Çalis and the surrounding area
Çalis Beach
Pronounced 'Chalish' this charmingly small but friendly resort is typical of the
warm and welcoming reception which awaits you in Turkey. Famous both for its long, curving
beach where at certain times of the year loggerhead turtles lay their eggs in the warm sand,
and for the best sunsets in the mediterranean.
There is plenty of choice amongst the bars and restaurants lining the sea front promenade and with this level of competition the standard of their food is necessarily high. In the town itself you will find clothes and gift shops, internet cafes, supermarkets, snack bars and clubs. There is also a water park with slides and splash pools for both large and small children!
This is the perfect location for watersport fans with a windsurfing and watersports school at the far end of the bay, which also has its own restaurant and cafe on the beach. For the less energentic there are a number of beach clubs where you can use their loungers free of charge and have waiter service all day in prime position next to the sea.
For those in search of authentic Turkey a visit to the bedouin museum is a must where in the evening you can sit inside the bedouin tent and watch live entertainment by authentic Turkish musicians (no belly dancing or enforced audience participation!) whilst partaking of traditional Turkish tea, coffee or even a hookah pipe with a wide choice of fruit flavoured tobaccos.
This safe and friendly resort is best suited to those seeking a relaxing holiday but who still want a wide choice of options for entertainment.
Fethiye
The vibrant and bustling harbour town of Fethiye is very close and can be reached via a
water taxi, where you can often see kingfishers sitting in the reed banks as you sail out
of Çalis towards the main town. Alternatively, jump on the dolmus (minibus) which stops
directly across the road from the apartment, and for the cost of less than a pound per
person take a fifteen minute bus ride into the centre of the town.
Once there check out the loggerhead turtles which swim and play in the shallow harbour waters in the early morning close to where the fishing boats are moored. A touching experience for those who prefer to view wildlife in its natural environment.
The traditional market/bazar in the central pedestrianised area gives a real authentic
sense of the town, especially in the evening where it is beautifully lit and very
atmospheric. There are many restaurants and bars to chose from including roof top terraces
giving stunning views over the harbour. Also worth a visit is the 12th century hamam
(Turkish bath) where you can spend a couple of hours relaxing and rejuvinating your
skin.
A walk down the harbour front is a must where there are a wide range of motor and traditional Turkish sailing boats available for hire and boat based excursions to be booked.
Local Area
It is worth hiring a car if you wish to explore the numerous beautiful beaches and historic sites slightly further afield than Çalis or Fethiye. Alternatively, boat and coach based excursions can be purchased along Çalis sea front to these same destinations and are very reasonably priced.
Some of the highlights are:
Scuba diving in Kas (pronounced Kash), where they have the worlds oldest ship wreck, a byzantian cargo ship carrying amphora. Seahorses can also be seen near here.
Mud baths at Dalyan where ancient civilisations have left stunningly carved rock tombs
in the stone river banks and where the hilarious baths experience will leave you feeling
relaxed and your skin feeling amazing.
The poignant, deserted village of Karakoy which was continuously inhabited by a Greek
population since 12th century before they abandoned the village to return to Greece in the
early 1900s as part of Ataturk's reciprocal repatriation scheme.
Boat trip around the twelve islands in the bay of Fethiye, including the baths purported to have been used by Cleopatra, with a chance of sighting the dolphins at certain times of the year (look out for the flying fish!).
The world famous Oludeniz lagoon with its blue green water and special ambience is
the perfect place to spend a day snorkeling and relaxing on the beach with a good book.
Whilst at Oludeniz, the adventurous can take a drive up to the top of the mountain and take
a tandem para glide back onto the beach. The vews on the way down are truly stunning.
Patarra beach is the longest beach in Turkey and benefits from fine, white sand. It is also the
birth place of Father Christmas (St Nicholas) and has the advantage of some extensive and amazingly well preserved Lycian and Roman ruins
found on the road down to the beach car park.
Saklikant gorge is not for the faint hearted and those who don't mind getting wet
can gill scramble along the limestone gorge with its beautiful cliff faces and deep
ravine.
Nearby to Saklikant is Tlos, the ancient city now in ruins where Lycian, Greek and Roman influences can clearly be seen. The wall tombs are purported to have held the remains of the mythical Bellerephon, the rider of Pegasus.
After your visit to Tlos continue along the road to the top of the hill where you can dine in cool and ambient surroundings in the water garden and trout farm, where you can chose your fish to be cooked freshly for you.
In fact, this is a small selection of all that there is to do in the area. This region teems with archaeological and historical artifacts and ruins and for those with an interest in history and how the modern world was formed this is as good as it gets.
