Situated just a short 35 minute drive from Dalaman Airport, Villa Dilek is a short walk from Dalyan's town with a host of restaurants, bars and the boats that will take you to the mud bath, Caunos or the sandy Iztuzu beach. The town of Dalyansits opposite the ancient city of Caunos with the imposing sight of the rock tombs, which are lit up of an evening. Dalyan is separated from Caunos by the Dalyan River, and the best way to see the tombs is sitting in a boat on the river, or from one of the waterside restaurants, either way it's a memorable experience. The wonderful Iztuzu Beach, a very long stretch of sand which is well known for the presence of the Caretta Caretta turtles which lay their eggs on the beach. One side of the beach is accessible by road, this is where the Turtle rescue centre is based, while the other is reached by boat. While it is quite a long journey from the town itself – around 12km – Iztuzu Beach is definitely worth the trouble. If you don't have a car you can use the local Dolmus service.
There are various other beaches in the area you might also wish to visit. These include Aşı Beach, a great diving spot about 20km from Dalyan, and the lovely Ekincik Beach which is ideal for surfers and swimmers.
One unforgettable excursion you can make from Dalyan is the boat trip to the ancient city of Caunos. It will take about 10 minutes to reach Caunos, which is known for its magnificent rock tombs and grand amphitheatre. This really is a stunning place that you shouldn’t miss – the tombs are visible from the river and look particularly spectacular when they are lit up at night.
Something else that Dalyan is famous for is its many mud baths. Said to be a healing experience, there are claims that being immersed in the Dalyan mud has helped with all sorts of conditions. It is even said that Cleopatra owed her beauty to it. Whatever the truth of it, this is a fun experience for visitors (although given how dirty you’ll get, it’s the sort of thing you are likely to love or hate). The Sultaniye Hot Springs is just one name to look out for if you’re after a mud bath, found south west of Lake Koycegiz – itself a magnificent sight.
The Dalyan River which runs through the town provides opportunities for rafting through a wonderful canyon, while boat trips around the local islands are a less energetic but just as enjoyable experience. You could take a Jeep safari tour around the area instead, stopping off at all the best places along the way. For a bird’s eye view, you could also seek out the paragliding opportunities which are a big favourite in this region.
You will find charming riverside restaurants in Dalyan, serving excellent Turkish food, and this is a particularly nice location for a meal out. If you fancy snapping up some goodies and having a go yourself, you can also visit the weekly Dalyan Market on Saturdays. You will certainly build up an appetite if you hike up Radar Hill, which offers a wonderful view over Dalyan.
The Region
Turkey is an eclectic mix of dramatic scenery, amazing food and a deep history. A visit to Turkey almost always inspires comment about the hospitality, maybe because the Turkish people believe a visitor is a gift from God. A trip to Turkey will almost definitely inspire you to return. You’ll be following in the footsteps of many a famous person from ancient history.
The South West coast of Turkey offers the perfect climate for your holiday, boasting over 280 dry days a year and an average June temperature of 28C in Dalyan, with sea temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius.
The Carian’s once ruled this coast and there are lots of signs of their existence, such as rock tombs and the ancient riverside city of Caunos that sits opposite Dalyan. An area surrounded by pine trees, which are believed by locals to clean the air and increase the oxygen levels. The area is favoured by beekeepers for honeymaking and you will see many of the traditional blue beehives, and a few bees, in the area.
Modern Dalyan is a small resort on the river’s edge. Tourists enjoy the small wooden boat trips chugging along to the Iztuzu beach, maybe stopping at one of the sulphur mud baths, for a somewhat rudimentary beauty treatment and some one-off photos for the holiday album. The river has a great view of the rock tombs and has much wildlife along the reedbeds. The Istuzu beach is where the endangered loggerhead turtles come to lay their eggs. The beach caught international interest in the 80’s when David Bellamy and fellow environmentalist stopped a hotel development. Today it’s a conservation area and at the far end of the beach, there is a turtle rescue centre you can visit.
Dalyan has lots of restaurants, bars and a selection of gift shops. Dalyan has a local market on a Saturday, which has an amazing selection of fruit and vegetables. You should take the opportunity to enjoy breakfast at the water’s edge in nearby Gokbel. Slightly further out is the village of Beyobasi, where you can enjoy a trout meal in a restaurant cooled by the fast running waters, just off of the main Dalaman-Akyaka road.
The Koycegiz lake is at the other end of the river. The small town of Koyceyiz is perched on the side of the lake. The small bazaar gives the idea Koycegiz was once more important than Dalyan, thus probably the best day to visit is Monday when the weekly market is in town. Try one of the restaurants on the edge of the lake for lunch. If you’ve driven, don’t forget to stop at one of the fruit stalls on the road side, plying a healthy mix of orange & pomegranate juice. The Sultaniye Hot Springs sit on the south-west shore the lake. The hot mud pools contain mineral waters that are rich in chloride, sodium, hydrogen sulphide and bromide. There are even rudimentary cabins that some braver souls come to stay & take the waters
