Middle East - Anthony Ham [484]
Oba Restaurant ( 617 0158; Mimar Sınan Caddesi; mains TL15-25; 8am-midnight) Built like a log cabin, the Oba Hostel’s restaurant has a great reputation for home-style food at a palatable price. It also does great Turkish/European breakfasts, including homemade muesli with mountain yogurt and local pine honey.
Getting There & Away
Frequent minibuses run between Ölüdeniz and Fethiye (TL3, 25 minutes).
Return to beginning of chapter
PATARA
0242
Scruffy little Patara, outside of Gelemiş, is the perfect spot to mix your ruin-rambling with some dedicated sand-shuffling on 20-odd kilometres of wide, golden beach (admission to beach & ruins TL2). With its rural setting and unhurried pace of life, it’s a great place to chill out for a few days. The extensive ruins include a triple-arched triumphal gate at the entrance to the site, with a necropolis containing several Lycian tombs nearby. All in all, it’s a good combination of nature and culture.
Sleeping & Eating
All the places to stay and most of the places to eat are in Gelemiş village, 1.5km inland from the ruins and 2.5km from the beach.
Rose Pension ( 843 5165; www.rosepensionpatara.com; s/d TL20/35; ) This large, sand-coloured pension is favoured by shrewd travellers who can spot genuine hospitality from the arse-end of a dolmuş. Extra efforts such as garden-fresh produce and a stylish lounge make this an affectionate place to stay.
Sema Hotel ( 843 5114; www.semahotel.com; s/d TL25/40; ) The Sema is not a luxurious hotel, but is ideal for those who prefer to share their travel experience with warm locals. Perched 60 steep steps above town, the rooms are basic, but spotless, cool and (pretty much) mosquito-free.
Golden Pension ( 843 5162; www.goldenpension.com; s/d TL30/40; ) Offering homely rooms with balconies, a pretty shaded terrace and a friendly family that’s not overeager to please, this spot is peaceful and private. There are plans for a pool and the restaurant (mains TL10 to TL20) enjoys good foot traffic thanks to a comprehensive menu of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes.
Akay Pension ( 843 5055; www.pataraakaypension.com; s/d/t TL25/35/45; ) Run by super-keen-to-please Kazım and family, the pension has well-maintained little rooms and comfortable beds with balconies overlooking orange trees.
Getting There & Away
Buses on the Fethiye–Kaş route drop you on the highway 4km from Gelemiş village. From here, dolmuşes run to the village every 45 minutes.
Minibuses run from the beach through the village to Fethiye (TL6, six daily), and also as regularly to Kalkan (TL5, 25 minutes) and Kaş (TL8, 45 minutes).
Return to beginning of chapter
KALKAN
0242
Kalkan is a stylish hillside harbour town that slides steep into a sparkling blue bay. It’s as rightly famous for its restaurants as its sublimely pretty beach and makes a smart alternative to the better-known, neighbouring Kaş.
Although Kalkan was once an Ottoman-Greek fishing village called Kalamaki, the town is now devoted to upscale tourism. Development continues unchecked on the outskirts of town, but thankfully Kalkan’s charms are found right in the middle. Spend a night or two in one of many great-value pensions and you’ll quickly see why foreign investors have driven up property prices.
Sleeping
Çelik Pansiyon ( 844 2126; Süleyman Yılmaz Caddesi 9; s/d TL30/40; ) One of the few cheap guesthouses open year-round, the Celik has rather spartan rooms, though they’re quite spacious and spotless, and a roof terrace.
Holiday Pension ( 844 3777; Süleyman Yılmaz Caddesi; d TL50, without breakfast TL35) The rooms are simple but charming, some with old wooden beams, antique lace curtains and delightful balconies with good views.
Türk Evi ( 844 3129; www.kalkanturkevi.com; Hasan Altan Caddesi; d TL60-80;