JayTrip,

Oludeniz is not a 'created' resort! It has a WIDE natural beach, a beautiful natural lagoon, and is surrounded by natural outstanding beauty. The re town.staurants and bars have been 'created' just like the hundreds in Icmeler. Only difference is Oludeniz doesn't have a small dingy beach like Icmeler does.

Oludeniz has Kayakoy, Faralya, and Fethiye Town just 2 minutes away if you want a real Turkish village or proper Turkish town. Most people prefer to stay down in Olu though because of its incredible beauty, and the fact it isn't full of places that sell poor English grub or has restaurants called things like Teddy Bullsh*ts or Dreamboys.

Hey ....Chill..!!!! what one person likes another does not! Ive never found poor English food in Icmeler in fact there are some fine Restaurants there serving excellent food..Whats in a name anyway?? ..I recall eating in a place In Olu called....The Queen Vic! and in Hisaronu..I can remember The Rovers return, and the food was very good in both! There was even a clothes shop Trotters Independant Traders ...lol

Dont dont think anybodys Knocking Olu, Im certainly not In fact I loved it there, its just I prefer Icmeler, and Is'nt that what this thread is all about...peoples preferances??

if we all liked the same resorts it would be really busy
it is true no-one knocks olu noor should anyone knock Icmeler because i remember when hisaronu was like icmeler but things change and what we all like today we maynot like as much tommorow
i now stand down off my soap box lol

I have been all over Turkey over the last 15 years sometimes 3 times a year and Olu to me is a created resort.It has no old village or old town.I know Kava Kov is up the hill and so is Hisaronu, OMG. :yikes. Icmeler has as old village and when I first went 15 years ago it was little more than village.I was insulted by a shopkeeper in Olu for looking in his shop window and whats that awful man called selling tours?George?.The Paragliders spoil the resort in my opinion as its impossible to walk along the sea front.
My favourite place is Side as it has an old town and a Roman town.I have also been to Konya and Cappadocia which is the real Turkey and as the original poster asked for which resort ,between Icmeler and Olu, I say Icmeler even though the beach is a bit gritty in places(Its soft sand near black rock) the water is shallow whereas the main beach at Olu is steeply shelving and is also made up of pebbles.There are better quiet sandy beaches around the lagoon.The best restaurant I have eaten in just happened to be in Icmeler,The Loveboat.

Hi Jlee,

If you are looking for a nice resort - not too commercial etc - then Olu Deniz fits the bill perfectly. Icmeler is FULL of noisy bars and restaurants (it's a stones throw from Marmaris ) and has a really grotty narrow beach. It's also impossible to walk around without getting hassled and addosted by Turks trying to drag you into the shops/restauarants. You will find hundrerds of posts on this site about the hassle problem in Icmeler. It is designed for the British tourist (egg and chip type places) and has lots of noisy clubs and bars.

Oludeniz on the other hand is much more beautiful; much more peaceful; has a much nicer beach; and is close to Fethite town which is working town - not at all commercialised or geared towards the British tourist.

As for the last poster suggesting it's impossible to walk along the beach (or promenade?) because of the paragliders - They don't land on the beach or the promenade!! That would be both impossible and illegal!!! I've probably been on that beach over 100 times (AND walked alomg the promenade, AND sat in a restaurant on the promenade eating lunch) and have NEVER seen a paraglider landing there or on the beach!! How does she think people sunbathe on the beach or stroll along the promenade if paragliders are in danger of landing on your HEAD?!

Further up from Oludeniz is Hisaronu which IS full of loud bars/English style restaurants - very similar to Icmeler actually.

But Kayakoy, Gilimer, Faralya and Fethiye town are the real places to go. They are the REAL Turkey.

Icmeler is a very tacky resort full of tacky restaurants and kiss-me-quick bars.

Strawberry

I love both Olu Deniz and Icmeler, yes the paragliders do land on the beach but mainly at the back of the beach and in the sea occasionly saw them fish about 6 people out of the sea in October last year.

