The sun has got his hat on!

Yes, finally the sun is out and the holiday period will upon us before we know it.
The resort is coming on nicely with all the improvements the council is making for the resort this year.

• Gone are the cumbersome overhead power cables in the main resort and they have been replaced by street lights.


• Many buildings have had their home made canopies removed and modern new ones have been erected within the planning permission guidelines.


• The central flower beds are coming on nicely with new varieties of flowers and shrubs, the grass cut and the weeds banished.


• The beach has had a good clean up


• The shop owners are cleaning, painting and re-stocking ready for the season to start....


• New shops have replaced the old and in general the resort is looking up.

If you are looking for a rental apartment or a holiday apartment to buy, this is the time!

Contact us on info@1strealestateinturkey.com for further information.

Private boat tours from Altinkum

A day's fishing
Cosy cabins for overnight cruises
A variety of tours to choose from
Peaceful day out for the family

Contact me for more details:

info@1strealestateinturkey.com

Boat Trips in Altinkum

One of the best ways to relax and have a whole day out is to go out on a boat tour. The smaller boats are the best, offering a more personal service and generally less loud music and better food.
The boats set off from Altinkum Beach at around 10.00am and return around 16.00pm. They offer an inclusive meal and you have to pay for drinks and ice creams. Some operators will also collect you from your apartment or hotel and return you at the end of the day - for no extra charge!
Cruising around the coast, the boats stop off at several bays, allowing you to swim off the boat - an amazing experience - and also stopping at the beaches for a stroll and a swim.
You can sunbathe on the upper decks or read and chat on the lower decks in the shade. This is definitely the best chill out experience to be had.
For my personal recommendations, you can contact me, Debbie Torkieh, and I can also help you to book if required.

Things to do in Altinkum

You have booked your holiday, live in Didim, Altinkum or even the surrounding areas like Akbuk, so what is there for you to do?
Turkish Baths:
A Turkish bath is one of the most relaxing things that you can go and do whilst in Turkey. Starting with a lovely hot sauna get rid of all that dead skin and relax, head shampoo, oil massage are just a few of the thing on offer. For the gents, if the Turkish Baths don’t float your boat, go have a Turkish Shave and sit in a massage chair while you have the best shave ever (try not to fall asleep).
Jeep Safari:
Caution, if you don’t mind getting wet, dirty, having the wind whistling in your hair and having a great time then this is a must. Drive off road and through some fantastic countryside see some spectacular beaches and stop at some great restaurants - a great day out for the whole family.
Boat trips:
There are many boat trips around Altinkum, all different in their own way. Swim in the warm open sea, visit some fantastic bays, enjoy local food and the crew make sure you have the most enjoyable trip, a full day out at a very good price for all the family.
Fishing Trips:
Try your hand at fishing - take a boat trip from the harbour. Half day or full day, night fishing is also available or fish off the harbour or local bays, fishing rods are very cheap or try and use the hand lines like the locals.
Scuba Diving:
Scuba Diving is available with fully trained PADI registered divers. Open water and other courses are available and are around half the price you would pay in the UK. An open water course can take four or five days to complete (two dives a day). There is some great sea life to see and very good visibility in the Aegean Sea.
Snorkelling:
Around the coastline of Altinkum, Akbuk and surrounding areas there are many wonderful bays to snorkel and see a wide range of fish and sea life. Spear guns are also available in most fishing shops – note you are not allowed to use these at night.
Water Sports:
There are many water sports available for kids and for the more adventurous, jet ski, paddle/banana boats or hire a speed boat for the day, white water rafting trips are also available at very good rates.
Swimming:
The swimming is very good along the Aegean coastline with shallow clean waters whilst most hotel pools are also available to the public.
Sports indoor:
Didim has a new indoor sports complex where you can enjoy some great sporting activities in a well air conditioned environment, where you can enjoy squash, table tennis, pool, snooker and many more indoor sports.
Golf:
There are some good golf courses in the surrounding area both nine and eighteen hole, but just wait because Didim has a new Golf course due to be opened in the next couple of years, big money is being spent on this course and Didim has been waiting a long time for this investment.
Cinema:
Didim has just opened its first cinema complex where you will be able to catch up with all the latest films at all times of the day and evening.
10 Ten Pin Bowling:
This is now available in Didim for the whole family to enjoy.
Aqua Park:
Didim has its own Aqua Park with even more rides and fun this year, a must for the kids, there is also the largest Aqua Park in the area in Kusadasi. This is about two hours drive and trips are arranged through most tour companies at very good rates.
Fun Fair:
Didim/Altinkum has its own fair ground with all the joys of fairground rides: big wheel; go carts; dodge car and many other rides.
Shopping:
Get you designer handbags, shoes, clothes and jewellery from the many shops around Didim and Altinkum, there are also trips to the local big towns and cities where you can shop till you drop and get home safely with your tour company.
Horse Riding:
In the Greenhill area of Akbuk you can go horse riding in the open countryside and in the mountains get some fantastic pictures and then take the horses for a cool ride along some lovely beaches.

