Property and local area description
The Villas superb location, far enough away to relax close enough to enjoy
Villa James lies in a well situated complex with 3 other villas in the prestigious Topaz development. It has been re-modeled with loving care and extended to be the largest of the four villas. The Topaz complex is set just back from a newly paved road and in a quiet location which is only a ten minute stroll to the sea/ beach front. Here there are plentiful beach bars / restaurants with several shops and restaurants en route. The dolmus (bus) and taxi rank are a very short distance from the villa. A taxi into Calis resort centre is approx £4 and a good option for the evenings.The Villa is well situated for exploring both nearby towns and sites . The area is quite flat with gentle slopes only in places. The Local transport system (dolmus) which is on the doorstep is excellent ,and access to most areas is easily achieved. The Villa lies in its own maintained grounds and is very secure with its own private Large Adult and small childrens/splash pool. The villa has its own car parking area should you wish to hire a car (approx £23 per day in 2009)
The Villa is perfectly located tucked away from the main hustle and bussle It is conveniently located close to several shops/ bars and eating establishments and is perfect for exploring the surrounding towns, and areas of interest. It lays on a main bus route and is very close to a taxi office. The main port for boat trips(Fethiye) is also just a short distance away.
After around a ten minute stroll from the villa you will find a lovely beach. On Koca Calis beach you will find around 7 beach bars/ restaurants . They all have bars and serve food ranging from snacks to a la carte. They all offer free sun-beds, parasols, tables and chairs for eating and sheltered areas. Some have childrens Play areas which include swings and slides etc and one even offers surf / and kite surfing lessons. The beach itself is a mixture of pebble areas and sandy areas. Most of the bars have "Special" nights once a week. These can range from traditional belly dancing, folk dancing and even Turkish Wrestling ( a must to see). The nights are normally based around a BBQ and cost around £ 8.00 per person. These photographs were taken in July 2009 from a stroll along the beach near our villa. Koca beach leads on to Calis Beach.
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Villa James itself comprises of the following:
The lounge- comprises of a two seater and a single seater sofa, as well as a three seater sofa which also turns in to a double bed to accommodate additional guests.
It is tastefully furnished in a modern Turkish style with co-ordinated voiles on the large windows. The room is flooded with light but shaded from the sun.
The Lounge also comes complete with Tv and Dvd and a large selection of discs for your use. There is also a cd player available.
The open plan lounge leads onto the dining area . The 2 sets of patio doors lead directly to the pool and to the covered, dining terrace and gardens. The fully fitted kitchen is well-equipped with all appliances and utensils. A separate laundry room and a cloakroom complete the downstairs accommodation.
The kingsize master bedroom on the first floor also boasts its own en suite bathroom which is complete with a Jacuzzi bath ( as shown in the picture on the right). The bedroom has full matching bedroom furniture. The bedroom also has its own private balcony with small drinks table and chairs;perfect for a quiet drink at sunset.
The second double bedroom is very spacious and complete with all matching bedroom furniture. This bedroom has a double-sized walk-in shower in the en-suite.
The third bedroom is very spacious and set on the second floor. It has two single beds and all matching bedroom furniture.Again it has its own en-suite shower room. There is a small balcony with a drinks table and chairs which provides excellent views of the area.
All rooms are fully air conditioned
A 10 minute stroll leads to the friendly, relaxing beach of Koca Calis. The walk takes you past a couple of small hotels; the Naser Garden serves excellent a la carte food in the evenings, and a couple of shops selling most basic provisions. Koca Calis is a sand & pebble beach and is well served by good value, welcoming beach bar/restaurants. All bars provide free sunbeds, parasols and shady chill-out areas and showers. Lunch can be eaten under the trees or can be brought directly to your sunbed at the waters edge!. Several bars offer play areas for children, table tennis and wi-fi access. The more energetic can try wind-surfing or catamaran sailing at the nearby Surf Cafe. Most of the beach bars have weekly Turkish Nights which offer great value, fun-filled BBQ's, dancing and even olive oil wrestling
(honestly!). The owners will even provide free transport back to the villa.
Koca Calis beach leads directly to the main resort centre of Calis Beach (about 20-30mins walk with plenty of watering holes en-route).
