Villa Rentals ~Fethiye and Calis

Sarakiz Villa is situated in the quiet rural region of Ciftlik (pronounced Chifflick) and only 700m from the beach but close to Calis and Fethiye. The areas is known as Koja Calis.

Below we have provided information which we believe will be helpful for your stay at the villa, but of course the whole region has much more to offer - which is why so many people return.

If you have any feedback on this information please let us know and we will ensure that we update this where we can. If you have any interesting news - please add to our blog. You can also help others by checking our online Forum.

Within walking distance of Sarakiz Villa.

Beach - the beach has several bars and resturants. We are aware of two new ones which will be fully operational in the 2009 season. We prefer not to recommend any particular one - we hope you can discover them for yourselves.

The beach is sandy/shail. As you walk down from the quiet road from the villa you will arrive directly at the beach. Here you will find many watersports available. Turn right and you will quickly find a quiet spot to yourself. Alternatively turn left and you can walk to the more sandy beached of Calis (about 20 minutes gentle walk).

The sunsets from this beach are spectacular and between this beach and Calis beach you will often find locals taking a picnic and enjoying the sunset.

Nearby Facilities
There are several hotels, resturants and bars all within walking distance. You can also catch the local Dolmus (Turkish-style bus) which will take you to Calis or Fethiye (where you can catch other Dolmus to many other destinations). There is a taxi stand on the road to the beach.

For basic provisions there are 3 shops on the road to the beach - ideal to get your fresh load in the morning. Mini-Supermarkets can be found near Calis, and larger supermarkets on the road between Calis and Fethiye.

Calis
You can easily walk to Calis, where you will find many more resturants, hotels, bars, shops and tourist facilities. To get to Calis from the villa you can euther walk along the beach, or follow the road which runs along the back of the beach (you can also get the Dolmus or taxi). The road is not illuminated so we would recommend getting transport back at night (unless you prefer a moonlit walk along the beach of course).

Calis is really a tourst destination in it's own right, and has been improved over the years. It is a low-key resort and although lively in summer, can still provide a peaceful walk along the beach; it really has something for everyone and is not over-developed. At the end of the Calis promenade is a new bar and restaurant with a long balcony - perfect for a cool drink and to watch the local boats sail past the setting sun.

The Turkish council has added small parks between the resutaurants, for your use but also the locals. These are popular with local Turkish residents too - which adds to the cultural mix that is Turkey.

From Calis you can take the water-taxi across the bay to Fethiye - an excellent way to get to Fethiye, and a short journey of about 30 minutes, costing only a few Turkish Lire. You may well see Kingfishers dart from the bullrushes and banks of the narrow water ways as the boat slowly finds its way to Fethiye bay. Watch out for the local fiherman who appear to be walking on water in this shallow bay.

Within half hour drive from Sarakiz Villa

Calis - please see information above for Calis. Although you can walk, it is often convnient to take transport especially if sticking up at the supermarket, or during the hottest part of the day.

Fethiye
Fethiye is true cultural mix and can offer a wide range of things to do for the holiday maker.

The highlight is the long marina where you will see numerous traditional Turkish Gullets, many offering boat trips around the bay or to see the dolphins, scuba diving or fishing. You will be well looked after and most day trips will include some excellent Turkish food.

The old centre is crammed with traditional restaurants and colurful shops selling kilims - the traditoinal Turksih rugs. There are also numerous bars including the world-fmour Car Cemetry bar which is a car bonnet sticking out of the wall. Many places are open throughout the year as they also cater for locals - the area can offer a great winter break.

There are several night-clubs which are well controlled and sound-proofed so that the small centre of Fethiye is not spoiled.

At the end of the main street you will find an ancient amphitheatre which you can walk round and originally dates from Greek times, although rebuilt by the Romans. Above Fethiye sit the rock tombs, and the remains of fortress. You will see Lycian-type sarcophagi located in the strangest of places.

Oludeniz
One of the most visited beaches of the area is the natural lagoon at Oludeniz where you can smply relax, swim, snorkel, take a canoe, a boat trip or enjoy the adrenaline rush of leaping from the top of Baba Dag to paraglide over the lagoon before eventually landing on the water’s edge. Oludeniz is just over half an hour from the villa.

