Catie, Author at following the funks

TURKEY: Sailing Along Turkey’s Mediterranean Coastline

July 28, 2020July 28, 20202016, 2020, TRAVEL WRITING, TRAVELS, TURKEY Catie

Quick Note: Being in Kalkan the last couple of weeks has made me reminisce about our FIRST sailing trip we took our FIRST week living in Turkey (September 2016). We actually stayed on the sailboat in this little Kalkan town’s marina! What a fun opportunity to be here again with Sofia and our friends seeing some of some places FOUR years later! I hope you enjoy reminiscing with me!

Also, this article was first featured first in the Lale Magazine May/June 2018 (Pg. 8-11) – Sailing Along the Mediterranean Coastline

Sailing along the coast of Turkey may have been one of the best vacations my husband, Jason, and I have ever taken. With our ‘want to see every site’ wife married to the ‘one city is enough’ husband, we finally found a travel mode that suited both of our needs.

As we neared the marina, I was excited and had a fear of the unknown simultaneously. Jason summed it up thus, “This could either be a really great idea or a terrible one.” Although I agreed, I leaned more towards the optimistic side, and somehow knew this was a perfect way for us to celebrate his birthday.

Our small flotilla consisted of 3 yachts. Two narrow eight passenger premier yachts, that leaned into the wind when sailing, were equipped with double cabins. The cabins had bunk or double beds and at least two communal bathrooms.

The larger, spacious catamaran held eight passengers. The private quarters had a double bed and bathroom. Each yacht had a large kitchen, a communal lounge, and spacious decks for sunbathing.

Our week started with the rules, an overview of sailing protocols, and a review of our itinerary. Since we were all adults, our skippers sped through the details knowing we were anxious to get on the water and experience what sailing was all about.

Our yacht left the marina and quietly slipped out into the quiet sea leaving the hustle and bustle of city life behind. Soon, after our group soaked in the first sites and experiences of our new adventure in the Mediterranean, we all quickly became like old friends reuniting back together, instead of strangers. There’s truth in the saying that experiences together with others will bring people, known and unknown, closer together.

Our soft-spoken and likeable skipper proved to be a skilled teacher. With the choppy water, sailing wasn’t always a viable option, so the majority of the time we had to use the engines.

I quickly abandoned my dream of being silently driven by the wind, and settled for a book and the sun on our first day.

We all rapidly adapted to sea life. Our anchoring and docking skills shined as we assisted the skipper with the more menial sailing tasks. In unison, our group worked to tie the ropes which releases and retrieves the sail to push us one way or the other. We soon realizing how much there is to learn about wind and sailing. But the skipper still made sure we all had a chance to ‘take the helm.’

Our days on the boat were surprisingly serene. With nowhere to go, you’re forced to enjoy the water, sun, and the passing coastline. We noted the change from forest to bush to the rocks that descended straight into the sea. Other boats sailed by further off, respecting the unspoken rules of sailing on the open seas.

In the mornings we dipped into the chilly water, cooled from the sunless nights. Our breakfast was self-serve and minimal. Halfway through the day our skipper, who also served as our chef, would surprise us with some creative lunch that we would enjoy in between our midday sea explorations. Personal snacks and drinks were welcome on board. We always ended up in a marina in the late afternoon and we ate dinner on dry land. No matter how much we consumed during the day, everyone was starving again by the time we landed at the marina.

Our days went like this. Each day we sailed from one coastal town to the next, the evenings free for exploring the nearest cities by the marinas. The stopovers in the coastal villages allowed us time to browse the many bazaars and markets.

One evening we moored in a secluded cove accessible only by the sailors. Snorkeling in this secluded bay revealed waters packed with sea life and the ever popular sea turtles. This location has gained traction over the years and is now popular enough to boast a large open-air covered restaurant.

This little oasis along the miles of uninhabited rocky coastline provides solid ground for wobbling first-time sailors to enjoy hearty Turkish casserole dishes, the local ‘catch of the day,’ and even wild hog hunted in the forest. After cruising all say, our dinner followed the Turkish customs, starting after sunset and visiting well into the night, with live music wafting from the background.

Our group never lacked things to do when we docked at the thriving Turkish fishing villages. Lazier options include strolling on the pristine beaches or partaking of amenities like the hammam—a traditional Turkish bath. Alternatively, we could opt to simply sit at a local bar and enjoy the golden sunset, cocktail in hand.

