Kalkan or Dalyan?

[mazzamoo123]

We have booked flights in July to Dalaman but are torn between Kalkan and Dalyan… we have 3 children (9, 7 and 4) and are leaning towards Dalyan because of the shorter airport transfer but we’re worried it might be a bit ‘Brits abroad’… which I know sounds ridiculous, given that we are Brits abroad ourselves but in some previous threads we’ve heard it described as a bit ‘neon’ and full of English restaurants and pubs. We were hoping for more of a pretty town with a variety of local tavernas/cafes etc. where we can eat/drink with a fairly chilled vibe.

In Kalkan, we’re worried it’s quite overpriced and also I’m not sure the beach clubs would be that suitable for our 4 year old (who can’t swim/dive off a platform into the sea).

Any thoughts??

Dalyan is absolutely lovely OP: I have been many times and yes, there is one main road which has bars and music and is a bit kitsch, but the rest is very much a typical Turkish village. As long as you don’t stay right in the centre you will definitely have a quiet relaxed time. There is some incredible countryside around, a beautiful lake, natural mud baths , Lycian rock tombs and a lovely boat ride along the delta to Iztuzu beach which is 6 km of unspoiled beach, with no buildings as it’s a world heritage turtle nesting site. It’s a beautiful place and the local people are lovely and adore kids.

I definitely wouldn't describe Dalyan as Brits abroad! We found it, and the surrounding area, to be very Turkish. I'd agree with the above poster about the things to do there.

That is amazing - it sounds perfect! Thank you :)

Thank goodness-at first glance I thought it was a baby name thread!!

Have a lovely holiday!

Me too 🤣

I’ve been thinking of kalkan this year. Is it expensive to eat/drink out?

I reckon Kalkan is more Brits abroad than Dalyan tbh! (albeit posh Brits in Kalkan). Dalyan is absolutely lovely. As pp said there is a strip that's a bit neon but very easy to avoid and the rest of the town is lovely. The surrounding area is also incredibly beautiful with so many things to do and places to explore.

we went to Kalkan last summer with two teenagers. It's beautiful and we didn't find it expensive to eat out and they went out alone at night safely. But. And it's a big but. It's built into a very steep hillside. Even the cobbled old streets are steep. We're all very fit and it was unpleasant to walk up the really steep streets back to our villa, especially in the summer heat. For this reason the taxis are plentiful and only cost £3. There are villas further down the hillside but even then it would still be a steep walk into the main area for young kids. My teens went to a beach club but I got the impression that they weren't really for young families

Dalyan is lovely by the river. Do take the bus to the beach rather than the boat and then go to the near end where the Turkish people sit, there is shade under the trees. The main beach where the boats drop off can get very hot! It is also right by the turtle sanctuary which is a fab place to visit, but small. Also take an evening boat trip so you can look at the stars. The market is now a bit out of town snd if you go to the fruit and veg bit it is lovely. There are great places to eat. Mud baths are fun!