Fethiye→Sarıgerme

Fethiye and Sarıgerme sit on the same stretch of Turkey's southwest coast, yet they feel like two different holidays. Fethiye is a working harbour town with a yacht marina, a Lycian past and a busy evening scene. Sarıgerme is a long, sandy, pine-backed beach with a small village behind it and a handful of large resorts along its edge. The drive between them covers about 38 km and takes around 40 minutes. That is short enough to leave after breakfast and still be on the sand before lunch.

This page explains the road, the arrival, and what to expect once you are there. It also covers the return journey and the day trips that make the move worthwhile. Turkey Transfer arranges a private car for the whole trip, with a driver who meets you at your Fethiye address and takes you to your door in Sarıgerme.

Many travellers split a southwest Turkey holiday into two parts. They spend the first few nights in Fethiye, Çalış or Ölüdeniz, where there are boat trips, an old town and plenty of restaurants. Then they move on to Sarıgerme to slow down. Others do it the other way round, ending a week at the beach with a few days of sightseeing around Fethiye.

Sarıgerme suits people who want a calm base. The beach is wide and sandy and has a Blue Flag. Umbrella pines grow close behind it, which gives shade away from the sunbeds. The village is small, and the resorts around it are built for families who want to arrive, unpack and stay put. Golfers also come here, because a golf course sits beside the beach.

The move is also practical for anyone flying out of Dalaman Airport at the end of the trip. Sarıgerme is much closer to the airport than Fethiye is. Ending your holiday there shortens the last day considerably.

The route follows the D400 coastal highway westward. You leave Fethiye through the bay-side suburbs, past the marina area and the turn-offs for Çalış, and then climb away from the water. For a while the road runs through pine hills with glimpses of the Gulf of Fethiye on one side. This is the most scenic part of the journey, and it is worth sitting on the side of the car that faces the sea.

After the hills you pass the Göcek area, a yachting harbour town set among islands and sheltered bays. Many gulets and private yachts moor here, and the coast below the road is a patchwork of coves. The road then descends to the flat plain around Dalaman. The scenery changes completely. Mountains give way to farmland, and you see citrus groves, vegetable fields and greenhouses. In autumn, roadside stalls sell pomegranates and other local produce.

Dalaman Airport lies on this plain, and the highway passes close to the town of Dalaman itself. From here you continue towards Ortaca, then turn off the main road and head down towards the coast and Sarıgerme. The final stretch is a quiet local road through fields and pines. It ends at the beach resorts and the village lanes.

There are no mountain passes of any difficulty, no ferries and no toll gates to plan around. It is an easy, steady drive on a well-surfaced road.

The usual figure is 40 minutes for the 38 km. That assumes normal traffic and a drop-off point in the central part of Sarıgerme. A few things can add time.

• July and August afternoons. The D400 carries holiday traffic, and the stretch near Dalaman and Ortaca can slow down. Add a little margin.
• Airport traffic near Dalaman. Arrival and departure waves at the airport put more cars on the road around the junctions.
• Resort entrances. Some Sarıgerme hotels sit on large sites with long internal roads. The last few minutes to reception can take longer than the map suggests.
• Your pickup point. Ölüdeniz and Hisarönü are further from the main road than central Fethiye. A pickup there means a longer start to the journey.

In spring and autumn, and on most mornings, the road is calm and you will often arrive close to the stated 40 minutes. Tell us your exact pickup point and your hotel name when you book. We can then plan the timing properly.

We collect from any address in Fethiye. That includes the following areas.

• Central Fethiye and the marina. Hotels in the town centre, apartments near the harbour and guesthouses in the old quarter.
• Çalış Beach. The long seafront strip north of the centre, with its promenade, beach hotels and sunset views.
• Ölüdeniz and Hisarönü. The hillside and lagoon resorts south of town. Allow a little extra time for the first leg out to the main road.
• Karagözler and Çiftlik. Quieter residential parts of the bay.

Your driver waits with a name board and helps with the luggage. Fethiye's old streets can be narrow, so if your accommodation sits in a pedestrian lane, the driver will tell you the nearest point a car can reach. A message with the building name or a map pin helps a lot when you book.

Sarıgerme is spread out. The beach runs along the coast, and the resorts, pensions and villas sit behind it on a network of local roads. Many places look similar from the road, with pine trees, white walls and similar gates. That is why a driver who knows the entrances saves time.

Tell us your exact hotel or villa name. If you are staying in a private villa or a small pension off the main beach road, send the location pin. We drive you to the door or to the nearest point that vehicles can reach.

Most larger resorts have a barrier at the gate and a reception area close to the entrance. Check-in times vary, so a morning arrival from Fethiye may be earlier than your room is ready. Reception can usually store luggage so you can go to the beach straight away. If you move on a day with a late check-in, plan a relaxed lunch at the beach or in the village while you wait.

