If you have ever been to Turkey, you will agree that it could easily be mistaken for a small continent owing to its rich diversity- both culturally and geographically. Blessed with majestic mountains and valleys, lakes, rivers, waterfalls and grottoes, Turkey is slowly realising its potential and turning into an adrenalin junkies’ paradise.
No matter what time of the year you are planning a visit or which part of the country you want to discover, make sure to let loose and let adventure guide you through its diversity.
Water
The azure waters of the Mediterranean, the Aegean, and the Black Sea, as well as the Sea of Marmara, surround Turkey to the south, west and north. With over 8,333 kilometers of coastline along the four seas, it is a treasure chest of coves, inlets, bays and beaches at which yachtsmen can choose a different and private anchorage each night.
For lovers of the active life, sailing in clear waters provides great opportunities for swimming, fishing, skiing, surfing and diving. It also allows you to experience a truly enriching cultural exchange with the hospitable and gracious people of the coastal villages and towns. During the warmer months from April to November, underwater diving is a popular sport where you can see underwater caverns and sunken ships. There are scuba diving schools throughout the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts. Choose from amongst the diving centers of Kas, Kemer, Bodrum, and Saro. Although, Marmaris, Fethiye, Kas and Antalya – all of which provide great facilities.
Mountains
If water isn’t your territory, Turkey has many mountain s that offer winter sport activities like skiing, mountain climbing and hiking. It presents to mountain lovers an incredible variety of climbing opportunities that are
sure to satisfy the most demanding hikers and climbers. Mountains come in all sizes, geo-morphological and tectonic structures and boast abundant wildlife and forests teeming with diverse flora and fauna. Some of the best winter sports are offered at climbing sites such as Agri-Mount Ararat, Kayseri-Mount-Erciyes, and Rize Kacker Mountain Range.
For those looking to try something different, Turkey has approximately 40,000 caves and caverns to explore from the Caverns of Antayla to the Caves of Zongulduk through a unique sport known as spelunking.
Sky
Finally, if you are tired of life on land, try the many air sports that Turkey has to offer. Hang gliding, parachuting, plane gliding, and Para gliding are popular and can be safely carried out in the stable summer weather of Turkey from well-known flight zones of Ölüdeniz (Babadağ) and Denizli (Pamukkale) and falling zones of Ankara, İnönü and Efes.
Excited already? Wait till you get there, only to come back soaked in adventure and with countless interesting stories.
It sits pretty at the foot of the Lycian mountains,by the edge of a private sand and pebble beach. A place of heart-stopping beauty, this. Inhale the whiff of history sprinkled all around you: Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Seljuk, Greek and modern Turkish accents meet and merge here. When you crave a few moments just to be able to sigh at the turquoise glory of the Aegean, LykiaWorld will whisk the kids away to the aptly named Children’s Paradise; a 22,000 square metre zone customised for pure fun: 8 swimming pools with 20 water slides, a Treasure Island to explore, a Pirate’s Forest to get temporarily lost in, Hidden Caves to venture into. And guess what: there’s even a beach for babies!
When it comes to family fun, Disney does know best. The sound of crickets beneath bridges, the gem-like beauty of The Overlook Point at night, riding a Pontoon Boat, biking through the wilderness, fun-filled fishing, and the sight of the Fire Rock Geyser shooting a water plume 120-feet up into the air…what’s not to love?
Leave the youngsters to watch Disney movies and dabble in art,craft and video games at the Cub’s Den, while you head out for a just-the-two-of-us evening. Gather round the campfire for songs and fun, then watch a classic Disney movie under the stars. Soak in the scent of pines and junipers while you play checkers with the family. The fun never sets in Disneyworld.
The kids get a welcome Whistler Bear as soon as they walk in. And like every family-friendly resort, they have a customised programme called Kidding Around, packed with arts and crafts, movies, games and stories. Deceptively tame stuff! The real McCoy here is the mind-blowing outdoorsy fun you’re going to have: bear watching, kayaking, cycling, ziptrekking, rock climbing, glacier hiking, horse-drawn sleigh-riding, Hummer tours, dog-sledding, snowtubing…adrenaline-pumping, testosterone-triggering fun with your family in the world’s most picture-perfect setting.
