Turkey - sun, sea and cocktails
Before you start reading this, I want to make you fully aware that if you are seeking a cultural holiday, then this article is not for you. My friend and I were determined for a bit of sunshine this summer. We didn't really care about the destination as long as it was hot and there was a cocktail bar nearby. After searching around, Turkey came up as a cheap option. Turkey often gets mixed reviews; some people can't stand the place and others absolutely love it. After a week in Marmaris, I'll have to say I agree with the latter opinion.
Marmaris in Southwest Turkey is a tourist hotspot. I can see why people would be put off by this but I was sold with the hot climate (it was hitting the forties when we were there!) and the cheap prices. The food in Turkey was good but the value for money was incredible. Many of the eateries we explored offered deals which included a large pitta bread to share with dips, a starter such as garlic bread or soup, a main dish and often either tea, coffee or a desert. The average price was about twenty Turkish lira which equates to about seven pounds! We were really blown away.
The cocktail deals are also as impressive as we ended up paying seven lira for cocktails each which is about two pound fifty. We even managed to get ourselves a round of free cocktails at our favourite place, Summer Breeze, by bringing customers into the place with our self-proclaimed 'Geordie charm'. The people working in the restaurants are really friendly.
If you're the type to get bored sitting by the pool all day, there were plenty of activities on offer in the area. Here are three excursions that we took up:
- Lazy boat trip - 14 pound/ 40 lira
All day boat trip with five stop off points for swimming in the sea. This included lunch and transport. It was a great day and excellent opportunity to improve on the tan!
- Jeep Safari - 9 pound/ 25 lira
The day included riding around in a jeep (obviously), an hour of a water fight with fellow holidaymakers and drivers, lunch and a trip to Jesus Beach. This action packed day was a bit different and we really enjoyed it. It was also really cheap for a full day out.
- Horse trek - 13 pound/ 35 lira
Loving horseriding already, I had to take this one up! The trek was great for experienced riders and novices alike. We were out for about two hours on the horses, which included a drinks break halfway through.
Although I did really enjoy my Marmaris holidays, there were some cons. The beach wasn't brilliant but we ventured to other nearby beaches which were great such as Turtle Beach. In addition, what I had heard about the Turkish men working in the tourist industry turned out to be somewhat true. Although a lot of the people we met were lovely, there was some extra attention paid to British girls by some men. One cameraman even proclaimed his love for me one day and tried to find out my phone number. This aside, the holiday was still great.
The cost of our holiday was £360pp, including flights and accommodation, but I am sure there will be cheaper deals out there! If you're after a bit of cheap sun then definitely give Turkey a go!
