Didim

Fethiye is a traditional market town set around a beautiful natural harbour. It is a large centre for scuba diving. Boats depart from here for day trips around the stunning coastline. The most popular boat trip is the twelve islands boat trip, which is an extremely relaxing way to spend the day, touring the beautiful coves and islands of the Gulf of Fethiye, with breaks for lunch and swimming. Life here continues all year around, and recently, many British nationals have chosen to make this relaxed area their home. There are a number of hotels in the town itself, which mostly attract older couples, who enjoy the traditional lifestyle and also like the fact that it is flat and easy to get around. There is a greater variety of shops in the narrow streets of the bazaar area, Paspatour, offering more competitive prices than those in any of the resorts. This area is also lively in the evening with a multitude of Turkish bars and live music. There is no beach in Fethiye itself although there are hotels which have access to the sea for swimming. Once the site of Telmessos, all that remains from this ancient city, are the Lycian rock tombs which overlook the modern town, a couple of Lycian sarcophagi and a small Roman theatre.

Ölüdeniz

Ölüdeniz is the archetypal picture-postcard beach backed by dramatic pine-clad hills. Literally translated as 'dead sea', the stunning lagoon is a protected area, ensuring that its natural beauty is preserved. There is a small entrance charge to use the lagoon beach and only non-motorised watersports are allowed. The main resort beach is a long stretch of coarse sand and shingle beach known as Belceðiz. Most of the houses, built in the traditional local Muðla style, are set back from the beachfront. There is a strip alongside the seafront promenade with a number of relaxing bars and restaurants, serving local and international cuisine. Shops stay open well into the night. It is a perfect family resort, great for a laid-back beach holiday, with plenty of facilities but not too much development. Boats depart from the bay for trips around the surrounding coast. Paragliding is a big draw with the descent from the Babadað mountains to land on Belceðiz beach, rating as one of the best in the world.