The last day of a fine week away staying at the Voyage Hotel, Belek, Antalya, Turkey. Accompanied by friends Raminder and Sue from Dubai days but we toasted absent friends Geoff and Hazel, dues to Hazel’s recent illness and Jason and Kim due to their work commitments in India. The fourth annual golf tour and our second to Turkey.
For us it was a new venture away from Larnaca as we travelled via Pegasus airlines from the Ercan airport in the northern part of Cyprus. After our recent trial run the airport was easily found taking 90 minutes door to door. This was fine, although Ercan is not the international airport we have come to expect from our travels! The plane was full, but we were soon through passport control and met by the rep from the golf company and at the the hotel which was only 30 minutes from the airport.
The hotel proved to be a fine choice for an all-inclusive 5* resort. Although very large it did not feel overcrowded, staff were excellent and very friendly, our room large, modern and clean with a sea view and the bars and restaurants, of which there were many were all first class. Main dining was huge buffets just like the Dubai days, but also a range of restaurants offering a la carte menus, although you had to book these each morning for the same night. All in all it certainly lived up to its 5* category and we would recommend to any golfing group or family with young children. There was plenty to door for all, with a funfair, waterpark and plenty of sun loungers around large pools.
The golf was also good with all courses in excellent condition. Booking through Billyana Golf, who we would also recommend we played The Montgomerie, The National, Caraya and Tat courses. Beautifully tree lined with undulating greens, plenty of lakes complete with water fountains all holes presented a picturesque challenge. As ever when you are reasonably high handicap golfers there were good shots and shots that brought yelps of frustration and curses. Competition was fierce and at times the banter was cruel as we sought to play mind games with each other but especially against whoever was in the lead at the time. After having a very good first round I slipped to third place after two very mediocre rounds. This lead to everything being decided on the last round and as it happened the last hole after I put my tee shot into the water only for Raminder to do the same on his approach shot to the final green. He and Lillian groaned aloud, although a waiter and four watching golfers on the clubhouse balcony applauded as I sank a 40 foot put to win the ‘championship’. Bragging rights for a year are mine! It was all good fun.
Over the five days we had bright, warm sunshine and a mix of clud and some light rain, especially on the first day when playing. There was one day of rest from the golf after the second round and we spent this walking into the market / tourist town of Belek which seemed to be full of the traditional stall where women sat and knitted scarves or the designer clothing ‘copy shop’. There was a need to barter there which I am not good at so we bought very little. the weather on this day was warm and we were able to spend the afternoon sitting on the beach. I do like a sea view.
This was a successful trip and we agreed we will certainly go back again in the future, although perhaps not next year.
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