Ovacık is a picturesque village in the Fethiye district, South West Turkey. It’s a popular holiday destination due to its friendly and welcoming atmosphere and serene location, suiting those looking for some peace and quiet, yet still wishing to be within easy reach of the lively nearby resorts. With Hisaronu (5 minutes), Oludeniz (10 minutes) and Fethiye (15 minutes) away, it’s an ideal base from where you can easily explore the region or simply lay back and soak up the beautiful surroundings.
In Hisaronu village, you’ll find local restaurants and bars where you can try authentic Turkish cuisine like Köfte, served with yoghurt. There’s also an open-air market on Mondays for picking up fresh local food and handmade goods. Further afield in Oludeniz, you can swim in the famous blue lagoon or relax on Beach with crystal-clear waters and soft, white sands.
In the vibrant port town of Fethiye, you’ll find a shopping centre, alongside more shops and cultural sites. Head to the restaurant-lined harbour or the 4th-century B.C. Tomb of Amyntas. There’s also a fish market and a Tuesday market where you can sample delicious gözleme (thin dough crepes). Then, finish off your day at one of the Turkish Baths for a relaxing massage or detox in the sauna.
For fun family-friendly day trips, you can visit Butterfly Valley (about 24km from Fethiye) – a nature reserve that’s home to diverse butterfly species – or one of the may water parks in the area.
The Region
Situated on the ancient city of Telmessos, Fethiye is named after one of its most famous ‘sons’, the aviator Fethi Bey. An earthquake in 1957 damaged central Fethiye, so many of its buildings have been built since then.You can, however, see a Lycian theatre, Lycian tombs (including the rock tomb of Amyntas) and visit the Fethiye museum for more history and artefacts. The centre of Fethiye boasts a covered market area, half of which is given over to the local fish market where you can choose your catch from one of the centre stalls and then get it cooked in any of the surrounding restaurants. The whole of the area is shadowed by the mountain of Babadag where paragliders take to the skies, landing on the beach at Oludeniz.
Fethiye’s Tuesday market is worth a visit. Traders come from the outlying villages to sell the wares from their smallholdings. Furrowed browed men with cloth caps, and ladies in floral bloomers will sell their produce amongst the lads trying to get you to buy their designer fakes! It’s all in good humour. Try a little bartering and see if you can do some good business. Go to the spice stall and you will get some amazing spices. Look for the Kar Serbeti, like a cinnamon slush or Ayran, a salty yoghurt drink both guaranteed to cool you down.
Oludeniz & Calis are where people tend to flock for a beach but there are now a few private beach clubs along the coast between Oludeniz and Fethiye which are worth a visit. There are also beach clubs situated around the lagoon, all with sunbeds, restaurants and drinks service. Hisaronu is more commercialised and hosts a large selection of bars, restaurants and gift shops.
