 | Altinkum not only has the climate, fantastic beaches, wide variety of entertainment and eateries but also continues to develop constructively, as the two communities and cultures live together in harmony. This ideal mix makes the area very attractive as either a holiday resort or an option for a permanent life abroad. |
Didim is a provincial town of Aydın county and is located on a peninsula surrounding Muğla on the east coast, Söke in the north, Mandalya Bay in the south and the Aegean Sea in the west. The county of Milas and the beautiful Bafa Lake are also in the east.
Due to Didim’s location it is a very popular tourism centre with its coastal ribbon stretching for 80kms.
It is estimated that the population of Didim is approximately 30,000, this figure increases in the summer season to some 400,000 with many nationalities enjoying the area.
The region is very close to ancient towns and natural wonders comparing to most of the holiday resorts of Turkey and as such, Altınkum is located on the crossroads of a superb holiday resort, history, art and the culture.
PLACES OF INTEREST
The resort of Altınkum is part of the region known as Didim and is welcoming a large population of tourists from all over the world with its beautiful beaches, ancient towns, culture and Mediterranean climate every year.
Areas of interest locally include the infamous Temple of Apollo which is one of the largest of the Hellenistic classical period, preceded solely by the Artemision of Ephesus and the Temple of Hera in Samos. Still today an idea of the ancient splendor of the building with its impressive number of Ionic columns still transpires from these imposing magnificent ruins.
Priene and Miletus are also within the local area and easy accessible. The ruins of the ancient city of Miletus lie on a hill encircled by the waters of the Büyük Menderes near the Aegean coast. As is the case with nearby Priene, the progressive accumulation of riverborn debris has played a considerable role in the city's historical and economical vicissitudes.
Lake Bafa and its environs were designated as a high conservation region in 1989. The region is home to many aviary friends as pelicans, cormorants, herons and many other varieties attracting bird watchers from around the world. Lake Bafa and its surrounding area of natural beauty and wildlife, offers an ideal location for relaxation with its impressive setting, where one can cool off in the lakeside cafes & restaurants and enjoy the excellent view. With it being so close in proximity to Altınkum it is definitely a place to visit.
Further afield but within driving distance there are the spectacular sights of Pamukkale and Ephesus. The name Pamukkale means Cotton Castle in Turkish and it gets it name from lovely travertines that flow down the hillside from hot springs, leaving behind a soft white snow of calcium carbonate and bisodium carbonate. You can bath in the pools as you walk up to the ancient city of Hieropolis, with its own Necropolis. Ephesus is the best preserved classical city of the Eastern Mediterranean, and among the best places in the world enabling one to genuinely 'soak in' the atmosphere of Roman times.
THE JOINT WORKING OF TWO COMMUNITIES
The increase in the number of foreigners purchasing property within Altınkum has altered the dynamics within the community in respect that the two communities are now living and working together successfully.
| The local government and other agencies are developing various strategies in order to continue to improve joint community liaisons. Examples of these include; the provision by the local council of Turkish lessons for the foreigners residing within Altınkum, local utility bills are written in English, and the City Assembly are forming public forum groups with both Turkish and Foreign representatives. | 
The local authority provide Turkish lessons for the foreigners living in the area |
The continuing development of the area also focuses on infrastructural issues, with the local authorities developing and improving roads, street lighting and other community services.