More active activities found us sloshing through the river and healing mud of a nearby gorge or hiking through world-famous UNESCO sites. Another day, we explored a ‘ghost town,’ deserted since 1927, where we meandered through thousands of dilapidated stone homes.

Sailing is like a road trip on the water. Instead of stopping off at a park or a truck stop, you can do activities such as snorkeling and paddle boards, while cooling off from the summer heat, or if we felt energetic, taking a hike.

Patara Beach = Photo Credit: Eric Rowell

Championship yachtsman, K. Adlard Coles once said, “Our voyage had commenced, and at last we were away, gliding through the clean water, past the reeds. Care was lifted from our shoulders, for we were free from advice, pessimism, officialism, heat and hot air.” Sailing on the Turkish Coast lifts the cares and burdens from your life and takes you far away from what worries you.

As Ratty states in the book Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame: There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of ’em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you’d much better not.

And from our experience at sea, I couldn’t agree more.

Now to you:

Have you been sailing before?
If so, where did you go?
Have you sailed in Turkey?
What was your experience like?

I’m so curious to know! Let me know in the comments below!

TURKEY RESORTS : Marti Resort in Marmaris – Içmeler

July 15, 2020July 15, 20202020, HOLIDAY, HOTEL, TRAVELS, TURKEY Catie

*** Pre-note: As I wrote over on my Top 10 tips for choosing an All-Inclusive Resort in Turkey post, all hotels are required to abide by strict rules for reopening and hosting guests. Please visit the Marti Resort de Luxe website for this information.

Location:

Just a 10 minutes drive south from Marmaris along the Mediterranean coast, the 5 star Marti Resort de Luxe sits in a pine tree-covered bay. The cove is home to the small town of Içmeler, and if your goal is the enjoy quiet, more relaxed vacation, this is your go-to area. Even though the city is known for the more peaceful atmosphere, the area is not lacking when it comes diverse restaurants, souvenir shops, and local markets. Visitors can choose from Steakhouses, Italian Pasta and Pizzeria, Chinese, and several Indian restaurants.

The hotel with its peaks tower design extending from the roof is hard to miss from the seaside, but the slow ascending hills and well-placed towering trees hide the private entrance from view. Since we came by car, we passed the gate a few times by mistake. The resort creates a slight semi-circle arching into the hillside. The pools and recreation areas strategically guide guests towards the many pool areas and eventually the reserve area on the beach.

Most of the Marmaris hotels were built within the last 30 years, which means they fell under the government tree protection law. Established in 1969, Marti surpassed the tree rule being one of the first hotels in the area built 50 years ago but worked to retain as many trees as possible. In addition, the resort has continued to plant more trees throughout the grounds replacing any destroyed trees.

As we arrived, we were greeted warmly in English by a staff member who has worked with Marti for almost 20 years. Curious but polite, he led us to the check-in counter and then later on to our rooms. Throughout our stay, I found the staff not only greeting the guests kindly but also found their interactions with one another to be that of family. One of the staff members has been working with the hotel since it first opened and everyone seemed to have great respect for him.

The entrance of the hotel does not boast the size of the hotel. As you enter through a castle-like tower, guests must walk under the two ascending staircases that curve along the wall to the second floor. Cool, refreshing lemonade is offered upon arrival near the sitting area. The check-in is tucked to the left corner, adequate for the size but not overbearing.

Rooms:

The 280 room resort provides several types of accommodations ranging from 40-200 meters: garden access rooms, standard rooms, ironically only two 1-bedroom Sultan Suites, a few 2-bedroom suites for families, and duplexes with a balcony area. Most of the hotel rooms are accessible from an outside hallway facing the mountain-view, but opposite the room is the sea-view balconies. The view from the sea-side rooms of the Marti Resort is better than any you can get in Marmaris. As well, each room comes with a sitting area for extra room and comfort.

With over 31,000 meters of space, guests enjoys a variety of sitting areas, both inside and out in the shade or sun. Guests have the option of over 1333 meters of the outdoor pool, indoor heated pool or a children’s pool. Otherwise, the private 115-meter beach comes setup with sun loungers and umbrellas for guests every morning.

