Holidays in Fethiye (Turkey) - 2021: my review and reviews of tourists

We run along the embankment in the morning

Travel dates: autumn
Term: by yourself for 10 days
Company: 2 large people and 1 small

Until October, I went on vacation in Turkey only in winter, to Istanbul. In autumn we visited the beach part of the country - Fethiye. Not to say that our trip was that of a "typical tourist".

In Fethiye (Turkey) we rented a boat and sailed for a week. But we visited many iconic places, lived in a hotel, sat in restaurants, bought a couple of kilograms of damp pistachios in the market, drank a cocktail in a bar on the Oludeniz beach, played with Turkish kids on the playground and ran around the main square around the green sign FETHIE.

Why Choose Fethiye?

The very famous beach of Oludeniz
As I said, this was my first trip to the Turkish beach coast. Unfortunately, I cannot compare Fethiye with Antalya, to which it is 195 km through a mountain pass. But regarding other beach destinations (Sochi, Montenegro) I really liked it!

Why, when asked which resort is better, I would answer - Fethiye:

• There is a lot of greenery here. Pomegranate, orange and tangerine trees, palms and other attributes of southern latitudes. Even in October, it was hot in Turkey. The presence of shade and just the sight of green plants greatly contributed to physical and mental health :)
• Less than an hour's drive from the airport.
• Among tourists there are reviews that the sea is cooler here than in Antalya ... Seriously? Where is it warmer then? Very pleasant water in my opinion. A three-year-old at a depth (where it does not get warm) in October swam for 30 minutes, until the parents were forcibly pulled out, because they were tired. Even the lips didn't turn blue! But, perhaps, we are talking about the beginning of the season. In the fall, you should definitely not be afraid of cold water.
• There is something to see. The terrain is hilly here. You can wander, admire the views from above. And even hover in the sky above this picture, because paragliding is a favorite pastime of tourists.
• There are many beautiful bays. No wonder this region of Turkey is so popular for yachting. From the water, the coast looks idealistic. Sea excursions to Fethiye are a must do (I make it clear in advance that they hardly speak Russian here☺).

For some reason, there is a misconception among tourists that the Fethiye resort is the Aegean Sea. But if you look at Fethiye on the map, it will become obvious that both he and the southern part of Marmaris are still the Mediterranean Sea. The Aegean coast of Turkey is Bodrum and the resorts north of it.

Old town in Fethiye

Weather in Fethiye: when is the best time to relax?

The season at the resort lasts from late May to early November... Depending on the temperature indicators of water and air, I made a small table when rest in Fethiye is most pleasant.

Red - cold
Yellow - a transitional period: May is cool in terms of swimming (water + 20 ° С), November - fresh on the shore (air + 21 ° С)
Green is the peak of the season, it is very warm both on the shore and at sea

The summer weather in Fethiye is hot, but the climate in the resort is somewhat milder than in neighboring Antalya. Due to the proximity of the mountains, here it is a little - by 2 degrees - but colder. Plus a lot of greenery. The hottest in August and July: + 32 ° С air temperature and + 28.5 ° С - sea.

When to go to Fethiye? My answer: in September and October. Ideal for those who do not tolerate the heat, but love warm water (at this time it is + 24 ° С ... + 26 ° С).

Where is the best place to stay? Villages and districts

I marked the areas on the screenshot for convenience, as I could :)

Myself Fethiye (or Fethiye Center) Is a small port city, where in the center is Esse Marina (anchorage of ships and yachts), and the beaches are a little to the side. It is better to look for hotels at some distance from Fethiye, where the water is cleaner and there is a good entry into the sea.

For example:

• Oludeniz bay - only 16 km from Fethiye are the most beautiful, according to travel guides, beaches in Turkey. The most or not the most, everyone decides for himself. In my opinion, they are really very picturesque.

There are two areas for living in Oludeniz:

- Downstairs by the beach (usually referred to as, Oludeniz) - for those who primarily go to swim and sunbathe on vacation. But please note that the beach is one, public. There are no private plots owned by hotels.

- Up in the mountains (Hisaronu) - the beach is far away, you can take a shuttle, but it's quiet, stunning views and cheaper.
Minibus Oludeniz-Fethiye - 7 lire

• Calysh - a compact "pensioner" village 3 km from central Fethiye. Infrastructure is minimal and centered around a long promenade lined with restaurants and shops. Tours are cheaper than in Oludeniz, the rest is calm, without parties. There are a lot of Europeans and therefore only 2-3 hotels working on "all inclusive" (although this is not scary). There is no understanding with the sea, after all, the proximity of the port of Fethiye affects.
  Minibus Calis-Fethiye - 4 lira
  Water taxi Calis-Fethiye - 10-12 liras

Cost of tours to Fethiye - 2021

Embankment in Fethiye

For the summer of 2021, tours to Fethiye with direct flights are available from 11 cities in Russia.

