The Turkish turquoise coast is dotted with many gorgeous beach towns, stunning cliff faces, more than a few all-inclusive resorts, and of course, that vibrant blue-green of the Mediterranean. But our favourite discovery was the charming riverside town, Dalyan – a real gem that we can highly recommend.
The town of Dalyan is tucked back a short way from the coast along the Dalyan river. While there are plenty of tourists around and English is spoken widely, it feels less touristy than other Turkish beach towns and has managed to keep a small-town feel. There are lots of interesting things to do here: exploring ancient ruins, taking river cruises, wallowing in mud baths, visiting a turtle beach… Keep reading to learn more.
How do I get to Dalyan?
Part of the reason Dalyan is slightly less touristy is that it takes a little more effort to get there. From Fethiye we took three buses! But don’t let that put you off. There’s a cheap, quick, regular dolmus (mini-bus) from Ortaca, a small town half an hour away if you are doing an overland trip. Simply tap to pay on boarding. Alternatively, there is Dalaman Airport 40 mins away by taxi.
How long should I stay in Dalyan?
We spent three nights in Dalyan. We had a busy couple of days, but it felt about right.
Where should I stay?
There are no hostels in Dalyan, but we found a good deal on Booking.com for a nice hotel with a swimming pool – perfect for cooling off as it was the height of summer while we were there. Dalyan is small and you can pretty much walk anywhere. However, the general buzz is along the river so it is best to stay in this area if possible.
And a word of caution about staying in Dalyan:
Proximity to fresh water means more mosquitoes. Thankfully, there are several pharmacies around to find repellent or post-bite relief.
So, what are the best things to do in Dalyan?
1. Wander along the river promenade
Dalyan is very pretty so just wandering around to soak up the vibe and admire the scenery is an absolute must. Take in the shops, the restaurants, the river, the gorgeous pink flowers and even fruit trees lining the roads. The promenade along the river is lined with restaurants on one side and tourboats moored up on the other.
A River Tour?
If you are interested in a river tour, this is a good time to book as you can discuss options directly with the guides/captains. Many trips are not available to book online. A large section of this river port is made up of boats which operate in a collective and all the costs are the same. Outside of that there are independents who might be more open to haggling.
Posters and leaflets told us it would be 1000 lira for a day tour around Dalyan and its top attractions. We decided to do it on our own to save money, have more of a say on itinerary and avoid the crowds. We used the bus, the small ferries and our feet. This saved us a lot of money. However, it is worth pointing out that the boats tend to include lunch and can also go further afield to the nearby lake or out into the bay to swim in the sea. They also visit some of the beautiful rock formations.
The Ancient Lycian Tombs
Speaking of rock formations, at the south end of the promenade, across the river you can see the magnificent ancient Lycian tombs. These are the final resting place of ancient kings, who resided in the ancient city of nearby Kaunos (more on this next). The tombs have been carved directly into the rock face. There is no way to actually access these, but the view across the river at night when they are lit up is quite ethereal.
2. Visit the Kaunos ruins
The Kaunos Ruins are definitely worth the trip. At only 3 euros a ticket it’s an affordable way to walk through history. The site has Greek and Hellenic influences and some sections which date back to the 4th century BC. It is open from 8:30am to 7pm. Make sure to bring decent walking shoes as some stones are slippery or loose, there are several steps and it was also very sandy underfoot when we were there.
Most of the tourists arrive to Kaunos at the end of their boat tour on the way back into town. Consequently, we decided to get up bright and early to take the small car ferry over as foot passengers. We got there around 10am and encountered only a handful of tourists and archaeologists doing some work the entire time we were there. I suggest going via one of the local bakeries for a quick bite to eat first!
We spent about 90 minutes roaming around the site. There are lots of different areas to take in but my highlight was the theatre. With seating for 5000 ancient attendees, it now hosts gorgeous views all the way out to Iztuzu beach in the distance. And of course I had to take the opportunity when there were no tourists to have a little sing!
Taking the ferry
On Google maps it is called Dalyan-Caunos Feribot. It costs 20 Turkish Lira pp one way, and they only take cash – so make sure you have cash for both ways. It takes less time to cross the river than it does to load up the few vehicles that fit on it, and it runs constantly all day.
From the ferry, it is about a 15 minute walk to the Kaunos site entrance, which is fairly well sign-posted. From the ferry, follow the road, take a left at the intersection – there might be a juice stall on the corner. Keep an eye out for the Lycan rock tombs carved into the cliffs. Sadly, this is as close as you can get as it is gated off. Continue up a steady hill and then take a slight left up a rocky trail where you’ll see the ticket booth at the top.
3. Explore Iztuzu Beach and Dekamer Turtle Rescue Centre
This is definitely a two-for-one gem… get your sun, sea and sand fix while also supporting turtle conservation up close!
Taking the dolmus to Iztuzu Beach
The dolmus (doll-mush) is a type of local minibus you will see all over the country. They usually have a sign of their destination in the window. You can pretty much hop on and off anywhere along the route. You’ll find this one in the centre of Dalyan near the turtle statue. Hop on and pay – cash or tap – and they’ll give you a return card. Make sure you hold on to this. The last bus from Iztuzu is at 5pm.
