The Local Area Turkey is renowned for its great natural beauty and friendly people. There are a
great many things to see and do in Turkey, especially in this area. The following places are all easily accessible from Mountain
Valley either by foot, or dolmus, the local bus service, which is both cheap and frequent.
Hisaronu Village
Hisaronu is just a 5 minute walk from Mountain Valley. Set round the base
of a once fortified hill, Hisaronu means 'in front of the fortress'. It has a centrally orientated main-street area,
with a plethora of boutiques, restaurants and bars. There is also an open air market held here every Monday. Olu Deniz
Just
a 10 minute journey from Mountain Valley, Oludeniz is a national conservation area and has one of the most beautiful beaches
in the world, certainly the most photographed in Turkey. It's 'Blue Lagoon' has crystal clear waters and a clean,
uncluttered beach. It is a popular tourist destination and has many restaurants, shops and bars. The main beach has shower,
toilet and changing areas. The beach is free but the lagoon charges a very small entrance fee, but it is worth a day out.
Both the beach and Blue Lagoon charge an inexpensive daily fee for use of the sunbeds and umbrellas. Fethiye
Fethiye
is a lively bustling town with shops, restaurants and plenty of nightlife and is only a 15 minute journey from Mountain Valley.
Turkey is renowned for its gold and carpets and you will find plenty of shops selling these in Fethiye! Fethiye harbour has
spectacular views of this part of the peninsular and the many harbourside bars and restaurants offer good value for money.
There
is a large open air market held in Fethiye every Tuesday. There is a wide selection of clothes, leather goods, local souvenirs
and silver. Not to be missed by those who love a good bargain.
The Lycian rock tombs date back to 4th century B.C. from
the Lycian period. These tombs are excavated into natural rock, which became a symbol of the city. Fethiye has its own tombs
- Amyntas is considered by many as the most beautiful and most magnificent tomb and can be reached from Fethiye by a stairway
off the harbour. There are many more tombs at Dalyan. These can be seen on the boat ride down the river towards Turtle
Beach. Not to be missed.
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| Fethiye Harbour by night |
Calis Beach The beach
is located 5 Km north of Fethiye and can be reached either by dolmus or water taxi from Fethiye harbour. The beach is very
flat and stretches for many miles and offers perfect conditions for windsurfing - there is a small windsurfing school and
an Aqua Park situated nearby which is a great family day out.
Kaya Village
This deserted Greek settlement was built in the 14th century
on the ancient site of Karmillassos which was destroyed by earthquake. The village was abandoned after the Turkish and Greek
governments signed a 'population exchange' agreement in 1922. The Greek population was exchanged with the Turkish
population residing in Western Thrace. Many of the Greek houses remain and there is a church high up on the Mountains overlooking
Oludeniz. The area has many traditional Turkish 'mangal' (barbeque) restaurants where the barbeque is brought to your
table and you can either cook your meal yourself or have someone cook for you. Either way all the produce served is grown/bred
locally.
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Activities, Trips and Tours around Olu Deniz
Whether your idea of a great holiday is to while away the days on the beach or round the pool
or you like a more active holiday, Turkey has something for everyone.
Detailed below are some of the activities on offer.
Most, if not all the trips below can be booked from one of the many agencies in either Hisaronu or Fethiye or we can do it
for you here at Mountain Valley. Most of the trips include transfers and lunch.
12 Island Tour
This famous boat tour which takes you around the bay of Fethiye includes 5 stops - bays &
islands with clean, clear water to swim & snorkel in. Stops can include Cleopatra's Bath, Gobun & Pine bays, Dockyard,
Flat, Katranci & Gocek Islands. They moor as often as possible so that you can explore the ruins found on many of Fethiye's
bays & islands.
Oludeniz/St
Nicholas Island Boat Trip
You'll
sail from Oludeniz around the local coast with stops for swimming, diving and exploring ashore. Stops include St Nicholas
Island and Butterfly Valley. Lunch is freshly cooked and served on board. The boat has a sun deck bar and toilet and a transfer
service is provided. A must for sun worshippers.
Butterfly
Valley
It's a place difficult
to reach, but, once you are there, the sight of millions and millions of butterflies all over the rocks, tree trunks and leaves
is so spectacular it is not to be missed. At first, you are unaware of this phenomenon, you may come to think that this is
part of the natural flora; but then, a slight movement or a flickering sound would cover the sky in a second, the whole valley
would come alive with butterflies.
Overnight Cruise
The
overnight cruise allows you to see sunset and sunrise at sea, enjoy 3 meals on board your yacht (including a seafood supper)
and swim and snorkel.
