Below is a brief review from www.wordtravels.com combined with my input gives you enough information to know if this is the type of holiday you’re looking for.OverviewLike Bodrum and Kusadasi, its neighbours on Turkey’s south Aegean Coast, Altinkum is heavily frequented by British holiday package tourists, but unlike these other frenetic resorts Altinkum is small and quiet, making it perfect for families with young children and those seeking a relaxed, easy-going beach holiday. The resort town’s main attraction are its three long sandy beaches, that stretch from the small harbour at one end of a gently shelving bay to a rocky cliff at the other end. Little wonder that the name Altinkum means ‘golden sands’. In this resort devoted to leisure and pleasure, lazy days on the beach, perhaps indulging in some watersports, are the order of the day, while night time is spent trying out the laid back restaurants and bars, many of them serving up British fare and named for familiar English landmarks. Those with a yen for sightseeing will find Altinkum perfectly placed to visit two major ancient sites, the Temple of Apollo at Didyma and the vast Roman ruins at Ephesus.Interesting and EducationalShoppingHolidaymakers should brush up on their haggling skills as shopping opportunities abound along the pedestrianised seafront of Altinkum, which is packed with souvenir shops, jewellery stores and boutiques selling copies of designer clothing. The main centre is Dolphin Square, and there is a modern shopping complex called the Didyma Shopping Mall not far away. Self-caterers will find all the provisions they need at the three main supermarkets, Carrefore, Gima and Migros, between the seafront and town centre. I would definately recommend a trip to the local undercover Saturday Market. It is situated a little out of town, easily reached by bus, with a vast choice of textiles, spices, fruit, veg and a variety of delicious consumables.RestaurantsAltinkum is bursting with good restaurants serving most forms of international cuisine, although Turkish and traditional English predominates to cater to the demand of holidaymakers. Most restaurant menus indicate prices in Sterling, and many are even willing to accept Pounds in payment. With such a feast of eateries it is difficult to single out any particular establishment, but for the best of British it is hard to beat Ali Babas for friendliness, price and quality. Barneys Restaurant prides itself in introducing visitors to the delights of Turkish cuisine. For a family group or party of varied tastes opt for The Grand Restaurant in Dolphin Square, where the menu consists of Turkish, Indian, Chinese and English dishes, all of high standard. I have eaten at this particular Resaurant with my two teenage son’s and found it to be of a very good standard both in food quality and service. Another Restaurant I would personally recommend is a relatively new one called ‘Meandros Village’ (Koy Sofras) an open air restaurant, though in the winter you would dine inside. Inside or out they provide high quality in food presentation with excellent service, though there isn’t as much choice as many of the other Restaurants. This restaurant can be found on the new Marina Road heading towards The Apollo Temple and oposite the Asem Sales Office. Many of the Restaurants will collect you from your Hotel or Apartment if you pre-book which wont cost you a penny, apart from your meal of course. So, if you’ve seen a particular Restaurant while you’ve been out during the day that you’d like to try out in the evening, pop in and ask them if they do free Taxi service. As there are so many Restaurants who want you to eat at their establishement you can even sometimes barter with the management or waiters by asking to let one of your children eat free so then you will agree to eat there!Recommended for quality and serviceNightlifeWhile it is not as rowdy as the major Turkish holiday resorts, those who wish to indulge will find plenty of after-dark entertainment and fun in Altinkum, where nightlife is centred mainly in Dolphin Square and in the bars along the sea front promenade. Everything from disco dancing, karaoke and belly-dancing to bingo and pool is on offer, the entertainment fuelled by cheap drinks and cocktails. Clubbers are catered for during the height of the summer season at Medusa, an open-air night club that is regarded as Altinkum’s most hectic party point. Another hot favourite for young people is the Dolphin Bar or Cheers where the Bar men entertain the punters with their amazing dancing (even I love to watch them!). Some Clubs allow young children up until 9pm but you’ll never be stuck for anything to do in the evenings.Thursday Night is Turkish NightActivitiesThere are sunbeds and umbrellas aplenty for holidaymakers to rent on Altinkum’s lovely beaches, where the turquoise waters shelve gently allowing