Belek

Belek sits on the Mediterranean coast in the south of Turkey. Belek is only 25 miles east of the bustling resort of Antalya, which is far enough away to have its own sense of quiet and tranquillity.

Belek was built in the early eighties to capitalise on its natural resources and is now a dedicated tourist resort with large all inclusive holiday villages and four and five star international luxury hotels.

The three main attractions at Belek are its golf facilities, its beach and the relaxing atmosphere. Families really don’t come to Belek to find culture or to expand their mind - although if you feel the need to do this it is quite handy for some of the major sites in the area. Families come here to relax and enjoy the sun, sea and shingly sand from their luxury all-inclusive hotels.

If you and your family like golf then Belek is the place to stay. There are ten 18-hole championship golf courses within 10 minutes of the main resort hotels and we believe that there are other courses in the planning.

The beach which runs along the entire length of Belek is made up of sand and shingle and can be a bit difficult to walk on, so it would be wise to buy either flip flops or swimming shoes for the younger ones. For younger families just check the depth of the water before swimming further out as it can shelve quite quickly in some parts.

Shopping in Belek is quite expensive, with many shops selling designer clothes. However, some shops do sell counterfeit clothes which masquerade as the real thing. Predominately the shops in Belek are not really interested in pazarlik (bargaining or haggling) but on a Saturday things change as a massive market comes to town where you can pazarlik your little heart away.

Things to look out for are embroidery, leathers, pottery, copper and other locally hand crafted goods. To get a good deal you need to pazarlik. The best technique is to start round about 50% and eventually settle close to 75% of the original asking price - this way you look as if you know how to haggle.

Many of the all-inclusive hotels have kids clubs which is great for keeping them entertained when you just want to relax. For the more mature children, depending on how sporty or active they are, there are a wide variety of things to keep them occupied, including tennis, horse riding and cycling.

Further afield there is the Troy Aqua Park which has various waterslides and rides which you and your children will love. Or if you fancy the real thing go to the Koprulu Canyon National Park and do white water rafting – the ultimately “fit family” activity.

Further afield is Antalya which offers a great choice of shops, restaurants and cafes. Other places to consider visiting are Side, Alanya and the Damlatas Caves.