actionsports
thrill-seekers will relish the opportunity
to paraglide from 1900 metres over
the spectacular lagoon of Ölüdeniz
If you don’t want to spend your
holiday sitting on a beach, and
museums and ruins bore you, then
read on... Serious thrill-seekers will
relish the opportunity to paraglide from1900
metres from the Babadag mountains over the
spectacular lagoon of Ölüdeniz or face the
rapids on the Çoruh river. Meanwhile those
who just prefer a different perspective will
enjoy exploring Turkey’s sights underwater.
Turkey is perfectly placed to take advantage
of the recent trend for activity and sporting
holidays – it is such a large country, with such
a varied landscape that it can cater for almost
every type of activity. This is a summary of
some of themost popular and exciting action
sports on offer in Turkey.
Watersports are available in just about every
beach resort in Turkey. Cesme and Bitez are
both popular for wind-surfing. Scuba diving
has really taken off in Turkey in recent years,
partly due to the clear, warm waters – visibility
of 30 metres is not uncommon - and the wealth
of historic and natural treasures to be observed
under the water, but also because, compared
to many other destinations, Turkey represents
excellent value for money. The diving
season usually runs from April to November.
There are scuba diving schools throughout the
Aegean andMediterranean coasts catering for
everyone from beginners to experts. Marmaris,
Fethiye, Kas and Antalya are some of the
main centres.
Diving highlights include:
Tekirova: the surrounding islands have a
wonderful array of sea life including huge
thornback rays, and are also a good location
for cavern diving. DuringAugust and September
there is a huge amount of tuna fish and
seals, and dolphins can be seen throughout the
year Sican: a few kilometres from Antalya
harbour, this island is also popular. The coast
on the west side is relatively shallow and
sandy (maximum 8m) but on the northeast
side with rocky seabed descends to 22m, which
also has a small cavern. Kas: The seas around
Kalkan are suited to experienced divers, with
species of sea life including sharks, turtles,
tuna and thornback rays. Patara has coral and
sea sponges, and the Fener waters descend
from 11-132m, with lively and colourful sights.
Oksuz Island is known for its lizard fish, a
member of the shark family. Finike: Gök
Cavern near Finike, is one of the deepest in
Asia which is accessible to divers. The cavern
reaches the seabed and has a wide entrance,
and the presence of stalactites indicates that
this was once dry. Kemer: One of the most
popular diving areas in the region is the Three
Islands, off Tekirova, which has many dive
sites and greater depth than Antalya. Datça:
The area around Datça has wonderful diving
opportunities with many sharks, dolphins and
Mediterranean seals at a depth of between
10-40m, especially around the islands of Kara
Incir. There is a good dive point off Esen
Island, which is connected to Datça harbour.
Marmaris: There are 52 diving points and
a large selection of ancient underwater ruins
around the area of Marmaris, including
off the coast of Dis (33m), Rodos, Kutuk,
Burnu, Cennet Island, Kadirga Feneri and
Kargi Island. The steep slope of the seabed
off Cennet Island contains especially beautiful
plant and animal life. Bodrum is known
for its great diving opportunities with great
depths, colourful sea sponges and caverns.
The waters around Kargi and Kocek islands,
around 20-30m depth, contain antique ruins,
with sea creatures of all sizes and good for
macro photography. Çatal Island and the coast
off Gemitas‡ are also good dive sites.
Forbidden Zones: There are a number of
protected sites which include military zones
as well as regions in which there is Cultural
and NaturalWealth.
White-water Rafting
Turkey has a number of rivers, which are
suitable for white-water rafting, offering
a challenge to everyone from beginners to
experts. Probably the most famous of Turkey’s
sites for this exciting activity, is the Çoruh
River, in Turkey’s stunning Black Sea region,
in the province of Artvin, which attracts both
local and international sportsmen. It is one of
the fastest flowing rivers in the world, as it
travels its 466 kms from its origins at 3225
metres in the Mescit Mountains to the Black
Sea, over the border in Georgia. It is not just
the waters which are exhilarating but also the
surrounding mountain scenery which is rich
in wildlife including rare red vultures, bear,
goats, wild boars and wolves.
The F‡rt‡na River, also in the Black Sea
Region, is also popular for river sports as is
the Köprüçay in the region ofAntalya and
the
Manavgat in the same region.
Paragliding
Paragliding involves jumping off a mountain
with a parachute attached, either solo or, for
beginners, in tandem. One of the best places in
the world to paraglide is Babadagő in Fethiye,
the mountains which overlook the stunning
natural lagoon of Ölüdeniz. It was discovered
by international pilots in the early 1990’s and
now attracts both local and foreign enthusiasts.
It is possible for complete novices to participate
in a tandem jump, which can be booked
locally or through a tour operator, and includes
transport for the ascent, equipment and basic
training. It is not just the altitude which is
spectacular but also the views, as you jump
over one of Turkey’s most beautiful stretches
of coast to land on the Belcegőiz beach. The
jumping season is usually between April and
October and you can take off at various points
up to 1900 metres high in the mountains.
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