By Chris Evans
I was recently speaking to friends in the UK. They had seen the stories suggesting Turkiye is the cheapest summer holiday destination. Could I advise them of the best place to visit for a couple of weeks over the summer?
The requirements were complicated by them being a family of four with very different ideas of what they each wanted from a holiday. Dad wanted to sit by the pool relaxing for two weeks, son wanted water sports and other things to keep him entertained, daughter needed her hit of history and culture. Mum would be happy seeing them all have the holiday they wished for, and a little time to relax herself. Mums are great like that. They always seem to put everyone else first.
They had heard of the major tourist hotspots such as Bodrum, Fethiye, and Marmaris. This is where my imagination kicked in. The tourist centres are great and could tick the required boxes, but do they offer the best of what can be experienced in Turkiye?
My solution was simple. Didim and the surrounding areas offer all they wanted. It’s also far cheaper than the well-known holiday destinations.
We have Appollon Temple and Miletus on our doorstep. They, undoubtedly, tick the history and culture box. Priene also makes for a worthwhile day trip.
Sitting by the pool, or on the beach, for the entire holiday is easy. Hotels ranging from the marina to those dotted throughout our piece of the world offer poolside holidays.
As for the beaches, we are truly blessed. We have some of the most beautiful bays in the world, ranging from Sagtur to Altinkum to Third Beach, and many more besides. There are plenty of opportunities for playing in and on the water. Two more boxes ticked.
What would make Mum happy? She’d certainly be able to relax. There are a plethora of restaurants catering to every dietary requirement removing those eating out issues. Mavisehir night market, Saturday, Wednesday, and Monday markets offer a shopping experience they certainly wouldn’t see in the UK.
We haven’t even mentioned the shops, amphitheatre, or multitude of events going on in the area throughout the summer. Even I was surprised to realise how vibrant our community is, and I’ve lived here for a while now.
There are factors that work against Didim as a holiday destination. We’re further away from airports than other tourist destinations. However, we aren’t that far away.
We are not registering on the knowledge scale of many holiday tour operators. The previous mayor, and the current mayoress, have made huge strides in attempting to rectify this.
The pandemic didn’t help, but we are seeing the recovery in global tourism this summer. Hopefully, Didim and surrounding areas will see the benefit of this as it has so much to offer. Guests can even help walk the dogs at the shelter several times a week. Didim really offers something for everyone.
We frequently pride ourselves on being the undiscovered corner of Turkiye, but we need our summer visitors to invigorate the local community to the benefit of us all. It wasn’t difficult for me to recommend Didim as a holiday destination for my friends. Whether the prospect of seeing me is enough to put them off, only time will tell.