Villa Kemal sits in the shade of the slopes of Babadag Mountain, in the charming village of Ovacik, near Turkey’s Turquoise Coast and the crystal clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The property is a forty-five-minute drive from Dalaman international airport and is ideally located between the bustling town of Fethiye and the tourist destinations of Hisaronu and Olu Deniz. Nearby, Hisaronu is a haven of supermarkets, cafes, bars, restaurants, and some super souvenir shops. Take a short drive to Olu Deniz, where you will find one of the world’s best golden sandy beaches, the iconic and much-photographed blue lagoon and spit, lively seashore restaurants and bars, and exclusive shops. From here, you can hop aboard a water taxi to Butterfly Valley or cross the sea to Gemile Island, aka Aya Nikola, a natural protected area now an open-air museum.
For the thrill seekers, head up the hill and take the cable car to the top of Mount Babadag, at almost two thousand metres, you can jump off and paraglide solo or in tandem and land on Olu Deniz beach. For shopping and the city, Fethiye is your destination. Fethiye is a smart harbour town with yachts moored the length of the coastline, home to an ancient amphitheatre, a historical museum and rock tombs, and an embarkation point for the must-do Twelve Island boat trip. There is a foodie-heaven fish market for a catch of the day fabulous feast, super souvenir shops selling all your favourite designer brands, and a renowned large local market every Tuesday. A walk around the newly paved coastline will take you to the town and beach of Calis, home to more restaurants and bars and a local market.
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.
