Local Area

Dalaman is perfectly situated for exploring Turkey's Turquoise Coast as it's located in the middle of this most beautiful stretch of dramatic and picturesque coastline. All of the sights mentioned below can be driven to with 1 1/2 hours. Driving in Turkey is very easy as there is little on the roads although you may come across the odd herd of goats from time to time. Roads are generally well signposted and to be honest driving to/from these places contributes to a fantastic day out as there is always plenty of scenery to look at. Dalaman itself is a town which is gradually welcoming more and more tourists. There is an increasing number of bars and restaurants to choose from, all of which are very competitively priced and have a good selection.

Gocek is the nearest small town to the east which has a small natural harbour which is visited by yachts and the rich and famous from all over the World. This is a very cosmopolitan town with nice bars and restaurants to choose from. Gocek is also called the Bay of Twelve Islands and offers daily boat trips which sail around the bay, stopping off five or six times, to allow you to swim from the boat. A boat trip will cost around £10 depending on the season and this will include your lunch. For larger groups, chartering your own boat with captain, may work out to be a worthwhile option, as there are ample boats to choose from. Driving from Dalaman to Gocek, you can decide to either go through the new tunnel and pay the small toll or drive up and over the mountain. Driving over the mountain takes longer however it is quite an experience and should be done at some stage, although we would suggest in daylight!

Sarigerme is the nearest tourist resort, however it's certainly not to be compared with Benidorm. The town consists of one main street which has a small number of bars, restaurants and shops. They have a market each Sunday, which is ideal for buying your holiday souvenirs and "genuine fake" designer gear. Sarigerme also has one of the best beaches in Turkey. It has golden sand and the sea is shallow which is safe for children to swim. The beach has many amenities including toilets, changing rooms, showers, a snack bar and ample bed chairs and umbrellas.     

Dalyan is a small tourist town on the banks of the river which connects the lake at Koycegiz with the sea. You can enjoy a boat trip from Dalyan along the river, turtle spotting or to the local mud baths. In the mountains overlooking the river you can see a number of Catacombs which were carved into the rock many hundreds of years ago. There a plenty of bars and restuarants to choose from and enjoy watching the river and the world pass by before you. The Dalyan market is bigger than that at Sarigerme and is on each Saturday.

Koycegiz is a small town situated on a large inland salt water lake which offers picturesque views of the lake and surrounding mountains. There are a number of bars and restaurants around the water's edge which makes this a nice place for lunch or dinner. Koycegiz is also a pretty place to stop off for a drink to/ from somewhere else to break up the journey.

Marmaris & Icemeler are large tourist towns popular with the English and other nationalities. They have numerous lively bars and restaurants to choose from and night life to match. Whilst they are situated on a beautiful bay, the beach at Marmaris is a poor one, although the beach at Icmeler is better. You can enjoy boats trips from Marmaris which offer excellent value for money and a great day out. Marmaris has a large bazaar and marina, both of which are worth walking around.

Fethiye is an old Turkish town which has developed over the years into a popular tourist resort. Whilst it does not have a beach of it's own, it has a large marina which is the main focal point of the town, and hosts many bars and restaurants. Fethiye also has a bazaar where you can practice your haggling with the local traders and buy your "designer" labels.

Calis Beach is a purpose built tourist resort with a reasonable beach and a number of bars, shops and restaurants to choose from. 

Hisaronu is a lively tourist town which has streets lined with many bars, restaurants and shops. It is based on the top of a hill above the famous resort of Olu Deniz.

Olu Deniz has the most famous beach and lagoon in Turkey which appears on the front of many holiday brochures for Turkey. The beach is made up of pebbles at one end and sand at the other by the lagoon area. There are numerous bars and restaurants to tempt you whilst you watch the paragliders decend to the sea front from the surrounding mountains. You never know - you may even be tempted to try it yourself!!

The Saklikent Gorge is  one of Turkey's natural wonders and is well worth visiting. The gorge is very deep and can be safely walked along during the summer months, although you will have to wade through some freezing cold water from time to time. During the winter rain months the gorge fills with water and offers some excellent white water rafting.

Location	Driving Time	Market Day
Gocek	20 mins
Calis Beach	45 mins
Fethiye	1hr	Tuesday
Hisaronu	1.25-1.5hrs
Olu Deniz	1.25-1.5hrs
Dalyan	25 mins	Saturday
Koycegiz	30 mins	Monday
Marmaris	1.25-1.5hrs	Thursday
Icmeler	1.5hrs	Thursday
Dalaman	0	Friday