Dekamer Turtle Rescue and Captain June’s hut are at the south end of Iztuzu Beach by the car park, so visiting both is very easy. However, it is worth pointing out that the boat tours from Dalyan actually stop at the other end of the beach, approximately 4km away. The bus delivers visitors much closer to the rescue centre.
The Turtle Rescue Centre: the Dekamer Centre
Iztuzu Beach is a 4.5km stretch of soft white sand sometimes called “Turtle Beach” because it is the nesting ground for loggerhead turtles. In fact, the area and turtles gained protected status in the 1980s when environmental campaigners like Captain June successfully blocked German developers from building a hotel resort on the beach. June Haimoff – known by locals as Captain June – was an English campaigner who lived and worked in Dalyan to protect the turtles. There is a statue dedicated to her in the town and to this day you can visit her hut and the Dekamer centre to see the beautiful animals up close and personal.
The Dekamer Centre is free to visit although donations are encouraged. There’s a small information centre with exhibits, then several large shelters housing large vats of water containing turtles. Next to the vat you can see information boards about each turtle. No touching, but this is probably the closest I have ever been to turtles and it is amazing.
Iztuzu Beach
Iztuzu Beach is a beautiful but busy beach. It has a large car park, toilets, changing rooms, umbrella rental, café, etc. but it is much less commercialised than other beaches in Turkey. This is thanks to its protected status. Walk further along the beach and the crowd really thins out.
4. Mud and thermal baths
Visiting the mud and thermal baths in Dalyan was one of our favourite activities! There are a couple of nearby baths to choose from. We chose the Aqua Mia baths which are closest to town, just over the river to the north. There are tourist boats which go here, usually after about 2pm so we headed there on our own in order to skip the crowds. As a result, there were only about six other people there while we were there.
Getting to the baths
We walked twenty minutes to take the ferry from the north end of town across the river (Google maps: 1 Dalyan Feribot Iskelesi). Again, it was 20TL one way per person, in cash. The ferry runs constantly throughout the day and takes mere minutes to cross. Once you’ve crossed, walk five minutes along a dusty road to an intersection. There is a tiny mosque, an old billboard and padlocked gates with a small sign for Aqua Mia baths.
The tour boats enter from the river, but if driving or on foot, this unassuming gate is what you’re looking for. Phone up and, ta-dah, they’ll come and open up.
The mud and bath experience
You’ll walk through the complex and go to reception. Pay up your 90TL pp (that’s less than £2!) and they’ll tell you the routine: mud, dry, shower, hose, thermal bath. And we added on a little ice cream to that plan at the end, of course!
We had our swims on under our clothes so stepped out of those and into the mud bath. Watch your step as it is very slippy! Dip your hands into the mud to grab handfuls of the gooey goodness to rub all over your skin. This part is great fun so take your time slathering on plenty of the good stuff.
We just left shoes, belongings and phones at the side of the bath but there are lockers and changing rooms. Think carefully about taking your phone in as you do not want to drop it in this pool or get mud all over it!
Then step out to dry in the sun for ten minutes or so before walking to the next station to wash it all off. Then you walk back to the main area where you are hosed down again before they’ll let you in the beautiful thermal bath.
We had just finished this bathing routine and were eating our post-mud ice cream around 2pm, when several crowded boats began to arrive. The atmosphere totally changed. We gathered up our things and headed to the little locked back gate again to make our return via the ferry.
5. Dinner, drinks, evening markets…
Dalyan has plenty of food options to choose from. The town strangely empty during the day and people here tend to emerge later. I would definitley recommend a freshly made mulberry sorbet! There are lots of options for eating along the promenade and around the main square. Hosts stand out in front trying to convince you to come in, but they’re friendly and not pushy. We ate at several restaurants and the food was plentiful and delicious.
We enjoyed looking around the main square in the evening. There are lots of pop up stalls of handmade goods from the local cooperative in Ortaca.
One of our favourite places was the Retro Bar. This has a fun vibe, good music and a selection of free bar games like pool and darts. This place had the cheapest drinks we found in Turkey and lovely bar staff. They even shared Adam’s nerdy love of magic tricks!
We would also recommend the Jazz Bar for live music. The bar opens at 9pm, and band starts about 10:00pm. This is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike so you may want to book ahead. English night is on a Sunday, but we joined for a Turkish jazz funk night which was bouncing. It was quite expensive, but had a good vibe with a roof that rolls right back to open air.
Is Dalyan worth visiting?
Yes, without a doubt. Dalyan is a very interesting and attractive addition to a Turkish itinerary. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Dalyan and would highly recommend it.
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I have always made a point of never accepting guest posts on AbFabTravels, but I have just made an exception! My daughter Beth is currently on a sabbatical and travelling the world. She has agreed to contribute a few articles, giving a young person’s perspective and insights into a different way of travelling. She is a fantastic writer so please check out her posts.
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