Altinkum

Altinkum is set on a fantastic geographical part of the world. It is 200 km south from the Turkey's third largest city, Izmir; 73 km from Kusadasi and 110 km from Bodrum, which are the two important tourist resorts of the country.

The Beach

Altinkum translated means "Golden Sand" and relates to the superb beaches. The beaches slope gently and are safe for families with children, they are just as appealing to those just wanting to unwind, take it easy and work on their tans. The beach wraps round the picturesque Altinkum Bay forming two beaches one at either end of the town. There are plenty of sunbeds and umbrellas for hire and at very reasonable rates too. Go for a paddle or a swim in the calm sparkling blue waters where You will also find a large assortment of watersports both ends of the beach; Windsurfing Jet Skis, Banana Boat Ride, and for those less energetic, Pedalos.

Locals

The people in Altinkum are warm, great fun and very friendly. You can walk along the prom where it gets noisy at night with karaoke bars etc. There are great restaurants, some cheap, some not socheap, where you can converse with the locals and also other tourists. All in all, Altinkum is a very good holiday destination with lots of friendly people.

History

According to myth, after God created man, he shook off the scrap clay from his hands and the pieces of clay fell on the Aegean Sea. The islands and shores of this region are so inspiring because they have been created from the same clay as man. With its thousands of islands of which some are not even shown on the maps and with its curved shores, the Aegean Sea couldn'tpossibly be described in a better way! This mythical sea surrounds the Altinkum beaches. Have you ever seen a forest of stone? We are not talking about rocks in mountain areas, but a man-made stone forest. Would you like to see it? Then come to Didim and visit the Temple of Apollo. Those columns erected by people who lived 7-8 centuries before Christ and who did not yet know how to mix sand, pebbles and cement to make plaster, have been standing almost for 3000 years. You will surely experience one of the most special moments of your life, because at that moment, you will not only be in a foreign country, surrounded by foreign people but also you will be standing in a place shared by different civilisations for 3000 years. And from that moment on you are one of those who shared it. You are in the third greatest temple of the ancient world. That temple is the architectural twin of the Artemision, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Artemision is no more there to see, but the Temple of Apollo still exists with all its majesty. The temple was the oracles centre so the name of the city comes from this characteristic, as Didim means in antiquity, the place where oracles are told. There is also the snake-adored head of Medusa and delicate carvings which has been there for thousands of years.

Secret!

Only for those of you who have read this so far! There is a place we call the 'Soup Kitchen' (Alo 24), it is located opposite the Gima Supermarket on the road out of town. Try it, especially after 3:00 am when the bars are closed, it has to be the busiest place in town, the food is fantastic and costs pennies. Trust me on this one but don't all rush at once, it's only a small cafe! Reccommend; Cheesey Bread, Pidda (Pizza cut diagonally), Brain Soup (sheeps actually) and last but by no means least the best Kebab meat inTown.