Akyaka and the bay of Gökova

With its rugged backdrop of awe inspiring mountains, surrounding acres of pine forests, crystal clear freshwater river and streams, abundant flower filled gardens and exquisite luxury villas featuring Ottoman style architecture, Akyaka is a favourite destination and is just a fifty minute drive from Dalaman airport. In spite of its recent growth, Akyaka remains both scenically stunning and relatively unspoilt, perhaps one of its advantages is that this is not a summer resort shutting down as soon as the last visitors depart, but a real working village where fishing and farming exist alongside tourism, where the camels are not available to ride as they are too busy carrying the crops from the fields, where the shops and restaurants stay open 12 months of the year to satisfy the demands of the locals and where the character of the village is very firmly imprinted.

Many city dwelling Turks have chosen Akyaka for their holiday vıllas and great conservation efforts have been made to ensure that all these buildings are constructed in the traditional style with pantiled roofs and intricately carved wooden ceilings and verandas, an interesting contrast to the usual Mediterranean style of architecture. Both the Yucelen Hotel and the Ottoman Mansion are perfect examples of this local architecture as is Villa Edahan situated just outside the village in the small hamlet of Ataköy. In July and August the village is buzzing with many Turks taking up residence and the beaches are busier. Out of the high season months the village is quieter.

The village has numerous food shops and a village bakery which bakes delicious crusty bread. A permanent fruit and vegetable market ensures you have the best choice of locally grown fruit. There is an excellent choice of restaurants ranging from specialist kebab makers and family run restaurants to the slightly more sophisticated riverside restaurants where fresh water trout is offered alongside a selection of delicious bream, bass and mullet. The wide sandy beach with its constant cooling breeze is ideal for children as it is shallow for some way out, beach side restaurants provide the ideal lunch venue and beds and sun umbrellas are plentiful; alternatively cross over the rickety wooden bridge to the plain and you have yet another beach; snorkelling enthusiasts will enjoy the rocky coastline bordering the forest whilst the sunbathers can relax on the small platforms cut into the rock face. The shingle beach at Çinar is just a five minute taxi ride away, surrounded by pine trees, pink oleander and with a fresh water stream cutting the beach in half there are few places so naturally beautiful. Sundays are always busy on the beach as the local Mugla citizens come to picnic. There is an extremely comprehensive tour programme available from the village.

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