The Mediterranean holiday destination that looks just like the Maldives
THE Maldives is at the top of many travellers’ bucket lists – despite it being so far from the UK as well as pricy.
However, we found a Mediterranean holiday destination that looks just like the Maldives and it doesn’t cost a fortune to go there.
Suluada is a Mediterranean island of Turkey and it is surrounded by crystal clear waters with white sand.
The incredible Turkish island is located at the end of the Gulf of Antalya.
The island takes its name ‘Suluada‘ from a word meaning ‘watery island’ and it’s often referred to as the ‘Turkish Maldives’.
While you won’t find any accommodation or restaurants on the island, it is still an incredibly popular destination for snorkelling and swimming.
Thanks to the turquoise-tinted clear waters, you can admire a wide variety of marine life swimming around you, and you could even spot a dolphin if you’re lucky.
The water gets its unique colour from microorganisms called ‘foraminifera’.
There are two swimming beaches on Suluada, the one on the west side is bigger and has more waves, while the mainland beach is better if you prefer a quieter swim.
The island is easily reachable by boat, and the trip is about 40 minutes from Antalya or Kemer.
You could take a day boat tour (which lasts about 8 hours), and explore even more islands and bays, including Adrasan Island, and Cıral.
The best time to visit Suluada is between March and November, when temperatures see highs of 33C and there’s virtually no chance of rain.
The island has a 4.5/5 rating on TripAdvisor too, with reviewers singing its praises.
Visitors called it ‘magical’ and said the ‘island is a true wonder of nature’.
One reviewer even left a good tip for visitors, saying the island ‘can get very, very busy in high season with loads of tourists pulling up.’
So her advice is to get there on the first morning-boat to ‘enjoy the beautiful beach in all its glory’.
We’ve found excursions to Suluada from Kemer and Antalya costing from £15pp.
Turkey is a great location for a beach holiday, and it’s budget-friendly too.
The country has incredible views, historical landmark, markets and plenty of activities during the summer season.
The country is also an excellent location for a family holiday, as it has many hotels with massive on-site waterparks.
We’ve found week-long stays at Gazipasa Star Hotel from £373pp in June on a room-only basis with Jet2holidays.
Here are some more deals we’ve found for this spring and summer:
- 7 nights self-catering at New Garden Luna Side Apart Hotel in Side – from £390pp
- 7 nights self-catering at Hanay Suites in Side – from £390pp
- 7 nights self-catering at Vega Green in Alayna – from £414pp
- 7 nights all-inclusive at Grand Park Lara in Lara Beach – from £559pp
- 7 nights all-inclusive at Champion Holiday Village in Kemer – from £567pp
We revealed five surprisingly great value holiday hotspots where flights in August are still cheap.
And we’ve also found the European island that is the ‘new Mykonos’ but with cheap hotels and quiet beaches.
And if you don’t want to travel too far, we found the UK beach where it ‘feels like you’re abroad,’ and it’s one of the cheapest places to visit.