While visitors are usually familiar with well known beach spots like Oludeniz, Side, Calis and Patara, Turkey actually has more than 450 Blue Flag beaches to explore. We’ve rounded up a few hidden seaside locations: beaches, coves and bays, that most tourists never see

Gokgemile, Dalaman

“Help Cove” or Gokgemile, is close to the Kapidag peninsula, near Dalaman. The pristine bay with its white sand beach is surrounded by pines, and an incredibly peaceful spot. To reach the bay, you can either walk for 20 minutes along a pretty track, or take a boat leaving from Fethiye. The quiet, secluded bay has nothing in the way of facilities, so make sure you take plenty of water along with you.

Gideros Bay, Kastamonu

Located in Turkey’s western Black Sea region, Gideros Bay was once home to a group of Amazons, the fearsome female warriors. Almost four millenia later, the beautiful bay is an off-the-radar beauty that few people bother to visit. Black Sea tides can be strong, but the sheltered bay is peaceful, and a refuge for passing yachts. Wannabe visitors should act fast: the municipality is working hard to promote the hidden bay to tourists, developing the front to make the bay more accessible.

Sazak, Antalya

Locals call this out-of-the-way beach “Honeymoon Bay”. Antalya crowds usually miss out on seeing Sazak, unless they take a bay-hopping boat cruise. The alternative is a walk along a dirt track, an eight kilometre walk that’s punishing in the heat of the summer. However, those who do make the effort are rewarded by a very pretty beach, backed by trees and mountains and free of all shops, hawkers and tourist crowds.

Adrasan, Antalya

Just down the road from the more famous Olympos, Adrasan Cove is a tranquil spot, a paradise of blue and green with a two-kilometre long beach beloved of swimmers and sailors on day trips away from their villas in Antalya There are a few boutique hotels here and a few restaurants, with wooden platforms built over the stream that meanders to the waterfront.

Bencik Bay, Marmaris

Close to the beautiful Gulf of Gokova (https://www.propertyturkey.com/blog-turkey/three-bodrums-that-are-going-places), Bencik Bay is a popular spot for yachts and seekers of nature and tranquility. Pine trees cloak the gentle hills that slope towards the water’s edge, where rocks jut out to enclose the bay, providing a shelter for boats. Take a dip, snorkel the nearby reef, and set up camp in the public campsite - where there’s even a restaurant.

Akvaryum Bay, Datca

Akvaryum Bay is almost completely encircled, and as a result is one of the most safe, shallow and calm bays you’ll see on the south coast of Turkey. There are no facilities at the beach, so you’ll need to take your own drinks and food. But you’ll be richly rewarded: this off-the-beaten-track seaside spot is ideal for diving and swimming.

Bozukkale Bay, Marmaris

This secluded bay can be reached only by boat, but it’s worth the trip: the beach on the south of the Bozburun peninsula enjoys incredible views, and overlooks the Greek island of Rhodes. The bay was once the heart of an ancient Carian navy base and city, who ruled the area around 3000 years ago. Bozukkale means “broken castle”, and visitors can see the 2500-year-old citadel on the bay’s western headland.

Poruklu Bay, Fethiye

The only natural beach in marina town Gocek, Poruklu Bay is ten minutes from the town centre, which is something of a millionaire's playground, with some of the most luxury villas in Turkey nestled in the hills. The secluded and sheltered bay also houses a marina, catering to larger yachts which need a little more space. Enjoy the bay’s warm waters and emerald green surroundings, all a stone’s throw from a bustling harbour town.

Buyuk Bay, Gokova

One of the prettiest anchorages on the Gulf of Gokova, Buyuk Bay is a large, sweeping stretch of beach surrounded by pines. The waters off its shore are ideal for swimmers and snorkellers, who can explore the reef. There’s a rough road in, but it’s more easily accessible by boat. There are no facilities here, making the bay incredibly peaceful.

Suvla Bay, Canakkale

The sweeping Sulva Bay, on the Saros Gulf in Turkey’s northwest, is a deserted stretch of sand dunes and gently sloping beach. Learning a little of the beach’s recent history lends the location a haunting quality: British troops lost their lives here in World War I and swimmers can see war wreckage beneath the shallow waters. It’s a lovely, peaceful spot, with nothing around except a few fishermen’s shacks.

Read more: A beach bum's guide to Turkey