I know this is a little off topic re your post, but we felt the same about Hisaronu with regards to the interaction between tourists and waiters. We have only been to Icmeler before, three times in a row, and every year returned having made a new friend, and endless photos of so and so from wherever, so much so everyone would comment saying "do you only take photos of turkish waiters".

This year, we never got to know anybody's name in the restuarants, hardly anyone asked where we were from blady bla, and not a single photo of new turkish friend, apart from the guy in the apartments.

Everyone just seemed a little uninterested, and we are very friendly people, always happy for a chat and a bit of banter. However, we did have a lovely holiday and are actually booking again because we found fab apartments at a great price.

Thanks all for your kind words and feedback.

Tracymichelle you have put into words exactly how we felt-we remarked on return from our holiday that the only new peoples names we could remember were those of the friendly family who ran the hotel.

Like yourselves we normally make new Turkish friends, have photos etc. but it just didnt seem to happen this time.

BarbH -you could be right about the effects of Ramadan although I think it started a couple of days after we left.

I also posted the report on the 'Enjoykalkan' website and there are some interesting responses on there if anyone would like to have a look (my user name is Lavashluvva on there)

I know Ramadam started with Moslems over here last Thursday as our friends in the restaurant said they had to fast, The owner however was not very happy about itm he said as they wentto bed late they were still there after 7.30 and he did like his coffee with a cigarette - be interested to see what he has done. Will go there tomorrow.....

Going back to your visit to Hisaromu, I felt like that when we was in Olu Deniz. Hotel staff were fine but outside seemed a lot different. Like you we have always been to Icmeler where everyone is so friendly, I think this is what draws people back.

Lets hope it is just down to tiredness. Will soon know, we are off on Monday.

BarbH

What an interesting report Scoobyclaret - my friend came back last Friday (she stayed in a villa) and we are planning to go next year together - I have never been in Turkey before.

She found everyone very friendly and polite there - she made a point of saying how lovely she found the people, and commented that she didn't feel hassled. Perhaps it was different being in a villa and not having quite the same level of interaction with the locals that you would have in a hotel based holiday. I thought it looked lovely, and look forward to seeing it for myself in 2008!

We are just back from Olu Deniz a couple of weeks ago and we did notice some waiters were a bit unfriendly this year, or even grumpy! We thought it was end of season or something.

Maybe they have fallen out of love with us Brits!

Hi
We ventured to Ovacik in July and found the waiters and barstaff so different from those in Icmeler. we have made many friends over the last 7 years in Icmeler so were a bit disappointed by the lack of banter, the friendly greetings and have no wish to go back to this area again. Had to come home a week early due to our friend being very ill, can't fault the staff at our apartments (the Ant) but will definately be returning back to our own paradise Icmeler next year. Wish prices were cheaper for half term in October as I still have 3 weeks holiday left. Having a knee op on 10th Oct and would have loved to "Recuperate" on a sunbed there.
Shaz150

Thanks Meerkat,

Kalkan is a nice place, there is very little hassle and we're not saying the people were impolite to us, it's hard to describe exactly it's just that in general there didn't seem to be the same warmth and friendliness extended that we have come to expect from our previous visits to other resorts in Turkey.

I'm sure you will have a nice holiday and maybe you will have a completely different view to ours-look forward to reading your report next year! .

Scoobyclaret,I know what you mean ,we were in kalkan 2yrs ago it was our third time there and I had always loved it,but our last time there we had detected a change.The food in the restaurents wasn't quite so good ,the boats were more expensive and not as good value as they had been and we felt we were getting ripped off in most places.To top it all our villa was robbed (an inside job) and the police were rubbish we had to go to Kas twice hired a car to get there and we are still waiting for our police report which meant we couldn't claim insurance.Didn't go to turkey last year ,went to bitez last month and although we met some lovely people and bitez was fine we still felt ripped off ,sorry I've always loved turkey this being our 8th time but I'm not prepared to be taken advantage of anymore its a shame the bars and restaurents and shops are just getting too greedy ,they say we must be rich because we can afford to go there but I can assure them that for the majority of people that go to turkey its not the case.

This is located another 100 yards up the hill from the weekly market. As you go towards the building you will be greeted by Kalkan Minibus Cooperative, obtain one of their booklets and then continue to go up the left side of the building to where you will find another three companies, two of which are Pammukale and Bati Antalya. Anyone going to Fethiye Market can catch a Bati Antalya bus which leaves at 8am or there is one at 9am. These will only charge 8 ytl each way per person. The 10am bus will cost you 10 ytl each way per person.
Les

Returned from here yesterday and it was like we had never been away, the warm welcomes that awaited us were unbelieveable, particularly from the daughter at Paparazzi who even remembered my name !!!! Once again we stayed at Hotel Nur(see report). Kalkan remains the warm friendly place it was last year, add to this, we made some new long term friends.

Restaurants, gone are Shanghai Chinese and Bosphorus. Adams(Adems) has moved 3km out of town due to the high rent but if you phone him he will arrange for a taxi to convey you to and from his restaurant, I have a card with details if anyone wants to pm me. The restaurants we used this time are, as before, at the lower end of peoples budgets but still provided us with very high quality meals:- Doyum, Ilban, Marina, Breeze(twice), Paparazzi, Omars, Ali Babas, Rami's, Odak, Barbaros, Sun Terrace, Cati(Chati) and Kaya. Of these, Rami's came out on top by a whisker with Omars at the other end of the ratings(the meal we had there was palatable but not as good as the others, no disrespect to Omar).
Les

hi all im very new to this forum about 5 mins!! we have rented a villa in kalkan, for 10 days 10th july to 20th july, we don't know any body that has been, it looks and reads fantastic, could any body that has been please tell us what it is really like,, thank you,, jamie.

I strongly advice you Patara if you need a quite vacation.There are many small hotels and some kinds of restaurants. The beach is incredible. The system dont let me to write links of Patara's offical page.

Have been to Hisaronu, Bitez, and Icmeler in previous years, but thought we might try Kalkan this year,
do you think i would like it, we have loved all the previous visits, looking to stay at Hotel Nur, which comes recommended. I believe its a long transfer like Icmeler, which is not a problem.

I have bumped another thread called Discussion on Kalkan, lots of info there.

Also, there is another website called enjoykalkan which has oodles of info, reviews and various forum discussions.

I loved it there. Problem is I went with ex boyfriend and now can't bring myself to go back under my own steam. I know that's daft but...........

I wonder if anyone can give me any info on Kalkan as a holiday resort please.
We like to go where it is quiet but lively if you want that.

I haven't been, but my best friend has - and she had previously been to Hisaronu and Marmaris so could make comparisons. She said it was slightly quieter (and dare I say it - more upmarket, I'm allowed to say that because I still go to Hisaronu ), but there are plenty of bars and restuarants.

Resort reports here:

http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/reviews/turkey/dalaman-region/kalkan/

It's gorgeous. Night life is quite sedate, mostly it's all about the restaurants. Spoilt for choice and many are roof top. Loved it.

Is Kalkan a long way from the eairport. I always fancied going there but I seem to remember it is hours away?

The transfer from Dalaman is a lot quicker since the tunnel has been finished, there is also a new road into Kalkan which was completed recently. It took us just over an hour by private transfer.

Going back in September to the Meldi, our 4th time. We have been to Icmeler, Olu Denz which we liked but Kalkan has something special about it, Well that is my opinion!

Barb