Where to stay near Dalaman: Fethiye, Ölüdeniz and the coast

Ölüdeniz is Turkey's most famous beach, and it lives up to the photos. A sheltered, impossibly blue lagoon sits behind a spit of white pebbles, pine-covered hills rise all around, and the sky above is dotted with paragliders who have launched from the summit of Babadağ, nearly 2,000 metres up. The Lycian Way, Turkey's great long-distance trail, starts here, and boats leave for Butterfly Valley.

Hotels right by the beach are few and in demand: a resort in pretty gardens just steps from the Blue Flag beach, and a huge seafront resort with a private beach, a mass of pools, villas with kitchens and its own diving and paragliding activities. Book early for summer.

Up the hill from Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü and Ovacık have grown from farming villages into a lively, very British resort area of bars, restaurants and pool hotels. It is a few minutes by dolmuş to the beach and noticeably better value than staying on the sand. The abandoned Greek village of Kayaköy is a short walk or drive away.

Hotels are mostly big and pool-focused: a well-located four-star in the centre of Hisarönü, a family hotel with its own aquapark in Ovacık, and two five-star resorts on the pine-clad hillside below Babadağ, with sweeping views over the bay of Ölüdeniz. Fethiye town is around 15 to 20 minutes' drive.

Just north of Fethiye town, Çalış Beach is a long, gently curving stretch of sand and shingle backed by a traffic-free promenade of cafés, restaurants and bars. The sun drops into the bay right in front of you every evening, and water taxis potter across to Fethiye's harbour, with its fish market and waterfront restaurants.

The best hotels are stylish and grown-up: an adults-only five-star separated from the beach only by the pedestrian promenade, with a pool and spa, and a beautifully designed resort beside a natural lagoon, steps from the sand and about 5 km from Fethiye. It's a relaxed, easy base for exploring the whole coast.

Fethiye's coast is a jigsaw of headlands and secluded bays, and some of the region's grandest resorts have claimed them. Expect long private beaches, forest trails and the feeling of having a whole bay to yourself, with Fethiye's harbour, markets and boat trips a short drive away. Further west towards the airport, Göcek is a sailing hub sheltered by a scatter of islands.

Choose a resort spread across its own private peninsula with three beaches and kilometres of walking trails; a hotel 10 km west of Fethiye with separate sections for adults, families and mixed groups; or a resort split into a family half and an adults-only club. For the ultimate splurge, private villas in Göcek come with their own pools, beaches and butlers.