Romance with Turkey

My romance with Turkey began the instant I saw my loincloth-clad boyfriend being foamed up and rubbed down by a sweaty Turkish man.
I knew then that this was the spot to deliver a relaxing holiday with a touch of the exotic – and those priceless holiday moments.

The south coast of  Turkey has everything you could want from a summer holiday – from balmy nights bargain-hunting in bazaars to lazing on sandy beaches and, best of all, experiencing the delights of a traditional foam massage.
After a sunshine-filled visit to the Lycian peninsula, where the temperature never dropped below 30°C, I’m convinced. And it’s not just me – Brits are buying what Turkey has to offer by the Airbus-load.

With sales of the lira up 43 per cent, Turkey looks to be Europe’s success story of the year when the strength of the euro has put such traditional favourites as Spain, France and Greece under pressure.We stayed at Letoonia Club & Hotel near Fethiye, a regional town with a busy harbour and marina.

Fethiye’s nightlife is working hard at catching up with boozy resorts Bodrum and Marmaris, making it an ideal spot for couples and even more so for families wishing to avoid rows of tacky souvenir stores and bars advertising hangover cures.

Sleeping up to 1,500 guests, the all-inclusive Letoonia is a village in itself. While the rooms are a little dated, the resort facilities are five-star and families will be hard pressed to find a reason to leave its picturesque grounds.

The place is a kids’ dream, thanks to three beaches, complete with waterslides into the sea, three outdoor swimming pools – plonk your towel on the sunloungers early as spots fill up fast – tennis courts, kids’ clubs, snack bars and buffets galore. There are also three a la carte restaurants – fish, sushi and kebab – and an amphitheatre with nightly show.

Best of all, it’s all included, so lock away your wallet for the week. Guests also have full access to the resort’s spa and sauna with treatments at an additional cost. The traditional Turkish massage in the hammam is one of those “when in Rome” – or in this case, “when in Turkey” – must-have experiences. The 30-minute treatment included a full body exfoliation and foam massage, costing 35 euros.

After being scrubbed, splashed, soaked and rubbed, I have never felt so clean.  Nor had my boyfriend – though he was a little red-faced. Weirdly, I felt like I’d been given a grown-up’s version of a bubble bath and I loved it.

The Turks swear by the health benefits, which include improved circulation and respiration, weight loss, clearer skin, relief of muscle pain and curing hangovers – needed after too many Efes, the local brew.

In the mood for a spot more pampering, we booked places on the 12-island boat trip aboard the private Letoonia yacht, where for £60 per person you can live the high life – if only for a day. The biggest decision I had to make all day was whether to dive into the turquoise sea or stick to the sunbed to work on my tan.

If it’s outside your budget, day trips to the islands are also available on public boats from Fethiye from £10 per person, although far less glamorous.

Beach lovers should also check out Oludeniz, the poster beach of Turkey, about ten miles from Fethiye. A beautiful, wide stretch of shingly sand, the beach is long enough to absorb the crowds and entices bathers with the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon, where you will have to pay a small entry charge.

Oludeniz is also the spot for thrill seekers to take to the skies, which are dotted with paragliders. Sun reported.