No wonder Turkey's 'Turquoise Coast' has become a British family favourite, (Daily Mail 14/05/05)
A jagged sweep stretching from Bodrum in the West to Antayla in the East, its not merely one of the most stunning shorelines in the whole of the mediterranean; its also a throwback to the bucket-and-spade holiday destinations of our childhoods-all white-sand beaches, hidden caves, orche-tinted mountains and endless bays and inlets bounded by water of such clarity that you can see 20ft to the bottom.
The Turquoise coast is scattered with ancient ruins, but the Lycian coast, between Olu Deniz and Antayla (Daily Mail 14/05/05) is particularly rich in archaeological sites- the amphitheatre at Xanthos, the hilltop toms at Tlos, the arches and pillars that scatter the fields behind Patara and the rock tombs at Caunos, perched just above Dalyam are some of the most impressive.
Saklikent Gorge, a few miles north of Olu Deniz, is a great day out - offering dramatic scenery and trout straight out of the river for lunch.
To see and do all these things couldnt be easier; every town and village has a bus station, with an endless stream of mini buses and coaches coming and going.
Dolmus (meaning stuffed) are mini buses that do short hops; the destination is on a card in the window. If you want to go in that direction, hail the bus and hop on - simply shout 'stop' when you want to get off, and try not to pass the driver your cash when hes on a hairpin bend. Fares are dirt cheap.
