Spotting turtles, as we paddled out into the clear warm water, I realised not all family holidays abroad are like this. That morning, with my husband and two older children, we had woken early, grabbed our snorkel gear and ambled out into the already warm heat of the rising sun, sidled through the sea side cafe and clambered down the little platform to take a dip. Another family had promised us turtles in the early morning. And we certainly weren't going to miss them.

This was our first time in Kas on the Lycian Coast and the town came as a bit of a revelation. We had previously spent our Turkey holidays in Antalya, a faceless conrete jungle on a fine stretch of sand; and Olu Deniz, whose beautiful bay on the Turquoise Coast was battered by full English breakfasts, cheap kebabs and just to rub it in - an Asda.

Kas, on the other hand, has lively markets, a beautiful bustling little harbour, the ruins of an impressive ancient amphitheatre (albeit a modest one) and one of the best views across the Mediterranean I have ever seen. It also has sea turtles.

We were hooked. But there was far more still to come...

The first of our more adventurous Turkey holidays, we set off that afternoon for a mountain biking ride along the winding back lanes of the rugged countryside through to the village of Cukurbag. Here we could taste the real Turkey. The baleful cry of the muezzin echoed through the streets, transmitted to these smaller villages by radio. Old women invited us in for copious cups of black, sugary tea in elegant tulip glasses. And we picked fresh pomegranates to snack on.

That following day was the one we (or mostly I) had been waiting for. After a leisurely breakfast, we boarded a gulet cruise to sail around the beaches and bays of the Turquoise Coast. The water was dazzling; Kas is famous for its clear waters and we were free to go sea kayaking, swim, snorkel or just sit back and enjoy the breeze. We stopped for lunch at deserted bays and the sea salty air made sharp cheeses, soft breads and crisp salads taste even more delicious. Then as night fell, a thousand stars populated the night sky like celestial beings. And I decided there and then that all family holidays abroad should be like this.

This article was written by Thom Sanders on behalf of The Adventure Company who offer a wide range of Family holidays abroad along with its other fantastic Turkey holidays http://www.adventurecompany.co.uk/europe/turkey