Where to stay Olu Deniz or Fethiye?

Baby_A

Hi

Planning a holiday to Turkey with my parents and my children (age 4 and 1) and wanting some advice on where is best to stay out of Olu Deniz and Fethiye. We intend to visit both, but I wasnt sure which resort had more to see and do on a daily basis. Main attractions would be shopping and nice restaurants nearby. I am aware there is a good market on Tuesdays at Fethiye but is there similar markets on a daily basis at either of these resorts?

We intend to carry out a few excursions, i.e jeep safari day trip to pamakkule etc so any advice appreciated.

TIA

Becles

There are no markets in Olu Deniz, but there is a one just up the hill on Monday's in Hisaronu. We didn't go but we heard it was similar to the Fethiye one, but smaller with stalls just selling tourist stuff. Fethiye market was massive as Turkish people buy food, household items etc., there.

Olu Deniz and Fethiye are very different. Olu Deniz is a purpose built tourist resort and nobody lives there in the winter. Fethiye is a busy city, where people live, work and trade. I only visted Fethiye for the markets and passed through, so I'm not sure what the beaches and hotel areas are like.

Olu Deniz is a lovely laid back resort. There is a main strip up the middle of the resort and the beach front with many shops, bars and restaurants. Most of them are very child friendly. The beach is absolutely fabulous - look up pictures on Google. There is also the lagoon which is lovely and safe for children to play in.

There are plenty of excursions going on a daily basis, and it's only a short cheap ride in the dolmus (local bus service) to go up the hill to the resort of Hisaronu where there are more shops, bars, restautants and it's more touristy with things like a mini go-cart track, inflateables, that kind of thing. You can also use the dolmus to go to Fethiye and other places of interest.

It's a very child friendly resort and we liked it so much we are going back this year!

I hope you don't mind me commenting, but I wouldn't recommend either trip with small children. I did paragliding off Babadag mountain (highly recommended!) and it took 50 minutes to get up the mountain in the jeep. Basically you are just sitting on a bench in the back of vehicle with no suspension. There were no straps to hold you in, and your back felt every bump on the unmade roads. On the jeep safari, I heard you get very dirty and wet as they turn hoses on you at one point! We had out 1 year old daughter with us, and there is no way she would have enjoyed that journey.

Pamakkule is a very long distance away. The buses set off early in the morning and come back late at night. It's a very long time to have small children sitting on a bus, which is why we didn't do that one as we thought the journey would be too boring for them.

If it was me, I would go back and do those trips when the children are older.

Lobell

Fethiye isn't really a 'beach' resort...being that there is no real beach in it so it feels less 'touristy'. However, it is a really great place to stay with plenty of shops and restaurants and there are loads of boat trips that can be taken from the harbour. You can take the Dolmus up the hill to Hisaronu and onto Olu Deniz for very little money or in the other direction to Calis (which does have a beach). There is also a water taxi that runs from Fethiye to Calis regularly throughout the day. The Tuesday market is huge and the sellers are relentless but use it to your advantage and haggle hard! I satyed with a friend so don't know much about the hotels, I'm afraid.

With young children, I would probably choose to go to Olu Deniz just because proper resorts tend to be more child friendly but Fethiye is lovely and definitely worth a visit (or two).

When we stayed in Marmaris, we took a 2 day trip to Ephesus and Pammukale and, to be honest, I'm not sure either is suitable for young children as it requires long hours on the road and I can't imagine children being terribly interested in them.

littlereddevil

Olu Deniz definately.
But be aware Turkey is a very hot country.
I love the whole area and have an apartment in fethiye but holidayed in Olu Deniz for years.