Now that the turkey and its trimmings have digested in your belly, time to start planning a spring eco holiday! Time for Turkey? The country’s natural beaches enjoy little development (that might change) are now considered to be the top three beaches in the world.
According to Blue Flag, an exclusively international eco-label given to beaches and marinas, Turkey’s beaches rank third in the world.
The Turkish Environment Education Association General Manager Erol Gungor said, “383 beaches and 21 marinas in Turkey have been awarded so far, and now we are third in Blue Flag.”
While eco-forward Israel to the south has just started earning Blue Flags, we must keep in mind that Turkey has “Blue Flag” experience for 20 years, and it plans to increase the numbers.
While it is a bit cold for swimming in Turkey right now (unless you go the hot springs), it is a most divine location for a late spring or summer holiday. The beaches stretch for hundreds of miles along the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean, and are unmatched due to little development and clear blue aquamarine colors. There are places to party (and treehouses to live in for a week or more) but most of the beaches are unoccupied.
That scenery with local food and hospitality make Turkey and awesome getaway. I spent a week on a chartered sailboat along the Med before heading to Syria and it was an eco-travellers dream.
Turkey has a booming organic food industry and a heightened sense of ecological awareness. We hope this remains true as the country opens up its real estate market to foreign buyers.
Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label given to beaches and marinas having reached to a standard stated in the criteria. It is an international program currently being implemented in 41 countries around the world including South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Israel, Jordan and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
The Blue Flag works towards sustainable development at beaches/marinas through strict criteria dealing with water quality, environmental education and information, environmental management, and safety and other services.
Above image of Oludeniz from a paraglide (bird’s eye view), Fethiye, Turkey
