Pious Turks find their place in the sun

By day the Turkish women strip down to bikinis and belly-dance by the swimming pool. But at night they swathe their new suntans in headscarves and join their menfolk for dinner. The Bera Alanya is a five-star hotel on Turkey's Mediterranean coast where men and women have separate swimming pools and alcohol is not served – but female customers enjoy freedoms they often do not find in the public sector. The hotel is part of a growing sector in Turkey that caters for devout wealthy Muslims who want to enjoy the beach without compromising their beliefs – a conservative social class whose support will be key for the ruling AK Party at elections this month.

Behind the success of hotels such as Bera Alanya is an economic boom from which many religiously conservative Turks have greatly benefited. Islamic banks have also seen a boom.

A study by Resort magazine, published by the Mediterranean Hoteliers Associations, shows there are 27 hotels like this one on the coast. Most of them have opened since 2004.Many guests rejected the fears of Turkey's secularists, saying the AK Party has not taken any steps to increase the profile or role of religion in public life. Although they are not all AK Party supporters, many hope that a second term in office – which polls show is likely – will bring reforms to make life easier for devout Muslim Turks.

Labels: Islam, Secularism, Turkey