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Forget Turkey's teeming resorts. Here are 10 crowd-free beaches, from hidden bays to pristine secluded coves

1. Ovabuku

Accommodation The Olive Garden Hotel (+90 252 728 0056). Doubles from €60 per night B&B.

2. Butterfly Valley

Spectacularly situated between two towering cliffs, Butterfly valley stretches out in a v-shape, ending in a sweep of pristine beach. Most visitors access the beach by boat from Olu Deniz or Fethiye, but for adventurous trekkers there is a rocky path that leads down from the road (around 40 mins down and an hour back up).  There is no electricity, roads or buildings in the valley but camping is allowed and there are shelters in the trees. Alternatively, stay in the peaceful hamlet of Faralya and gaze down to the beach, hundreds of feet below.

Accommodation The Mandarin Boutique hotel, from £775pp per week, B&B, through Cachet Travel (+44 (0)20 8847 8700; cachet-travel.co.uk).

3. Amos

Hidden between the resorts of Turunc and Kumlubuk on the Bozburun peninsula, Amos is a small cove tucked between two headlands.  It's a bit rough and ready and the pebbles are scattered with ancient wooden loungers, but there is an unspoilt beauty that makes a stark contrast to the bling and bright lights of Marmaris, which lies across the bay.  Amos was once a sizeable Roman settlement and there are some remains, including a small amphitheatre with breathtaking views.  Better still, there's an excellent restaurant right on the beach, serving up fresh fish and meze.

Stay at The Serendip Select, in neighbouring Kumlubuk, from £440pp per week, B&B through Anatolian Sky (08448 757681; anatoliansky.co.uk).

4. Gemiler

It's hard to believe that Gemiler lies just a short way away from the heavily overpopulated Olu Deniz beach; it's rarely crowded and reached by boat or bus ride from Hisaronu, through the fertile Kaya valley, past tobacco and wheat fields and out to the very tip of the Fethiye peninsula. Surrounded by pine and olive trees, the beach looks across to St Nicholas Island, and there are a couple of good restaurants serving up fresh meze and cold Efes beers.

Stay at Tangala Evi, in nearby Kaya, costs from £825pp, self-catering, through Exclusive Escapes (+44 (0)20 8605 3500; exclusiveescapes.co.uk, sleeps 2 adults and 1 child).

5. Cirali

Olympos beach, famed for its treehouse accommodation, has been on the backpacker trail for years, but neighbouring Cirali has managed to avoid the same level of development.  The 3km sweep of beach is a protected area, thanks to the loggerhead turtles who clamber out of the sea to nest on the sand.  Flanked by two huge mountains, the whole area around Cirali is dramatically beautiful, while the village behind offers simple restaurants and pensions, with a pleasingly hippyish atmosphere.

Accommodation The Canada Hotel (+90 242 825 7233; canadahotel.net) has doubles from €50 per night, B&B.

6. Kaputas

On the breathtaking road between Kalkan and Kas, the beach at Kaputas is formed by a gorge that opens out into a stretch of sand.  The long flight of steps down from the road means there are no facilities on the beach, so take water and a parasol if you're planning to stay a while.  It's a popular beach with locals, which gives it a very different feel to many of Turkey's more accessible stretches of coastline.  Dolmuses (minibuses) between Kalkan and Kas stop off at Patara, and if you go on a windy day there are fabulous waves.

Stay atKorsan Apartments Kalkan, from £ 427pp per week, self catering through Simply Travel (0871 231 4050; simplytravel.co.uk ).

7. Hisaronu Bay

Stay at The Golden Key in Hisaronu, from £553pp per week, B&B, through Simply Travel (as before).

8. Ortakent

Stay at The Tamarisk Hotel (+90 252 358 5072; tamariskbeachhotel.com) has doubles from £25pp pn B&B.

9. Gunluklu

Avoid Gunluklu on the weekends, as locals flock to this stretch of beach, to camp and watch the sunset over campfires and barbecues. On weekdays, however, it remains peaceful â€" hidden down a long track from the Fethiye-Gocek road, surrounded by pine forests and sweet gum trees.  Gunluklu is an ideal option if you want a feeling of total escape, with the option of a bit of a bustle if you feel like a night out or shopping spree â€" Fethiye is just a short drive away.

Stay atBay, in the woods near the beach, with £ 710pp per week, B and B through Cachet Travel (as before).

10. Kabak

If you're staying in Faralya but the trek down (or boat trip across) to the beach at Butterfly Valley seems a little like hard work, head instead for Kabak â€" a totally unspoilt stretch of shingle beach that is surrounded on three sides by lush pine forest.  There is nothing on the beach, and only a few secluded campsites behind it; if you're looking for a back-to-basics beach experience this is the perfect spot.  Visit at night and the lights of Olu Deniz twinkle across the bay; 15 minutes' drive and a whole world away.

Stay atReflections Camp (+90 534 204 9118; reflectionscamp.com ) has tents from 40TL (around £17) per night.

• All packages include a tour operator safety.