Seven days in paradise Altinkum Didim
Day One - Ephesus
Just an hours drive from Altinkum you will find the best museum in the world Ephesus. This is an excavation of a whole town complete with original streets and walkways and public buildings.
It's amazing to go walking around the the town and streets and looking at all the buildings still standing in their original places.
.150x113.jpg) You can visit the world famous Celcius library , public toilets, government quarters and even a brothel where you can still see the mozaics on the walls. You really feel you are back in time and can almost still hear the hustle and bustle from hundreds of years ago.
On the way home dont forget to visit the Virgin Mary's house high up in the hills. This is a popular place to visit and has seen world leaders and even the pope pass through it's door. It is said to be the place where the Virgin Mary spent her last years of her life and is very much a place of hope and peacefulness.
Day Two - Lazy Day Boat Trip
The daily boat trip is an absolute must departing early morning and making various stops along the way. The boat trip is a truly relaxing and amazing experience. You can sunbathe on the deck and dive into the deep sea where the water is so clear you can see straight to the bottom.
 The beaches the stops are situated at are untouched and unspoilt and you can try some delicious Turkish cuisine at the mid day barbecue. Do make sure you are well protected against the sun as it is very easy to get sunburn on the boat with the gentle breeze as you are travelling. The price for the boat trip is usually ten pounds each including lunch and drinks all day.
Day Three - Didim Aqua Park
 The aqua park is a fun family day out and only a fifteen minute drive away from Altinkum. The aua park has easy access via the local minibuses (dolmus) or the park offers a free transfer service.
There are many slides for adults and children some small and some scary, and many other things to see such as the great wave pool filled with huge rings that you can lie back and surf on or just soak up the sun on. A poolside bar is on hand offering snacks and ice cool refreshments and daily entertainment is provided.
You can see belly dancers and dance shows and there is also a rain dance where you can dance away to your hearts content under a shower of cool refreshing water raining down on you. When you want to have a rest from all the excitement poolside loungers are available to soak up the sun on.
Day Four - Altinkum Beach
Altinkum is one of the best resorts in Turkey as it boasts three wonderful golden beaches all within walking distance from eachother. All water sorts are available such as jet ski's, peddle boats and the new craze sea bycycles. The sea is very shallow for quite a way out making it ideal for children to play safely in.
 There is a great choice of beachside cafe's to dine at all giving a great beach view. Loungers and parasols are of course available to rent for the day and the beach is a great day to spend relaxing and maing the most of the sunshine.
Most importantly you must not forget to take plenty of suncream and drink plenty of water to keep hydrated.
Day Five - Altinkum Didim Market
The new market is based in Didim next to the bus station and offers lots of variety and bargains.The local buses from Altinkum stop right at the market and is a new bus service that commenced recently.
.150x113.jpg) Didim market is every Saturday and is a great day to spend mixing with the local people and hunting for bargains.There is so much variety on to choose from and barter for from fruit and veg to hand made jewellry. Also available at the market is a wide selection of spices, tea and turkish delight.
It is also a great chance to take a walk around the local town and eat at local cafe's, the Iskender kebab is a must to try whilst visiting Turkey as it is Turkish kebabs at its best.
Day Six - Akbuk
A twenty minute drive away from Altinkum is the beautiful bay of Akbuk. With the green mountains in the background Akbuk is a quite and picturesque resort. Fresh fish is available daily caught that very day you can even try this at one of the delightful restaurants in the bay.
.150x113.jpg) Akbuk has a lovely beach and a small town centre with all the neccessaties and a small marina offering local yacht tours. A golf course is being planned to be built in this region and will provide great entertainment once its finished.
You can catch a bus to Soke every wednesday for the big town market and daily buses run to Altinkum too. Akbuk has three five star hotels with tennis courts, gyms and private beaches.
Day Seven - Temple of Apollo
The Temple of Apollo is situated just ten minutes away fom Altinkum, buses go every ten minutes from the main road.
The temple is in fabolous condition and the columns loom above your head but are spectacular. There are steps leading up to the main part and two corridors are still in tact leading to the main square. History is one of the great things about visiting this region. Here one finds an important sanctuary that housed one of the oracles of Apollo. It was connected to Miletus by sea, and those arriving by ship would land at the harbour of Panormus and thence follow the Sacred way to Didyma.
.150x91.jpg) Until its destruction by the Persians in 494 B.C. it was administered by the family of the Branchidae, the descendants of Bronchos, a youth beloved of Apollo. For the last two kilometers the Sacred Way was lined with seated statues of the male and female members of the Branchidae family. After his capture of Miletus in 334 B. C. Alexander the Great placed the administration of the oracle in the hands of the city of Miletus. In 331 B.C. the oracle proclaimed Alexander "the son of Zeus". In 300 B.C. the Milesians embarked on the construction of the largest temple in the Greek world. Although work continued until the middle of the 2nd century A.D. the temple was never finished. 20/07/08
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