Oludeniz Beach Turkey
Oludeniz is located on the southwest coast of Turkey, 12 miles south of Oludeniz Fethiye. The resort climbs up a narrow valley overlooking a picture-perfect lagoon and pine forest with the Taurus Mountains behind and the Mediterranean Sea in front.
The weather in Oludeniz is mild year round. Between May and October the average temperature is 25°C (77°F) and in July and August the temperature often exceeds 30°C (86°F). Oludeniz is made up of three small towns – Oludeniz itself, Ovacik, which is slightly bigger and noisier, and Hisaronu. Hisaronu and Ovacik are both up on the plateau, about 4km (2.5 miles) from the beach.
Oludeniz lagoon
The whole lagoon is lined by shallow sloping golden sand and almost still water, making it perfect for small children. On the forested side, there is room to camp out in the shade of the pines. On the far side of the sand spit, facing the open sea, Belcekiz Beach drops away steeply and has no shade, so it is ideal for sun-worshippers. Kidrak Beach, a couple of kms to the east is a much quieter beach.
There is little else other than the beach in Oludeniz but you do not have to go far for more to do. Near Hisaronu there is Kaya Köy, a haunting deserted village abandoned by the Greeks thrown out of Turkey in 1924. Turks coming back from Greece thought it cursed and refused to move in and only
Butterfly Valley
now are the first few houses being restored. Just a boat ride away is Butterfly Valley, a beautiful hidden beach with walks up through butterfly-rich meadows to a waterfall. In the local market town of Fethiye there are lots of shops and Turkish baths to enjoy. There are dive sites off the coast and Babadag, the mountain above Oludeniz has become one of the world’s great para-gliding centres.
Oludeniz is very family orientated, with child-friendly hotels and kid’s clubs in some of the larger resorts. There are gentle watersports such as banana boats on offer on the lagoon and boat trips with snorkelling. For older teenagers there are PADI diving courses. The hills behind the resort are full of wonderful walks and hikes, wild flowers and birds. There are places to hire mountain bikes, ride horses, go canoeing or white-water rafting or take a jeep safari.
Xanthos
Oludeniz is surrounded by a ring of magnificent ancient ruined cities of which the finest is undoubtedly Xanthos, capital of the Lycian Federation, whose population committed mass suicide three times rather than admit defeat. Nearby the Letoön is a charming temple complex now largely taken over by frogs. Then there are the smaller sites of Tlos and Pinara, and the deep canyon at Saklikent, where an icy river tumbles through the steep rock walls. At the dune-swept Patara there is a magnificent 12 mile white sand beach. It was here that St Nicholas (Father Christmas) was born in the 4th century AD. A boat trip from Dalaman will take you through the reed beds to ancient Kaunos or upstream through Koycegiz Lake to the mud baths.
Most of the restaurants and cafes in Oludeniz are geared for British families and serve unadventurous international cuisine and kebabs, with the beach bars serving steak, pizza and beer. There are a couple of fine dining restaurants.
Oludeniz isn’t the place for a boozy night out, with just a few bars on the seafront that stay open and provide something like a party atmosphere, the Buzz Bar and Help are probably the best. For the more serious clubbers there is Crusoes and NJoy (Carsi Caddesi, Belcekiz Beach), but Hisaronu and Fethiye have a better choice of clubs.