Turkey is known to be a package country. And although Fethiye is called "another Turkey", this applies to anything, except for one fact: it is more profitable to have a rest here as well.

If not for the circumstances (we lived on a boat for a week!), They would have taken a ticket, like our friends with whom we spent the last three days. I would have looked at the prices in advance, compared where it is more profitable, read reviews about hotels. All this can be done in one place - on the aggregators:

• Travelata
• Level.Travel
• Onlinetours

I advise, because I use it myself. And yes, the prices are there directly from the tour operators.

How much does a ticket to Fethiye cost in 2021?

✓ A week for two in the high season - from 50,000 rubles.

✓ But all inclusive is not so widespread at the resort, and therefore if you choose this type of food, then the minimum amount will rise to 60,000 rubles for two for 7 days.

✓ Tours to Fethiye for mom, dad and child with similar input data - from 62,000 rubles (breakfasts); and from 85,000 rubles ("all inclusive").

Prices in Fethiye in 2021

The national currency in the country is Turkish lira. Course: 1 lira ≈ 11 rubles.

If you are planning all-inclusive hotels on vacation, then it is not worth bothering with something, the prices on average do not differ from other Turkish resorts and are far from space. By the way, we have already considered how much money may be needed in Turkey with all inclusive.

Well, if you are thinking about half board (breakfast + dinner) or even completely self-catering, then it makes sense to estimate the costs.

Food prices in Fethiye (restaurants and cafes):

What to expect in the store?
* most often we made purchases in Migros (supermarket number 1 in resort Turkey)

• Bread - 2 lira (21 rubles)
• Chicken, kg - 15 lira (160 rubles)
• Eggs, 12 pieces - 7 lire (75 rubles)
• Potatoes, kg - 2 lira (21 rubles)
• Bananas, kg - 8 lira (85 rubles)
• Beer, 0.5 l - 12 lire (120 rubles)
• Water, 1.5 l - 1.5 lira (16 rubles)
• Strawberries, kg - 8-15 lira (85-160 rubles)
  * depends on the variety
• Melon, kg - 5-7 lira (55-75 rubles)

- Souvenirs a la magnets in Fethiye in the region of 2-8 liras per piece.

- Turkish textiles are really cheap (and seem to be of high quality): for example, at bazaars and in the Waikiki LS, you can grab towels for 50 lira (500 rubles) and T-shirts for 20-50 lira (200-500 rubles).
- Where to eat? In Chalysh we liked a restaurant Guven's Restaurant & Bar, it was tasty and affordable, the three of us ate 100 lira (≈1000 rubles) to the dump.

What to see in Fethiye?

Oludeniz beach view

There shouldn't be any questions about what to do in Fethiye. Entertainment for every taste!

• Beaches - the choice is large (which I will talk about later), but sun loungers and umbrellas are paid, if not from the hotel. A set can cost from 10 to 30 liras.
• Ruins - in the vicinity of the city there are many dilapidated buildings of ancient times.
• Snorkeling - there is a rather lively underwater world in the Oludeniz area.
• Paragliding - or paragliding, popular in Oludeniz. They fly from Mount Babadag and land directly on the beach - from $ 65 per person.
• Shopping - these are primarily the markets and shops of the Old Town. Russian tourists usually buy clothes and jewelry - they are cheaper here than in our homeland. There is only one shopping center in Fethiye, next to the bus station. It's called Erasta (works since 2014, but looks fresh). There are many world brands there, you can wander in the heat (air conditioners rule!).

The most interesting sights in Fethiye (city).

➢ Embankment - in a sense, this is the heart of the city, because the best beaches in Fethiye are in the direction of Oludeniz, and he himself is the port. Private and sightseeing yachts and fishing boats are parked along the coastline. On the contrary, you can sit in one of the restaurants stretching along the entire length of the port. Behind them is a small park with a decent playground (bingo! This is where we spent most of our time in Fethiye).

Bonus: the world famous :) turtle lives in the port. She is often seen by early tourists: in the morning she swims near the fishing boats (after turning from the main boardwalk). I never looked, and our friend (a lark) even took a picture!

➢ Old city - typically Turkish trade, market and cafe streets, starting across the street from the embankment and going inland.

