Oludeniz Beach

The pretty bay of Oludeniz is quite simply stunning and one of Turkeys most popular coastal resorts...

Coming over the hills from Fethiye your first glimpse of Oludeniz is a spread of vibrant shades from light to turquoise to azure blue surrounded by the perforated greens of the hills beyond, and a dazzling stretch of sands which bend round to the most photographed "lagoon" in the world...except that it is not a lagoon but a well sheltered inlet, which allows just the right amount of water to flow in and out...as it has done for generations.

Early sailors found refuge from the storms, later traders bartered their wares, and maybe even your mother bedded down here with her back-pack as she journeyed east. But Oludeniz has changed again. You are now in one of the most popular resorts in Turkey and she will not change again. Nature has stamped her mark on Oludeniz. No high rises for her, no large nightclubs, but a choice of sophisticated hotels to suit all tastes. Some are all-inclusive, some boutique style and some more simple family hotels.

Oludeniz is a stunning bay, with a laid-back atmosphere, one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey .It's lagoon, now a protected area, has understandably adorned a million picture postcards. Olu deniz's main beach is bordered by an attractive promenade lined with small shops, cafes and restaurants making it ideal for a wonderful beach holiday.

You may be served a Mediterranean style continental breakfast...but you will also find a sign which advertises "English breakfast"! Slip down between the surrounding hills to sit on the beach with your favourite book. Listen to the sound of the sea lapping through the shingle, then hear the swish of a glider as an excited passenger touches down on the promenade to be welcomed back to the earth.

You may be served a Mediterranean style continental breakfast...but you will also find a sign which advertises "English breakfast"! Slip down between the surrounding hills to sit on the beach with your favourite book. Listen to the sound of the sea lapping through the shingle, then hear the swish of a glider as an excited passenger touches down on the promenade to be welcomed back to the earth.

Stroll up the beach to one of the beach cafes attracted by the thought of a cone of ice-cream or the aroma of real Italian coffee.

Back at your hotel dangle your feet in the pool as you dip into "The Beach" magazine and decide what the programme is for tomorrow. Will it be a day packed with activity or just a stroll round the lagoon to catch the scents of herb and pine where no car can venture where there is just you and maybe a solitary squirrel?

Sunset allows the cool of evening to descend on Oludeniz. The haze of day gives way to the expectation of evening. Showered and dressed you are ready to gain the pedestrian walkways in search of a meal at the restaurant of your choice: be it sea-food special, continental, Ottoman cuisine, just a kebab ... or simply the "never say no" meze selection. Will the odour of cooking attract you or the waiving hand of the restaurateur with whom you discussed politics last year?

See Oludeniz once and you will be back again.

Oludeniz is a fatal attraction. Here you can to be as active or as lazy as you wish, be an early riser or a night bird. If you did not know this you are about to find out...so read on!

You can view top ten things to do tours, actvities and daily trips in and around Oludeniz at Oludeniz Activity Centre