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I love it when expectations are far exceeded. That’s how our group of four felt about our two night and way too short stay at the Ankh Pension in car-free Simena Village on the Mediterranean, a dew hour’s drive south of Antalya, Turkey. It was a treat to have no agenda and be out of hiking shoes after five hard but beautiful days hiking the Lycian Way.
With some advice from an on-the-ground travel agent, we had arranged for a taxi to drive us to Ücagiz from Adrasan, our last stop on the Lycian Way. It was a lovely drive but most of the towns we went through didn’t have the charm we were looking for. But when we turned into Ücagiz we realized we’d hit pay dirt. In minutes we had our bags loaded in a boat and were off on a 10 minute ride to the Ankh Pension – along with the family dog.
The Ankh Pension is in an unbelievable location
Ankh Pension is located directly on the water. And everywhere you go from the water is up.
Our room was at the top of three flights of old stone stairs. Inside it was airy and our queen sized bed enjoyed views out to the water. A private patio offered a great place to doze and read – and ponder the state of the world. The room was simple but clean and had everything you needed including a large bathroom with a shower.
We ate all our meals in-house. I still think of the food and salivate. My favourite was a memorable eggplant and tomato dish that I could never replicate here in Calgary. Considering we closed the pension down for the season, I was amazed at the variety of foods that were offered. Reportedly the ice cream is amazing in season.
Be prepared to eat with at least a dozen cats watching over you. That was pretty standard in all but the fancy restaurants anywhere we went in Turkey.
What you can do at the Ankh Pension?
Pull up a chair down by the water and alternate between lounging and swimming. It’s a fantastic spot for relaxation. If you swim, keep your eyes open – as you might get lucky and see a sea turtle. Even in early November at the end of their “season” the water was comfortably warm for swimming.
The pension offers kayaks to their guests. You can have fun exploring the coastline for several hours.
Arrange to take a tour over to Kekova Island – directly across from the pension – where there is a sunken city. You can’t visit on your own.
Take a walk up behind the pension. It’s absolutely beautiful. You can tour Simena Castle though I have to say John and I just had fun exploring.
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The rooms at Ankh Pension enjoy air conditioning and WiFi is available. A deluxe room that comes with breakfast is approximately $Cdn 125 per night.
This is one B&B I absolutely recommend – and no my room was not comped. I wrote this post because Ankh Pension is truly one of the most wonderful and peaceful B&B’s I have ever had the pleasure to stay in.
You can check rates and book the Pension here – and if you do make it a minimum of three nights!
Further reading on things to do in Turkey
- What it’s Like to Stay in a Cave Hotel in Cappadocia
- A Trip to Rose Valley Cappadocia for Incredible Hiking
- 40 Random Observations about Turkey
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