We sat there in restaurants - delicious. And they bought pistachio nuts, 60 lira per 1 kg. We tried it on the spot - good. We took a few kg for a large company, and they turned out to be damp. Apparently, the ones on top were dry and tastier. However, while we were planning to warm them up in the sun, they ended.

➢ Lycian tombs (marked on the map as Amyntas Rock Tombs) - they did not get to this area due to the fact that a child of 3 years old would not appreciate. But if they traveled as an adult, I would like to visit. There is nothing inside the tombs for a long time, but the buildings themselves have been preserved since 350 BC. You can look outside for free, entrance fee is 7 liras.

➢ Knight's castle, or Fethiye fortress (Castle of Fethiye) - located on a hill, in the south of the center. If you wish, you can take a free walk there. Unfortunately, little is left of the castle.

View from the island of St. Nicholas

Excursion prices

What to do on vacation, besides walking tours of nearby locations? Tours! Of course, this is Turkey and especially such an interesting place. I would choose the water ones, because many of the attractions in Fethiye are scattered across the islands or are located along the coast.

Most of the excursions are easier and cheaper to buy on the spot - at a hotel or on the embankment of Fethiye, Oludeniz, Calysh.

Most popular excursions:

• "12 Islands" * - $ 25 per adult and $ 15 per child
• "6 Islands" - $ 15 per adult and $ 10 per child
• Boat trips on a yacht - $ 15- $ 20 per person
• Paragliding from Mount Babadag with an instructor - from $ 85 on the street to $ 120 from a guide at the hotel
• Saklikent gorge - $ 25 and $ 15, respectively
• Pamukkale - $ 40- $ 45 per adult, $ 20- $ 25 per child

* do not think that you can actually walk around 12 islands in a day. Most of the boat will just pass by. During the excursion there will be 3-4 stops, somewhere with the opportunity to swim in the open sea, somewhere with going ashore.

I took a photo of the Valley of the Butterflies - below I wrote more about the place

My overview of the main tourist spots that are most often included in the "6 Islands" program:

✓ Valley of the Butterflies - judging by the reviews, tourists have never seen butterflies there, but even without them the place is unreal. I had a complete immersion in the atmosphere of the old film with Leonardo DiCaprio "The Beach". Behind the line of sand are small bungalow-style houses, behind them are vegetable gardens (peppers / eggplants / beans / something else), fruit trees and wild vegetation all the way to the horizon, abutting the mountains. No roads, villages or other infrastructure. Feeling lost. There are a couple of bars on the beach. Among the living creatures are goats galloping on the rocks surrounding the bay, and wasps (in this area in October they are everywhere - wasps, not goats). The passage to the depths of the valley seems to be paid - 5 lire. We didn't go, chilled on the beach.

✓ St. Nicholas island - consists of ruins, but many are quite well preserved. The remains of the saint have not been here for a long time, but wandering among the ruins is very interesting (even without a guide). From the top - gorgeous sea views. There are many fish near the island, you can throw bread into the water, and the flock will almost immediately come to feed. Among the reviews came across information that the entrance to the island is paid (10 liras). Nobody took money from us, we wandered for free. But getting to the island outside of an excursion is still problematic - you have to rent a ship somewhere. We saw how a group of tourists was brought up on a very small inflatable boat, apparently such options are also provided on the market for excursion services.

And also, outside of excursions, you can swim to ... Greece on your own! From Fethiye there is a ferry to the island of Rhodes - in the morning there, in the evening back. One and a half hours on the way, $ 50-55 round trip ticket for an adult, $ 38-43 for a child. NEEDS A SCHENGEN VISA, therefore it is not suitable for everyone.

Transport in Fethiye

Photo from another resort, but Dolmushi look the same everywhere :)

At the resort, you can use the following transport:
1 lira ≈ 11 rubles

• Buses - Run from the center of Fethiye (bus station) to Dalaman Airport. The price may vary slightly during the season: in October we were charged 22 lira per person.
• Dolmushi - Turkish minibuses. The cost depends on the distance:
  - To Oludeniz from Fethiye - 7 liras
  - To Calis from Fethiye - 4 lira
  Travel can be paid by credit card.
• Water taxi - from the Fethiye promenade to Calis can be reached by boat, which operates on the principle of public transport during the season (from May to November). Departure every half hour. Cost: 10-12 liras.
• Taxi - Taxi rates in Fethiye: 3.5 lira per landing, 2 lira per km. We used it around the city. By the way, child seats are not used here! What specifically our child was incredibly happy about, but we were not very happy.
• Intercity buses - for example, from the Fethiye bus station you can go to Marmaris, Antalya or Kas (a famous town) for 34, 46 and 36 liras, respectively.
• Car rental is a rather popular service among independent tourists. Prices from € 25 per day for an economy class car. A liter of gasoline - 7 liras.