There are many companies offering day trips by both shuttle bus and also by boat from Fethiye.

Hisaronu - Ovacik
Situated on a high plateau 4km from the coast, between Fethiye and Oludeniz, surrounded by stunning mountains, the once sleepy villages of Hisaronu and Ovacik have combined to create a lively resort which has a distinctly British atmosphere.

Kaya Koy - deserted village
A few kilometers from Fethiye the pine trees give way to the erry landscape of the Kaya Village. Here a dwindling number of local families still eek out an existing - now mainly on tourism. Perhaps everyone's most vivid memory of Kaya Valley is the haunting choreography of the houses, shops and churches of the once thriving Greek town of Levissii

Beyond Calis and Fethiye

There are many areas to explore around the Fethiye peninsula whether you just want to lie on one of the best beaches in Turkey at Oludeniz, or prefer to sample the cultural and historical sites of this area.

Saklikent Gorge (Hidden City)
High in the mountains above Fethiye, rushing torrents of icy cold water cut a narrow gorge through the mountains over thousands of years, creating the Saklikent Gorge. A natural wonder, the resulting canyon is 300 metres deep and 18 kilometers long and offers visitors one of the most breathtaking excursions in all of Turkey. Saklikent Gorge has walls reaching a height of 300 metres and is navigable for the first 18 kilometres. Saklikent in Turkish means Hidden City. The walls are so high that they cut out most of the sunlight and the fresh spring waters that flow through are freezing cold. A cool refuge on hot summer days, Saklikent Gorge is a favourite picnic spot where rustic restaurants overhanging the river serve delicious fresh trout and other local delicacies. Saklikent is about 50 km from Fethiye by car or with one of the organised tours.

Gocek
Set at the north-west end of the Gulf of Fethiye, Gocek is blessed with magnificent scenery. Backed by majestic mountains and pine forests it looks out over the Twelve Islands, which provide shelter for Gocek's almost circular bay that has made the village such a perfect, natural harbor. Lured by such perfection, the yachting community has long made Gocek a favorite, and it is also a popular stop for gullet cruises.

12 Islands Boat Cruise - from Fethiye
One of the great ways to explore the bay around Fethiye and visit the nearby islands. Numerous boats (make sure you go on a traditional Gullet for autheticity) are ready to take you to this tour. Each has a capacity from 50 up to 150 people witha ll facilites provided. They usually depart between 10:00 - 11:00 every morning and come back to Fethiye harbour about 17:30 - 18:30 in the evening. The lunch is typically included in the tours.

Dalyan
The tiny town of Dalyan is set in the centre of a broad delta whose natural beauty is completely unspoilt. The Dalyan Channel, through which water circulates between the Mediterranean and Köycegiz Lake slowly meanders, forming a network of small lakes and waterways through reed beds rising to between 3 and 5 metres in height.

The Sultanye Thermal Baths
The Sultaniye Thermal Baths are to the Southwest of Köycegiz lake. The water here at 40 Celsius is second to none. The water at these baths was first used in Caunon times, then by the Byzantines, who rebuilt the accommodations. The ruins of the buildings from the period are submerged beneath the waters of the lake. It is not unusual to see the Turkish elderly make pilgrimages to the baths due to the water’s curative properties in case of neuralgia, rheumatism and skin disorders.

The Mud Baths
The "Beauty Mud" which not only cleanses and tones the skin but is said to remedy rheumatism and has anti-ageing properties. After allowing the mud to dry, it can be removed in a natural clear water sulphur pool, at temperatures of around 40 Celsius. This leaves you refreshed and relaxed.

Caunos: The ancient city of Caunos stands midway along the channel facing Dalyan. Settlement here is believed to date from 3000 BC by Caunos, the son of Miletos and it later grew into a major port on the border between Lycia and Caria. Sprawling over a broad sloping site overlooking the sea and the delta, the principal monuments to be seen in Caunos are the Acropolis surrounded by city walls, a theatre, four temples, an agora, stoa, nymphain, baths, palestra, churches and a cistern.

Ephesus
There are coach trips to various historical sites including Ephesus (about 200km away) - which makes this a long day but well worth the visit.

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