for safe bathing. Those who are more energetic can try their hand at windsurfing, jet-skiing, pedaloes, a banana boat ride or perhaps a scuba diving lesson: all these activities and more are available on the beaches. A variety of tours, boat trips and excursions to surrounding resorts, towns and historic sites are available, or visitors can hop on a dolmus (mini-bus) and explore on their own places like the Roman ruins at Ephesus, the Pamukkale spas and calcium deposits, or the lively resorts of Kusadasi and Bodrum. Please don’t forget to indulge yourself in a Turkish Bath before you start sunbathing as this will enhance the tanning process.To the right of and in between the main beach and 3rd beach stands a Fun Fair called Luna Park which is a must for a family with young children for evening entertainment.Altinkum Fun Fair.Kusadasi has an enormous aqua park called Adaland. A great day out for all the family. We tried it in May during the school holiday and found it was not overcrowded at all like I expected. The last thing I would have wanted was to be queuing in the sun at 35 degrees, yet the longest time I waited for a ride was around 10 mins. The only thing I didn’t rate was the food as there was only one area open and it was just burgers or hotdogs and it was very difficult to find an ice-cream too. The Dolphin show was very entertaining and there was an oportunity for some people who could afford the 80 euros to swim with the dolphins after the show. I would definately go there again though might take a packed lunch. If you didn’t want to venture out that far, as Kusadasi is around 1hr 30 mins drive away, there is a great Water Park in Didim and only a short bus ride away, and although it is much smaller I have only heard good reports of fun, fun and more fun!Swim off the boat in the crystal clear waters.A great Family day outThe latest addition to Altinkum in the summer of 2009 was the long awaited opening of Didim Marina. It offers shops, supermarket, cafes and a Yacht Club. It is accessable by taxi, on foot or by dolmus bus.Shopping CentreThe long awaited Didim MarinaLovely view of some gorgeous looking yachts.NegativesDuring the local Turkish summer break in August, Altinkum is a favourite destination and can become rather overcrowded. Visitors should also be aware that temperatures can be extremely high in the height of summer and can sometimes reach into the high 40’s. Altinkum means 'Golden Sands'Well I think this covers the majority of information that is required on what to expect from Altinkum, though if you feel there is anything else you would like to add that readers might like to hear about please leave your comment as any input would be good.
Altinkum Review Update | Holidays Uncovered – ReviewsI’ve had some good comments about my first Altinkum post so I’m adding more information about the Town for a more in-depth review.Altinkum is set on a spectacular geographical part of the world. It is 200 km south from the Turkey’s third largest city, Izmir; 73 km from Kusadasi and 110 km from Bodrum, which are the two most important tourist resorts of the country.The BeachThe name Altinkum means “Golden Sand” and relates to the popular superb beaches. The beaches slope gently and are safe for families with children, they are just as appealing to those just wanting to unwind, take it easy and work on their tans. The beach wraps round the picturesque Altinkum Bay forming two beaches one at either end of the town. There are plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas for hire and at very reasonable rates too, though you will need to get there early to reserve the best places. Go for a paddle or a swim in the calm sparkling blue waters where you will also find a large assortment of watersports both ends of the beach; Windsurfing, Jet Skis, Banana Boat Ride, and for those less energetic, Pedalos.There is also an array of restaurants along the whole length of the beach giving you much choice for lunch and a possibility to choose and book your venue for the evening meal and entertainment in advance. Some restaurants will have a FREE taxi service to collect you from your apartment and bring you to their restaurant. Now that can’t be bad!LocalsThe people in Altinkum are warm, great fun and very friendly. You will find the locals mixing in with the tourists and walking along the prom where it gets noisy at night with karaoke bars etc. There are great restaurants, some cheap, some not so cheap, where you can converse with the locals and also other tourists. All in all, Altinkum is a very good holiday destination with lots of friendly people. Most people return to the resort as there is not enough time to see it all on your first holiday.HistoryAccording to myth, after God created man, he shook off the scrap clay from his hands and the pieces of clay fell on the Aegean Sea. The islands and shores