How to Choose Your Ideal Turkish Resort
So, you’ve decided that you’re going to head to Turkey this summer for your annual break. Great choice! You’re sure to find fantastic weather, a welcoming atmosphere, plenty to see and do, delicious food, and you’re sure to make some wonderful memories from your time. Now you’ve decided on the country, you need to decide on the resort.
This is where the hard decisions come in!
Turkey has more south coast holiday resorts than you might first thing! As soon as you start doing your research, you’ll see that there are many to choose from, but they’re not all the same. You need to check each one out carefully and make your decision based on what it is you want to enjoy during your time, where you want to be based, and of course, where is best for your price budget!
The main resorts are located along the south-west to central south coast, and are lapped by the warm, glittering waters of both the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. You are never more than around 1.5 hours away from an airport in this region, so transfers are never that prolonged in the summer heat.
The main tourist resorts you will read about include:
- Kusadasi
- Calis
- Bodrum
- Gumbet
- Marmaris
- Icmeler
- Hisaronu
- Fisheye
- Olu Deniz
- Dalyan
- Side
- Alanya
- Lara Beach
These are the big hitters, and these are the ones you will see most commonly.
So, how do you choose which one to go to?
Let’s guide you a little.
Izmir/Bo drum Region
If you are visiting Kuakas, Cali’s, Bo drum, or Gumbet, you are in the area closest to the big city of Izmir. This means that you can either fly to Izmir Airport, or you can fly to Bodrum Airport, which is ideal for Gumbet and Bodrum itself. Bodrum is a more upmarket kind of choice, and there isn’t a beach here, so you will have to get on the local bus and travel around 10 minutes away to find some sand. Having said that, Bodrum itself is packed with sightseeing opportunities, and it has a rich maritime history toe explore, as well as good shopping opportunities. You can also visit the Greek island of Kos from here by ferry.
Gumbet is located a short distance away from Bodrum and this is where the main beach is located. This is also where the main nightlife is located, and this did used to be a former club 18-30 resort, so do bear that in mind. Gumbet isn’t that quiet, but if you want nightlife and a damn good time, this is a good choice for you. It’s also very close to Bodrum, so you can easily venture between the two for a little something different.
Kusadasi and Calis are very close together, but they are both very different resorts! Calis is a very upmarket resort, and the beaches here are something to behold! You’ll find a chilled out, quiet feel here and it’s ideal for the older visitors. Kusadasi on the other hand is a mix of everything, but it is does have a large amount of nightlife which does call out to the singles, groups, and family types of visitors.
Dalaman Region
Dalaman Airport serves a large number of different resorts, and they are al within around 1.5 hours maximum way from the main airport site. These resorts include the busy Marmaris, neighbouring Icmeler, Hisaronu, Fethiye, Dalyan, Turunc, and Olu Deniz.
Marmaris is the most famous of these and it is the largest. This is a large port town which has a huge array of things to see and do, and it also has a very active nightlife scene. There is a Bar Street here, which is packed with clubs and all night parties. Having said that, there is a quiet part to the town too, and it’s great for families. Neighoburing Icmeler is a more family based affair, and can be reached by a 10 minutes’ bus ride. The beach here is much better than in Marmaris, and many people head over for that very reason!
A little closer to the airport you’ll find the resorts of Hisaronu, Fethiye, and Dalyan. Hisaronu is a slightly lesser version of Marmaris, however Fethiye and Dalyan are a much more chilled out affair, with Dalyan being ideal for the older generation who want to chill out completely. That leaves us with Olu Deniz.
Olu Deniz is busy, but ideal for families, and if you love parasailing, this is the number one destination in Turkey to enjoy it! You’ll also find the iconic Blue Lagoon here, which will be a true sight for your eyes!
Antalya Region
By flying to Antalya Airport you can reach the resorts of Alanya, Side, and Lara Beach. These are a true mixture of chilled out, fun, and they have a longer summer season, thanks to the warmer weather lasting well into November!
Whilst there are party sots in Alanya, this part of the country tends to be a little more sedate in terms of nightlife, and it’s more about enjoying the sunset, having a few drinks, listening to some good music, than it is about clubbing until dawn!
As you can see, Turkey’s summer hotspots are plentiful, and you need to make a good decision from the get-go!