Things to Do (Briefly)
Snorkelling, Scuba Diving, Horse Riding, Bike Riding, Swimming, Turkish Bath, Turkish Shave, Wind Surfing, Paragliding, Fishing, Boat Trips, Dancing, Jeep Safaris, Rafting, Canoeing, visiting the Bazzars (Markets), The Water Park, Swimming with Dolphins, Quad Biking, Jeep Safari"s, Cycling
TIP> The boat trips are a must when in Turkey and are great value costing around £8.00 per person inc dinner. The 12 Island boat trip is especially good to do and leaves daily from Calis and Fethiye with pick-up from just outside the villa.
Without going into too much detail, all the above activities are widely available and can be booked from any of the agents which are located along the streets. All at a very reasonable rate
Eating Out is an absolute pleasure. Generally the restaurants are stress- free with non of the usual on -street hustle reported in other parts of Turkey. Restaurants are plentiful, clean and tidy, have good service and most of all serve good food cheaply. Local fish and steaks are especially cheap and plentiful in all the restaurants but there is also a good selection of meats ( except pork) and pastas as well as the local Turkish delicacies. Along the main lane close to our villa and also along the beach ,there is a wide selection of eating establishments from hotels to beach restaurants that all serve not only tasty snack s, but a la carte international and Turkish food in both superb and unusual surroundings. Imagine eating the finest fresh fish with market fresh vegetables while looking out at a glorious sunset while listening to the sound of the lapping sea water just a few feet away.. And the cost - well normally around 1\3 of what you would pay in the UK! Many of the restaurants in and around Calis also have specialist nights once a week . These can vary from BBQ nights, belly dancers, Traditional folk dancing, singers, groups ( playing traditional Turkish or chart topping music). Some of the hotels and beach bars also have children"s play areas with swings , table tennis , pool tables and table football (All free).
In Calis centre there are dozens of restaurants and bars to choose from. The restaurants are generally quite up-market and without ear bashing music blaring out. The atmosphere is "laid back" with Turkish type restaurants (housed in enormous tent like traditional structures ) intermixed with the international restaurants normally run by the hoteliers along the seafront.. At the far end of Calis is the beach club restaurant (The Sat Beach Club) which is set on a small grassed peninsular which juts out into the bay. In luxurious surroundings this is absolute 5 star dining. Along with these eateries there are ice cream parlours, fruit juice parlours, kebab houses as well as Chinese, Mexican and Italian restuarants mixed in. There is food available to meet every-ones taste and budget.
Mixed in with this array of establishments mainly just off the sea front are cocktail bars, bars with sky sports, dance music , Tribute acts (Elvis Prestley and Michael Jackson impersonators appear to be this years flavour at this time of writing) as well as a couple of discos. Prices are even more reasonable away from the seafront with many restaurants offering a good 3 course meal for about £7. One thing worth mentioning bat this time is that the area is very safe for children, teenagers, tourists etc; In all my time coming here I have never seen any sort of trouble or witnessed any bad behaviour from holidaymakers or the local residents. The whole atmosphere is of good spirited light hearted fun. The Turkish people are usually very friendly and welcoming and have incredible good manners. and courtesy.
A short water taxi ride away, dolmus of taxi ride brings you to Fethiye across the bay. This is a fully working town and has non of the trappings of mass tourism. To go into detail of what this compact place has to offer would be impossible on this web site. Briefly it is a mixture of curiosities. The Old town is a mixture of bazar type shops selling everything from rugs to exquisite gold and diamond jewellery . The range of goods is so enormous it is beyond explanation. The Old town is quite up-market and should not be confused with a normal bazzar. Mixed in with all the curiosity shops are restaurants. cocktail bars , jazz bars, rock bars, blues bars, traditional music bars (most bars have live music on 6 days a week) etc. Its a very lively place. Fethiye also has an incredible fish market where you can chose the very fresh fish you want, pay a small amount for it, and go to any of the surrounding resturants where for and even smaller amount they will cook it for you and you can eat it . A truly amazing experience.
