10 destinations in Turkey which make you feel like you are holidaying abroad

10 destinations in Turkey which make you feel like you are holidaying abroad

Oktay Volkan Alkaya
Most of us dream about going on a holiday abroad, but it’s not often we can actually fulfill this dream. What if I told you there were domestic counterparts to some of the world’s most popular holiday destinations?

Here are 10 domestic addresses which are twins of some of the world’s most popular holiday destinations that can be found in Turkey!





1-MALDIVES - KALEM ISLAND:  A holiday for two people in the Maldives is not a burden that anyone can handle. It requires a budget of around 12,000 Turkish Liras for four or five days.

Is the Maldives a good destination to go to? Of course. But if you cannot afford to pay for a holiday to the Maldives and think that a place half as good is good enough then your destination must be Kalem Island, located in the opposite direction of the Dikili district in the Aegean province of İzmir.

Its sea and sand will not be the same however Pen Island is an ideal destination, especially for newly-married couples on their honeymoon, where luxury facilities are provided on this beautiful island.

Those who see your photos taken from the perfect angle on Kalem Island can even think you are in the Maldives.



2-SICILY-DATÇA: Sicily is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. Its pebbly and clean beaches remind me of Datça. Besides, their air and sea water temperatures are almost the same.

It is so hard to believe that Datça and Sicily are not two neighboring bays. Sicily, with its history, has a slightly different atmosphere than Datça. However, if you go to Datça and say you are in a Sicilian bay, nobody would contradict you.



3-MIAMI – KONYAALTI: Miami is a treasure for the world, especially the United States, but its long coast is not very different from the Konyaaltı district in southern Antalya. 

Antalya, with the investments made in recent years, is gradually approaching the Miami line.

The voice of the man selling corn from his cart would be the only reason for you would not feel like you were in Miami.



4-CANARY ISLANDS - KAŞ, KALKAN, KEKOVA: Swimming in the Canary Islands is a privilege. It is a paradise for holidays with its nature, beaches and growing economy. But if something bad happens to the Canary Islands, our lands are ready to take its role as its twin. 

Be sure that a holiday spent in Kaş-Kalkan-Kekova triangle would not be very different from a holiday spent in the Canary Islands.




5-BOA VISTA – PATARA: Boa Vista has become the favorite place in recent years for those who want to have a modest holiday. Its beaches resembling deserts look just like our Patara beach.

You can easily fool anyone that your photos with your African friend were actually taken in Boa Vista; you can even persuade someone of Boa Vista origin!

You do not need to go to the West African coast to experience the atmosphere of Boa Vista. 



6- MONACO – BODRUM: Despite common hearsay in recent years that Bodrum has been getting worse, Bodrum, with its growing settlements, has actually started to resemble Monaco.

Its unique bays like Türkbükü and places of entertainment and history make those who go to Monaco afterwards say that it just like Bodrum. 

Of course, Bodrum does not have gigantic casinos and hotels, yet. However, if there was a competition between Monaco and Bodrum, the latter would not lose until the very end.



7- VIRGIN ISLANDS - ÇEŞME, ALAÇATI:
If you ask, “Where is the other side of the world?” the answer would be the Virgin Islands. So what do we get if we go there? A little bit from Çeşme and a little bit from Alaçati… What more can you expect? Then why do we need to go to the Virgin Islands?


8- QUENN ISLAND- ÖLÜDENIZ:
It is another remote island and a perfect destination for those who try to escape from magazines. However, as a normal citizen, if you do not have to hide from cameras, you do not have to pay for all aircraft and transportation costs to go to the Quenn Island. You can spend three months in Ölüdeniz for the same amount of money. Moreover, the view and the coast are almost the same!


9- TUSCANY– AYVALIK: Tuscany is one of the special places in Europe. You should go to this Italian paradise to see its architecture and beaches. But if you cannot afford to travel to Tuscany, you should go to the Ayvalık district of western Balıkesir. You can even believe that you are in Tuscany, if you see people speaking Italian. They are perfect twins with even the sun burning at the same angle. You do not necessarily have to eat Ayvalık toast; you could also try very nice places in Ayvalık and eat pasta and pizza. 


10- SAINT TROPEZ – FOÇA: Saint Tropez is a fashionable seaside resort and now famous enough to be a song. Besides, it has been fancied thanks to its architecture and authentic texture along with its beaches. It is so hard to distinguish the differences for those who see many photos taken in Old Foça, although Foça cannot even come near to Saint Tropez in terms of the night life. They would look so much alike if we could clean its beaches of sea urchins. If you are not fond of booming entertainment life, make sure that you go to the Old Foça district of İzmir.