returning holidaymakers comments

[chrisbluestar]

A customer from the  local pub has just returned from his second holiday in Kalkan. He and his wife have just spent a week at the new Likya pavillion apartments..
.He was exceptionally pleased with the accommodation and service there....But I was very disappointed when he said he would not be returning to Kalkan..
I was surprised as so many people keep returning..When asked why he explained that the amount of tv screens on the harbour spoilt the whole turkish atmosphere  .
  Also that some of the holidaymakers that he encountered during his week should have been in Marmaris partying [because of their behavior and attire].
 He reckons Kalkan is fast losing its unique turkish experience..
It was not what I wished to hear as Ive been telling other customers what a Turkish Jewel Kalkan is...

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=11554.0

[Irene]

What a shame - we went once before in August and found the whole experience totally different, from either earlier or later in the year. Maybe the new arrangements with Kas council
will tighten up the harbour front and keep it traditional - I hope we can keep the clientele and atmosphere that attracts us all to Kalkan.

[Lizilu20]

Yes it is a shame. As you know, we've just returned from Kalkan, but I didn't really notice much difference from last year. I hope he wasn't talking about me, Jayne and Suzyq1 when we were belly dancing at Akin!!! It was all done in the best possible taste I can assure you  seriously though - the only thing different we noticed at the harbour, was that the music was quite loud as you walked past each restaurant and sandal bar was a little bit "in your face". I can't say I clocked any undesirables. 

[Irene]

Hi Lizilu - how I did enjoy your posts, you certainly had a great holiday - I'm sure it was all done in the best possible taste!!! .   Maybe we are all guilty of raving about the place and then others going out have very high expectations, but I won't be stopped it is heaven as far as we are concerned!

[misty]

People need to the remember that the local business fraternity need...bums on seats and sadly if wide screen TV's blaring music, happy hours do it...then that's what they will do. Sad it may be but they have a living to make and a short window to do it.....

[Lizilu20]

Thanks Irene  something that had come to mind though, which I had forgotten about, was a greeter at one of the restaurants referring to our daughter as "bang tidy"!!! Needless to say we avoided it like the plague after that! Now he's learned that phrase from somewhere?? 

[Irene]

How rude, you took the right course of action, I wouldn't have frequented the place either!

[Cosetta]

We know several owners in Kalkan who are seeking to sell up and leave due to just what your local pub client said.  Although main street still has some of the original charm, the harbour has become close to unbearable for many of us who've lived here for many years.  We also had guests this summer whose only comment was their disappointment at finding "a British village" rather than a Turkish village.  They also do not plan to return.  All good things must come to an end.  But then ... where is there still an unspoiled seaside village?

[JenJen]

If Kalkan was an authentic Turkish village, there would be no luxury hotels/villas, no bag/jewellery shops and no gourmet restaurants with English menus.  I actually don't think most people who visit Kalkan would like the 'real' Turkey of a 'traditional' village to be honest. The Turkey I remember from 1980s/90s childhood visits to non-touristy areas involved an awful lot of distressing poverty, hole-in-the-ground toilets except in hotels, and cafes serving whatever food happened to be on the menu that day whether it was something you liked or not. I've always loved Turkey but Kalkan is more Turkey-lite and that's what I generally want from a holiday - luxury, choice and comfort in stunning surroundings and with friendly people

[amber]

Great post JenJen.

Trouble is that many local people do not realise why visitors do keep coming back.Kalkan is changing,buildings everywhere,soon every olive grove will be gone.That "traditional turkish harbour" has gone forever!! I have noticed a lot more variety of nationalities here this year so maybe in the coming years it will become less "british" A lot more Turks seem to holiday here these days.Kalkan is no longer a trad village,thats for sure!

What I really cant stand and its something that has really changed over recent years - visitors walking around town with hardly any clothes on.Do you need to go to a supermarket in your bikini?? What does that say to the locals about us? On and around the beach is fine,no one could complain about that but around town is unacceptable (I think so any way) I know many locals are amazed to see woman,young and old,in such a state of undress!!

