Holiday help - Turkey

[Zipidydodah]

Hoping MN can help!

Went to Istanbul and absolutely loved it. People, culture and Omg the food!!

Wanted to go to coastal Turkey and so did some research and picked Kalkan. It is described as a Turkish fishing harbour. It is not - it’s a large tourist trap town. Absolutely HATED it. And yes - I totally get the incongruity and hypocrisy as it probably was until people like me started to go but I wanted to actually experience something Turkish.
So any suggestions ….. I want SMALL village /town with beach. Small hotel / B&B run by local people. A town/village with a few restaurants/ bars. We have no kids and are well past the nightclubbing scene so low key is perfect.
TIA

Bump

Hello ! I think Dalyan may fit the bill . It's on a river not the coast but is really beautiful small and friendly. I've been twice and really enjoyed it both times

Although having re-read your post if you are set on a beach maybe not!

Try Datca - lovely harbour town that attracts yachts and gulets rather than the nightclub crowd! Only downside is it's a fair distance from the airport - but worth it!

Turunc would be perfect. Most businesses are family owned and the people couldn't be friendlier.

I would advise you to go 30 mins along the road from Kalkan to Kas. Is much smaller but more international than the Brit tourist trap Kalkan is. Has a harbour and lovely restaurants

I second Turunc . It really is pretty unspoilt and the locals are friendly and trustworthy. Lovely boat trips to enjoy as well .

Maybe Akyarlar might be an option.

Thank you!!
Off to google …..
Yes has to be sea as DH can’t tolerate any chlorine at all
Thank you

Went to Kalkan I liked it more than these areas : Bodrum, Antalya, Belek, Kemer and Beldibi.

These areas are on my mind to research: Fethiye, Alacati and Cesme (Both in Izmir), Tekirova and Cirali , Alanya.

Absolutely love Göcek, Fethiye/Muğla, Türkiye. Just touristy enough for me. Fabulous boat trips through tourquoise water and beautiful coastline.

Enjoy, but don't tell anyone else. 😁

We went to Cirali this summer and absolutely loved it. Very low key, lots of local bungalows and B&B's

I was going to say Turunc, had the most perfect day there. Just a few low key bars and cafes run by locals

Kalkan used to be fantastic - 20/30 years ago. Dh was saying would we go back, I looked at what its become and vetoed it

A place I did love was Turgetreis , but again that was over 30 years ago so perhaps thats become built up. The most beautiful sunsets ever

Dalyan is lovely. Not directly on a beach but you can get a boat down the river to get there! It is touristy but not in a big resort kind of a way - all local businesses etc.

Cirali also lovely, a bit less commercial again.

One thought - there's a lovely little island just off Fethiye called Sovalye with a nice adults only hotel called Ece. You get there by boat from Calis or Fethiye. No cars on the island but hotel is lovely with a great restaurant and it's fun getting the boat to get around.

Adrasan is lovely, approx 1.5 hours from Antalya. Stayed many years ago, a few times. Small hotels ran by locals, lovely beach and restaurants along the bay.

I look it up , it's next to Bodrum which is the least Turkish city in my mind. everything went high during the Covid and still.

Turgutreis I mean.