The name Altinkum literally means “golden sands”. And that’s exactly what there is plenty of in Altinkum. And if you fancy spending your golden years in golden sands, then you should read on. There are plenty of people looking for property for sale in Altinkum. Is it the call of the Aegean Sea? The relaxed beach lifestyle? Or the ancient ruins? Let’s find out.
Altinkum is a seaside resort in western Turkey. Located along the Aegean Coast, people associate Altinkum with golden sands and ancient sites.
How do you get to Altinkum?
It’s actually quite easy. First, you need to know that there are two airports that reach Altinkum. The nearest is Milas-Bodrum Airport, which is about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Altinkum. The other is Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport, which is roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes’ drive from Altinkum. Secondly, it is easiest to fly out of London Stansted Airport (STN). The lesser-known Pegasus Airlines flies direct to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. A direct flight takes just under four hours. From there, it is very easy and straightforward to book shuttle transfers to Altinkum.
Altinkum and Didim
The names Altinkum and Didim go hand in hand. People sometimes confuse the two. At some point long ago, the small village of Altinkum merged with Didim. Altinkum is the beach side area while Didim is further inland and home to the town centre. Didim and Altinkum are just 10 kilometres apart, a little over 10 minutes’ drive to one another.
Altinkum and Didim’s combined population of permanent residents totals around 35,000. Of this number, over 5,000 are foreigners, mostly from the UK and Germany. Because of this, Altinkum has earned the nickname of “Little Britain”
Little Britain
Because of this moniker, many British citizens have made Altinkum their second home. The easy and relaxed beach lifestyle is already tempting enough. Moreover, add in the low cost of living and it’s almost paradise. The huge number of British expats in the area make settling in easier. So, plenty of Britons are looking for property for sale in Altinkum.
Many residents describe walking along the beachfront of Altinkum as a déjà vu moment. They say it feels like being in Blackpool. For instance, restaurants, hotels and pubs in Altinkum are English themed. It’s common to see bars and restaurants advertise British food and entertainment. It’s also not unusual to see servers wear English football tops. On top of that, the town also widely celebrates British holidays. Most importantly, you will surely never miss a football match. So, you can easily see why plenty of Britons look for a property for sale in Altinkum.
Balance
Living in Altinkum provides the best of both worlds. You can still have your creature comforts while being away from home. However, the good thing about being in Altinkum is the balance. If you’ve had enough of ‘Little Britain’ and would like to explore the “real Turkey”, there’s always Didim.
Didim
10km inland from Altinkum is Didim, away from the beaches and British pubs. They still have bars and restaurants here but they are more traditional Turkish. It’s common to sit on floor cushions inside bars. Live bands serenade diners with Turkish love songs. In addition, residents in Didim usually do not speak English. So, this is the perfect place to brush up on Turkish.
However, Didim is still the town centre. Many expats spend a lot of their time in Didim. This is because it’s home to many offices and shops.
Things to do in Altinkum and Didim
Surely, it can’t just be the sunshine and sands. There’s got to be more reasons why people are buying property for sale in Altinkum.
Well, when you see the wide variety of activities and sites around the area, you’ll understand.
Here are just some of the things you can do in Altinkum:
- Visit the 2,300 year-old Temple of Apollo
- Explore the archaeological site of Didyma
- Enjoy the 500-metre long soft and light sand of the main beach. On the other hand, you can also enjoy the array of sea-facing restaurants and pubs.
- Engage in watersport like banana boat and jet-ski
- Visit the ancient city of Miletus which once served as harbour
- Discover the Miletus Archaeological Museum
- Get a spot all to yourself at Manastir Koyu, one of the many coves south of Didim
- Take a day trip to Ephesus (2 hours away) where you can see, for instance, the house of the Virgin Mary
- Enjoy and camp out at Rabbit Nose Nature Park (Tavsan Burnu Tabiat Parki)
- Haggle and go on a shopping spree at a local market. Every Saturday, they open one in Altinkum.
- Go on a day trip to Menderes Delta National Park
- Feel like a teenager again at Didim’s small amusement park, Lunapark.
- Above all, enjoy Altinkum’s three beaches.
Insider’s tip: You will never forget Altinkum’s beaches. Why? Their names are First beach, Second Beach, and Third beach. Many locals say that Third beach is where you need to be. In other words, this is where the fun happens!
Going Greek
Well, here’s another reason to start looking for a property for sale in Altinkum. The Greek holiday island of Kos is just 1 hour away by boat! This is a common day trip. So when you own a property in Altinkum, you also get to weekend in Greece.
To sum it up, Altinkum makes a beach-bum, historian and explorer out of its visitors and residents. The adventures you could get up to in Altinkum sounds like a luxurious hybrid between James Bond and Indiana Jones!
A Healthier, More Luxurious Life
Even though it’s not summer the whole year in Altinkum, you still get perfect year-round weather. The hottest month is July, with an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The coldest time in Altinkum is January, where the average temperature is 6 degrees Celsius.
In conclusion, foreign residents who’ve made Altinkum their second home enjoy healthier and more relaxed lifestyles. Such long days of sunshine! They can spend their days as active or as chill as they want. Most importantly, they become proud owners of luxury houses and villas.
Come and join the good life in Altinkum and browse properties for sale!
