Fethiye, famous for its olive trees and beautiful harbour, is a town found in the south-west of Turkey and is home to some of the most friendly people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
This was my third trip to Fethiye. I just love the local people, the beautiful landscape and the food. It really has something for everyone. Whilst Fethiye is laid back and quiet, in just 15 minutes you can be in the hustle and bustle of Hisaronu where you will find endless shops, clubs and bars. A stone’s throw away is Olu Deniz where you can smoke ‘shisha’ on the beach and watch the paraglider’s come in. All of these towns are surrounded by incredible mountains.

Jiva beach resort
This five-star family hotel is to date, one of the best hotels I have stayed in. Located in a town called Calis, which is 5km Fethiye, the hotel is about 45 minutes from Dalaman airport.
The opulent hotel has a choice of 4 restaurants, 4 bars, 4 pools and is situated right on the beach.
A lovely feature of ‘Jiva’ is that it surrounds a large pond filled with lily pads and wildlife that comes alive at sunset.

The rooms
I stayed in a standard room which was very spacious measuring 20m2 with light lilac walls.  The en-suite was beautifully done and equipped with a wonderful rain shower.  It had a very cool and calm vibe which is just what you need after a long day of swimming and bathing in the sun.

Food and drink
One of the most important things a hotel had to offer is the food, I was very pleased. The large buffet area had a multitude of choice, with a pasta bar, salad bar, fried food bar, meat bar and a very large dessert bar. There was something for everyone. Every night the restaurant had a different theme.  Japanese night, Greek night, Mediterranean night etc..  The food never became boring.
However, if the buffet style isn’t what you want there is also 3 other restaurants to choose from – Turkish, Mediterranean and Asian, that are table service.

Cleanliness
I don’t think I have ever been to a hotel that so on top of cleanliness. If something was spilt you could blink and it was gone. The rooms were fresh with not a speck of dust to be found. Even with all the little younglings running about the place they still managed to keep it spotless.

Staff
The staff were polite, friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be there.  They couldn’t do enough for you. The lady that visited my room every day to clean was always so joyful and happy to see everyone.  The waiters were very attentive, making sure you had a drink at all times and that your empty plate didn’t stay on the table for too long.  This ensured the minimum of flies.

Entertainment team
The hotel entertainment was wonderful. Every day there was something to get involved in like Yoga, water polo, aqua aerobics and for the kids there was, of course, a kids club and kids disco’s at night. Also in the evenings, after the kid’s disco, they put on shows which changed every night. mainly dance shows, that really got everyone in the mood to have a boogy.

The beach
Across the road, you are on the beach which has sun beds and a bar for ‘Jiva’ guests and plenty of activities like jet skiing, parasailing.  The beds on the beach were very comfy as they had a thick mattress on them.
The sea, in my opinion, was the perfect temperature. Cool enough to be refreshing, but warm enough to not wonder if you were going to have the same ending as Jack Dawson!
The beach is a turtle beach meaning this is where the turtles to come to lay their eggs, so if you come at the right time of year you can see all the baby turtles hatching and making their way to the ocean.  Because of this, none of the water sport’s are allowed to take place at this beach, so after booking them at the beach bar you are taken down the road to where it is a turtle free zone.  This means it is a beautiful and tranquil beach where you can listen to the waves and let your mind wander.

Fethiye market
Fethiye markets is an exciting shopping experience for all. The crowded streets are filled with an electric atmosphere. The market sells everything you could possibly need from grapes to Gucci (genuine fake’s of course). The Turkish salesmen battling it out for the customer by shouting out their cheesy sales lines like “cheaper than Oxfam” and “cheaper than Asda” make it a funny and light-hearted place to spend a morning.

Tips
I would suggest going in the morning as it is cooler and less crowded.  Take drinking water.

The best way to handle the salesmen is to be firm. If you don’t want it, tell them.  They would prefer that than you let them give you their whole sales patter before you say no.

You must haggle. They will start the bidding at a very high price expecting you to get them down, so be sure not to take their first price as you will be ripped off.

The best way to do this is to act uninterested. Walk away, say its too expensive and they will soon reduce the price. You have all the power.  Decide how much you are willing to pay & stick to it.

Getting around
Like most places, the most common method of transport for a tourist is via taxi or bus (Dolmus).  The Dolmus is a little minivan that seats about 15, but they will keep cramming people in if they have to. They are air-conditioned and incredibly cheap. From Jiva to Fethiye the Dolmus cost 3 lira which equates to 50p at the moment.  All bus fares are one way only. However the taxi to Fethiye cost 40 lira (6.75), so although relatively still cheap, compared to the bus the taxi was much pricier.  You have to decide whether cool & quick (taxi) is preferable to slow & stuffy (bus).  Taxies have set prices so you know how much the fare will be before you leave.

Things to know
The fish market is located in the centre of Fethiye is a brilliant place to eat.  You choose your fish from a central stall and then choose one of the surrounding restaurants to cook it for you.

Boat trips are very popular in Summer and very affordable. One of the days we went on ‘Hanedan’ and sailed around the Turkish islands for the day.  We had 4 stops where you could jump off the boat into the sea and swim (or go in gently down the gangway), a beautiful lunch, and a whole lot of tanning time. We paid £10 for the whole day (9.30-6.00). If you book the boat trip directly with the people selling them in Fethiye harbour, it will be cheaper than booking it through your rep.  Most also include picking you up from & returning you to your hotel.

A Turkish Bath is a must.  I had a Turkish bath and a back massage for £20.  An amazing 2 hours, which I booked through my rep.  This also included transport there & back.  I had never felt so relaxed and clean.

Thank you for reading please let me know if you are going, or have been to Fethiye and what you think.