Dalyan

Breath-taking Dalyan, with its slow, wide river meandering its way to the sea through towering reeds, bull rushes and nature-rich wetlands, is set against a backdrop of extraordinary ancient tombs, carved into the living rock. Two thousand years ago, this region was part of Caria. Nowadays, it is a pleasantly quiet market town with a selection of restaurants, bars and cafés. There are also several riverside fish restaurants that can be reached by local boat taxis. The golden, sandy 4.5 km long beach at Dalyan is called Iztuzu and with its shallow water is perfect for younger children. A delta, with the sea on one side and wetlands on the other, the beach is protected from development and remains one of Turkey’s most important nesting beaches for Loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and increasingly these days, Green sea turtles. Visitors are always made welcome at DEKAMER (https://www.dekamer.org.tr), a research and rehabilitation centre for sea turtles, which is set back from the beach. For history lovers, a ferry trip across the river and a short drive will take them to the ancient city of Kaunos, where archaeologists have found items dating back three thousand years.

A visit to Dalyan, Iztuzu Beach and ancient Kaunos by boat taxi can be part of your blue cruise itinerary, while your gulet, motor yacht or sailing yacht is moored in Ekincik.