Gulet
Cruises
Why not go to sea for
3 days or more and be thoroughly spoilt? You will sail the local coastline stopping for meals, swimming etc. Everything is
laid on for you. All cabins have private facilities and meals are all prepared on board. For total relaxation it's hard
to beat.
Ephesus & Pamukkale
(1 night/2 days)
A trip to Ephesus,
an important city of antiquity, is one of the highlights of any visit to Turkey. The city, with its many splendid buildings
including the library of Celsus, was dedicated to Artemis whose temple was one of the seven wonders of the world.
You
will travel cross country to Pamukkale, and stay overnight. Dinner is served in your hotel, which boasts a large swimming
pool as well as a thermal pool, and a belly dance show is provided for your entertainment. A guided tour of Pamukkale and
Hieropolis is provided on the second day.
Trekking the Lycian Way
For
the energetic. The Lycian Way is a series of connected trekking routes that has been rated by The Sunday Times as one of the
10 best walks in the world. The routes take you through cool pine and cedar forests and traditional mountain villages where
life has largely remained unchanged for centuries. Transfers and packed lunches are provided.
Jeep Safari
A good way to visit historical sites and drive through the beautiful Taurus
Mountains. The route may take you towards Saklikent, the hidden canyon and through the pine and cedar forests. After lunch
the route will follow the river Xanthos to explore the Lycian Capitol before heading off to Patara and Turkeys longest sandy
beach where you can enjoy a swim or soak up the sun.
White Water Rafting
For the more adventurous the Dalaman river will lead you on an unforgettable fun filled day, with it's
white waters and natural beauty. The trips generally begin at the White Bridge along the cool rivers. One company that books
these tours is Real Tours and they can be found in Fethiye.
Gocek
This
lovely village is 30 km away from Fethiye. Gocek has the appearance of a picturesque fishing village, which has become an
important centre for the yachting/sailing set. You can relax here and enjoy a lunch in one of the many restaurants and bars.
You can get there either by Dolmus from Fethiye or try one of the boats in the harbour.
Saklikent (Hidden City)
Saklikent is located on the slope of Akdag, in rocks along the Fethiye-Antalya highway.
The entrance is a 328 feet long (100m) canyon, formed through the centuries by melting snow. The wooden walkway is fastened
to the rocks by iron bars driven into the rocks. Once inside, waters gushing out from the rock sand forming a stream at zero
altitude will welcome you. Saklikent is 31 miles (50 km) from Fethiye.
Dalyan - Mud Baths and Turtle Beach
You can spend a day in Dalyan, which is about 1 hour from Fethiye. As soon
as you reach Dalyan, First stop is the mud-bath. The mud baths are said to remedy rheumatism as well as cleanse and beautify
the skin. At Dalyan you will visit the famous mud bath and sulphur springs. Once you have covered yourself in the mud, wait
for a few minutes for it to dry. You then clean yourself in the sulphur pool. Dalyan has many therapeutic hot springs. The
waters which contain radioactive elements and sulphur are believed to cure rheumatism, skin, liver, spleen and bowel complaints,
as well as being beneficial for nervous and digestive disorders. At Dalyan you will visit the Sultaniye thermal bath where
the water is 40 degrees centigrade. After that, you can go back to town centre and have lunch. After lunch, your boat will
take you to the Iztuzu Beach (The Turtle Beach). This beach is one of the rare beaches of the world where the Marine Turtles
come and nest. The one side of this beach is the river (fresh water), and the other side is the Sea (salty water). Also the
Carian Rock Tombs which welcome you as you enter the town, are really amazing, a must for a day trip.
Paragliding
You soar through the sky after launching under your canopy that acts as a
rigid wing and the experience can last up to 50 minutes. The experienced pilot fly's with you in tandem taking pictures
and viewing the breathtaking scenery. An experience not to be missed.
Scuba Diving
There are several companies that can take you diving and most are situated
on the harbour in Fethiye. A day trip will include two dives, fresh cooked lunch and time to relax on the luxury dive boat.
This is one for all the family even if you don't dive, snorkels and fins are provided for all members of the family to
join in.
Canoe Safari
Spend a day canoeing
down the Xanthos River, through Patara National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The river flows from the mountain
springs that emerge from the Saklikent Gorge and ends at Patara. Experienced professional guides will help you get the most
from your day.
Riding in Patara
This is a
fantastic way to see the scenery, history and wildlife in this stunning area. The horses are pure bred Austrian Halflingers,
which are universally recognized as the best trekking ponies. The ride takes in 18 km of sandy beach and the ancient Lycian
city of Patara. Use of helmets, refreshments and insurance are included.
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