How to get to the resort?

On the island of St. Nicholas

The nearest airport to the city is Dalaman. The city of Fethiye itself is 45 km away. This is a maximum hour by bus ± 30 minutes depending on the location of the hotel. Tours to Turkey include transfer to the hotel. In this case, there are no problems.

If you are traveling on your own, there are no difficulties how to get there either. Buses stand right at the exit from the airport (you need to go down the steps from under the roof where taxis park). Each has a huge sign. Look for FETHIE, ask the driver hanging out next to him: "Fethiye?" He nods, toss your suitcases into the luggage compartment, take seats, wait.

They travel without a schedule, as they fill up. We sat down one of the first, waited about 20 minutes. The driver collects money for the trip right in the cabin. Price: 22 lira per person. They paid in cash. For three years without a place, they did not take payment. Conder on the bus, the ride is quite pleasant. The mountain road, who is seasick, can get seasick.

By taxi - about 200 liras (according to the counter).

Good Fethiye hotels

I could not help but attach a photo of the cat, they are in Turkey
separate attraction

A warning: if you were vacationing on the Antalya coast in a luxurious hotel with a gigantic territory, entertainment and food 24/7, then ... in Fethiye it is almost impossible to find such a thing. Here is a more European concept of vacation, which does not imply a stay in a hotel.

So, worthy hotels in Fethiye according to tourists' reviews:

• 5 * Orka Sunlife Resort & Spa (Oludeniz) - the hotel is located on a hill, you need to get to the beach by transport (on foot for an amateur - 3 km along the roadway). For all other criteria - a 5-star hotel.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 90,000 rubles for two
• 5 * Club Belcekiz Beach (Oludeniz) - excellent value for money, suitable for a relaxing holiday.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 110,000 rubles for two
• 5 * Club & Hotel Letoonia (Fethiye) - the main feature of the hotel: it is located on a small picturesque island near Fethiye. There is a lot of greenery around, pine trees reach the windows of some rooms. But the reviews about the sea are ambiguous ... they say it blooms in season.Tour for 7 nights: from 135,000 rubles for two
• 5 * Liberty Hotels Lykia (Oludeniz) - Lykia Liberty, on a par with the previous Letunia, is a super-famous hotel in Fethiye. Children's animation is on top, there is a football field for children and adults. Geographically, it is located a little further than Oludeniz.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 150,000 rubles for two
• 5 * Sentido Lykia Resort & Spa (Oludeniz) - hotel for ages 16+, i.e. with those who are younger, it is impossible. Good activity program for adults.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 150,000 rubles for two
• 5 * TUI Sensatori Resort Fethiye By Barut Hotels (towards the village of Calysh) - the hotel has a division into zones (family, children, adults). Good food, five star service.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 155,000 rubles for two

In both 2019 and 2020, new hotels were / are opening in Fethiye. You can read more about them in this article.

In the selection, all hotels are 5 stars, because there is no big benefit if you take 4 stars. Of course, Fethiye is not the only destination for the rich with an immense vacation budget. Many people choose inexpensive three-room hotels (without all inclusive), clearly realizing that they should not expect well-trained service and luxury rooms from them.

• 3 * Malhun Hotel (Calysh) - a very popular hotel among active tourists: had breakfast - went for a walk / excursions for the whole day - returned for dinner.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 50,000 rubles for two (breakfast + dinner)
• 3 * Remer Hotel (Calysh) - nice, located close to the beach and, according to reviews, very good food.
  Tour for 7 nights: from 60,000 rubles for two (breakfast)

Where is the best vacation with children?

My private parental opinion is that Turkey is an ideal option for a vacation with a child. Fly is close. The sea in Fethiye near Oludeniz is shallow, the bottom is pleasant. For the sake of the legs - pebbles, for the locks - sand. There are enough hotels with decent children's animation:

• 5 * Jiva Beach Resort
  Tour for 7 days for a family - from 145,000 rubles
• 5 * Club Tuana - because there is a huge amount of animation, water slides, mini-club, and baby friends.
  Tour for 7 days for a family - from 120,000 rubles
• 4 * Oludeniz Beach Resort by Z Hotels - 4 stars, which are largely on the level of 5. For example, in the field of children's animation. Although the number of rooms itself "gives the old days."
  Tour for 7 days for a family - from 100,000 rubles

Entertainment.

In neighboring Marmaris (125 km) there are two good water parks:

- Aqua Dream Water Park - the cost of 100 lira for everyone over 10 years old, 70 lira - for children from 4 to 9 years old, up to 3 years old for free.

