Sarigerme

Holidays to Sarigerme set you down in the middle of a protected national park, with 12 kilometres of beach, kiteboarding and traditional tavernas on hand.

One to watch

As far as resorts go, Sarigerme is a bit of a late starter. Set on the southwest Turkish coast where the Aegean Sea meets the Med, it’s only fairly recently that this little place figured out just what it’s got. A handy spot just 12 kilometres from lively Dalaman for starters. Not to mention a great village centre that comes up trumps for traditional tavernas. And the 12-kilometre beach hasn’t lost it any Brownie points, either.

Sandy beach

The long, sandy stretch here is part of a National Park Conservation Area, so you’ll need to pay a small fee to use it – but that gets you loos, showers and a shady picnic area at the back. There’s also a café, and a mini zoo for the kids. Activity-wise, the place is prime territory for kiteboarding. And while you’re lazing in the sun, you might want to spare a thought for the ancient city of Physilis – it’s buried beneath your sunbed, apparently.

Easy day trips

Thirty minutes’ drive gets you to the ancient port of Kaunos. What you’ve got here is a huge archaeological site stacked with ruined baths, fountains and a whopper of an amphitheatre. Close by you can also clap your eyes on one of the region’s must-see sights – 6 temple-like tombs carved into the rock face.