Cuisine:

While the hotel offers half-board (breakfast and dinner only), it is advantageous to pay full-board. The bar won’t even give you water if they see your half-board blue bracelet. While the full-board orange bracelet gives you access to all the services like the meals, restaurants, al la carte menus, snack bars, and afternoon tea breaks. The al la carte restaurants are Chinese, Turkish, and Italian but guests must receive a voucher to eat there at a discounted rate.

All the extras:

Premium service is also available at an extra cost and comes with a welcome basket and flowers with wine, daily newspaper, airport transfer, and a few discounts for the spa and activities.

Marti also has a Marti Loyalty Card program for customers who enjoy repeated vacations to the area of Marmaris and the Marti hotels. The 3-tier credit card offers discounts for direct room reservations, early booking, room upgrades, and Spa and Pavilion expenses.

During the day, the kids club offers programs from 10-12 and 2-4 for ages 4 and up. In the evenings, guests can enjoy a mix of entertainment, from live music three times a week, beach party, and karaoke. Like most all-inclusive resorts, doctors, a spa, fitness area, and beauty center are all available at an extra cost.

The Dalaman Airport caters to guests heading to the Marmaris area and this hotel. If needed, the hotel arranges transfers to the hotel. While we had a car, there is a mini bus to Marmaris that guests can catch at the entrance of the resort every 10 minutes for 3 TL.

Marti Resort de Luxe is part of 7 hotels under the MARTI name scattered through the Marmaris region: two 5-star, one 4-star, three boutiques and 1 Marina and Yacht Club. Founded in 1967, MARTI is one of the oldest hotels offering unique Marmaris locations to guests and a leader in Turkish Hospitality.

Some final and personal thoughts:

For $100 a night for a standard all-inclusive stay, I concluded that this hotel left room for improvement.

CONS:

While the hotel was renovated in 2014, I found some of the wood floorings in the room to be scuffed and even some of the boards buckled. A few details like the phone not being updated during the renovation and electric plugs covers coming off of the wall left me frustrated after a few uses. After many times of pressing the telephone buttons to call reception, I almost gave up. But I tried dialing 0 the second time and hoped it would work to connect after previously not working. And fortunately, it did!
A few other quirks I found disappointing, some balconies are solid, and others are slitten, but all are slightly too tall when sitting in the balcony furniture making it hard to enjoy the view of the property and sea. As well, the standard room comes with a tv positioned in front of the bed, but the sitting area does not have a second TV. The angle to sit on the couch and watch the tv near the bed is awkward.
The room did not come with the directions and services provided at the hotel, but perhaps it was just our room that was missing it. Don’t worry; all the emergency information was included. Robes and slippers, a standard room amenity even in the regular hotels around Turkey, were not provided here (perhaps it was our half-board status).
(Disclaimer: This is entirely a personal preference!) The rooms function off of a central cooling system, so while it looks like you can control the air temperature yourself, it is all a rouse. Since the hot weather season had yet to start, the central temperature inside the room was uncomfortably warm. After calling about a fan and being disappointed that they had none, we finally gave up and slept with our door open, and sheets turned down.

PROS:

The pros of this location are the outstanding views from our seaside hotel. The hotel layout means that no sea-view is a bad one! Even though we only had one night to enjoy the room, I was up with the sun the next morning to see it rise over the tip of the Marmaris peninsula.
Another pro of this hotel is the staff. Out of all of the hotels I toured in Marmaris, I found the resort staff to be the most relaxed and friendly. The chefs and staff enjoy their jobs and provide excellent service to the guests. My encounters felt more like a family (some of them working there a long time) inviting us into their home they loved.
The size of the hotel means they can provide all the extra services without all the additional people like Grand Yazici Club Turban and Sentido Orka Lotus Beach. This hotel has enough nooks and corners that you can enjoy your time without being surrounded by 100 people at once.
This property is a good option for families because the hotel offers suites with a sitting area for families to enjoy together. Unless your kids are 4 and above, there are no services or activities for them. Our visit in the early season was mostly couples and families with older kids.
The hotel sits on the walking/bike path built from Marmaris to Icmeler. If time, guests can enjoy a run, walk, or bike ride to either city for a few hours.
While it’s not my first choice, the hotel is my first choice for the location. If I am coming to Marmaris and staying at an all-inclusive resort, I would for sure choose one further from the city of Marmaris and in a smaller, quiet, less-crowded town like Içmeler. But if you are the bar and dancing all night type, hotels nearer to Marmaris would be your choice!

