Dalaman Holiday Guide

Passengers arriving at Dalaman Airport face fairly lengthy transfers - between 45mins to 2.5hours - to reach their coastal resort.

Once in resort, dolmuses (shared local minibuses) are a cheap way of getting around. They cover specific routes and depart when full. Taxis are yellow-coloured - try to discuss the fare before starting the journey.

Olu Deniz could well be the most photographed beach in Turkey - once you clap eyes on the gorgeous blue lagoon, you'll see why. It does get busy in summer and there is a small charge to enter this protected area. Combine this with a stay at the lively hillside village of Hisaronu. Traditional family-friendly Icmeler has a fine beach shelving gently into calm, warm waters.

Try a boat trip to Cleopatra's Island, a conservation area and so called because Anthony is said to have gifted the area to his wife and imported special large-grained sand specifically to her liking. Patara is a blissful 11-mile beach, one of the best in the world. Part of a national park, it's a breeding ground for endangered loggerhead turtles.

Marmaris has the popular Netsel Marina, an ancient Ottoman castle, amphitheatre, pine-covered hills and rambling mountains to discover. Fethiye is on the site of the ancient city of Telmessos and is surrounded by ancient 4th century BC ruins and elaborately carved cliff-face tombs.

Dalyan is a riverside resort near Dalaman. There are mud baths nearby, or you can take a boat trip down to the sea.

From Fethiye or Olu Deniz, head off on a 30-minute boat ride to Butterfly Valley, a hippy hideaway at the base of a soaring gorge. Millions of butterflies come here to breed between June and September. Active types will want to hike some of The Lycian Way, or have a go at sea kayaking. Afterwards, try a relaxing and cleansing Turkish bath and massage.

The lokantas, offer cheap and hearty food, especially at lunch times. Seafood is obviously popular and delicious, but overfishing has driven up prices.

'Mezes' are a must - these little dishes just keep coming. After filling up on these, many people find they don't need a main course. Aside from the ubiquitous kebab arnavut cigeri is a Turkish favourite (chopped and fried liver with onions). Finish it off with baklava, syrupy, buttery layers of flaky pastry filled with nuts.

Holiday goers looking for home comforts should rest assured, as there'll be familiar things on the menus as well as international food, but at least try some fiery raki on a night out. In the day, sip traditional Turkish apple tea.

Anyone on holiday here who likes a night on the tiles is better off in Marmaris where there are plenty of bars and late-night clubs. Hisaronu has a deceptively good night time appeal too. Book a moonlight party cruise from the resort, complete with DJs and cocktails.
Try a Turkish cultural night usually involving local cuisine and a bit of belly dancing. The sophisticated bougainvillea-covered harbour town of Kalkan is well known for its roof-terrace restaurants and jazz bars.

Bazaars, or boutiques - take your pick in these busy resorts, particularly Marmaris, and have a look at the Tuesday market in Fethiye.

Best buys include leather goods, rugs, Turkish delight, Meerschaum pipes, Alabaster chess sets, embroidery and inlaid wooden or Mother of Pearl boxes.

Try the Atlantic Water Park in Marmaris with slides, rides and bowling.

Take them to Iztuzu beach, a two-mile sandbar in Dalyan that's a nature reserve and nesting ground for turtles.

Olu Deniz is known for its paragliding, so your older daredevils may like to give this a go.

While on holiday here, try white water rafting on the Dalaman River, or a 4x4 jeep safari into the countryside.

The ruins of Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, are an astounding showcase of an ancient city.

Pamukkale is a must: 35C thermal springs cascade over the cliff top leaving calcium deposits forming thick white layers of limestone and travertine -'the cotton castle'. This is a three-four hour trip each way from the coast.