Just up the hill from Fethiye Is Hisanarou. This small town just "Bounces" . As well as having hundreds of restaurants it has hundreds of bars all competing for you custom by offering a multitude of entertainment from variety shows, fire eater, belly dancers, discos, groups, impersonators, jugglers etc.etc. There is also a small fun fair and a go Kart race track For a wild night out this is the place
Drive the other direction from Calis away from Fethiye towards Dalaman and after about 20 mins you will come to Gocek. This is Turkey's answer to St Tropez.. Its a very up market village based around its large Marina. It is full of a la cart restaurants in landscaped areas around the moored yachts . It is full of Turkey's rich and famous and as such is full of style and sophistication.. Everything here even the supermarkets are tastefully styled, and ooze luxury, even of the shelves you can find £800.00 bottles of champagne mingled in with the local £1 Raki. There are Wine only bars here, a jazz bar, and even a cocktail bar that juts out into its own private section of the harbour. However eating out is still quite reasonable though not quite as cheap as other places. Some places even do a 2 for one menu at this time of writing- and what a glorious meal that was, so good we went back again.. Gocek is perhaps a little too far to bus it (around 30 mins ) but if you have rented a car it is a must to visit.
TIPS
Restaurants we have eaten in and enjoyed the food
Koca Calis---The Surf bar, The Nazer Garden Hotel, Garden Beach Bar
Calis (Centre)-- The Bamboo Restaurant, George's
Fethiye The Fish Market - (Note the food in the old town varies from good to Bad)
Gocek The Blue Restaurant
Places to see & Visit (Briefly)
Olu Deniz, Calis Town, Fethiye, Hisaranou, Gocek, Kalkan, Pamukkale, Saragermi, Ephesus
Olu Deniz
Probably the most photoigraphed tourist attraction in TURKEY.. This wild life sanctuary based on a very sandy peninsular juts out into the warm shallow clear watersof the lagoon which are perfect for swimming in.and a draw for enthusiastic sun worshipers. There is also a main harbour a short walk away lined with large open air bars , restaurants and night clubs The high mountains which surround the area are perfect for paragliding and as a consequence the world championships are held there some years. For a once in a lifetime experiance you can glide down from the mountain tops with the aid of a pilot and land on the sandy beach below. The trip journey down takes around an hour to the mountain top . Olu Deniz is easily reachable via Dolmus from Fethiye or Calis.
Gocek Harbour/ Marina
With its large natural harbour, Gocek has developed in providing the needs of yachtsmen. A walk around the Marina, admiring the display of boats of all shapes and sizes tied up here is one of the enjoyments of visiting the Fethiye.area. The waterfront of Gocek is filled up with up market a la carte restaurants and bars, as well as wine bars and coffee shops.. The streets are all tastefully landscaped and the whole area is set out to what would seem more natural in St Tropez rather than Turkey. The town can be reached by car or taxi in around 20 minutes from our villa.
Fethiye
Once the Lycian settlement of Telmessos, Fethiye is a lively port and market town where Turkish life and tourism exist side by side. Along the pretty waterfront you can watch the traditional wooden gullets, motor launches and fishing boats.
Tuesday is a busy day in Fethiye town. It is market day and the town is bustling with hundreds of stallholders selling everything you can possibly think of. Superb local grown fruit and veg at very low prices together with Turkish "Versace", Turkish "Gucci" clothes. Buy fake watches "Breitling", "Tag Huer", "Rado", "Rolex" etc. They look identical to the real thing and are usually avaiable in two grades. The first is a cheap version from £10 to £25 and are usually quite heavy, the second quality sometimes waterproof, vary from £25 to £80. Please shop around however and haggle.
The old town in Fethiye is a maze of narrow paved streets full of restaurants ,curiosity shops , Gold shops, silver shops , carpet and lamp shops etc. These are set amongst the more traditional market stalls selling a multitude of various goods from fake designer watches and clothe to authentic hand made glassware.
