I stayed in Fethiye, which is your average tourist resort, with plenty of bars, restaurants and excursions. If you visit this area, you are sure to have a relaxing and enjoyable holiday where you don't have to plan too much to use up your time.
If however, you are like me and love exploring 'off the beaten track', then this post will feature places where you won't find many tourists and can really embrace the Turkish culture
Let me start by saying that Turkey is a beautiful country that has sadly been bombarded with many tragic events, putting tourists off of visiting there.
When I went, there was no sign of any conflicts or unrest, and I felt as safe as I feel at home, so please do not let the media and the actions of a few organisations put you off.
The first place I would recommend is the Yaka Gizlivadi restaurant. There is a farm/restaurant by a similar name close by, but I'm talking only about this restaurant. It is situated near the Saklikent Gorge (well worth a visit too), and if you are looking for a tranquil place to eat and refresh, this is the place to visit.
You can sit (or rather lie down) in the traditional treetop huts whilst taking in the breathtakingly beautiful surroundings. Fresh water runs through the restaurant from the mountains and creates a calming atmosphere as you relax to the background noise of trickling water.
I was the only person in the restaurant when I went, so you will not bump into many tourists here.
Combine this with a visit to the Saklikent Gorge and it makes a perfect day out.
The second place to visit is the Olive Garden restaurant in Kabak, near Olu Deniz. This restaurant boasts stunning clifftop views and an infinity pool. It takes a while to reach by car, where you will wind around some nerve-wracking mountain roads, but the drive is worth it. The food is delicious, and combined with a swim in the pool, makes for a unique day out. Words cannot do this place any justice, so I'll let the pictures convey the charm of this place.
Only the natural sounds of the sea and nature can be heard, and you really feel like you are in a luxury hotel here. This is one place that is not to be missed if you really want to take in the beauty of this country.
If you want something fun and different, take a visit to the Sultaniye Thermals and Mud Baths near Koycegiz. This is the one where the locals go so there will be no tourists flocking here on excursions.
For only 4 TL (about £1), you can use the natural spring baths before bathing in a pool of mud. After drying in the sun, you can wash it off by jumping in the crystal clear lake. Not only will your skin feel amazing, but you will also be crying with laughter when you start to look like an alien as the mud hardens in the sun.
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| Wash off the mud by jumping into the crystal clear waters of the lake |
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| The views on the roads into the mud baths |
My final must-do experience in Turkey is a visit to Pamukkale.
I've been lucky enough to go here twice, and each time it has taken my breath away.
The natural limestone/calcium pools, nicknamed "Cotton Castle', make it seem like you are walking on ice, but the water is warm enough to bathe in them as you ascend up. The ice blue pools make for magnificent photos and they make infinity pools look boring!
At the top, you can take a walk around the ancient ruins of Hierapolis. Do not forget to take a moment to absorb the view from the top. My recommendation is to go at sunset, when it starts to get cooler and less busy. There is nothing in the world that can beat watching the sun disappear behind the mountains, and it is a moment I will never forget. No amount of pictures can convey the peacefulness of this moment.
Cue the Pamukkale photo montage...
If you really wanted to treat yourself, you can book yourself into a nearby 5* hotel, like the Spa Hotel Colossae Thermal, and stay overnight to recover from the lengthy drive there and back. That way you can relax in the hotel pool before climbing Pamukkale, and enjoy a breakfast buffet (included) in the morning before driving back to your resort.
I hope this gives you a taste of what Turkey offers, and that wherever you go, you can always explore the real beauty by taking a step off the usual tourist hotspots.
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| Love Charlotte x |
