Patara, near Kalkan
Arguably the best beach in southern Turkey, Patara stretches for 18km with not a building in sight. The town has a hippyish feel, with cushion-strewn bars and simple restaurants. It's perfect for a holiday with small children who want to spend all their time on the beach, though the resort of Kalkan, and the Roman ruins at Xanthos are both a short drive away. Thomas Cook flies to Dalaman (two hours' drive from Patara) from four UK airports from £120 return.
Stay: The Patara Viewpoint (+90 242 843 5184, pataraviewpoint.com) is a simple, rustic-style hotel with lovely beach views, and B&B doubles from £280 a week.
All prices quoted are for the school summer holiday period
Dalyan, near Dalaman
Also a great choice for young families, Dalyan is a laid-back resort on the banks of the river Cayi. Kids will love the boat taxi rides between the town and the 4½km beach at Iztuzu, along with the chance to get well and truly dirty at the famous sulphur mud baths. The sailing resort of Göcek is nearby, with lots of watersports, and there's white-water rafting and horse-riding in the mountains behind the town. Fly to Dalaman (45 minutes away) as before.
Stay: Beyaz Villas (01469 531339; beyazvillas.com) has family apartments costing £470 a week for two adults, £30 a week for each child.
Kaya, near Fethiye
Ölü Deniz is one of Turkey's busiest resorts, but in the mountains to the north-west lies Kaya, with a few hotels and pensions, overlooked by a deserted Greek village called Karmylissos. A short drive on is beautiful Gemiler beach, rarely discovered by the hordes and perfect for family beach days. Fethiye, in the opposite direction, has a great weekly market and a lovely old town, for strolls and supper. Dalaman airport is just over an hour away.
Stay: Villa Rhapsody (+90 252 618 0042, villarhapsody.com) is a family-friendly pension with rooms for two adults and one child from £52 a night B&B.
Bezirgan, near Kalkan
In the village of Bezirgan, life continues much as it always has, in spite of the tourist development in Kalkan, 20 minutes' drive away. Farmhouses dot the plateau, and there's one cafe and a shop. Come for walking, wildlife spotting and a glimpse of rural life, but it's also handy for Kalkan and the fabulous beach at Kaputas. Dalaman airport is two hours away.
Stay: Owlsland (+90 242 837 5214, owlsland.com) is a 150-year-old farmhouse, converted into charming accommodation by Pauline (from Scotland) and her Turkish husband Erol. B&B for a week costs from £218pp, half-price for children three-12.
Akyaka, near Marmaris
The small resort of Akyaka lies on the river Azmak, in the Gokova plain. Famous for its fish restaurants, it also has a small beach and few shops. It's ideally placed for exploring: the market town of Mugla is half an hour over the mountain, with Marmaris half an hour in the other direction. The beaches on Sedir Island, said to be the meeting place of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony, are also nearby. Dalaman airport is an hour-and-a-quarter away.
Stay: Five Mugla-style houses with shared pool, Villas Vali are a short stroll along the river from the village. A house sleeping four costs £850 a week with Owners Direct (ownersdirect.co.uk).
Kumlubük, near Marmaris
On a pine-clad peninsula 24km from Marmaris, Kumlubük is a scattering of houses and small hotels along a curve of sandy beach, backed by mountains. Its relative inaccessibility has kept it undeveloped, but boat taxis chug back and forth so if you need a hit of urban pleasures, it's an easy trip to the bazaar and buzzy waterfront at Marmaris. There are some lovely villages to explore in the mountains. Dalaman airport is just over two hours away.
Stay: The Serendip Select (+90 252 476 7130, serendipselect.com) is a family hotel at the far end of Kumlubük bay, opening right on to the beach, with doubles from £900 a week B&B.
Gökçeovacık, near Göcek
Gökçeovacık feels miles from anywhere but is 20 minutes' drive from the bright lights of Göcek. There are a couple of shops and restaurants, but a stay here is all about walking and horse-riding through woodland, or white-water rafting on the Dalaman river (turkeyrafting.com/dalaman-rafting.html). Iztuzu beach is an easy drive; Dalaman airport is 40 minutes away.
Stay: Old Farm House on the edge of the village sleeps four for £268 a week through Holiday Lettings (holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/gocek/327542).
Alaçatı, Izmir
West of Izmir on the Aegean coast, Alaçatı has stone houses on narrow streets, and a square with tavernas and cafes. There are several sandy beaches within a short drive, and Alaçatı bay is a centre for kite-boarding and windsurfing, making it great for teenagers. Pegasus Airlines (0845 0848 980, flypgs.com) flies from Stansted to Izmir (less than an hour away) from £245 return.
Stay: Alaçatı Villa (villarenters.com/rent-villas/turkey/alacati/) is a newly built villa with pool five minutes' walk from town, sleeping six for £1,201 a week.
Yalıkavak, near Bodrum
The Bodrum peninsula is great for older kids who don't want to spend all day on the beach. The town of Yalıkavak, on the other side from Bodrum, has a fantastic weekly market, and the hills behind offer horse riding, hiking and cycling. Stroll along the waterfront picking a place for dinner; even the most idyllically located will be considerably cheaper than in the big resorts. Monarch (08719 405040, monarch.co.uk) flies to Bodrum, an hour away, from five UK airports from £120 return.
Stay: Holiday Lettings has a comfy two-bedroom apartment in the hills above the village. Sleeping four, it costs from £570 a week through (holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/bodrum/208961).
Ciralı near Antalya
Ciralı is a 3½km arc of pebble-and-sand beach, protected because it's a nesting site for sea turtles. With Mount Tahtali at one end and the ruined city of Olympos at the other, Ciralı is most famous for the Chimaera, a continuous flame that billows out of rocks above. Thomson (flights.thomson.co.uk) flies to Antalya from three UK airports from £320 return.
Stay: The Azur (+90 242 825 7072, azurhotelcirali.com) is a friendly hotel with 20 wooden cabins in glorious gardens. A cabin for four costs £106 a night (£89 if one child is under six).
