Some said Konyaalti is probably the most famous beach in Turkey. Well, although all-inclusive beach holidays is not exactly my cup of tea, I too find Konyaalti quite a convenient place for a beach weekend holiday with your family and kids, especially if you are a fan of 'sun, sea, beer and fun' style of all-inclusive package holiday, and you are very much into highly charged beach life style best known on the Spanish islands of Ibiza and Mallorca.
Popular beaches in the Mediterranean - some examples of which include the southern coast of Mallorca, Spain's Costa del Sol, Ibiza, Portugal's Algarve, and Turkey's Antalya - all have something in common, namely lots of beach bars and seafront discos with dance floors, ocean-view stage and mega loud-speakers blurting out cheesy European and American pop music throughout the day. To be honest, I prefer beaches which are quiet, selcuded and less crowded, but there are people who do enjoy doing their daily rounds of swimming in the company of modern cafe bars, loud music and countless other people, so each to his own.
Konyaalti is probably the most preferred beach in Turkey for visitors from Russia, who bought up many seafront apartments that lined the Akdeniz Boulevard leading out from Antalya's Old Town to the yacht marina at the very outskirt of the city. The entire beach, with its soft, white, flat sandy shores, is more than several kilometers long. On the other side of the beach, one finds many private bars, disco and cafes, as well as high-rise private apartments, five-star hotels, expensive restaurants, and beach snack bars operated as a joint venture by private investors and Antalya municipality.
If I put aside my dislike for loud music and expensive seaside restaurants with over-priced drinks, Konyaalti offers actually some of the best beaches in southern Turkey. Set at the foot of the Taurus Mountains, against the backdrop of high cliffs and hills with lush green pine forests, with rows of balmy palm trees and well-maintained flower beds and footpaths, Konyaalti is a popular weekend destination for both local residents and foreign holiday-makers. This might not be as exclusive as St. Tropez or Marbella, but Konyaalti does see its fair share of expensive hotels and posh business and entertainment celebrities from Turkey.
A wide variety of water sports are available from operators setting up shops alongside the Konyaalti beach fronts. Most of the Konyaalti beach has been sub-divided into sections, and people can swim and tan themselves on the public sections of the beach for as long as they like without the need for paying any entrance fees. Extra charges are payable if you decide to use the beach umbrellas and chairs available for rental at each section of the beach. Alternativelt, some sections of the beach have been leased out to private beach bar and disco club operators, and customers who have a drink or food at their premises, they can also use the facilities on the beach at no extra charge.
For those who are travelling with a tight budget, take your own beach towels, drinks and light snacks with you, choose a spot away from the bustling beach bars and loud music, laid out the towels in the sun and enjoy the soft white sand and the gentle waves.
During the summer season, live beach concerts and other outdoor sporting events are held on make-shift stages on the beach itself. Konyaalti beach is easily accessible by public transport from the old town of Antalya. Take any public bus or private mini-buses (called dolmus in Turkish) which goes to Akdeniz Boulevard, and get off the bus once you see the sea and the beach appearing on your left-hand side.
Copyrights@2011. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment