Turkey at its sun-kissed, laid-back best: why Göcek makes the perfect Lycian base

When Bodrum and I first met, 30 years ago, my main thought was that it was a long way from anywhere. In summer 1994, when I worked as a holiday rep, there were no international flights to Bodrum’s small airport and only a few holidaymakers made the four-hour trek from Dalaman airport. Famous for its picturebook Crusader castle and waterfront lined with gulets (wooden sailing boats), Bodrum was back then a working town that just happened to have supermodel looks.

In the intervening decades, those good looks have helped change it beyond recognition– the town itself and the peninsula that stretches westwards are fringed with increasingly sophisticated small resorts. The forested coves, bays and inlets that surround Bodrum are now home to some of the country’s most luxurious hotels, some with room rates of more than €1,000 a night. Out on the peninsula, in the once-small village of Yalikavak, a vast marina dominates the coastline, with designer boutiques and outposts of Istanbul’s hippest restaurants catering to the super-rich.

Bodrum is Turkey’s Saint-Tropez, and with the wealthy clientele comes the predictable transition to a more international feel, with the ramshackle streets of the old town often packed with cruise ship groups. It’s still a beautiful place, but not the best choice if you’re looking to slow the pace and experience an undiluted Turkey without bumping into an oligarch every time you turn a corner.

I often recommend the small resort of Göcek which, in spite of its proximity to Dalaman airport (about a 20-minute drive), hasn’t fallen prey to the same scale of development as its glitzier sibling. One of the country’s foremost sailing hubs, with six marinas fringing the town’s natural harbour, it was made famous in the 1980s when Princess Margaret and other celebrities put the glorious Fethiye-Göcek-Datca sailing route on the map.

Although it has grown since then, the town is still home to plenty of affordable guesthouses and authentic restaurants. It has a lovely mellow vibe, particularly in the evenings, when the boats glide back in and small beach bars set out tables by the water’s edge. There are a couple of luxury hotels and some shops on the main street, Turgut Özal Caddesi, are ritzier than they used to be, but the town’s geography, bookended by two pine-clad headlands, has helped save it from tourism’s worst excesses.

As well as numerous ways to explore Göcek on the water, it also offers stunning (albeit quite challenging) hiking and cycling trails, so late summer/autumn is the ideal time to visit. A lattice of Ecotrails, well marked with bright yellow signage, winds up over the mountains and back down to the neighbouring towns of Dalaman and Köyceğiz and there are some shorter coastal routes.

My favourite is the five-mile path to Inlice beach, which begins on the palm-lined promenade before leading up into the shade of a forest of rare sweetgum trees. The sweetgum’s sap – known as liquidambar – was once used in medicinal and beauty products, but numbers are now so low that a replanting scheme is under way throughout south-west Turkey. However hot the day, the densely packed trees make this a blissfully cool place to walk, with the chance to see peregrine falcons and cormorants soaring above the jade-green canopy.

It’s also a great place for exploring the surrounding Lycian coast, with the charming riverside resort of Dalyan and the lakefront town of Koycegiz within half an hour’s drive. If I want a beach day, I’ll take a water taxi from Dalyan – a peaceful, half-hour chug through reed-flanked waterways to undeveloped Iztuzu beach. For a stroll and a long, waterside lunch, I head to Koycegiz, which is still pretty much undiscovered by British tourists, and where the restaurants serve meze dishes and freshly caught fish.

But really, there’s no better way to spend time in Göcek than getting out on the water, whether you’re an experienced skipper or just want a lazy day at sea. The most popular excursion is the 12-island day tour (from £30pp), which includes stops in four or five bays and lunch on board. But if the budget stretches, hire a small motorboat or haggle with one of the smaller gulet owners for a private day out to potter around at your own pace.

If Göcek comes up short anywhere, it’s the relatively small choice of beaches. The best spot is the slick Fimi Island beach club, on Göcek island, a 15-minute water taxi ride from the marina. It’s gorgeous but the boats fill up fast and do a limited number of runs, so booking is advisable. The best beach is the upmarket D-Resort’s private stretch of sand (reportedly imported from the Maldives). It has spectacular views, and costs non-residents about £1.40 a day.

In the evenings, when the low-rise main street is filled with shoppers browsing small boutiques and galleries, the promenade takes on the feel of an Italian passeggiata. The crowd is different from Bodrum’s – older, less up for a party: the bars pump out mellow jazz rather than club anthems and most restaurants serve Turkish dishes rather than Michelin-esque creations. The gin palaces still bob in marinas, and super-yachts lurk on the horizon, but Göcek remains as welcoming to backpackers as billionaires – Turkey at its sun-kissed best.

Where to stay
Göcek has accommodation for all budgets, from the five-star D-Resort to simple pensions. Arion (doubles from £148 B&B) has unfussy, comfortable rooms overlooking lovely gardens and a sizable pool, while family-run Kybele (doubles from £99) is a good budget option, with spectacular breakfasts and a good location five minutes’ walk from town.

Where to eat
Avoid restaurants in the marina, which tend to be pricey, and explore the sidestreets off the main promenade. Mezegi does fantastic meze and fish straight off the boat, while carnivores will love the flash-grilled steaks and marinated meats at Alaturka. Skip dessert and head to Baba Dondurma for the town’s best ice-cream (on the street behind Alaturka).

Things to do
Göcek’s Sunday market is one of the best in the region for leatherware, ceramics and clothing. Fuel up for the haggling with a gozleme (a flat-bread stuffed with feta and herbs) from one of the stalls. Toparlar waterfalls, about 40 minutes’ drive away, are accessed by a well-marked walking trail through the forest. The main street has some lovely shops: Bazaar Anatolia does handmade throws, jewellery, textiles and clothes, all sourced in Turkey.