of this region are so inspiring because they have been created from the same clay as man. With its thousands of islands of which some are not even shown on the maps and with its curved shores, the Aegean Sea couldn’tpossibly be described in a better way! This mythical sea surrounds the Altinkum beaches. Have you ever seen a forest of stone? We are not talking about rocks in mountain areas, but a man-made stone forest. If you’d like to see it, then come to Didim and visit the Temple of Apollo. Those columns erected by people who lived 7-8 centuries before Christ and who did not yet know how to mix sand, pebbles and cement to make plaster, have been standing almost for 3000 years. You will surely experience one of the most special moments of your life, because at that moment, you will not only be in a foreign country, surrounded by foreign people but also you will be standing in a place shared by different civilisations for 3000 years. And from that moment on you are one of those who shared it. You are in the third greatest temple of the ancient world. That temple is the architectural twin of the Artemision, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Artemision is no more there to see, but the Temple of Apollo still exists with all its majesty. The temple was the oracles centre so the name of the city comes from this characteristic, as Didim means in antiquity, the place where oracles are told. There is also the snake-adored head of Medusa and delicate carvings which has been there for thousands of years.Late Night GrubI’ll let you into a little secret! I know of a place we call the ‘Soup Kitchen’ (Alo 24), it is located opposite the Gima Supermarket on the road out of town. Try it, especially after 3:00 am when the bars are closed, it has to be the busiest place in town, the food is fantastic and costs pennies. Trust me on this one but don’t all rush at once, it’s only a small cafe but it will sort out your late night munchies! Recommend; Cheesey Bread, Pidda (Pizza cut diagonally), Brain Soup (sheeps actually) and last but by no means least the best Kebab meat in Town. And there you have it!Getting AroundGetting around in Altinkum is quite easy; there are regular Buses/Dolmus that will take you to the boundaries of Altinkum and Didim, and Taxi ranks are based on the most popular street corners and areas. Then there’s the offer of free lifts from just about every bar and restaurant in town and finally walking from one end of Altinkum to the other would only take you 30 minutes at most. The buses are quite small though they are a cheap means of travel and will often stop and let you on or off almost anywhere.However, Car Hire and Tourists driving in Turkey is becoming more and more popular by the day. And in fact it is almost impossible to get lost outside of Altinkum as long as you have a general idea of what’s North and what’s South you can see why Car Hire is on the up. Some people hire a car to travel away from the tourist areas to explore the small Turkish Villages where they will experience the true Turkish Culture. I do believe here is an excursion which can be booked with the travel agent to take small groups to a Turkish Village where you can have a look around their homes and drink their Turkish Tea and eat their Turkish delicasies too!There are many places in and around Altinkum to hire a car; from one day or up to one or two weeks if you didn’t get one at the airport. Rental prices are amongst the cheapest in the Med at the moment, but don’t expect the same type of vehicle or service as you would get in say Florida or Portugal because you won’t get it! Most Car Hire companies are run by bar owners and renting the use of the ’second car’ is quite common. Considering that the state of the roads in and about Altinkum aren’t exactly ’smooth’ you can probably see why rental companies don’t go all out to buy the high class Mercedes or Sporty Volkswagon Golf that you will be expecting. Although saying that, over the past year or so I notice that everytime I return to Altinkum there’s another new road surface. So, gradually, things are improving in many ways. The road down to the new Marina is coming along ok, though it wasn’t quite finished when I visited in April this year, but I guess like most things in Turkey, they’ll get there in the end!Some Car Hire companies do have new cars and some do have real insurance agreements. Make sure you check out your rental agreement before signing it and don’t forget to haggle!Recommended RestaurantsAli BabaA nice friendly place with a fun atmosphere. Near to Dolphin Square this restaurant can get busy in the summer peak periods.Alo 24(as mentioned earlier)Newly refurbished and one of the oldest restaurants in town. Great Turkish food and an excellent after hours delivery service. This place never shuts – Alo 24, open 24 hours!Altinkum RestaurantUsed to be