Dalyan

Dalyan is a small, green river town between Fethiye and Marmaris, about 1.5 hours’ drive from Fethiye. Life here follows the river: wooden boats glide past reed beds, the cliffs above the water are carved with 2,400-year-old temple tombs, and at the end of the river lies İztuzu, a long sandy beach where loggerhead sea turtles have nested for thousands of years. There are no big resorts here, which is exactly why people love it.

Things to do in Dalyan

• The river boat tour: the classic Dalyan day out. Local boats leave from the riverside in town and usually stop at the rock tombs, the mud baths and İztuzu beach. You can also hire a boat just to cross the river to Kaunos.
• The King’s Tombs of Kaunos: temple-fronted tombs cut high into the cliff face above the river in the 4th century BC. They are most beautiful from the water, and in the late afternoon sun they glow gold.
• Ancient Kaunos: across the river, the ruins of a once-busy harbour city with a theatre, baths and temples, now with views over the reed beds. Bring water and a hat.
• The mud baths and hot springs: cover yourself in warm mud, let it dry in the sun, rinse it off and relax in the thermal pool. Silly, sticky and a lot of fun, as everyone who has done it will tell you.
• İztuzu (Turtle) Beach: a 4.5 km sand spit between the river and the sea, protected because loggerhead turtles nest here from about May to October. Respect the wooden stakes that mark the nests and don’t stay on the beach after dark in the nesting season.
• Köyceğiz Lake: the boats also go up to the large freshwater lake behind Dalyan, with sleepy villages and great views of the mountains.

Where to see the turtles

Many visitors only look for turtles on the beach, but you can often see them from the boat. They are most often spotted where the river meets the sea and in the water off İztuzu, when they come up to breathe. With a little luck you will also see one lift its head in the lower part of the river channel, just as Tülay did. Please don’t feed the turtles. Some boats try to attract them with fish, but it harms them and is against the protection rules.

Eating in Dalyan

Look out for the simple riverside fish restaurants and, on the boat tour, the fish sandwich (balık ekmek) stops, grilled fish in fresh bread, simple and delicious. In town, the restaurants along the river are lovely in the evening, with the tombs lit up across the water.

Practical tips

• The river boats are run by the local boat cooperative; ask at the riverside quay for the current trips and prices. A boat ticket to İztuzu includes beach access; if you come by road there is a small entry fee.
• Bring swimwear you don’t mind getting muddy, and a towel.
• The best season is May to October. The sea is warm enough for swimming from late May to mid-October.
• Dalyan makes an easy day trip from Fethiye or Marmaris, but staying a few nights lets you enjoy the quiet evenings by the river.

Header photo: Kaunos rock tombs, by Carl Campbell, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.