Sarıgerme is not a big place, but where you sleep still shapes the holiday.

On the beachfront. The resorts along the sand are the choice for families and anyone who wants to walk from bed to beach. All-inclusive hotels are common here. You pay for the convenience, but you also get on-site restaurants, pools and children's activities, and you rarely need a car.

Behind the pines, towards the village. Smaller hotels, apartments and pensions sit a short walk from the village centre. This suits people who prefer to eat out, try different restaurants and shop for snacks and supplies. You walk a little further to the beach but gain more independence.

Near the golf course. The golf course lies beside the beach, and some accommodation is built around it. Golfers with bulky club bags are well served by a private car, because clubs, trolleys and large cases fit more easily than on any public bus.

Villas and apartments inland. Rental villas appeal to larger groups or to long stays. You will want a car for shopping and day trips, or a pre-booked transfer for the days you go further afield.

The main reason to come is the beach. It is a long ribbon of soft sand, backed by umbrella pines and dunes, with a Blue Flag. The sea shelves gently, which many parents like when children are small. The sand and the open sky give the bay a roomy, quiet feel, even in high season.

The water is warm by early summer. Sea temperatures peak in August, with the sea around 28°C. Sailing and swimming are comfortable from May to October.

Most resorts have their own stretch of beach with loungers. Public areas also exist, so you can walk along the shore and choose where to stop. Windsurfing and other water sports are common in the bay, and boat trips leave from the nearby coast.

The dunes behind the beach make a pleasant walk early in the morning, when the sand is cool.

Sarıgerme is a relaxed place in the evening. You will not find the nightlife of Ölüdeniz or the harbour bars of Fethiye here. What you do get is a village with restaurants, small cafés and shops, and resort dining rooms.

If you stay in an all-inclusive resort, dinner usually happens on site. It is worth stepping out at least once. Grilled fish, meze, fresh salads and Turkish grills are the staples across this coast. Many village restaurants serve simple meals under the pines, with the sound of the sea nearby.

If you want a busier night, you can take a taxi or a pre-booked transfer to Dalyan or Ortaca for a change of scene. Fethiye's harbour area is further, but a late return by private car is possible. Tell us the time and place and we plan the pickup.

Sarıgerme is one of the most family-friendly spots on the Turquoise Coast. The shallow sandy beach, the resort pools and the kids' clubs make it easy to travel with young children. The transfer from Fethiye also works well for families.

• Child seats. Available on request. Tell us the ages and number of children when you book, and we install the right seats before pickup.
• Space. Buggies, car seats and large suitcases fit in a private vehicle without any juggling.
• Sleeping children. The 40-minute drive is short, and a child who falls asleep at pickup often stays asleep until the hotel. No bus transfers, no changes and no waiting at a junction.
• Breaks. If you need a stop on the way, tell the driver. The route passes towns and services at Göcek and Dalaman.

Pack drinks and a snack for the car, especially in summer. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and water is on board.

The golf course beside the beach is a major draw. If you travel with clubs, mention it when you book. We make sure the vehicle has room for the bags, and the driver can drop you directly at the resort or clubhouse.

Beyond golf, the area has plenty to do. You can cycle on flat roads between fields and pines, walk on the dunes, try water sports in the bay, or head inland to the river and lake region. The flat terrain around Dalaman and Ortaca suits gentle cycling.

Sarıgerme is a good base for the Dalaman and Dalyan district.

Dalyan and İztuzu Beach. The nearby river town of Dalyan is known for its reed-lined channels, its rock-cut Lycian tombs and boat trips. The ancient city of Kaunos stands across the river. İztuzu Beach, a long sandy spit between the sea and the delta, is a nesting site for loggerhead turtles. Dalyan's mud baths are another well-known stop.

Köyceğiz. The lake town lies in the same district and offers a calmer, green landscape inland.

Boat trips. Excursions along the coast and to nearby bays leave from the region's harbours. You can sail to coves that cannot be reached by road.

Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. If you would like to see the sights you skipped, the return to Fethiye is the same 40-minute drive. You can visit the Lycian rock tombs above the town, the Paspatur old quarter and the harbour. The Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon, paragliding from Babadağ and Butterfly Valley are also easy to reach.

Further afield. Saklıkent Gorge, the ruins of Tlos, Kayaköy and Patara Beach are longer trips. They suit days when you want a proper excursion with a driver.

A private car makes these trips simpler than shared minibuses. A dolmuş (shared minibus) can take longer, especially with waiting at junctions.

If you return to Fethiye after a stay in Sarıgerme, the journey is the same road in reverse. The timing is again about 40 minutes for 38 km. The sea views are now on the other side, and the hills before Fethiye come at the end of the trip. Plan a morning departure on summer weekends to avoid afternoon traffic.

