Fethiye and Ölüdeniz Travel Guide: Lagoons, Paragliding and the Lycian Coast

Pine-covered mountains dropping into a turquoise sea, a lagoon of brilliant blue water and ancient tombs carved into the cliffs make Fethiye and Ölüdeniz one of the most beautiful corners of Turkey. The area is a favourite with families, walkers and adventure lovers – you can paraglide from a 2,000-metre mountain, sail between pine-fringed islands, hike the Lycian Way and explore ancient cities in a single week.

Fethiye is a working harbour town with a busy market, a marina and good-value restaurants. Ölüdeniz, about 15 km away, is the beach resort, with its famous lagoon and paragliding. Hisarönü and Ovacık sit on the hill between them, and Çalış Beach lies just north of the town. This guide covers the best things to do, plus when to go, where to stay and how to get around.

Fethiye at a glance

Ölüdeniz

1. The Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon (Ölüdeniz means "dead sea", because the water is so calm) is a sheltered, shallow inlet of brilliant blue water inside a protected nature park. The water stays calm even when the open sea is choppy, which makes it perfect for small children and nervous swimmers.

There is a small entrance fee to the nature park, with sunbeds, umbrellas and cafés inside. Arrive early in summer, as it fills up by late morning. Next to the lagoon, the long Belcekız beach along the Ölüdeniz seafront is free and lined with cafés and restaurants.

From the road above, the lagoon looks unreal: a curve of white pebbles and water shading from pale turquoise to deep blue, with pine-covered mountains behind. Down on the beach, the water is calm, shallow and warm – but in high season it's packed by late morning, there's an entrance fee and sunbeds cost extra. Go early or late in the afternoon for the best light and space.

2. Paragliding from Babadağ

Ölüdeniz is one of the world's most famous paragliding sites. Tandem flights launch from the slopes of Babadağ mountain – almost 2,000 metres high – and glide for 20–40 minutes over the forest and lagoon before landing on the beach. On a clear day the views stretch across the coast and to the Greek island of Rhodes.

You don't need any experience: you fly with a qualified pilot, and the take-off is a short run. Choose a licensed company with good recent reviews, and be flexible with dates, as flights depend on the wind. Morning flights are often smoother. If you'd rather keep your feet on the ground, the Babadağ cable car takes visitors to viewing platforms near the summit.

The jeep grinds up a dusty track to the launch site at the top of Babadağ, the air thin and cool. A few running steps with your pilot, the canopy lifts you off the mountain – and suddenly there's only the wind and the whole lagoon spread out far below, impossibly blue. Most people say it's the highlight of their holiday. Morning flights usually have the calmest air.

3. Butterfly Valley

Butterfly Valley is a secluded beach at the foot of a deep, narrow gorge, reachable by boat from Ölüdeniz. A short path leads up the valley to a small waterfall, and in summer the valley is home to the Jersey tiger moth, which gives it its name.

There are simple cafés and basic accommodation on the beach, but no road. The steep cliff path down from Faralya is dangerous and not recommended – take the boat, which runs several times a day in season.

The boat drops you on a beach at the foot of towering cliffs, with a narrow green valley running inland. Walk up the valley in the shade to a small waterfall, and in early summer look for the orange-spotted Jersey tiger butterflies that gave it its name. The cliff path down from Faralya is steep and dangerous – take the boat.

Fethiye

4. The Lycian rock tombs

The Tomb of Amyntas, carved into the cliff above Fethiye in the 4th century BC, looks like the front of a Greek temple. The Lycians, who lived in this region in ancient times, buried their dead in elaborate rock-cut tombs, and you'll see many more around Fethiye.

Climb the steps to the tomb in the late afternoon – the light on the cliff is beautiful and the view over the harbour at sunset is one of the best in town.

Carved temple fronts cut high into the cliff seem to glow orange at sunset, with the town and harbour spread out below. The climb to the Tomb of Amyntas is short but steep, up uneven steps – go in the late afternoon for the light and the cooler air.

5. The fish market

Fethiye's fish market is one of the town's most enjoyable experiences. Choose fresh fish, prawns or calamari from the stalls in the centre, then take them to one of the surrounding restaurants, which cook your purchase for a small fee and serve it with salad, bread and meze.

The area is lively in the evening. Fethiye's weekly market, held on Tuesdays near the canal, is also worth a visit for fresh produce, spices, textiles and souvenirs.

Choose your fish and prawns from the stalls piled with ice in the middle of the square, pay by weight and then take them to one of the surrounding restaurants, which cook them for a fixed fee and add salads, meze and bread. It's noisy, cheerful and full of locals and visitors alike – check the cooking price before you sit down.

6. The 12 Islands boat trip

The Gulf of Fethiye is scattered with islands and sheltered coves, and the 12 Islands boat trip is a classic day out. Boats leave Fethiye harbour in the morning and stop at several bays for swimming and snorkelling, with lunch on board.

Boats vary from large party boats to quieter, smaller vessels – check reviews and ask how many passengers are taken. For a longer adventure, consider a multi-day Blue Cruise on a gulet.