- Atlantis Water Park - the cost is 77 liras - adults, 55 liras - children from 6 to 12 years old, up to 6 years old - free of charge (tickets are 30% cheaper through the website).

Plus, in Fethiye itself, the Orka World Waterpark opened in May 2020 (a plus to the choice of Orka hotels, because admission is free for their guests).

Food.

Suitable for the most fastidious child (as a last resort - fresh fruits and cookies). We survive this way in new places for the first two or three days, until we get acclimatized.

Climate.

Again, the weather in Fethiye is not as hot as in Antalya. The description of the resort often includes information that it is easier to breathe there. The ecological situation is considered the best in the country. I recommend;)

Beaches

Fethiye beaches surround the city from two sides (there is nowhere to swim in the center):

• Calis Beach - Calis refers to the village of Calysh (in fact, both Calysh and Kalis in Latin letters - Calis. The same name).
  Municipal sand and pebble beach. Waves are frequent enough, there are no obstacles in the form of islands or breakwaters. Somewhere the site is dirty, somewhere cleaner, you need to pick it up. The muddy bottom, the muddy sea, plus there are speculations that the sewers are being drained ...
• Oludeniz Bay beaches. There can be confusion here because there is:

- Belcekiz or Oludeniz Beach - municipal municipal beach. Wide, with fine white pebbles and sand. What a sea here! Blue-blue. The only thing it is inferior to the Blue Lagoon is that there are waves and the depth begins rather quickly. But this is a hindrance for very little kids. The cost of renting a sunbed is 8 liras. There are no beaches near the hotel. Everything is common.

- Blue Lagoon (or spit) - the very famous beaches from the pictures on the Internet. You pay 7 liras (3.5 per child) for the entrance and you get an ideal place to relax with children of all ages, in my opinion: the approach is gentle, the composition is sand and small pebbles here and there, from the side of the conditionally open sea you can dive with a mask and even see someone. But there are a lot of people here even in October! 30 lire is a set of sunbed + umbrella.

• Kidrak Beach - located 3 km from the center of Oludeniz. The beach itself is not much different from Oludeniz Beach: it is also wide, also pebbly and sandy. On the sides it is surrounded by rocks. Admission is paid: there is no fixed amount, they take from 4 to 8 liras. The cost of a sunbed and an umbrella is 30 liras. Entering the water is difficult, it is better to have with you (more precisely, on yourself) slippers.

The following beaches are no less picturesque, but located far from Fethiye. You can get to them either as part of an excursion or in a rented car.

• Patara Beach (Patara) - wide, spacious, sandy and uncrowded beach 80 km from Oludeniz. Near the ancient Lycian town of Patara with ruins, it is interesting to wander. Arrival by car - 30 liras, sunbed + umbrella - 30 liras.
• Kaputas Beach (Kaputas) - a small beautiful beach, as it were, carved into the rocks, somewhat reminiscent of Melasti beach in Bali :). There are few places, a lot of people. But it's worth it!

Our reviews about holidays in Fethiye

Either I am such a person, or I am lucky to get to good places: wherever I go, everywhere I feel good. I will try to be objective, tell you about the pros and cons of rest in Fethiye.

Pros:

+ Beautiful nature

+ Wide, comfortable beaches for different requests

+ Oludeniz Bay!

+ Possibility of active vacation: hiking, paragliding

+ The weather in Fethiye is milder compared to other regions of Turkey, mountainous air

+ Interesting excursions to both natural and historical sights

Minuses:

- Dalaman Airport accepts tourists only from May to October, it is not so easy to break into a cheap off-season tour.

- From Dalaman to Fethiye it is not long to go, but along the serpentine, it can get seasick.

- Among the reviews of tourists there is information about the strangeness of the water in the sea in Fethiye. Supposedly it is green and blooming (this is about the shallow waters of the Blue Lagoon). Apparently, we were in the off-season of this phenomenon. The sea was amazing!

- There are no typical Antalya hotels with a huge territory, generous All and active animation. Consider this so as not to be disappointed.

- Wasps - that's what was a test for me! I really don't like them. But by the end of the vacation she resigned herself. As my daughter said when I unsuccessfully tried to fend off an aspen attack on my piece of meat: "Mom, the wasp wants to eat!" So: the wasps just want to eat too (in a number of Fethiye hotels, according to tourist reviews, the territory is being cultivated, and there are no wasps there!).

That's it. Although you can read about other resorts in Turkey, where I have not been, but the HowTrip editors rested: Kemer Marmaris Bodrum Side