[kalkankediler]

Turkish people too love the big screen TVs, modern restaurants and shops, so that's not just the British influence, just a sign of more affluence in the area... As for certain holiday makers, we get that all over the world, and mostly so in the UK.... Just a sign of the times I guess...

[Irene]

The state of undress by some ladies in the supermarkets is definitely noticeable - it's akin in my opinion to going to the supermarket in your underwear, you wouldn't do it in the UK (even if we had the weather) - so why in Turkey?  I think it's very disrespectful.

[Babs]

Completely agree with most of the posts here....Jen Jen sums things up perfectly.
A couple of years ago (in August) my husband and I tried to recreate a jeep safari along the coast that we had been on the previous year. After a very scary drive on a dirt track with a drop of several hundred feet we decided we needed tea. We found ourselves where we had been on the safari....a little garden outside of the mosque in Sidema(?). On arrival we found the family who look after the mosque sitting in the garden, three generations. They cheerfully brought us tea......and nuts, apricots and other little treats. As we sat and chatted to them, using the lovely granddaughter as our interpreter, it dawned on us that they usually only provide tea for the organised trips but they had happily invited us in and looked after us very well.....and they refused to take any payment!
You only have to read Antler's posts to know that Turkish hospitality and friendliness still exists in Kalkan and I expect it is that....along with the luxury accommodation, restaurants etc. that keeps us coming back.
Lets hope it doesn't change too much?
I feel very lucky that I have been able to go away two or three times a year for the last few years but it is on one of those trips each year, to Kalkan, that I really relax. If we are able to go as planned in a few weeks, we'll do what we usually do, avoid the restaurant with pushy greeters, bars with large screens and lasers etc. and just relax, eat amazing food and chat with lovely genuinely friendly hospitable people.

[Babs]

My point being in the previous post.......whilst I don't suggest you invite yourself into people's home as we accidentally did, the beauty of Kalkan is that you can enjoy e delights it has to offer while with a little bit of effort see and enjoy something of the real Turkey.

[Irene]

Hi Babs - you brought back some lovely memories for me this morning - we too have met and had tea with this wonderful Turkish family, they happily walked through the fields with us to show us the ruins, followed by refreshments -it was one of the best holiday experiences we have ever had!  I too love the luxury hotels and restaurants, especially where they are obviously been run by local village people - long may they continue to prosper.

[Blue Lizard]

We can all find an aspect of kalkan we don't like..but the good bits far outweigh the other bits 10 fold...until someone tells me somewhere better to go I will carry on going to Kalkan..yes it's changed but where hasn't? it is a victim of it's own charm and is no longer a "kept secret" Nowhere can possibly meet everybodys individual expectations but Kalkan meets most of mine and Mrs L..roll on next year!!

[kalkan4eva]

Each to their own...really. Whilst I wouldn't personally walk around in a bikini top, I have no problem with others doing so. Kalkan is a tourist resort, it markets itself as a tourist resort and this is what tourists do at holiday resorts - irrespective of local cultures. If it was law, then fair enough, but it isn't. I don't think I've ever seen anyone in a full bikini though - bikini tops and shorts or sarongs, but never walking through the village in just their two-piece
I agree with JenJen's very thoughtful post - Kalkan is not what I would call traditional Turkish, it has a lot of influences both European and British (and Kurdish..) but we like the combination and will continue to return until we don't.
We noticed this year not only more Turkish nationals holidaying there but a lot of Iranians too. If this continues, we may see more middle eastern influences too.
BL is spot on, it won't please everyone but I would like to say in respect of the original post, Likya Pavillions are about as far removed from traditonal Turkey as you can get...IMO

[onelove]

I must say I'm finding this thread Very interesting, thanks to all that have posted...So far