Amongst these shops are restaurants and a single street lined with jazz bars, blues bars and more traditional Turkish bars, all playing live music into the night ( see the photograph on the left). Set amongst this array of buildings is a central pond which is fed by a cold water spring
Dalyan
The Dalyan delta nestles between the mountains. At the head of the delta lies Lake Köycegiz from which the river that the town of Dalyan stands on and numerous meandering streams flow to the Mediterranean Sea. The whole of this magnificent area is a wildlife sanctuary which was set up in the 1980's. Dalyan boasts extensive flora and wildlife, including bird species that are unique to the area. I
An enjoyable way to see this sanctuary is to take one of the many tour boats down the bullrush fringed river reputedly used to film the famous scenes in the African Queen, to the wonderful Iztuzu beach, a two mile stretch of golden un-crowded sand which is home to the rare Caretta Caretta turtles, being one of the last remaining natural nesting sites.On the trip down river, as well as opportunities to see the wildlife, including colourful kingfishers and cranes, you will be treated views of the impressive 4th century rock tombs hewn out of the cliff face high above the river. You can be dropped off at the dramatic ruins of ancient Caunos, which boast some of the most impressively fortified walls still standing in western Turkey, along with Roman baths a Greek-style theatre, and Byzantine basilica. You will have many wonderful photo opportunities as you wander among the fallen columns and the massive chunks of masonry of ancient temples.The pretty riverside village of Dalyan its self is a little gem. By night the many waterside restaurants and bars come alive with music and the buzz of conversation drifts across the river.
Another local attraction lies a short boat ride up the river is the Sultaniye Thermal Baths consisting of sulphurous mud baths and hot springs which are reputed to be good for skin and general health. Come away looking ten years younger! One other thing worth a mention is the white water rafting available.
Hisaranou
Hisaranou is the place to Boogie. It is full of bars . discos and restaurants which come alive after dark .Mostof the bars are themed and range from the ever popular sports bars following football, cricket and the likes to fun pubs and show bars. . The hill top town is also full of restaurants offerings not only Turkish but cusine from all over the world. The town also has a small fair and Go carting track. This is a very popular resort with British tourists and the fierce competition for the tourist trade makes prices very reasonable. Hisaranou is very family-friendly and is easily reached by dolmus (via Fethiye). The resort offers something for everybody, especially fun-loving holidaymakers and offers a more lively setting than the relaxed atmospherefound in Calis Beach.
Ephesus
The ruins of Ephesus, situated near Selçuk town at 70 kilometers (44 miles) south of Izmir, is a main center of archaeological interest owing to the ancient remains that still exist. When you enter through the Magnesia Gate (south gate or upper gate), you can see the State Agora (or Upper Agora). The Temple of Isis is situated at the center of the Agora, and Stoa is placed on the North side of it. The Odeion (Bouletarion or Parliament) with a capacity of 1,400 persons is placed behind it and the Prytaneion (Town Hall) where the sacred fire used to burn, is on its flank. The Baths of Varius are placed on the east side of Odeion. On the west of the Agora, the Monument of Memmius built in the 1st century BC., the fountain of Sextilius Pollio built in the year 93 A.D., and the Temple of Domitian (81-93 A.D) are placed. On the south of the Agora, the fountain of Laecanius Bassus is situated. The Curetes street starts downwards from the Temple of Memmius. The Gate of Heracles (Hercules) is placed on this avenue. After passing through this part, the fountain of Trajan built in the years 102-114 is seen on the right hand side and after this, the Temple of Hadrian appears in front of us, in all its splendid beauty (117-138 A.D). The Scholastica Baths, built in the 4th century A.D., are situated behind the Temple of Hadrian. The houses of the rich people of Ephesus which were in front of it, have been restored and opened for visits at present with special permit
Saklikent Gorge
If you had to choose only one day out during your holiday, then Saklikent Gorge must be a consideration. You could spend the whole day and evening here and enjoy both fun and relaxation. Saklikent Gorge (Hidden Valley) is the longest, deepest gorge in Turkey. It is 18km long and it is so deep the sun never penetrates the water - it is beautiful and fascinating but impossible to reach the end of the canyon. Jump onto one of the rubber rings and take a journey down the river. The restaurants provide comprehensive menus and the food is delicious. Sitting on cushions at low tables suspended over the river is so relaxing, in fact so much, so that we were all lulled to sleep by the sound of the water. Why not stay for the evening entertainment in the River Bar where there is always a great atmosphere and music - for the young and young at heart you could party all night!
Pamukkale
Located 20 kilometers from the town of Denizli in the Aegean region of Turkey, Pamukkale is one of the most interesting places in the world, justly famous not only for the entrancing beauty of its unique geological formations but also for its historical remains. The calcium oxide-rich waters flowing down the southern slope of Caldag located north of the ruins have, over the millennia, built up deposits of white travertine on the plateau thus fully justifying both the site's ancient name of Hierapolis (Holy City) and its modern one of Pamukkale (Cotton Castle).