***Disclaimer*** For my travel article, I received a tour of the hotel and grounds. I did not receive any complimentary services, upgrades, or accommodations during our time at the hotel. All opinions are my own.

TURKEY RESORTS: Sentido Orka Lotus Beach Resort

June 30, 2020June 30, 20202020, HOLIDAY, HOTEL, TRAVELS, TURKEY Catie

Located in between the city of Marmaris and the beach town of Icmeler, Sentido Orka Lotus Beach Ultra-All Inclusive Resort is the newest kid on the block. Mountains are facing the entrance of the hotel and rooms facing towards the sea; the view is enjoyable either way.

Built in 2015, the resort has a new and modern feel. Similar to the Grand Yazici Club Turban, the hotel boast of 441 rooms throughout nine blocks. Even though it is significant, the grounds seem smaller than the 31000 m property.

Travels Marmaris Turkey Sentido Orka Resort

While the price is more upscale than the other hotels in town, even more than the standard room at Grand Yazici Club Turban, I found the tastefully styled lobby design for the masses. Summer could mean that there are upwards of 1,500 guests. Most communal areas are high-ceiling, vast and monotonous in design with no pockets of privacy or coziness for reading a book in solitude. The check-in counter and guest relation desks cover the entire right wall as you enter into the lobby.

Sentido greets their guests and visitors the best with their welcome treats and drinks. We enjoyed our choice of water or lime drink and possible 10 different types of sweets, from cookies to the traditional Turkish baklava.

This bright, airy hotel prides itself on being a vacation resort for the ordinary working people – quality but affordable. Nevertheless, the rooms are all similarly arrange with Sentido colors of a light teal blue and white. The accommodations vary from one bedroom standard or superior rooms, and two bedroom family-style rooms, all accompanied by a balcony but unfortunately no sitting area. There are no luxurious suites or villa type accommodations, but several rooms connect to provide more space for families.

Rooms:

The air-conditioned accommodations are relaxing, with streamline furniture, plush bedding and calm, neutral colors, phones with data ports, glass-topped desks, tea kettles, flat-screen cable TVs, minibars, safes, modern baths with hair dryers, toiletries, and large mirrors, and balconies. Robes, slippers, and free wireless high-speed internet access are in all rooms, but family rooms benefit from a second flat-screen TV in the additional room. All arrivals receive a welcome tray with snacks and fruit for their stay.

Cuisine:

The dining room is large, cafeteria-style with colorful, art decorations thoughtfully placed. Breakfast starts from 7:00-10: am, and lunch is from 12:30 – 2:30 and dinner from 7-9, a plentiful buffet including house-made local specialties. For dinner, guests can enjoy one la carte meal of Chinese or Italian during their week stay. Turkish is extra and reservation-only dining.

Family Friendly:

During the day, the kids club offers programs for ages 4 and up. The best part about a family staying here is the number of areas for kids to enjoy. The six slide water park, the small aqua park for small children, and the 650 meters of private beach. If couples or families want some privacy, for 50 Euros a day (check website for updated prices), they can rent one of the straw-roofed open-aired villas hovering above the sea.

Entertainment:

In the evenings, guests can enjoy a mix of entertainment, from live music three times a week, beach party, and karaoke. As well, live music serenade guests at the Roof Lounge which offers a magnificent view of the bay area. The mix of wooden archways and flooring contrast with the white chairs and cushion giving it a chic, jazzy feel. The bar is open in the summer months at 7 pm-1:30 am.

All the extras:

A complete health club, with a hair salon, gym, bio-sauna, steam room, mood showers and treatment rooms for massage, supplements the pool. Like most all-inclusive resorts, doctor, spa, fitness area, beauty center are all available at an extra cost.

Room service runs nonstop, and the young staff is hospitable, helpful, and professional catering to guests as needed.

How to get there:

The Dalaman Airport sits 1.5-hour drive from the hotel, and the hotel arranges for transportation for a fee. While we had a car, buses to Marmaris run every 10 minutes for 3 TL that guests can catch at the entrance of the resort. For cars, free parking is available at the back of the hotel.

While Sentido is new to Marmaris, the Orka Lotus brand is not. This is the first combined brand hotel of Sentido Orka Lotus Beach Resort of their kind, working together to serve vacationers from all over the world.