The day is a lazy rhythm of swimming stops in green-blue bays, lunch on deck and naps in the shade. At some coves you can see the sandy bottom ten metres down. Boats can be big and loud – ask about the number of passengers and choose a smaller one if you want peace.

7. Kayaköy

On a hillside between Fethiye and Ölüdeniz stand the ruins of Kayaköy, once the Greek town of Levissi. Its inhabitants left in the 1920s during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, and hundreds of roofless stone houses and two churches remain, slowly being reclaimed by nature.

It's hauntingly beautiful and very atmospheric, especially in the early morning or late afternoon. You can walk from Kayaköy over the hill to Ölüdeniz on a marked path, or down to the quiet bay of Gemiler.

Hundreds of roofless stone houses climb the hillside in silence, their empty windows looking out over the valley, wild herbs growing through the floors. Walking the paths between them is strangely moving, especially in the soft light of late afternoon. Bring water and sturdy shoes; the stones are uneven.

8. Çalış Beach

Çalış is a long beach just north of Fethiye, lined with hotels, cafés and restaurants and famous for its sunsets over the islands. It's more relaxed and less crowded than Ölüdeniz, and the afternoon breeze makes it popular with windsurfers. A water taxi runs between Çalış and Fethiye harbour.

Çalış is a long, simple beach with a lively promenade and a famous sunset: in the evening everyone turns to watch the sun drop behind the islands while the sky goes red and gold.

Day trips

9. Saklıkent Gorge

About an hour from Fethiye, Saklıkent is one of the deepest gorges in Turkey. A walkway leads into the canyon, and then you wade through the icy river between towering walls. The first part is easy, but further in it becomes a scramble over rocks. Wear water shoes (they can be rented at the entrance) and clothes you don't mind getting wet. It's a welcome cool escape on a hot day.

You step into the river and the water is so cold it takes your breath away. Then you wade upstream between sheer rock walls that rise hundreds of metres, barely a slit of sky above you, sometimes knee-deep in mud. Hire water shoes at the entrance and leave valuables behind.

10. Dalyan

A boat trip from Dalyan travels along the reed-lined river past the rock tombs of ancient Kaunos, carved into the cliffs, to İztuzu Beach – a protected nesting site for loggerhead turtles. Many trips also stop at the mud baths and hot springs. Dalyan is about an hour and a half from Fethiye; day tours include transport.

The river boat glides between walls of reeds, past Lycian tombs carved into the cliff above, towards the mud baths and the long sandy beach of İztuzu, where loggerhead turtles nest. Slapping on warm mud and baking dry in the sun is messy, silly fun.

11. Tlos and the Lycian cities

The ancient Lycian cities around Fethiye are atmospheric and often uncrowded. Tlos sits on a hill with rock tombs and a theatre looking towards the mountains. Further south, Xanthos and the Letoon form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Combine Tlos with Saklıkent on a day trip.

At Tlos, rock tombs, a theatre and an acropolis sit on a hill above the valley, with snow-capped mountains behind in spring. You'll often have the ruins almost to yourself, with only birdsong and goat bells for company.

12. Walk the Lycian Way

The Lycian Way is a long-distance trail of more than 500 km along the coast from near Fethiye to Antalya. You don't need to walk it all: the section from Ölüdeniz to Faralya and Kabak is one of the most beautiful, with sea views from the cliffs. Walk in spring or autumn – summer is too hot – and carry plenty of water.

The trail climbs through pine forests full of the scent of resin and the buzz of cicadas, then opens onto views of the sea hundreds of metres below. Village tea gardens appear just when you need them. In summer, walk early in the morning and carry plenty of water.

When to visit

• April and May: wild flowers, green hills and pleasant temperatures – the best time for walking.
• June: warm sea, long days and fewer crowds than midsummer.
• July and August: hot and busy; book hotels and boat trips in advance.
• September and October: warm sea, calmer resorts and good walking weather.
• Winter: quiet and mild, with many resort hotels closed; Fethiye town stays open.

Where to stay

A five-day itinerary

Day 1: the Blue Lagoon and Belcekız beach. Day 2: paragliding in the morning, Butterfly Valley by boat in the afternoon. Day 3: the 12 Islands boat trip. Day 4: Saklıkent Gorge and Tlos. Day 5: Kayaköy in the morning, the Tomb of Amyntas at sunset and dinner at the fish market.

Getting around

Dalaman Airport is the closest airport: about 45–60 minutes by car from Fethiye and around an hour and a quarter from Ölüdeniz. Airport buses run to Fethiye's bus station, but most visitors pre-book a private or shared transfer straight to their hotel – much easier with luggage and children, especially on late flights.

Locally, dolmuş minibuses run frequently between Fethiye, Hisarönü, Ovacık and Ölüdeniz, and to Çalış – cheap and easy to use. Water taxis link Fethiye harbour and Çalış. A hire car is useful for day trips to Saklıkent, Tlos and Dalyan.

Entry rules: citizens of many countries, including most EU countries and the UK, can visit Turkey visa-free for short stays; others need an e-visa. Check the rules for your passport and use only the official e-visa website.