In the south of Spain, surrounded by emerald hills and the intense blue of the Mediterranean Sea, the 1500-acre La Manga Club estate is the water lover’s paradise. Sailing, canoeing, swimming, jet-skiing, windsurfing, catamaranning, kite surfing…you name it. Crave some canoodling? Leave the kids to go-cart at the Junior Club and cosy up in a wild cove or frolic on the endless white beach. Evenings at La Manga are a sensory feast—stroll down picturesque fishing villages and enjoy gastronomical luxuries by the lively ports. Mmm…
A great resort knows how to make itself small and close up, like a clam, to enclose you in a shell of intimacy. This one sure does. Century-old pines lean together conspiratorially, letting you savour secluded Sardinia in all its romantic beauty. Come dawn, and your seaside suite fills with a rosy glow. As the day unfolds, treat yourself to a nerve-untangling massage, then sail away on a yacht. Let the kids head to the fun-filled Kid City or the high-tech Leisure Land, whose electronically equipped go-karting track lets drivers measure their lap time. This is real Formula 1 driving: breathtaking bends, a starting grid, traffic lights and even a bottle of champagne for the winner! End the evening with a candlelit dinner by the seashore. Bliss.
This is an ‘out of the world’ experience in every sense of the phrase. At the Red Centre of the outback, you’ll set sight on some of the most astonishing landscapes on earth. Standing on a secluded sand, watching the sun etch red and gold over Uluru and Kata Tjuta, is the stuff lifetime memories are made of. Dine on the sands under the night sky, awash with a million stars. Take a scenic glider flight, sweeping over the spectacular rock formations for close up views. Go cruising on a Harley Davidson. Discover the amazing flora and fauna that survive in the often harsh Outback. The tough part? Choosing from the buffet of 65 action-packed tours of the Resort and the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park…
Kumarakom puts you in a delicious dilemma. Which would you like to book? The Float, Kerala’s traditional houseboats equipped with every modern luxury, bobbing on the bosom of the Lake Vembanad? Or one of the plush homestyle villas, with its own private courtyard, a private pool and Jacuzzi, and a panoramic view of the luminous Lake? But no contest, you simply have to take a sunset cruise down the lake, and try a banana boat ride. Come evening, and it’s time to pamper the palate with the fresh catch of the day, Syrian Christian Duck Roast, Karimeen Pollichathu and Appams. Take the kids to the bird sanctuary nearby, and go cycling down the village together. A truly divine holiday in God’s own country.
Picture Junior stirring up sinful chocolate fondue in this fairy-tale Swiss-Alps setting. That’s when he’s not baking a key lime pie or on the super-slide or in the sand-box or out on a local jet excursion. You’ll exhaust your Powershot card in a jiffy, trying to capture the tomatoey flush on your little one’s cheeks as she comes in from the snow, or sonny’s awestruck expression as he rides a horse-drawn carriage through the streets. For the teen, there’s a buffet of goose-bumpy delights, starting from rappelling and mountain biking to sailing, rap jumping and hydro speed. For simple feel-good family fun, enjoy a picnic on the glacier, or cosy up inside blankets by the campfire to the divine aroma of pot roast and the sounds of tinkling laughter. Afterwards, snuggle up under the night sky: you’ll be amazed at how well you sleep in a teepee.
Polo in the free-form pool. Waterfalls. Mountain bikes. Blue lagoons. Coconut groves. Rainforests. A lush green gold course. A pristine private beach along the shores of the Andaman Sea. Teak sun lounges. Thirsty beach towels. Cool refreshments. Kayaking. Windsurfing. Snorkelling. Scuba diving through coral reefs. A 24-hour fitness centre. Nature walks. Thai Boxing. Yoga. Outdoor playgrounds. Indoor fun at the VIK Club, with daily visits by the resort’s baby elephants Lilly and Lucky. Asian delicacies, beside the blue lagoon. Island paradise or five-star resort? You decide.
It’s like stepping into a Nickelodeon cartoon. Snuggle up in the world’s first Nick-branded resort featuring Nicktoon Kidsuites—Rugrats, SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron. Let the 4-D experience whoosh you into a world of underwater adventure. Hop on the shuttle for a ride to the Disney parks and Universal studios; take a seat at a show. Discover the wondrous Orlando Science Center. Check out The Lagoon – the first-of-its-kind zero-depth entry pool. Slip, slide, and splash around the four-storey water tower and 400-gallon water tank that cascades through seven slides. Enjoy a hearty buffet at the Character Breakfast, with visits from your favourite cartoon characters. Let the Kid’s Spa pamper the girls with pedicures and hair wraps, and ink the boys with temporary tattoos. What a world of fun, for everyone!
