The Turkish Daily News has scoped out a handful of family getaways off the beaten path to suit everyone from wholesome beachcombers to thrill-seekers. Stay on seaside farms serving food grown on the property and kayak to underwater
KRISTEN STEVENS
The kids' legs are bouncing up and down as long hot summer days are already wearing on you. The city, the neighborhood and the neighbor are messing with your head. It's time to plan an escape route – one the kids will love enough to let you recline.When fleeing the noise and stress of city living, more and more people are considering ways to give back to the land and local economy as a natural extension of the relaxation they seek. Eco-tourism has quickly become a fundamental element of the travel industry, growing by 20 to 30 per cent every year since the 1990s, according to the International Eco-tourism Society. In the last few years, it has grown three times as fast as regular tourism. This is Turkey, a garden of holiday choices. Where to turn for a place that isn't more of the same: crowds, heat, buildings and asphalt? Finding alternative seaside villages and hillside hideaways calls for a little common sense and research. Below are some that please both locals and guests.
Local comfort, the Lycian way
With a pioneering attitude, Gürbüz and Anthea host guests of the Black Tree Farm Cottages with charm and environmental savvy. Set high in a village 12 km south of the Ölüdeniz resort in the foothills of Babadağ, a restored 18th century farmhouse and charming cottages make the most of Lycia's breathtaking Mediterranean beauty. Beneath these limestone heights crouch deserted coves, once anchorage for pilgrims en route to the Holy Land. The nine cottages sleep from 2-7 people and have fully equipped open-plan kitchens. Individual patios give way to fields and horizons that meet the sea. The communal farmhouse is used by passing hikers and kids who prefer some freedom from their parents – or vice versa. With horses, mountain bikes or ponies to ride, children's video room, rabbits and geese, the place appeals to families especially. Kitchen gardens supply the bar and restaurant (open all day) with organic vegetables, and the menu is child-friendly. Local Lycian sites of Xanthos, Pinara, Letoon and Tlos are all within easy reach. Several isolated beaches are below and a 2-hour walk winds down to Butterfly Valley by way of Ölüdeniz.
The pottery room provides local clay and the use of an authentic Turkish pottery wheel. An old Turkish bath has been fully restored and the tennis court is new. The farm uses totally organic products and burns most of the refuse, which in turn heats the water.
Getting there
Thirty minutes south of the Ölüdeniz resort, Black Tree Farm Cottage Holidays is 2 hours from Dalaman airport / Ölüdeniz, Fethiye (0252) 617 0045 www.blacktree.net
Set sail on a “green” cruise
A little further south in the Mediterranean town of Kaş it is a simple matter to charter a gulet, a traditional wooden sailing boat. The captain charts your course and meals are prepared for you, leaving plenty of time for visiting local fishing villages and swimming in quiet bays. By joining a group sail, families can share costs and make new friends.
Getting there
Eco-friendly company Responsible Travel connects only with sailing outfits that care for the environment and local people. A typical 7-day trip includes flying into Dalyan and kayaking near Kaş; taking a glass-bottomed boat to Kekova and a jeep trip into countryside; and a sailing on a gulet. www.responsibletravel.com
Responsible Travel
From “green” resorts to adventure treks, Responsible Travel offers dozens of other high quality holidays in Turkey for families. The UK-based organization has a mission to provide holidays that support local people and the environment. A pioneer in responsible tourism, the company supports international charities working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and their ecosystem.
Yuva Eco Holiday Center
Yuva means home or nest in Turkish, and Atilla refers to his family-run Yuva Eco Holiday Center as a ‘nest' of sustainable living, combining traditional lifestyles, organic gardening, renewable energy, environmentally conscious tourism and healing arts. The nearby Ölüdeniz Lagoon contains enzymes believed to contain healing properties. Vegetarian meals recover flavors and aromas of traditional country cuisine prepared by cooks from different regions of Turkey. Family week includes holistic yoga, dance and nutrition – from July 28 to August 4. All summer guests can take part in yoga classes free of charge on a platform built over the sea. Come nightfall, the Milky Way lights up the sky.
Getting there
Located in the village of Faralya, 14km from the town of Fethiye. The nearest Airport is Dalaman (one and half-hours). +44 (0)1760 755888 yuva@vegiventures.com www.yuvaholidays.com
Pastoral Valley Organic Eco Farm
Pioneering eco-tourism on his organic farm, Ahmet Kezin, an architect-environmentalist, provides simple but attractive cabins, several made from the local adobe-style mud brick. In Yanıklar Village near Fethiye, the farm occupies 42,000 sq.m. in a valley surrounded by pine forests and bordering a river. All foods not actually grown on our farm are sourced from other local growers. If guests wish they can be involved in work on the farm, or take part in workshops based on local culture and handicrafts like kilim weaving, simple clay pottery making, basket making or producing a range of traditional preserves such as jams and pickles. Kids can learn to bake bread or börek. All food, drinks and snacks plus anything created in the free workshops is included in the single price of accommodation.
Yoga and tree house workshops for kids
The shady "tree house" is the workshop where kids build totums, kites and model planes and paint or read. All summer, guests can participate in basic Yoga exercises free of charge.
It's located in the Kocabük district of Yaniklar, 40 km. from Dalaman Airport. Minibuses run from Fethiye to Yaniklar every 15 minutes. Pastoral Valley is 3 km. from the center of the village. Yemisli Mah. Kocabük Mevki, Yaniklar Köyü, 48300 Fethiye / Muğla / (0252) 633 6627 www.pastoralvadi.com info@pastoralvadi.com
Yonca Lodge
Set in an orchard in Yaniklar, Yonca Lodge is a family-owned pension fronted by a beach. They also serve organic vegetarian food. As part of a village-wide effort to boost eco-tourism, locals and tourists are encouraged to preserve the natural environment and pension guests are free to take part in activities at the Pastoral Valley farm. Yaniklar Köyü / Fethiye (0252) 633 6177 www.yoncalodge.com
http://turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=107629
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