Dalyan Things to Do

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Much like the nearby town of Fethiye (now, with so many towns and sights I've visited in Turkey, I'm starting to do some comparasons), Dalyan too has Lycian tombs pretty much similar, right at the town center.

And much like Fethiye too, Dalyan's elaborate rock-cut king tombs is an icon of the town. It's immediately visible upon approach to the river. After all, it's the view that faces the whole town center, on the mountain just on the other side of the river bank.

Although there are monumental rock tombs, there are also cluster vof "holes-in-the-wall" type of tombs just a little below on the left side of the big ones. You'll get a nice view of thew whole tomb range when you cross the river to visit Kaunos.

I did went near it but I don't think it can be climbed(?). The area beneath the rock tombs is a cemetery, I mean, the towns cemetery. So the ancient and the current are buried in the same area side-by-side, like the Kings are watching the dead below it.

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Iztuzu Beach (also called Turtle Beach) reminds me and is comparatively like Patara Beach in so many ways, like they're both a sanctuary for the endangered loggerhead sea turtles also called "caretta caretta", making them both a protected area. Both boasts of mountain views surrounding the clean wide beach - Iztuzu's only less than 5kms, Patara's 12.

Similar bar and shades, changing and shower stalls, notm\ very crowded except maybe during summers when a lot of boat tours and small cruise ships come to the beach for a day of swim and sun, and they're both really nice beaches.

The difference is -- in Iztuzu Beach, you have to take a boat from Dalyan center just along the river to get to the beach.

Just look for the "cooperative river boats" (not the more expensive private boats), it's just next to the taxi ranks near the town mosque. Boat fare is TL5 one-way or TL10 return fare which is automatically handed out for tourists who don't know that there's a dolmush at the end of the beach if you prefer to take it back to Dalyan. Unfortunately, I'm one of the uninitiated so I took the return fare - silly me - I was already warned by the guy who owned the hotel I was staying at, but I failed to listen.

The boat will navigate the winding scenic river of Dalyan for about 15 minutes, nice experience, before it arrives at the small wooden pier at Iztuzu Beach.

The sands are brown or tan like most beaches along the mediterrenean sea, rows and rows of parasols and sunbeds at TL10.

Iztuzu Beach is a strip of sands that separates the beach and the rivers of Dalyan - more like a breakwater of sands.

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Kaunos was a city of ancient Caria in Anatolia. Located on the other side of the river from the town of Dalyan.

This is one of those highlights of Dalyan that should not be missed, after all it's just on the other side. When I say on the other side it doesn't mean you needn't walk, because I've walked like 15 minutes I think, approx. a kilometer from the river bank along a well paved road. The walk is easy, flat road except for a small climb to the entrance.

And if it's summer or really sunny, bring sunscreen, though there are trees along the road, mostly you'll be exposed to the heat of the sun, even at the sight.

TIP: Buy your water before heading there, maybe from the garden restaurants along the bank, you won't find a store at the site.

There are locals selling jams, freshly squeezed orange, lemon and pomegranate juices infront of their houses along the road on the way to Kaunos, the small bottled juice though is expensive at TL5, that's why I said, buy your water before heading to there. Though it's nice to contribute to local neighborhood economy.

The site is a vast valley with so much ruins and remnants of ancient civilization around. Just right after the entrance is the cropolis with the domed church, behind it is the big ampitheater - go up the last level to see a good view of the surrounding and Suluklu Lake, there's an ancient bath house, and of course the rock tombs which are the first sights you'll see right at the river bank.

A walk along the collonade will lead you to a wide area of columns, probably a plaza, and further more down, you'll be at the edge of the lake where there are goats and cow grazing.

Entry Fee at site is TL8. Take the rowing boat for TL4 return fare at the end of the river promenade on your left right at the entrance of the municipal tea garden - cay bahcesi.

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Next day around 1:30 pm we walked to the town port and we arranged a boat trip on the river. Actually There is a boat regularly goes to Turtle beach straight and if that's just you wannna do. it's shared with other passengers. But If you want to see Caunos Antique city ( more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaunos ) and rock thombs closer, they won't stop and wait for you. Of course a private boat is a treat to yourselves. So We told our captain to take us first to Turtles beach and wait for us about an hour (It takes 40 min. by boat, at the port 3 TL fee pp ) and afterwards we stopped by at the port of Caunos Antique city (8 TL entrance fee) and again he waited for us 1,5 hour. At the end of the trip we were so tired we didn't wanna get off at the ather side to walk around close to Rock thombs , also we were told that the access was closed to them. So by boat we got close to the shore and took some pic and enjoyed the rest of the trip relaxed. When we arrived to the port it was almost 6:00 pm (We suggest if you plan this trip start a bit earlier)

We bargained with captain for the price. He said 80 TL to us at the end we paid him 60 TL. He was begging from us tip which was not nice. Make sure agree on price at the beginning and don't say yes the first boat you talked. They are plenty of them...

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First day we were very tired from the trip, after taking siesta by the river we realized it's maybe the time to go to the beach around 4 pm. Walked to the town and asked the minibuses to Iztuzu beach. Luckily we got one very quick and we were in the beach by 4:30 pm. There was us and few more people on the beach. It was so nice, we watched the sunset. The last minibus was around 6:00 pm

minibus price is 7 TL roundtrip ticket

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The Dalyan area is one of the last remaining areas of Mediterranean wetlands. The Delta is a nature reserve to 120 species of birds and colonies of storks that frequent the area throughout the year. Many of these can be best seen from a boat chartered from the quay in Dalyan or on a day tour. I did not see One Bird here!

Dalyan means "fishery" in Turkish, fishing helps keep the local economy. Grey mullet spawn in Lake Koycegiz, their progress downriver providing the villagers of Dalyan with an important food source. There are many fish traps which catch the grey mullet as they return to the sea after spawning in the fresh water lake of Köyceðiz.
It was very pleasant going through the high reeds in the Boat, I'm glad our Captain knew where he was going, as it looked like you could get lost easily in one of the many channels.

A nice area for a Boat Trip.

WANT TO LOOK 10 YEARS YOUNGER??
Evidently the ancient Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, did, as it is said that she often came to the mudbaths of Dalyan.

In the area of the Dalyan channels and Lake Köyceðiz, thermal waters spring up at many places. The hot sulphurous waters are meant to help with healing rheumatic and skin diseases.
Take a boat trip from Dalyan to the mud and sulphur baths on the Lake Koycegiz side and wallow like a Hippo in the warm, sticky mud!!

Once you have covered yourself in the mud you then wait for it to dry in the sun. The sulphur pool in which you clean yourself after your Mudbath is also at a temperature of 40 degrees. Take along your swimming custome and towel, you can usually shower as well.

I didn't take the mud bath, but I certainly enjoyed watching everybody else having one.
There were some funny looking people around. Whether you feel different or not?? asked some, and they said they felt just the same!!!

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These Tombs are an incredible sight. I sat in the boat and wondered how they managed to carve these in the Cliffs, what a feat that must have been!!

Founded around the 9th century BC, Caunos became an important Carian city in 400 B.C.

The rock tombs are sculpted in the form of the porticoes of small Ionic temples. These are some of the best examples of Lycian type funerary architecture in Turkey, although the builders were Carians. The largest one is unfinished, providing a glimpse into the method of construction.
The Tombs hold the remains of the Kings of Caunos.
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A lot of the Tombs were built with false walls to fool would be robbers! It worked for a while, but eventually, they were robbed of their Treasures.
What a shame that this happened!