Ideal Homes (info@1strealestateinturkey.com)
Ideal Homes can arrange all these and more for you, Turkey is the next big thing for property investment we can offer great property at a price you can afford, ideal for holiday, rental or a new life in what is a great location for you and your family, we can arrange sightseeing, boat trips or activities to suit all your needs before you even arrive so that you can enjoy your holiday without all the fuss.

Looking at tourist attractions

As the market is slow, I seem to have more time on my hands for clicking through on all those all important links that seem to be increasing by the day.

I meet many people who are lucky enough to have the time to visit the places of interest in this lovely country and I am always so envious.

Yesterday, I came across a link to new the new Izmir Wildlife Park. I was certainly impressed by the amount of information available in just a few pages. Although I generally don't like zoo's in principle, it seems that this one just might be something that is worth visiting, without that awful feeling we are working against nature.

If you've already been, let me know your thoughts.!

Freezing in Altinkum

Well now, who would have thought we would be freezing in Altinkum?
We usually have a couple of cold and wet weeks, but this is just never ending.

The temperature is cold - in fact they say it is warmer on the Isle of Wight!
The wind is strong - nothing has changed here then.
The rain - well, forget the cats and dogs - it's more like camels and donkeys!

The hardest things to cope with are the mud and the damp. I guess that living by the sea is the source of the damp, and all the construction going on the cause of the mud.

But then the sun shines every few days and it is a welcome relief.

The bad weather certainly hasn't stopped the customers shopping around for good property deals. Both Turkish locals and foreigners are making the most of the price reductions and we are rushed off our feet. If you are interested you can look at my website for further details...

By the way - does anyone have any good natural cures for damp? One friend told me the best thing was moth balls and bowls of salt. I shall be dashing out to procure those tomorrow and I'll let you know how successful it is.

Rumour has it the weather is going to get warmer by 10C over the next week - roll on the sunshine!

Living in Altinkum

I've been here 3 years and I'm still finding new places of interest. The town itself is developing rapidly and there are lots of new things going on. The most exciting is the new D-Marina, which will be ready in May 09. It will bring many more interesting and exciting activities to the resort. The planning permission for a new golf resort has been granted and the contractors appointed to build the project. It's quite a change from old, traditional London, where everything is being pulled down to replace the old and the infrastrucure remains the same.
Altinkum and Didim have merged in to one, with Altinkum being close to the beach, and Didim on the upper half of the resort. Building is going on everywhere now the season is coming and the weather is changing. You could quite honestly say that supply outstrips demand at the moment, but that means there are lots of good bargains to be had and it gives the buyer more purchasing power.
The honest builders and estate agents will be the ones to survive the recession. Those offering all round sales and after sales services will have the competitive edge. Buyers are wiser now and are shopping around, so hopefully the cowboys will be eradicated.
I love being an estate agent and helping people to find the home that is right for them. There's also great job satisfaction when you help someone design their home, buy their furniture and nick nacks and finally move in - with no after sales problems!