Fethiye: The Beauty Of The Absent Beast
The haunting sound of the call to prayer drifts over the tiled rooftops and up the hillside, echoing off walls and bringing an essence to the pre-sunrise shadows of morning. Other mosques join the chorus, the lingering tones of numerous muezzins funnelling out across the water and upwards through the streets, but apart from the call, all is calmness and serenity. Flags on masts hang limply in the breezeless dawn, rigging silent and still, a single boatman manoeuvres a small craft out through the moored yachts leaving his gentle wake to lap the wooden jetties, the sound of the motor simply amplifying the sense of peace. As he moves further from the shore the rising sun paints a narrow golden thread along the top of the hills, gulls start to swoop and call. Fethiye blinks its sleepy eyes in the new light and turns back the covers.
It’s not hard to see that it wouldn’t always be this way. Night clubs and party boats are as lifeless now as the dormant flags, the season over and the crowds gone – we already feel that Fethiye would not be our kinda place in high season, but now, with nothing but its natural beauty to admire, it is nigh on perfect.
Across the peninsula the neighbouring towns of Oludeniz and Hisaronu are the same, smaller than the surprisingly large Fethiye but equally geared to the tourist market. The shiny white dolmus takes us up over the lofty hills and down through both towns, where shops carry cheekily amusing names such as Saintbury’s, Sports Direkt, Newest Look and Selfridgez, all bearing copycat logos of their British counterparts. But if this stretch of coastline is over touristed, then it’s not altogether a surprise: the scenery is just stunning. Places don’t become this popular without good reason.
The white pebble and coarse sand beach at Oludeniz curves around the attractive bay to form at its extremity a spit of land between lagoon and open sea. Imposing mountains create headlands which encircle the bay like giant crab’s claws, leaving the beach to enjoy the calm, clear waters of a protected shoreline. And boy is the water crystal clear: it’s a joy to float in its welcoming freshness.
From Fethiye on the other hand the open sea cannot be seen at all, such is the convoluted shaping of the coastline and the depth of the inlet at the base of which the town sits. Here, the setting is what feels like a 360 view of mountains both across the water and in the hinterland behind the town, the result of which is spectacular. By day, the Mediterranean reflects beautiful inverted images of the lofty heights; at night the jagged mirror which is the sea plays games with both the lights of settlements around the shore and the pinprick lamps of the moored yachts, scattering dancing diamonds across the dark ripples. These views are both restful and beautiful from before dawn till long after dusk.
Just before the road from Fethiye descends to Oludeniz the soaring mountain of Babadağ towers over the terrain, pushing its rocky head through the tree line to sit in majesty above the amazing coastal views below. Babadaġ is a mecca for paragliders and there are plenty here just now, enjoying the last few days of the season before winter calls a halt to their adrenaline rushes. It’s a long cable car ride and then an old school open chair lift to the highest accessible point 1800 metres above sea level, from where the views are simply spellbinding.
Mountainous headlands plunge into the sea, pine clad hills sweep downwards, hundreds of square miles of blue sea meet azure skies at an unclear horizon. Fethiye’s sprawling metropolis fills its bay with whitewashed buildings while the lagoon of Oludeniz looks like a misplaced piece of jigsaw puzzle, a blue oval in the midst of deep green. Every few seconds another paraglider takes to the sky, his or her artificial wings lifting them from the launchpad and sending them soaring above the amazing scenery like an oversized bird of prey. We debate whether we would have the nerve to try it in tandem with a “pilot”…..do we??
Darkness has fallen back in Fethiye. Front of house restaurant guys do their best to entice us in but their efforts seem halfhearted, the holiday season has reached its twilight and the competitive edge is no longer there. The compact old town makes one last attempt to milk its location with inflated prices, the music from the young-set bars is muted and modest – bars which will be closed and sleeping long before midnight now those with bursting wallets and carefree minds have headed home. Only when Saturday night comes do the activity levels and late openings notch back up the scale a little.
Kitchen staff play dominoes to pass the time, the rattle of pieces on wooden tables its own distinctive sound. Menus are unchanged from summer, dominated by generic tourist fare and, uniquely in all of our previous experience of Turkey, we are still waiting to be impressed by the food of Fethiye. When it comes to natural beauty though, we are significantly more than impressed.
