Dalyan
DALYAN
Dalyan is a very popular tourist destination for both leisure travelers and also one of the stunning stops in blue cruise or Turkey sailing holidays. It is located southwestern coasts of Turkey just in between Marmaris and Fethiye. That’s why it is a stunning spot for Turkey Blue cruises or Sail Turkey adventures that passengers spend a lovely day in their trips on the turquoise coasts of Turkey.
Dalyan is a picturesque village among the mountains full of historical artifacts from a civilization called Carians. One of the main attractions in Dalyan is just hopping on a small traditional boat and cruise into the stunning Dalyan delta. this lovely boat trip will take you to an azure beach with turquoise waters by passing through famous Lycian rock tombs carved on the slopes of mountains. While tripping on the delta one of the must-visit places is the ancient city of Kaunos which is a very well preserved Carian city that you can still see the ruins of an amphitheater, the necropolis, Roman baths, a temple, and city walls.
At the end of your boat trip on Dalyan delta, you can relax and spend the rest of the day on Turtle beach which is also known as Iztuzu beach. A conservation area for Loggerhead sea turtles laying their eggs in the summer season. It is a protected beach where nestling spots are covered and also there is no Access to the beach at night when turtles laying their eggs.
Turtle Beach is an awesome spot that has a natural freshwater lake on one side and the turquoise sea on the other.
Another fun stop on a boat tour in Dalyan is the mud baths and hot spring pools where you can relax and refresh yourself after a busy day of sightseeing. Local people say that some of the celebrities like; David Bowie, Dusty Hoffman, and Sting have visited and enjoyed these natural spas when they were doing their gulet sailing on their luxury private yachts.
IZTUZU BEACH
Iztuzu Beach, known also as Turtle Beach is a 3.5 miles long beach that is accessible from Dalyan with a short drive or a boat trip. The beach itself has an amazing environment that has a freshwater lake on one side and a turquoise sea on the other. Due to its perfect location by being right in between Fethiye and Marmaris, Almost all Turkey sailing tours stop and enjoy a day in this area. As well as blue cruise gulets, there are also hundreds of private charters enjoy their time in Dalyan, Kaunos ancient city, Delta, and finally Turtle beach. Iztuzu beach was voted twice as the most beautiful beach in Europe in 1995 and in 2008. It is certainly an idyllic beach, not just for cute loggerhead sea turtles but also for sail Turkey passengers, swimmers and sunbathers.
Iztuzu beach is one of the conservation areas on the Turkish Riviera for endangered Sea turtles and the beach is protected and monitored by a 45 million-year-old species who are both monitored and protected by World Animal Protection Organisation The Loggerhead turtles lay their eggs between May and October. In meantime, access to the beach is available during the day but prohibited at night and nesting spots have caution signs to protect the eggs.
HOT SPRINGS AND MUD BATHS
One of the fun activities in Dalyan is the hot springs and natural Mud Baths at Sultaniye Spa. This natural spa is just 3 miles away from Dalyan and accessible by boats on the delta.
The mud Baths here is famous for its renewing qualities, good for tightening and cleansing the skin with the natural sulfur waters, and also good for helping various health issues. Besides the health treatment, this spa is also a lot of fun with other fellows, get covered from head to toe in black colored mud and pose for some funny photos if you don’t mind the smell of the sulfur of course.
The Sultaniye spa has been used by the ancient people of Caria and Byzantines for thousands of years. There is a myth, that locals telling, Cleopatra bathed here on her voyages to those shores and she owes her beauty to sulfur water and muds in hot springs.