It has been known for the pargliders to land in the Belcekiz swimming pool!!!!! In fact they normally landed right outside the hotel , well they did when I was there 5 years aho.

Barb

The paragliders land on a DESIGNATED landing strip along the promenade. They do not land on the promenade itself where people stroll. You should see the strip with its landing map - it's clearly visible.

I have never seen any glider land on someone! And if they were landing all over the place it would simply be too dangerous!

sTRAWBERRY

i agree with alot that has been written about paragliders to me these pilots are very skillfull but with anything that has no airtraffic control as to speak of they do use the beach and the designated landing strips are on the main walk way, i have seen them ditch in the sea on the beach and also witnessed a mountain landing on the side of the main olu road from hisaronu,
i do think the main reson for this topic was down to personal preferance and that is how it should stay, different things rocks different peoples boats that is what makes life so great

One did land in the Belcekic Beach pool last summer a regular on here reported it. Previous year when we were at the BB though they all seemed to manage to land on the special designated area outside that strawberry mentioned. Great fun though watching them all jump off the cliff from my sunbed. LOL.

I think it's personal preference, but check your insurance covers you. Thomson who I travelled with would not let you book paragliding, they though it was too dangerous for their clients.

This is saying something as IMHO tour operators will normally flog you anything.
Olu is a great destination, something for everyone, but not too 'in your face'.

I dont think Marmaris is a stones throw from Icmeler!.I have walked it a few times and it took over 1 hour.I think its about 8 miles.As you walk from Marmaris along the beach path you go around a corner and the bay of Icmeler comes into view which in my opinion is the best view in Turkey.The narrow "grotty" beach suddenly becomes soft sand at that point,although some people may not have discovered this beach as you have to access it down some steps.It then widens into a lovely bay about 60 feet wide.
The hassle stopped in Icmeler and Marmaris last year as the Mayor closes the offending bar,shop or restaurant down for 3 days if they are found to be hassling holiday makers.
I would recommend Side to the original poster as it has an old town ,a Roman town,fabulous sandy beaches on both sides of the town and lots of great 4 and 5 star hotels.

I do think if a nice beach is important to you, check each resort out careful.

From what I read on here, Icmeler beach is narrow, shingly and gets very busy in the peak, the main Belcekic beach in Olu, whilst being very wide and not crowded is also shingly, although Olu has the redeeming feature of the lagoon on which you can find sandy beaches, although the main lagoon beach gets very busy in the summer. Whereas Jay is saying Side has big sandy beaches so that might be more suitable for beach lovers.

Hi I think we must've been in the wrong part of the Lagoon when we were there last July, we were dropped off by a taxi and had to pay to enter it but ended up going through some bushes to the 'Lagoon' which was really busy, shingly and had lots of reeds in the water! Please tell me we were in the wrong place!!

bigwoo sounds like you went into the conservation area of the lagoon which is around 50p charge, if you had carried on further there are some free sandy beaches, we love suara beach its really lovely with fab scenery sandy beach, very calm and warm waters

marmaris and icmeler are about 3-4 miles apart certainly not 8 !!

Hi Elli-meg, we just asked the taxi driver to take us to the Lagoon and he dropped us off at a car park beside the lagoon where there were a couple of pay booths - think it cost us more than 50p each though. On one side was the shingle beach of Olu Deniz, which was almost deserted, and the other seemed to be the lagoon which was really busy - mainly with Turkish people and not much room for us to sit, but the kids were ok cos they hired pedaloes. We were really disappointed with it which makes me think we weren't in the right place. We're going back to Olu Deniz this summer and I'm keen to find out where this idyllic beach is as we kinda feel as if we missed out last time!!

You just needed to go a bit further. When you are next there ask the taxi driver for the beach by name. I believe Sugar Beach is the biggest (if you google it, it has a website and you will see that it's beautiful and not like the main beach or the start of the lagoon which is indeed shingly), there is also Bob's beach and I think Joseph's beach. Some presume these are private as in linked to hotels, but they aren't. You just need to know where to ask for.

Good luck for next time!