Gemiler Beach

We collected the hire car and headed off with our two friends to Gemiler Beach, a few miles along the coast from Olu Deniz, Turkey. It's a lovely drive along the coast road through a 'ghost village' and forestry.

We discovered it last year when we came on holidays here in June. The beach is a small cove. Last year you could park free, sunbeds were free as long as you bought something from the beach shack, and it was lovely and quiet. It was heaven.

Our visit was somewhat of a shock. Car parking was 15TL (£4) and sunbeds 10TL each. I would endure this small charge but the beach was so noisy. Loads of speedboats, parasailing, music, pedaloes, Turkish families and their young noisy kids. It was so different to what we had experienced last year. Beautiful location spoiled by becoming popular.

We had dinner in the new beach bar and left about 5pm. I fear that we will not return. Something else that hasn't changed for the better.

The blip photo is taken from the beach bar overlooking the little jetty and Gemiler Island.