we love akyaka, i went to dalyan about 2 weeks ago for the day and thought it was nice for a day but didnt like the fact you had to go on the boat for 50 mins to get to the beach or 20 mins taxi ride, as i love being near a beach, so it wouldnt be suitable for a holiday for us although a nice place, restaurant prices dearer than akyaka too

akyaka is 30 mins from dalyan and is in a conservation area so very scenic its smaller than dalyan, but has a lovely sandy beach, its split into to 2 halves the bottom of akyaka with shops, restuarants, hotels and beach to the top half which is up a steep hill to more shops and restaurants, but to be honest you dont need to go to the top as theres enough at the beach end. another place thats quiet nice is turunc but the beach isnt as nice as akyaka and its quite a lot further from the airport and not quite as scenic. ive put some photos in the gallery so have a look at those and these links, good luck with where ever you choose

http://akyaka.com/index.php

http://www.turkuaz-guide.net/gokova.html

http://www.idymahotel.com/en/index.htm

http://www.marmarisinfo.com/sightseeing/cleopatra.phtml

http://www.akyaka.org/index_eng.htm

http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/akyaka/

http://www.exclusiveescapes.co.uk/destinations/property/incogn/detail/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akyaka%2C_Mu%C4%9Fla

http://tomsanokaliptus.com/

http://www.gatetoturkey.com/turkey_a_z_tour/01015/

What about Bitez? Close enough to Gumbet and Bodrum for town life...if you want or need it.

I liked Bitez, but not a lot to do there as you said Bodrum is not far away, but wouldn't go back just too quiet for us. We are also looking for a change and like the look of Dalyan, Flights already booked for June.

I have recommended it several times before but try Datca - a quaint harbour town with some stunning scenery. There are some good bars and restaurants and I think 2 nightclubs. They sometimes have concerts in the amphitheatre. The peninsula it sits on is fabulous and you can get boat trips every day in the summer season from the harbour. There are many beautiful beaches many of which are empty even in high season. Accommodation ranges from little budget pensions through to good standard 3 star hotels and a couple of very plush but not too big 5 star establishments. It takes just under 2 and a half hours from Dalaman airport tthrough some stunning mountain scenery.

Thanks everyone for the information. I am going to do have a look at them all, Datca sounds very nice.

Agree Datca is very nice, more Turkish than most of the resorts, and a great atmosphere in the evenings around the harbour. Like you we also loved Dalyan, had a great holiday there a few years ago and really enjoyed the boat rides to the beach! Turunc is also worth looking at, a great village in stunning scenery, fabulous restaurants too many to try them all in a fortnights holiday. The main street is closed to traffic in the evenings and a great place to stroll and chat to the locals. The beach is blue flag, so very clean, and also very sandy this year. It tends to be shingly, but a large amount of sand was shipped in at the beginning of the season. Wondered if it would last, and it has! Lots of boat trips, regular taxi boats to Icmeler and Marmaris, and boats to small bays Amos and Kumlubuk in the other direction. Lots of small family orientated apartment complexes and hotels.
Wherever you choose have a great holiday!

I would also suggest Turunc for a family-orientated holiday. It's small but almost perfect for a 2 week holiday as there are enough restaurants to choose from (Musti's is a must!) plus bars to keep you happy. As the poster above has said the beach is also perfect for families - and many of the apart hotels have lovely pools. There are also many trips you can do from there as it's a good base - and near Marmaris and Icmeler if you want something a bit busier one day. It has a regular dolmus and taxi boat service to both.

I have also stayed in Datca and found it to be lovely - as it's a bit more remote there are not as many Brits that make it that far and it is more Turkish than other places I've stayed in. There are restaurants and bars off the harbour (which seems to be split into two - one side is more touristy than the other). Again there are trips you can do. It's about an hour and a half's drive from Marmaris (just to give you an idea of location) and about a 3 hour transfer from Dalaman.

Another place that might be of interest is on the Bodrum peninsular - a little fishing village called Yalikavak which also has restaurants and bars round the little harbour.

Good luck with your search!

2 adults and 3 children.

We have just come back from Icmeler and we loved it, so we would like to try somewhere else simular.

We travelled to Marnaris for a day and hated it

Any ideas where to go next. we will be going in June next year for 2 weeks.

Thanks

merged with a similar topic to avoid duplication. Dazbo HT Mod

Olu Deniz.

grayson99,

You might find members Resort Reports useful to get a feel for different parts of Turkey.

Darren

MTW as you showed some interest in Datca I thought I would list some of the things to do there. As has been said you will not find too many Brits there and if you go you will really need to 'do it yourself'. I am more than happy to give anyone tips on transfers and accommodation.
You would have to be driving at snails pace to take three hours to get there. We usually do it in 2 and a quarter hours and we sometimes use one driver who takes an alternative route by passing Marmaris and he does it in 2 hours. I'm a bit reluctant to drive that way in case I get lost.
OK things to do:
Olive farm visit
Restored windmills with cafe
day trip to Marmaris using public bus
Day trip to Bodrum on the ferry
Day trip to Symi on a gulet
Gulet trips for lunch and swimming along the peninsula
Water park
Diving boat
wind/kite surfing club
Hot springs - you can swim in the lake
hire a car or car with driver and explore the peninsula and it's villages
Visit Knidos - an ancient city at the end of the peninsula - by car or boat.
Walk along Burgaz an area near the town, by the sea where a city that predates Knidos can be found. It is not at all developed.
Concerts at the amphitheatre
Buskers at the new square at night
Fantastic place for star gazing
Saturday market
Night time craft market
traditional music in a couple of bars (live)
Yacht/people watching in the harbour at night. You might spot a celebrity or two trying to get away from it all.
Many empty beaches even in high season.
Very little humidity and almost always a breeze.
I could go on and on and having visited many areas of Turkey this is by far my favourite. I am off again on Monday for my 4th visit this year. I am never bored with it and always find new experiences.