These are beautiful places on a coastline spectacular enough to rival anywhere. It’s so good to be seeing this beauty when the partygoers are gone, when the door has just about closed on revelry for another year. There’s no doubt that we’re here at a time of year which suits us; there’s equally no doubt that the height of season would be a very different experience.
A little travellers’ tale. We’re the last two passengers to board the dolmus back to Fethiye from Oludeniz, which means of course that the journey can now begin. The remaining two seats are those in the front with the driver; I take the window seat and Michaela squeezes between him and me. Before we leave, the driver has one last task. Raising his backside from the seat, he farts loud and long, settles back down and drives off. Michaela is too stunned to comment.
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18 Comments
Annie Berger
It looks like you found a blissful spot outside of tourist season to rest your heads for a bit with an idyllic beach, spellbinding views, an interesting old town to wander in, and great fun watching the paragliders enjoying the winds even if the food didn’t impress you. Shame your stay ended on the ‘low note’!
Phil & Michaela
It’s great to be here out of season, Annie, not so sure about the height of summer. We’ll leave that to a younger crowd, I think!
Monkey's Tale
I hope the window was down in the dolmus 😊 We were in Fethiye around the end of September. It wasn’t the height of tourist season, but there were still plenty of foreigners. I agree it’s so pretty, that you can’t blame people for going. Maggie
Phil & Michaela
As we’re learning, there’s a sizeable British expat community here as well as the holiday crowd. A very strong British influence!
restlessjo
Well, it was all very poetic till that last paragraph, Phil. Reality, hey? The images are still very vivid in my mind from that visit of ours, 35 years ago, and there’s no doubt that it’s an incredibly beautiful spot. I would have liked that aerial view. I’m not sure that paragliding was a thing back then. It’s amazing this world of ours- at a time when parts of Europe are being inundated, Fethiye bay lies flat calm and blue. It’s a lucky choice. I don’t imagine it will be so inviting when winter comes, but still incredibly beautiful.
Phil & Michaela
There’s a big British expat community here Jo so I’m guessing winter is pretty mild, somebody told us the other day that they’ve never seen snow and would love to do so! But winter months here must be very quiet for everyone, we can feel it all winding down now.
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
Gorgeous vistas, especially from above! It seems that you are having a great visit except for the food. It’s unfortunate that the tourist fare is so dominant as Turkish food is vibrant and delicious. I hope you find a good restaurant or two.
Phil & Michaela
Since we posted we’ve found exactly that….everything we love about Turkish food, all in one place. More on that to follow!
Helen Devries
That driver reminds me of father’s description of ‘Gone with the wind’….depart with a fart.
Fethiye must be hell in high season, but lovely now.
Phil & Michaela
Depart with a fart…..love it! 😂
Toonsarah
You’re selling out-of-season Fethiye very well, but like you we would hate it in the summer I’m sure! I’d love the views from above, and it’s quite a while since I’ve been in a proper chair-lift, so that would be fun, but I’m not sure I’d brave the paragliding – did you? The last paragraph made me laugh – it will be a while before you forget that ride!
Phil & Michaela
We haven’t….and Michaela doesn’t want to. But I’m still thinking, it’s now or never…
Heyjude
Oh, my! It was all going so well until the end. Looking at the photo of the chair lift made me a bit weak at the knees, I can’t quite believe I have ridden on something that looks quite that flimsy. You make out-of-season Fethiye look good – the views at least. Though it does sound like somewhere my granddaughters would enjoy in season a lot more than me. And you. How do you pick these places? Stick a pin in a map? See what the cheapest airfare is?
Phil & Michaela
Ah well. In this instance, it was just that it was a bit of Turkey which we missed out on our 2020 trip…and would offer some late year sunshine. And there were certain things we were craving after Africa…an apartment (our own space) with a view, being top of the list.
Heyjude
I agree with having your own space. Do you use Airbnb, or some other company?
Phil & Michaela
Airbnb, booking.com and occasionally an independent on the internet.
Christie
I really hope the ride was nice and smooth, at least – after the driver settled his needs out loud🤣🤣
A beautiful place Fethiye, the mountains and the crystal clear water look fantastic!
Phil & Michaela
It’s very lovely, Christie..but in our book better now than while the hordes are here.