Brother’s Restaurant: new owners but very popular figures in Altinkum. Excellent food and good size meals. A bit on the pricy side but you pay for quality.Arti CafeNice little cafe up on Ataturk Boulevard. A bit far out but great for the residents and tourists up by the Supermarkets. A meeting place for residents in the Winter and has a varied menu and occasional entertainment.Big Ben RestaurantLarge, family oriented restaurant. Varied menu with Italian, English, Indian and Turkish food. Good service, reasonable prices and an excellent position.BulvarA good restaurant with some good word of mouth reviews. The food is OK as indicated by the low prices but the friendliness of the staff is excellent. I can personally recommend it after having eaten there on one or two occasions.Cafe MorSituated on the main Boulevard this Top Notch Restaurant is always fully booked. You will need to pre-book and unfortunately they don’t offer free Taxi service. Food is excellent (I know, as I’ve been back so many times now) and the staff are very welcoming and professional. Great Wine Selection if you’re into wine.Cafe del MarOn the Sea front just off Dolphin Square. Excellent position, good food and good service. Reasonably priced. Great to eat here as the sun is setting as I have done on a few occasions. See pictures below.CircusAn Italian Bistro, nestled in the busy nightlife of Attaturk Boulevard, close to the beach area and not far from Valentines and on the same side. I recall I had great service (with a smile) and delicious food (not to mention the gorgious waiters!).Dolunay RestaurantFantastic position, elegant surroundings, professional staff and a large menu. The ‘Fried Ice Cream’ is a speciality but you do need to be adventurous to go for this one.Elaine’s ChippyBest Chippy in Town! Fish, cakes, mushy peas, pies, cornish pasties, Sausage, pots of tea and Turkish lessons… you can’t beat it. Almost home from home if you disregard the Turkish lessons!Funky ForestFor the true English/Scottish food lover! Same owners since 1997 Theresa & Hasan, clients return year after year for the homemade steak pies, Sunday Lunches (orders taken in advance due to the high number of requests) and of course, the apple pie and custard. Scottish/Turkish owned, so most orders can be fulfilled if you just ask! A sandwich pack and flask refill for the airport or day trips can also be ordered. Good food at very reasonable prices. This bar is also happy to collect parties who wish to dine, so you can see why it’s one of the most rated places and has been voted the no. 1 bar in Altinkum.Great Chinese RestaurantA small, family run restaurant. Wonderful food, great service and very good prices. All meals are freshly prepared to order. This restaurant survives on word of mouth advertising and has been in business for many years. Very popular with the regular Altinkum visitor, so book early in high season as it gets very busy.PanoramaA gem of a café. Fantastic chef, great prices, wonderful service and a lovely view of the sea, what more could you want! Try an ice cold drink in an iced glass on a hot sunny day and you may never leave this bar! The barbecue on the beach evening is also very special, with great food and good fun. Remember to book in advance, as it gets very busy in high season.Penguin Cafe BarSituated on the Third Beach; The staff make you feel especially welcome at this beach side restaurant. The owner Ali will arrange free transport to and from your hotel/apartment if you dine here. Food reasonably priced, good menu for a beach café.Pinnochio’s RestaurantLooks good from the outside and doesn’t fail to deliver on the inside. One of the most popular restaurants in town and in an excellent position directly on the main beach.Secret Spice HouseOn the same spot as the old Garden of Sun; same chefs and a good and varied Iandian, Chinese and International menu.The Four Seasons Restaurant This Restaurant has one of the best views in Turkey! The food is good, the prices are fair and the staff are very friendly. Good family restaurant.The GrandExcellent restaurant with fantastic food. Choose from Turkish, English, Indian and some Chinese. The food never fails to impress and a good price for it’s central location.Meandros (new open air restaurant on the Marina Road)Recommended for quality and serviceThis restaurant has a wonderfull relaxed atmosphere about it. The Themed Entrance displays replica Ancient Pillars and there’s plenty of space for eating outside so is great for families with children. Not much variety compared to other Restaurants, though there’s some ‘English food’ for fussy children. Good quality food, excellent service and a very reasonable price.That’s it for now. I’ll leave you to ‘digest’ this info and maybe I’ll do a review on the Tourist Excursions around Altinkum in a future post.
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