Fabulous Club Phokaia and Foca!

This year we chose Club Phokaia near Foca, Turkey, a very smart beach-club with a wow factor Olympic size swimming pool surrounded by day beds and sun-loungers. A walk down the garden path and you are at the (sand and shingle) beach, the water-sports activities, ski pier and the much used beachfront bar!

The food in the buffet restaurant was of a high standard with a good choice of hot and cold dishes daily at breakfast, lunch time and in the evening and a superb BBQ at the Beach bar once a week, along with excellent salads, breads and sweets and a good coffee machine, we did not go hungry!

The Bistro menu (available 2 nights a week at the beach bar) offered a good choice and value for money. However, what we really enjoyed was taking a taxi (approx. 10 mins) into Foca on 2 of the evenings when evening meals were not included. Neilson are the only UK tour operator in the area and Foca remains very ‘Turkish’ – the locals are extremely friendly and we thoroughly enjoyed wandering around the town and having seafood suppers overlooking the water and the pretty harbour.

We enjoyed all the activities included on a Neilson holiday – the children gained qualifications in sailing and wind surfing and both managed to water ski too. Geoff spent most of his time on the water – windsurfing and taking part in the laser racing. We all really enjoyed the flotilla sail-a-way around the island too. I really enjoyed taking out a pico from time to time and also took advantage of the tennis clinics & coaching (Leah sorted out my forehand within an hour!), the social tennis and ‘boozy balls’!

With a spot of mountain biking and some Pilates, Zumba and aqua-robics and plenty of relaxation around the magnificent pool with our books and crosswords – not to mention the ‘always a laugh’ pub quiz and Phokaia’s got talent - we really felt we had ‘relaxed as hard as we liked’!

If there is a downside to a Neilson holiday it is the fact that we don’t see enough of the children! A highlight at Phokaia is watching the boats and boards come in and the sun going down at the end of the day with a cold beer or cocktail at the Beachfront Bar.

All in all a fantastic family holiday and worth the drive to Manchester Airport – no seats left from Gatwick or Birmingham - note to self – follow my own advice and book earlier next year!