Thanks JMK for all that info. Datca will definatly go on my list of places to visit.

Cirali is a great little village, nice clean beach and a mix of sand and pebbles, ruins of Olympos and the flames of "Chimaera" the world''s oldest and best-known natural "eternal flame".

No mass tourism or 5 star hotels. Just nice family own hotels and pansiyons. Small shops, quiet bars, restaurants, and no discos. It is more of a place for nature lovers and chilling out.
my photos ;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/canmom/sets

Cirali is centrally located between Antalya and Kas and you can travel farily easily to visit nearby historical areas.

In Cirali there are ..boat trips, snorkelling, long walks, day trips to nearby Kemer or Kumluca to visit local markets, biking, and of course relaxation...not to mention the historical ruins to explore..plenty to keep ones self busy for a week or two.

there are also many lovely areas to visit around Cirali...

Beycik / Tahtali mountain, Beldibi Cave, GOYNUK CANYON, Ulupinar, Phaselis, Demre, Myra, Arykanda, Finike etc..just to name only a few..

JMK you have made me want to visit Datca but I had a quick look on google for accommodation and not much came up. Can you recommend any nice accommodation for my husband and myself and also how would you get from Dalaman Airport to the resort.

We have not been to Turkey for 15 years and back then it was Marmaris which I believe is now quite different from when we last went. I have been back on the Turkry forum as we are off to Calis Beach on Thursday and I am trying to pick up tips on places to see and restaurants to visit.

I have been to Goa for my last 2 winter holidays and it seems that if you like Goa you also like Turkey. Also both forums are the friendliest I have found.

Rita

It's actually very easy but I agree when you google you don't get a lot.
OK you can get there on public transport but it takes longer and you have to do it in the day time. You can get a shuttle or a public bus to Marmaris, get off at the bus station and then a bus to Datca. They go more or less hourly from 7am until I think around 7pm. Or you could get the cheap shuttle to Marmaris and then haggle with a taxi driver. I think it is around £50 from Marmaris. marmaris-transfers are very good and will do a taxi for 2 from Dalaman to Datca and at the moment I think they are charging £75 each way. We use them often and the trip takes just over 2 hours through fantastic scenery. I have another Datca company who will do a mini bus for I think £100 and we also use them a lot when there are a few of us. I can give you an english contact number for that. You could also hire a car from the airport and drive yourself, once past Marmaris the roads are quiet but mountainous. My ex boss has just been and did it that way never having been to Turkey before! It is nice to have a car in Datca as the roads are quiet and there are so many places to see along the peninsula.
Accommodation - it depends on your budget. There are a couple of wonderful small and very expensive places. Then there are loads of 3* hotels and after that loads of cheaper pensions. Bear in mind that Datca is a little more expensive than many resorts as it attracts wealthy Turks. However you can negotiate and just put it to them straight 'what is your best price'. Quite honestly I would risk turning up and finding something. If you get stuck go and see Maradona in the harbour and ask him if he can find you something. Tell him a woman off the internet sent you and he will laugh and probably guess it is me!! If I am there i would happily help you.

usluapartotel.com basic 3* but in a brilliant position near the beach and has a nice pool. I have stayed there. English friend has a contact there and i can give you her number
yavuzapart.com Haven't stayed there but a good position - no pool
otelfora.com no pool but nice modern hotel good position

http://www.hangiotel.com/Mugla_Datca_Otelleri,Fuda_Butik_Hotel,otel_detay1642.aspx Haven't stayed there but friends have and liked it , really good prices - priced in lira not euros. No pool but right by the beach - great position
mare hotel - cant find a web site but it's a nice hotel by the beach and with pool

I have several friends with villas/apartments that they will rent, many of them advertise through villa renters etc. I can always comment on what they are like regarding position as some are a bit of a hike out of town. I can always give you their email addresses. I have a turkish friend with a small flat - very basic but OK and very cheap and 3 mins to the beach so i can put you in touch with her.

If you want something very remote, travel on down the peninsula to somewhere like Hyat Buku and call in at Oguns Place. he has a pension but if full will find you a basic room in the village. Google ogun's Place for an idea. It is my idea of heaven there but very quiet.
I have had so many enquiries about Datca i think I should start my own tour company lol. Anyway it is a fabulous place where you can get away from real life.

Oh Rita just noticed you are going to Calis - I shall be there for lunch on 2nd September. I can give you my mobile number if you want to meet and quizz me further. I shall be there with my sister.

Can anyone tell me pls if Turunc is hilly or on the flat? Thank you. Also am a bit confused as to whether the Palmrya apartment and the Burak apartments are the same place???

The village is flat but in a bay surrounded by mountains. There are some hotels and apartments out of the village up the mountain road, but most of them are situated around the main street in the village. Burak are in a side road just off the main street. If you stay there you won't have to negoiate any hills, and you are a couple of minutes from the beach. We know some people who regularly stay there, its a small, very friendly family orientated place, we have also met the owner, who is very welcoming. It seems to be very popular. I haven't heard of the Palmrya apartments so don't know whether its the same place.
If you want to know anymore about Turunc let me know and I'll try and help.

Have just had a look for Palmrya and I do know them(just didn't know the name), we have eaten in their restaurant and had a drink by their pool. They are not the same as the Burak, but they are also pretty central a few minutes walk from the main street, no hills around, don't know anything about them though I'm afraid.

Thanks Alfie for your help. Im still deciding. Looking at Calis at the moment as just heard that Jet2.com are flying to Dalaman next summer, so could help with costs of flights.