Exploring the Beaches in Turkey
Patara
Patara is a small, simple beach that does not get too crowded. It is a very peaceful spot, that has a stretch of sand extending for 12 miles. This beach also has an abudance of archaeological remains where no one can develop buildings, but people can go explore. This beach does not have many trees, so those seeking shade should come prepared. The legendary Saint Nikolas, aka Santa Claus, was born in this town!
Alanya
Alanya is located on the Mediterranean, and is 72 miles east of Antalia. This place has a mild climate, and is relatively close to Konya, the capital of the region. In terms of the beaches, there are very long stretches of sand (which go on for miles) on warm sea waters. As this is a long-settled town, there is also some archaeology to explore. It is definitely a tourist location, especially with visitors from Europe.
Iztuzu Beach
This is a vast beach that is located close to the town of Daylan, but when you go deep into it, it definitely feels like you are away from civilization. There are a few crowded clusters, but it is easy to walk away from them for a few minutes and just find your own place to hang out and enjoy the beautiful Mediterranean scenery and rolling hills.
Pamucak Beach
This beach is located in Ephesus, and is a long cresent of dark sand from the Meander River delta. There is some resort action towards the south of this beach, but the vast majority of sand is accessible to the public. There is also a water park to the south of this beach. The water receives waves from the Aegean Sea, and since the sand can be squishy, the swimming can be a bit challenging. The Ephesus Arcaehological site is also close to Pamucak Beach.
Ölüdeniz Beach
This is Turkey’s most famous beach, and also considered by many to be the most beautiful and popular. Its name translates as “calm” or “dead” sea. It is located south of Fethiye, over the mountains, providing excellent scenery. The beach itself has tons of room for people to relax and enjoy the sand, but there is a lot of traffic on the roads going into it. Lots of people go to the area for paragliding, in which they start off in the mountains and land on the beach.
Pamucak is one of our family’s favorite beaches. The locals don’t rate it as they say that the hotels at one end of it use the sea for sewers ! I doubt that’s true, kind of. At the beginning of the beach when you come from Efes, there’s a campsite/motel which has a lovely beach, shaded by palm trees. They also have a nice fish restaurant on the beach. A bit further down there is the state campsite which is a bit more crowded but far from unpleasant. You can buy cheaper food there and they have showers on the beach.
Thanks for the insight!