Olu Deniz

[clara 50]

This will be our seventh visit to Kalkan and love going out and about in the jeep exploring the area, always intended visitng Olu Deniz for the day as it doesn't seem to be too far away. Don't know much about the resort, has anyone been there and do you think it's worth a visit? Thanks 

Linkback: https://www.enjoykalkan.com/forum/index.php?topic=8364.0

[Irene]

Hi Clarsa we too like to explore (we have reached this agreement after several discussions about me lazing around all day on a sunbed)!! - so now we agree to disagree and usually tour around for a couple of days!.  I have to say we have found some stunning scenary and the roads are fantastic.   Olu Deniz was not  one of my favourite places, it looks lovely in all the brochures, but you will notice all the pictures are normally taken from the air.  It is very commercialised,  the restaurants are "chips with everything" and I certainly wouldnt go again - I couldnt wait to get back to Kalkan, and sat smuggly all the way back saying nothing - sometimes that is more powerful!!  Anyway you might find it ok, that is only my opinion, it may not be so busy this year due to the recession - enjoy whatever you decide to do.

[fidimax]

I stayed in Olu Deniz about 10 years back,I loved it,it was pretty dead really,but I have heard from friends what it is like now,and I dont think I will go back,but then again someone else might like Olu,If you feel like going,go,advice from other people is great,but it is your opinion of somewhere that counts,and if you dont like Olu Deniz,hey you have had a day out 
ps Dalyan is nice .

[Roxie]

Hi,
Visited it a few times after the Tuesday market in Fethiye. We went for lunch in the Fish Market, where you buy the fresh fish and they cook it for you! Off to the lagoon for the afternoon. We prefer the other side to the sea as not so crowded.
Rx

[felicity]

IMHO - it is overrated and stunning from the air from the paragliders point of view but the ground doesnt live up to expectations - can be smelly water in August, pebbly beach and nothing to rave about...went there to go to the beach instead of Patara and wished we hadnt bothered - just stick to patara now..!!   Go and make your own mind up - any driving around here is lovely just for the trip alone!!!

[Kalkan regular]

Kaya Koy which is near Fethiye and Olu deniz is well worth a visit. It is a deserted greek village and is very atmospheric, we loved it. You can combine it with a quick visit to Olu as we did. We have seen it and won't be back as it's not our cup of tea but are glad we have been. We will however revisit Kaya Koy.

[HolmfirthNicky]

Olu Deniz was were we first went to in Turkey, we went for 5 years running and loved it but the last time we went a couple of years back it had changed too much and not for the better in our opinion. We saw the kareoke bars creeping in and the cafes/restaurants doing just English food and whilst some people like that it wasn't for us so thats when we tried Kalkan and just fell in love it!! As Felicity says though it could be worth going just for the drive!
One thing we did love about Olu though was Buzz bar on the seafront, fantastic kebabs!!

[Pete]

Olu Deniz is OK, but its far more commercialised than Kalkan and a lot busier. If you are planning on going to visit, then consider making a long day of it and visit other places in the immeadiate area. I assume that you will be driving yourselves.
Go early on a Tuesday and start by visiting Fethiye market, then visit the Paspatur Old Town of Fethiye. As you come back out of Fethiye you will see a sign post to the right for Kayakoy, take this turning. This will take you on a very windy steep road up over the mountain into the Kaya Valley, it takes about fifteen minutes. It has magnificent views back over the bay of Fethiye and then the Kaya Valley. Stop off at the old Greek Ghost Town and have a look round. There are also some good restaurants right by the ruins, the istanbul is very good. Then take the road to Hisaronu don't bother stoping here, but carry straight on to Olu Deniz, this will again take you about fifteen minutes. Park up at the back of town and have a good look round. Olu Deniz is quite small and on the flat, there is really only the main street and the sea front. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, then drive round the back of Olu Deniz and take the coast road heading east, this will take you out past the  Likya World resort. Keep on going for about five/six miles, it is a spectacular drive and you end up in a place called Kabak where there is a very good little restaurant called the Olive Garden. The only problem is that this is a dead end , so you have to come back via Olu Deniz and Fetyhiye. If you follow the route I have have described, then you will be going in a very large circle, starting at the D400 and finishing back on it.

[clara 50]

Thanks everyone for your views. I had heard that Olu Deniz had gotten much more commercialised over the past few years, maybe not our cup of tea but might just pop in for a quick look as I would like a ride out to visit the surrounding areas. Kaya Koy sounds really interesting as we enjoy visiting the quieter parts of the area like Islamlar for instance and love great unspoilt scenery and lovely quaint little restaurants. Cheers!!

[mark]

For those who visit out of high season, I would say that both Kaya Koy and Olu Deniz are worth a visit.  I went twice last January (2010), once with the Kalkan walking group and another time with just a couple friends. 

We walked around Kaya Koy for an hour or so - it is an open air museum now so the curator may hit you up for a 10TL entrance fee.  If you walk over the hill toward the coast, at the top you come to a great place to stop for a bite to eat with views over the islands.  Down the other side leads to Olu Deniz which was quiet - just the odd paraglider.  The lagoon is beautiful.  There was a bar restaurant open and just a few long term residents - cannot tell you if the food was any good.

You can probably get bus/dolmus, but we arranged for a taxi to drop us in Kaya Koy and pick us up from Olu Deniz later in the day. In January, the weather in Kaya Koy was cool as we were there just as the sun was hitting that side of the hill.  By the time, we were over the top, it was T-shirt weather all the way down to Olu Deniz.

Mark