Things to Enjoy

Whilst many people think of sun, sand and sea when they come to Turunç, the village itself is an enjoyable experience in its own right.

It's compact enough to walk leisurely from one end to the other in less than half an hour - depending on how often you stop to browse in shops, take refreshments or socialise with the many friends you are bound to meet.

At nights, the main street is closed to traffic and it's a great time for just strolling and relaxing.

Turunç is justifiably proud of its Blue Flag beach.  Facing east, the beach runs from the relatively undeveloped north-end to the harbour at the south.

Sun beds and cushions are available at no charge and, for a large part, the beach is backed by bars and restaurants which will serve you refreshments and meals throughout the day.  The water is crystal clear and there are plenty of choices for water sports if you want to do more than just relax and listen to the gentle sounds of the waves.

Be sure not to miss the weekly village market when you are in Turunç. The market happens every Monday from about 8am until around 4pm.  On June 9th 2014, the market moved to its new permanent location just a few minutes walk from the harbour.  Check out the Village Map - "sticker" K.  The market attracts local residents, visitors to Turunç and day-trippers from Içmeler and Marmaris.

There is a good variety of stalls offering fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, dried fruit and nuts, honey and other local produce. For those looking for holiday presents there is a wide choice of clothes, leather goods, Turkish towels, table and cushion covers and other ornaments.  When shopping gets too much, enjoy a refreshing drink in the market cafe.

For many people a boat trip is an essential part of a Turunç holiday.  There is nothing more enjoyable than exploring the crystal clear, turquoise Aegean waters and the Turkish coastline. Boat trips to local sites of interest run on most days from the harbour and can be pre-booked there, through one of the travel agencies in the village or you can just turn up on the day and take your chances.

Boat trips vary from half-day cruises (including an evening barbeque trip) to a full day out when you are able to travel further afield.  Two of the most popular day trips are the five-bay cruise which allows you to visit bays some of which are inaccessible by road and the trip to Dalyan which also visits Turtle Beach.  Individuals and small parties can even hire their own boat (and crew) for the evening, day or longer and have the freedom to travel more or less where they wish.

Turunç is a superb place to walk but visitors face two problems - lack of good quality, detailed maps and lack of documented walks.  The superb new Turunç Walks website aims to address both of these problems and is completely FREE to use.

Turunç Walks uses OpenStreetMap as a source of high quality detailed maps.  OpenStreeMap is a bit like Wikipedia for maps - it relies on individuals around the world providing input and updates to the base maps.  Unfortunately, even this source of maps lacks detail for the Turunç area so the website has provided a series of updates and continues to maintain the maps for the areas covered by the walks.  All of the routes are documented and recorded using accurate GPS devices. The route categories are subjective but even the 'strenuous' walks are day walks suitable for anyone reasonably fit.

As with any Turkish village, the Tea Garden is a focal point for locals and visitors in Turunç.  Situated on the main street, by the river bridge and the main Dolmuş stop, the Tea Garden provides a shady place to relax, watch the world go by, and absorb the village ambiance.

Here you can refresh yourself with your choice of hot or cold drinks - tea, apple tea, coffee, Ayran and local beer (Efes) - or try one of their delicious, freshly-cooked, local pancakes (Gözleme).

The days when the centre of Turunç was a patchwork of small fields filled with crops and livestock are now largely a memory.  Largely - but not completely.   Walk back from the village centre for just a few minutes and you will be greeted by the sights, sounds - and smells - of the countryside.

Smallholdings with cows, sheep, goats and chickens sit comfortably side-by-side with new property developments.  Fields of corn and clusters of olive trees are still to be found.  Here you will also come across small stalls selling fresh garden produce, eggs and honey outside the homes of local village residents.

Shopping is a pleasure in Turunç - there is none of the hassling common in other resorts.

There are a large number of gift shops where you can pick up souvenirs of your holiday, jewellers offering excellent value as well as several 'mini-markets' selling the more basic essentials.  The village has two bakeries offering freshly baked bread and cakes

There is a choice of unisex hairdressers and, for men, barbers for that special Turkish shave.