Türkiye – (Sept 2025)
Despite it being September, the heat still hit us like a blast furnace the moment the aircraft doors opened.
It was Emma’s first time in this region of Türkiye, and I was eager to show her the sights, sounds, and flavours of the Dalyan region — a place I’d first explored solo last June. This was also Emma’s very first post-retirement adventure, so it felt doubly special.
Even better, my flights cost just £10.50 each way, thanks to credits I’d racked up on the WizzAir app.
We began in style at Gatwick’s South Terminal lounge, using a little travel hack we’d discovered a while back.
The following photos are in no particular order, but capture some of our favourite memories from this six-day, five-night escape.
In short: it was magical, and I suspect it has leap-frogged a few of Emma’s favourite European destinations.
We’ll definitely be back.
Turtle Bay – IZTUZU PLAJI
After a hearty breakfast, we hopped on the first public bus of the day to the southern end of Turtle Bay — a pristine 4.5 km sweep of sand backed by mountains.
The bus leaves Dalyan from just behind the mosque at around 9 a.m. for 60 Turkish Lira (about £1.50) and gets you there about 20 minutes later – long before the crowds arrive. That’s key, as you can bag a front-row sun lounger and umbrella, and enjoy the calm flat sea before the midday breeze kicks in.
This end of the beach has a tiny licensed bar, serving snacks and drinks, it also has toilets and a changing facility. It is the only building in sight.
There is another similar facility located at the extreme northern end of the beach, right next to the mouth of the river where the boat jetties are.
By mid-morning, we were floating in the sea, which was as calm as a millpond. Later, we took a wander which took us past dunes and craggy rocks to the brackish lagoon beyond; this area haven for herons, egrets, and kingfishers.
When the time came to leave, we walked the length of the beach and caught one of the riverboats back to Dalyan – for 100 Turkish Lita (under £2). We experienced a glorious 50 minute ride through reed-fringed channels.
Looking down from the jetty, we even spotted turtles swimming beneath us. Huge European Honey Buzzards wheeled overhead.
No wonder Dalyan hooks people in. We met countless Brits who return year after year.
Ekincik Bay
Of course, no visit is complete without a boat trip. This time, we chose an eight-hour excursion around Ekincik Bay.
Our boat was larger than most — more stable, but with a deeper draft. That made navigating the shifting sandbanks of the Dalyan delta… interesting. The skipper ran aground a few times on the way back, churning up clouds of sand, but he took it in his stride.
We swam in secluded bays, lazed on hidden beaches, and tucked into a barbecue cooked by the skipper and his mate. A perfect day afloat.
It was also nice to spend an afternoon ogling the gorgeous yachts, including TOUTE SUITE, a £35 million pound super-yacht (top left).
Kaunos – The Ancient City Ruins
To visit the ruins of Kaunos, we crossed the river by one of the tiny hand-rowed ferries near Captain June’s statue. Much more fun than the car ferry I tried out on my last visit.
We even bumped into a giant turtle mid-crossing.
From the landing point, it’s a 25-minute walk through pomegranate orchards, past wandering tortoises, and into the past.
Kaunos was once a thriving Carian port before silting turned it into a backwater. Later it became a Roman city, complete with baths, agora, and amphitheatre. Standing in the 2,000-year-old theatre, you can still imagine performances being staged here with a backdrop Hollywood could only dream of.
Köyceğiz Gölü
We took a boat across Köyceğiz Lake to the town of the same name. On Mondays, its local market draws farmers, traders, and curious tourists.
Like markets the world over, there’s a “local price” and a “tourist price.” Watching locals gently haggle and agree the local price first is key to understanding what the price “should” be, but if I’m honest, I’m prepared to settle on a price a little higher than that, after all, the traders need to earn a living!
We wandered past stalls piled high with tomatoes, aubergines, peppers, and figs — all unwrapped, fragrant, and fresh. It reminded me of markets from childhood, before everything came in plastic.
The boat trip itself was worth it: glassy water, birdlife everywhere, and the mountains mirrored in the lake.
Swim to an isolated cove
Now this is a swim I’ll remember for a long time – 1.5 hour round trip swim across IZTUZU bay.
We first spotted this hidden beach on our first day, which I believe is called Minik Plaj. It sits half way along the peninsula at the southern end of Iztuzu Plaji.
The first time, we didn’t make it all the way. I was put off because I didn’t understand the geography well enough, and Emma because she was being literally stalked by a fish that clung to her belly for a good 30 minutes during the swim.
This time, we swam diagonally across the crystal-clear bay, a gentle 45 minutes, and finally reached it. For me, this was huge: I’ve had a fear of deep water since childhood.
The clarity of the sea helped, I could see the bottom almost the entire way. At one point, I even convinced myself I had a plan in case a shark swam by (questionable logic, but comforting nonetheless).
Our reward was paradise: a pristine stretch of sand, completely isolated.
That is, until a small boat arrived carrying a group of English women on a yoga retreat. They looked utterly bemused that we’d swum there.
Some places are burnt into your memory. This is one of them.
Restaurants
** Dalyan Turay Hotel – Best for quality **
Our favourite of the week for food: superb starters and perfectly cooked fish, served at tables right on the riverbank. The quality was excellent and setting sublime.
** Vome – Best for location **
Perhaps Dalyan’s most atmospheric restaurant, thanks to its riverfront view of the Lycian rock tombs glowing under floodlight. Food was good (if a little overpriced by local standards), but I’d still go back for the setting alone.
** Dream Kitchen – Best for Service **
This place wins for heart. On our visit, the manager’s staff had failed to turn up for their shift. His mother cooked everything while he raced about serving, mixing drinks, and somehow keeping the place afloat.
When it came time to pay, we discovered they only took cash. We offered sterling instead, and he asked for £40 — covering starters, fish mains, wine, water, and a beer. In fact, he’d omitted to charge for a few items but when we tried to correct him, he steadfastly refused, apologising for the “slow” service.
That’s what I call customer service. We’ll be back — and next time with cash in hand.
** Dalyan Chef Steak House and Mexican – Great Value and quality **
If I’m honest we wouldn’t have tried this out had it not been for a recommendation, it looked a bit touristy, being on the main drag. However, it was awesome. We had already eaten at lunchtime so wanted a small dish between us. The food they served up was ample, starters again came for free and the main course, a sizzling dish, Mexican style was more than we needed. Costing just over £10 per person, we really couldn’t complain.
** Sinan’s Place – best overall value **
Now this little restaurant is at the very end of town, just opposite our accommodation. Each day we walked past en-route the main town, we were greeted with a smile and handshake by the staff, it was impossible not to smile back and engage in conversation. It was for this reason, together with a strong recommendation from a couple we met on a boat trip, that we booked a table on our final night. Great decision. Incredibly good value, and attentive staff. We couldn’t believe the small size of the bill when it arrived. Highly recommend this place!
** Our Hotel – Garden Bloom **
Now, this place also trades under the name Yeni Doga Dalyan. They appear to have recently given the hotel a facelift. Our room was pristine, and the whole place clean and tidy. We found the service to be excellent and the breakfasts (at £7.50) more than enough to keep you going! Overall price for two persons was €54 per night (£27pppn each) which given its central location was great value. It had a great pool, and is only 5 minute walk from everywhere worth getting to in the evening.
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Final Thoughts
Dalyan is one of those rare places that blends natural beauty, ancient history, and warm hospitality. Add in Emma’s first retirement trip, and it felt doubly special.
We’ll be back — no question.