We flew out at 8.45pm on the 15th June and arrived at The Karbel Hotel at 5am on our Anniversary. The first thing we did was crash out on the bed for a few hours sleep, and then hit the beach for some sun baking.
Our hotel was great as it turns out, the staff were brilliant and really interactive and friendly, the rooms were clean and a good size, and the pool was large enough to have some fun in! Our only disappointment the quality of the food - but we were on a bed and breakfast basis so we ate out and this didn't really affect us much. restaurant's we would recommend on the beach front are The Seahorse Bar and The Harry's Restaurant, fabulous food and reasonable prices, both with gorgeous views over the pebble beach - rated in the top 5 beaches in the world for it's turquoise water.
Ölüdeniz is a beautiful beach resort in the Fethiye district of Muğla Province, on the Turquoise Coast in Southwestern Turkey at the conjunction of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. Ölüdeniz means Dead Sea in translation because the waters are so calm, but it's official translation is the Blue Lagoon.
Shaun's view of the Blue Lagoon while Paragliding 2012
It's one of the best places in the world to go paragliding - being the location of the very high Babadağ mountain, with great views, and the right weather. The small resort of Ölüdeniz runs for around 6 months a year during the high season, when all the hotels, shops and bars are open for the summer months. It's very picturesque with mountain views covered by Pine forest and surrounded by beautiful clear waters. There is also the Lycian Way which is a hiker's dream and the shorter 5km mountain trek from Kayaköy, to the Lagoon.
Our trip this year was mainly for relaxation as we embarked upon many of the excursions last year, such as Kayaköy, - The Ghost Village - an abandoned Greek village that you can explore for 5 Lira entry, (about £1.50) and the 5km mountain trek too, - much harder than you'd think! The Sunset Cruise in Fethiye, as well as a three day trip to Ephesus and Pamukkale - Roman ruins. The Butterfly Valley, and of course Paragliding - were just a few. This time around we did one trip, called the Jeep Safari. You are collected from your hotel in the morning in an open topped Jeep which then takes through Fethiye to their base location where other Jeeps will be waiting, their occupants armed with water guns and buckets, all the better to soak you with! From there you go to Tlos - Lycian ruins built almost 4000 years ago that have been inhabited by Romans, Byzantines and finally Ottoman Turks, meaning it it is one of the few Lycian cities to have been inhabited right through until the 19th century.
From here (During Jeep on Jeep combat of water fighting) you travel to a local trout farm and then on to the Saklıkent Gorge meaning hidden city in Turkish - one of the deepest canyons in the world with a still flowing river only shallow enough to cross in the summer months when 4 km of the canyon are walkable after April after most of the snow from the Taurus mountains has melted and passed through, flowing to the Mediterranean sea. From here you travel down to the natural mud pools just below the canyon where your guide shows you how to apply the mud just right! But have fun washing it off in the river flowing parallel to the pools, it's cold in there, as it flows directly from the gorge!
We made friends with some of the troops in our Jeep and have kept in touch, soon to be meeting them on a Camping trip in the UK - you really never know what might come out of a days water fighting! This is a great day out if you're okay with getting more than just a bit damp.The trip provides you with lunch, free time in the Gorge, although you do need to pay the 5 lira entry, and plenty of water for soaking the rest of your convoy.
We made friends with some of the troops in our Jeep and have kept in touch, soon to be meeting them on a Camping trip in the UK - you really never know what might come out of a days water fighting! This is a great day out if you're okay with getting more than just a bit damp.The trip provides you with lunch, free time in the Gorge, although you do need to pay the 5 lira entry, and plenty of water for soaking the rest of your convoy.
City of Tlos
Saklıkent Gorge
Saklıkent Gorge Mud baths
We also got the local dolmus - a local mini bus into Fethiye a few times for shopping as there are little side streets full of shops if you follow the harbour down to the Gold Store and the old Amphitheater - which in just twelve months has been developed to the point of no recognition and is under renovation at present - we got lost because we didn't recognise our surroundings!
There is also a weekly market every Tuesday where it's good to buy fresh fruit, cheeses, nuts, spices and traditional Turkish Delight as well as hand painted pottery! - We discovered some honey caramelized peanuts coated in sesame seeds this year and brought 1 kilo home with us!
Fresh fruit Stalls
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Traditional Turkish Delight
Hand Painted Pottery
We went to a traditional Turkish bath again this year, which is always a treat, they lie you on a warm marble slab and rub you down with soapy water and mits to exfoliate your skin, you can follow this treatment with an oil massage. It's highly recommended to go on the first day of your holiday so that you can achieve a deep, long lasting tan, - we can contest that it does work! Treatments in Turkey are of such reasonable value it is well worth treating yourself, it's cheaper than the UK for massages and facials for example.
If you'd like any more information on the locations / restaurants follow any of the related links on this page.
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