge £7.50 pp each way on the shuttle service from Bodrum Airport, website http://www.ioniatours.com

Les

Thanks Les,I have put the link in my favourites,Jay

Karen_uk wrote:

did think about Lykia World . . .but struggling to find out who to book with / through . . .

Hi Karen

I cant recommend other places like the others can as I have also only been to oul deniz as I liked it so much didn't want to take a chance on anywhere else. Although we did go through Dalyan a couple of times and I liked the look of it & nearly booked the Dalyan Resort Hotel this summer, but ended up going to La Manga in Spain.

Sorry I am waffling.

I wanted to say is that Lykia is wonderful, but it is really isolated and as it's mentioned earlier in the thread that you like to walk & shop of an evening I think you need to take that into account. You will need to keep getting cabs in and out.

On the plus side it would be great for an 11 year old. I'm suprised you can't find it with the TO's all the ususal suspects book it - think I went with Direct Holidays who are part of Thomas Cook - they were the cheapest at the time.

I also stayed at the Belcekic Beach Hotel, once again very nice and much better located for the town, sugar beach etc. Unfortuantely I think both Lykia and the BB are quite expensive.

Doe

Sorry to disagree, but personally I think that someone who likes Olu Deniz but not Icmeler & Marmaris, would not like Altinkum. We only stayed for one day & night this summer, but our impression of Altinkum was a very large commercialised resort, not very picturesque (although a nice beach), quite a bit of hassle, and info from somebody with an appartment there that there are several break-ins nowadays. Everyone likes different things, I know, but I get the impression from the original poster that they would be better suited to somewhere smaller than Altinkum.

Hi, Plumpud, everyone is entitled to their opinion but with you having only stayed for a day and a night I feel this isn't long enough to get a true feel for a place, a week, I would accept. We have spent fourteen weeks in the past three years as holiday makers. You make mention of robberies here, I summize that you got this information from an Ex-Pat website and as you well know, this was in a residential area, well away from tourist hotels. Robberies can happen anywhere in the world. Hassle from the touts at restaurants is a subject that comes up regularly, there are laws in place that forbid these people overstepping the mark by closing the places for a period of time. The simple answer to the touts is a polite no thank you OR we've already eaten thank you and move on. My having an apartment in Altinkum bears no relevance on what I post. Like everyone else who visits the Turkey Forum, Í too, was once a holiday maker.

We all have our favourite resorts and relate accordingly. I agree that Altinkum may not be as picturesque as Kalkan or Olu Deniz but go around the bay to Akbuk and it is a different world again, very picturesque but lacking in the shops to stimulate Karen. This forum is about helping people, whether or not they accept that help is up to them but if I am able to make constructive suggestions, then I will. It is then up to the individual to do the relevant research to see if it is actually what they are looking for.

Les

Bit late answering Karen but just hope you haven't booked Altinkum. If you love Olu you will DETEST Altinkum. Sorry to all those peeeps who like Altinkum but it wont be your cup of tea I guarantee you. Its a very dirty resort (check out trip adviser) with rats found on the beach, the whole area is rundown and scruffy with litter everywhere. Its flat and ugly with ugly crumbling buildings and greasy egg and chip cafs . It does nor feel Turkish and all the peeps I know (including me and my folks) hate the place, My wife actually sobbed on the 2nd day there, she hated the place so much. The reason the propertys are so cheap is because its one big dirty dump.

Beware.

gb