Many Dalaman flights land late in the evening or leave very early in the morning. This matters when you travel from Fethiye.

For a late arrival, send us your flight number. The driver tracks the flight and waits at the airport, even if it is delayed. If your hotel in Sarıgerme has a night reception, tell us before you travel so the staff expect you.

For an early flight, we plan backwards from the departure time. We allow for the drive, a margin for traffic around Dalaman and time for check-in and security. A very early flight means a very early pickup. The airport lies at the end of the journey, and a missed flight costs far more than an extra half hour of waiting.

If this trip ends at the airport, the plan changes. Sarıgerme is close to Dalaman Airport. Fethiye is further away, roughly 50 km by road, and the drive takes about 45 to 60 minutes. A Fethiye pickup therefore needs a more generous start.

• Choose your pickup time with a buffer. We time it so that you reach the terminal with time for check-in and security, not a sprint to the gate.
• Tell us your flight number. We calculate the pickup backwards from the departure time.
• Allow extra in high season. The roads around the airport are busier at peak travel times, especially on summer weekends.

If you stay in Sarıgerme on your last night, the airport transfer is short. That is why many travellers end their trip there.

The coast has long, hot summers and short, mild winters.

April to June. Spring is comfortable. The countryside is green, the sea is cooler, the beach is quiet and the roads are easy. It is a good time for golf and walking.

July and August. These are the hottest and busiest months. The beach is full, the sea is at its warmest and resort life is at its liveliest. Travel in the morning or evening if possible, and book your transfer early.

September and October. Many visitors prefer this time. The sea is still warm, the crowds thin and the light is softer. The autumn markets show local produce, and pomegranates appear along the roads.

November to March. This is the quiet season. Some seafront hotels close for winter, and boat trips and other services run less often. The drive is still straightforward, but check that your hotel is open before you book.

A few small details make the trip smoother.

• Pickup address. Give us the exact address or a map pin in Fethiye.
• Hotel name in Sarıgerme. Resort and pension names help the driver find the right gate.
• Passenger and luggage count. This lets us choose the right vehicle, including for golf bags and large cases.
• Child seats. Tell us how many and for what ages.
• Flight details. If the transfer links to a flight, send the flight number.
• Contact number. A phone number that works in Turkey helps on the day.

Here is how a typical transfer from Fethiye to Sarıgerme looks.

1. You check out of your hotel in Fethiye and meet the driver at the agreed time.
2. The driver loads your luggage and leaves the bay on the D400.
3. You climb through the pine hills, pass Göcek and drop onto the Dalaman plain.
4. You continue past Dalaman towards Ortaca and turn towards the coast.
5. The driver takes you to the door of your hotel or villa in Sarıgerme.
6. You arrive in around 40 minutes, unpack, and head to the beach.

A public bus from Fethiye to the Ortaca area leaves you at a junction well short of the Sarıgerme beachfront, and you still need a taxi or a long walk to finish. A private car removes the last-mile guesswork.

You travel in a clean, air-conditioned vehicle with room to stretch out and proper space for bags. The driver speaks English, knows the resort entrances and helps with the luggage. Water is on board. Child seats are available on request.

The price is agreed when you book and is for the vehicle, not per person. A family or a small group shares one price, with luggage included. You do not pay per head, and you do not watch a meter on the way.

Sarıgerme rewards a slow pace. Give yourself at least a few nights if you can. One night is enough to transfer, but not enough to enjoy the beach. Three or four nights let you add a Dalyan day trip, a golf round or a boat excursion without rushing.

If you split your holiday between Fethiye and Sarıgerme, plan the sightseeing first and the beach second. You leave Fethiye having seen the Lycian tombs, the old town and the harbour. You arrive in Sarıgerme ready to rest. On the last day, a short transfer takes you to Dalaman Airport.

When you are ready, book the transfer with your pickup address, hotel name and travel date. Your driver will be waiting for the easy 40 minutes along the coast.

Around 40 minutes for the 38 km on the D400 coastal road and the local road to the beach. In peak July and August, or if your hotel is deep inside a resort complex, allow a little extra for the final approach.

The price is per vehicle, not per passenger. A family or small group shares one agreed price with luggage included.

Yes. We collect from any address, hotel, villa or apartment in Fethiye, Çalış, Ölüdeniz or Hisarönü, and we drop you at your door in Sarıgerme. Give us the pickup point when you book.

Yes. Tell us about golf bags, buggies and oversized cases when you book, and we assign a vehicle with enough space.

Yes, on request. Tell us the number of children and their ages when you book.

Yes. We arrange both. The Sarıgerme to Fethiye route follows the same road in reverse, and the airport transfer from Sarıgerme is a short drive.