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The Turquoise Coast/Lycia region
Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, opportunities for bird watching amongst the reed beds of Koycegiz Lake, visiting wonderful open air markets in Dalaman, Fethiye, Koycegiz and Dalyan.
Swimming at Saragerme and Iztuzu beaches - the latter is famous as a breeding ground for the Caretta-Caretta turtles, and is off limits to people at night. Archaeology at historical sites of Kaunos (30 mins drive) and Ephesus (3 hours drive away) is fascinating.
Dining along the riverside at Dalyan facing the floodlit Lycian tombs of ancient Kaunos is a magical experience. The famous Oludeniz Lagoon about an hour's drive away. A golf course is being constructed at Saragerme (competion expected sometime in 2008). The specacular Sarsala Cove is only about 30 mins away.
Dalaman / Akkaya Valley area
Dalaman is a small, mainly agricultural town, unspoiled by mass tourism, though it now has a modern international airport. Whilst there may be limited touristic attractions in the town itself, it is a very natural Turkish farming community, and does have good shops, cafes and restaurants, which are improving all the time as the area has been designated for touristic development by the government. Nearby Gocek is a very fashionable yaching centre.
Akkaya Valley has been developed as a hydro-electic project, with several dams along the river, forming several turquoise lakes which are attractively fringed with pink oleander bushes. The valley is being developed in a very sypathetic manner by local contractor Curbanoglu, constructing properties of a high standard. There are several housing developments being constructed in the valley which overlook the turquoise lakes.
There are opportunities for white water rafting in the area, for those looking for an exciting experience. Or perhaps a leisurely twelve island cruise from Gocek around the beautiful coast on board a "gulet" - a Turkish sailing schooner, anchoring in one of the many beautiful coves for a leisurely swim in the clear blue sea.
For those interested in archaeology or ancient history, there are many opportunities all along the coast for visiting some of these sites. To view the site at Kaunos (some interesting Lycian tombs of the ancient Kings as well as a well preserved amphitheatre, Roman baths etc) take the row boat across the river from Dalyan.
The site is in a specacular position overlooking the estuary and the famous Iztuzu (turtle) beach, which forms a sandbar stretching for 4km. Other interesting sites are located at Fethiye, Kadyanda, Pinara, Xanthos, Tlos and Patara (to name just a few which can be reached within a day's outing).
Others are accessible only by boat. Ephesus is a 3 hour drive away. The Greek islands of Rhodes and Symi are within easy reach and there are day excursions by hydrofoil from Fethiye or Marmaris in summer.
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