GO TURKEY: There's more to Turkey than cocktails and disco music at dawn – KATE FENNELLgoes in search of a more holistic holiday, from yoga retreats to juicing and permaculture courses
IF YOU HAVE ever gone on the typical sun, sand and sea holiday and, ironically, come back feeling like you could do with a holiday, well then you might just be considering a slightly healthier version of a getaway in the sun.
Turkey’s fame as a party destination recedes into the background when you discover the lush, tranquil valleys and secluded coastal spots that lie beyond its resorts. Its mountains, forests, waterfalls, rivers and turquoise sea offer a natural setting to unwind and recharge, helped by the many yoga and eco-holiday centres cropping up there. The only drawback to the burgeoning popularity of yoga is that the quality of teachers can vary. When booking a yoga holiday, enquire about the teacher’s qualifications and experience. There are some attractive options in Turkey and the weekly course prices include organic meals in shared double or twin accommodation, single supplement is extra.
HUZUR VADISI YOGA RETREATS
Vadisi translates as “peaceful valley” and that’s exactly what you’ll find in the southwest of Turkey between lush, majestic mountains, pine forests and a turquoise coast. Established as a yoga centre in 1993, it has an excellent reputation for its range of courses, led by fully-qualified and experienced teachers from around the world. Children are welcome and accommodation is in luxury wooden yurts with an opening in the roof so that stars are visible in the night sky. Courses take place from April to October.
How to get there: Huzur Vadisi is 40 minutes by transfer or taxi from Dalaman airport, which is serviced by charter flights from Gatwick, Stansted, Cardiff, Newcastle, Manchester and Birmingham. Turkish Airlines has daily flights from Dublin to Dalaman via Istanbul.
Cost:Courses cost from about €650 per person. Round-trip transfers between Dalaman airport and Huzur Vadisi can be arranged, for around €40. See huzurvadisi.com.
JASON VALE’S JUICE MASTER RETREAT
If juicing is your thing, you will already know about Jason Vale, the “Juicemaster” who claims he cured himself of psoriasis and obesity by drinking carrot juice for three months. Not for the faint-hearted. He went on to develop a less extreme form of juicing aimed at people who would like a health boost and to lose weight.
Unabashedly commercial in his promotion, Vale has released books and DVDs, has celebrities such as Jordan endorse his health formula, sells “juicy food” and has opened juice bars. Between April and September his organisation runs week-long courses designed to help you lose 7lbs while living solely on juices, taking forest walks, doing circuits, practising yoga and swimming in the pool.
The location is the scenic mountains near Gocek, accommodation is in a large villa-style hotel and activities and yoga classes cater for all fitness levels. Vale is only there for two weeks of the year, during the last two weeks of May with a yoga teacher from Ireland, Ken Ryan, who adds a spiritual dimension to the weightloss and fitness programme.
How to get there:Fly to Dalaman airport, as above. Turkish Airlines has daily flights from Dublin to Dalaman via Istanbul. Transfer/taxi to the Montengro hotel is roughly €60.
Cost:Week-long courses start at €800. Tel: 0044-845 130 2829; see juicemaster.com
HELIOTROPE YOGA HOLIDAYS
Heliotrope is a family-run yoga-holiday business set up by a young British/Turkish couple in 2007. They run yoga holidays in three stunning locations on the Mediterranean coast: Olympos, Adrasan and Yaniklar. They specialise in Iyengar yoga but invite reputable teachers from around the world who teach different styles and serve now legendary vegetarian, organic meals, with fish served on Fridays.
Depending on which course you choose, you will be located in Angels Garden in Olympos, Onuncu Koy in Adrasan (each located 90 minutes from Antalya airport), or Pastoral Vadi in Yaniklar, near Fethiye (40 minutes from Dalaman airport). Angels Garden provides en-suite accommodation in basic but beautiful chalets and stone houses complete with air conditioning, and all guests can use the magnificent Turkish hammam (steam bath) and pool on-site to relax. Children are welcome.
How to get there:Antalya airport (Onuncu Koy, Angels Garden). There are charter flights from the UK and Istanbul. Dalaman airport (Pastoral Vadisi) flights, as above.
Cost: From €530. Tel: 0090-216 334 6991; see heliotrope-yoga-holidays.com
SURYA RETREAT CENTRE
Old Datca Surya was once an olive farm located on the southwestern Datca peninsula, a ferry ride away from Rhodes and Bodrum on either side. In 1998 a Turkish yogi who had lived in London converted the farm into a retreat and has allowed it to grow organically, offering a quiet space for retreats, yoga and writing holidays and individuals who want a rest in almond- and jasmine-scented surroundings. Instruction on the courses, which run from March to September, is by a mixture of Turkish and international teachers catering to all levels and styles. The accommodation is in simple stone houses with a maximum capacity of 17. Datca is a lovely old seaside town with cobbled streets and is further from the airport than other more popular holiday destinations in Turkey, therefore is far off the path of mass tourism.
How to get there:Fly to Dalaman, as above. Fly to Rhodes in Greece, or Bodrum in Turkey and get the daily ferry to Datca or Kormen, although this might involve an overnight stay. Out of the charter season, there are scheduled flights from Dublin to Dalaman, via Istanbul, with Turkish Airlines. Transfers: Datca is a two-hour (very scenic) drive from Dalaman. Taxis are about €100 one-way, and buses sporadic. With advance notice, Surya can arrange transfers and try to share the cost with others arriving at the same time.
Cost: Courses start from €270 (four-day course) and €500 (seven days). Tel: 0090-537 961 8572; see suryaturkey.com
THE PATIKA PROJECT
If you’d like to get closer to the earth, this one is for you. The Patika Project is an ongoing agricultural project which began over 20 years ago on a 5,000 sq m stretch of land in the village of Faralya, which is on the scenic Lycian way. From April to October they offer courses for children, various yoga courses and a permaculture course.
How to get there:Dalaman airport, see above. Take the Havas airport shuttle bus to the minbus station in Dalaman and then take a minibus to Fethiye and another one to Faralya.
Cost:Contact the Patika Project directly for prices. Tel: 0090-252 642 1070; see patikadayolculuk.com
YOGA GENIE
Many teachers from Europe and America give one-week courses in various locations. YogaGenie is a UK yoga school run by Miska Zimanova, a well-qualified, experienced and enthusiastic yoga teacher based in London. In summer she gives a course in the eco-friendly Faralya Hotel overlooking the sparkling azure bay near Fethiye in southwest Turkey and it comes recommended.
How to get there: See Patika above.
Cost: €570. Tel: 0044-796 441 6826; see yogagenie.co.uk