A beautiful Mediterranean beach resort with crystal clear waters also has a cable car to a castle and a town with breathtaking views of the coastline.
Foreign holidays are often an expense and luxury many can’t afford, especially during a cost of living crisis. Lots of Brits are opting for staycations in the UK, but even these can break the bank. However, it is still possible to find the odd resort abroad that hasn’t hiked prices up and where you can bag yourself a bargain without having to sacrifice on quality. One of those destinations is on a stunning stretch of coastline on the Turkish Riviera.
The Blue Flag Kleopatra Beach in Alanya, Turkey, has miles of white sand, a fine pebble beach and clear, turquoise waters for tourists to enjoy. There are watersports, such as parasailing and jet skiing for the adventurous, or diving and snorkelling for those who prefer a gentler activity to explore the sea-life rich world beneath the waves. Along the palm tree lined promenade there are plenty of bars and restaurants where visitors can relax and buy refreshments that are very reasonably priced. According to the MEN, Kleopatra Beach was named the second cheapest beach destination by travel experts at Omio.
It analysed data from Google ratings, average summer temperatures and rental prices to find top destinations and compared the prices of drinks, meals out, ice creams, bottles of water and sun lounger rental. Playa de las Canteras in Gran Canaria came first because of its low sun lounger prices, but Kleopatra beat it in all other categories. Here, an ice cream only costs 69p, a pint of beer comes in at £1.86, a spritz at £3.43 and a bottle of water at 37p, while renting a sun lounger will set you back around £6.44 per day, making it an extremely budget-friendly destination.
The beach also has a cable car that runs near to a mediaeval castle and offers breathtaking views of the coast. The Damlatas Caves are just behind the beach where you can marvel at the stalactites and stalagmites as you enjoy the cool, clean air inside. The nearby cosmopolitan town of Alanya is a popular tourist destination offering visitors shops, a market, bars and restaurants. It also has a rich cultural and historical heritage which you can explore at the museums and ancient fortifications.
Recent visitors to Kleopatra Beach have shared their experiences on Tripadvisor. One wrote: “Beautiful clean beach with plenty of beach clubs with sun loungers. Nicely situated by the cable car going up to the castle close to town. Soft sand with crystal clear water – amazing array of fish easily visible with snorkel attracted to the shallow reef.” For another it was up there among their favourites: “We consider Kleopatra beach to be one of the nicest ones we have ever experienced! Trust me, we visited quite a few. Kleopatra beach is an absolute gem! It is kilometres long. It has fine gravel which feels better than sand. Crystal clear sea, warm to perfection.”
A third said: “Amazing views when there and from the cable cars! We would recommend going here if you stay in Alanya.” A fourth is looking forward to returning: “What a beautiful beach! Aqua blue clear water and a wide beach where you never feel like a sardine. Plenty of room and clean. Love the Palm Trees and the view of the cliff with Castle. Can’t wait to go back!”
