In October 2011 I was extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to go on a work Educational trip to Turkey where I did a tour of the south west coast, visiting resorts and hotels from Datca all the way down to Kalkan.

Starting in Akayaka which is a quiet town set in a serene bay, moving to Turunc which is one of the newer under developed resorts, then to view the town of Dalyan set on a river where transport is water taxis!

Onwards we visited Fethiye famous for its yachts and Olu Deniz which is a great area to do hand gliding and relax on the long stretched beach. Datca which is an authentic lovely little fishing town which is steeped in history and moving on to my favourite place we visited, Kalkan.

Set on steep hills it wouldn’t be the ideal location for people with mobility issues, but the walk down the hills are pleasant and if the walk back up didn’t appeal the taxis are extremely cheap and widely available.

Like many of the resorts in the south coast of Turkey Kalkan is set in a Bay, and along the bay front you will find a wide array of lovely authentic bars and restaurants all with a wonderful feel and atmosphere that made Kalkan stand out from the rest, I could definitely tell why it has been called the Cannes of Turkey!

The one thing it was lacking was a beach, but the beach at Kas was only a short transfer away, and a nice stop off to have in its self.

Overall I was completely surprised by Turkey, and it blew all of my expectations out of the water.

Having never been before you do get preconceived notions of what a country may be like and all I found was one full of warm, friendly people and staff that would help with anything, along with scenery and natural beauty that could rival anything I’ve seen elsewhere in the world.

I am eager to get back and explore some more myself on a holiday basis, and am very much looking forward to booking my clients on some wonderful holidays to Turkey in the future.