Sarigerme Holidays

A 20-minute drive from Dalaman, this village on the southwest coast of Turkey was once the bustling ancient city of Pisilis. Sarigerme take things slower than its ancient ancestor, though, with a just a laidback village centre and a couple of bars and restaurants. It’s a different speed down on the sandy beach, mind – the sweeping stretch is popular with kiteboarders.

Sarigerme Beach spools the coastline for a good seven kilometres. The stretch is made of soft, bright-golden sand, with a shallow shelve into the Med. The closest part is a 15-minute walk from the centre – or there’s a road train from the village car park. It’s in a National Park Conservation Area, which means you’ll pay a small fee to enjoy the beach and the showers, loos and café that come with it.

Southwest Turkey was once a mainstay of the Romans’ empire, and they left quite a bit behind. Some of Pisilis’ ruins are now buried under the beach, but you can still see the ancient crumbling walls just next door. Or a 30-minute drive gets you to the massive archaeological site at Kaunos. Here you’ll see ancients baths and an amphitheatre – plus, just inland, some fabulous tombs carved into the cliff.