| The pine clad and hilly region of Fethiye and the | | | | destinations, all the hotels in Olu Deniz village are |
| Aegean waters with its very famous coast line, | | | | fairly smallish in comparison with other resorts in |
| the Turquoise Coast and Olu Deniz in particular | | | | Turkey and with its uniquely Lycian architecture |
| has by now famous for the best and most | | | | the joy in the knowledge that no real |
| photographed beach in Turkey. A few years back | | | | development in new establishments has been |
| it was voted to be in the top five beaches in the | | | | allowed in over twelve years makes Holidays in |
| world, being a bit of a sceptic, when I heard this | | | | Olu Deniz truly special. |
| bit of trivia I decided to visit this top five beach in | | | | I have always felt that overdevelopment in |
| the world destination and put it to the test, my | | | | certain resorts can have the opposite affect of |
| test of course! I have traveled the world | | | | what was intended, too much of one thing in the |
| extensively and I am not easily swayed by | | | | same area doesn't make it special anymore, and |
| resorts and beaches unless they are dramatically | | | | it is a testament to the local tourism office of the |
| beautiful the kind that actually make you want to | | | | region that Olu Deniz has been jealously guarded |
| pause for breath. | | | | from the greed of developers that would spoil the |
| I was curious to see what this little Turkish | | | | fragility of this truly wonderful resort. Only time |
| upstart of a place considered to be a top five | | | | will tell whether the local developers will keep their |
| beach. I distinctly remember the taxi ride from | | | | word and continue to allow Hisaronu and Ovacik |
| Dalaman airport up to Fethiye Town been a bit | | | | to be developed as satellite resorts to Olu Deniz |
| grey and boring evoking the same charm less | | | | whilst leaving it as untouched as a twenty first |
| town feel that certain parts of Greece have too | | | | century resort can get. |
| and frankly I have never quite understood this | | | | I also recall that, Oludeniz was one the very fist |
| paradox, glorious beach resorts yuk cities, but to | | | | resorts in the Med to adapt to Eco Tourism, part |
| move on as I digress here, on I went up to | | | | of the now very famous Blue Lagoon is |
| Fethiye town to complete my last leg of the taxi | | | | completely blocked off from tourists and locals to |
| journey. | | | | allow the famous Caretta Turtles to nest their |
| As you leave Fethiye behind you start to ascend | | | | very precious eggs in the sands and to watch |
| towards the hill top resort of Hisaronu, a fairly | | | | them hatch and reproduce in the Mediterranean |
| generic Brit resort situated on a plateau behind Olu | | | | waters of both Greece and Turkey as they were |
| Deniz and 1000 meters above sea level and | | | | on the brink of extinction due to over fishing and |
| therefore cooler, but as you travel through | | | | getting trapped in fishing nets. Thankfully the |
| Hisaronu your right side is completely blocked by | | | | fishing region is re-adopting the old fishing ways so |
| elevated land and therefore you don't get a | | | | the waters can be replenished. |
| glimpse of the valley below, thus adding to the | | | | My personal suggestion would be, depending in |
| allure of holidays to Olu Deniz; you see nothing | | | | what season you want to go, plan it carefully. Olu |
| until you hit that right turn at the small T section | | | | Deniz beach itself does not have that many hotels |
| at the end of Hisaronu and its only then you get | | | | to house the amount of holiday-makers going |
| the instant assault of a beauty so astonishing that | | | | there so if you are leaving it to the last minute to |
| I can honestly say my heart missed a beat or | | | | book you may have to settle for the neighbouring |
| even two. The almost theatrical grand opening of | | | | resorts of Olu Deniz, Hisaronu and Ovacik and |
| Olu Deniz as you descend down to the beach | | | | failing that, Calis Beach a long held local little secret |
| below with its unblemished slash of turquoise your | | | | resort completely undiscovered and un-promoted |
| eye cannot help devouring the horizon before it | | | | by the big three Uk travel companies, which is of |
| as you simply cannot see where the sea and the | | | | course another blessing in disguise. |
| sky meet nor care to be Honest. | | | | Nearby attractions include the now deserted |
| I distinctly remembering the very loud 'Wow' that | | | | bougainvillea rich Greek ghost town which had to |
| escaped me, I must admit I was instantly smitten! | | | | be deserted by the Greeks in 1917 when The |
| There are plenty of beaches on our little planet | | | | Ottoman Empire fell and all the Asia Minor Greeks |
| that have the 'wow factor', but Olu Deniz IS | | | | where expelled . It is difficult to understand what |
| special; apart from the obvious natural beauty of | | | | you feel when you are there; I beleive it presents |
| Oludeniz the other things that make it practically | | | | a very personal experience and it should be |
| perfect is the lack of huge resort Hotels that | | | | experienced without the need to be told what to |
| unfortunately spoil so many great holiday | | | | feel by any travel agent. |