Riverside Restaurant at Dalyan
The central attraction of life in Dalyan is its river, the Dalyan Çayı. The river in Dalyan is a stretch of water that connects the Köyceğiz Lake to the Mediterranean Sea.The central attraction of life in Dalyan is its river, the Dalyan Çayı. The river in Dalyan is a stretch of water that connects the Köyceğiz Lake to the Mediterranean Sea.
Several restaurants in Dalyan are placed on the river bank that serves the best food in the town. You can enjoy a range of plates and Turkish delicacies while you watch tourists and boats move along the waterway. Most riverside restaurants in Dalyan offer tourists a splendid view of the magnificent Dalyan rock tombs, also known as the King's Rock Tomb. The restaurants are also a great place to watch the sunset while you sip on a warm cup of coffee.
Boatride in Dalyan
Boats are one of the leading transport in the river town of Dalyan. The Dalyan boat trip is a must, especially if you are visiting in summer. Dalyan has several regular excursion boats, or you could book your private tour to look into all nooks and corners of Dalyan. Moreover, booking a private boat tour will also allow you to relax and have a comfortable sightseeing experience compared to the public boat tours.
If you plan to go to the Iztuzu beach when visiting Dalyan town, the easiest way is to take a boat taxi on the Dalyan Çayı and move opposite the lake. You can buy a return ticket and wait for the boat to be full to leave.
The Beach
The boat taxi drops you at Iztuzu Beach or Turtle Beach, the best beach in Turkey. Iztuzu beach is famous for its Caretta Caretta (loggerhead turtles) that lay eggs on the beach. The beach is a national reserve for the conservation of turtles and has several laying grounds for them.
The Iztuzu beach is a peaceful place for you to spend a relaxing time. The sand is smooth, and there is a great breeze for you to spend some time away from the pollution and population of the city life. As the beach is government regulated, the price of food and beverages at the various snack bars and shacks are reasonable, allowing you to enjoy yourself on the beach.
DEKAMER
If you are visiting Dalyan, a visit to the DEKAMER is a must. It is a Sea Turtle Research and Rehabilitation Center and is known for some of the groundbreaking works done in Dalyan to conserve the Caretta Caretta.
The centre takes care of all injured Caretta Caretta (loggerhead turtles) and Chelonia Mydas (green turtles). Once rehabilitated, the turtles are released back into the water. The research and rehabilitation institute has several researchers and volunteers from Pamukkale University who work tirelessly to save the turtles and the beach.
The rehabilitation centre was built in honour of Kaptan June, and you can also visit her hut nearby to learn more about her and her actions to save the turtles. In the late 1980s, Kaptan June spearheaded the campaign to protect Iztuzu and its nesting turtles by preventing a 1,800-bed hotel development in the area.
The High Hills
Radar Tepesi (or Radar Hill) offers the best view of the Dalyan centre, the estuary, and the Mediterranean. If you visit Dalyan during the seasons for tourists, you can find organized trips to the Radar Tepesi or find yourself a car or hike up to the hills. A few restaurants are situated on the hills and give you the best view of the town.
Sülüngür Gölü
If you are looking for peace and serenity, Sülüngür Gölü is one of the best places in Dalyan you can go in Dalyan. Sülüngür Gölü is situated a couple of kilometres from Dalyan and is a blissful paradise for you to take a stroll. Some several restaurants and cafes give you a lot of opportunities to relax at Sülüngür Gölü for hours. If you are visiting in summer, you can also take a boat ride along the lake.
Dalyan Rock Tombs & Kaunos
If not a boat, you can always take a car ride around the lake from the opposite direction. Once you are across the lake, the Dalyan Rock Tombs & Kaunos is a peaceful place for you to visit. This is a land of citrus fruits and pomegranates, so you can always stop on the way to enjoy a juicy beverage from the roadside stalls before you reach the Dalyan Rock Tombs.
The Dalyan Rock Tombs are unlike other tombs, and you cannot walk into them to see what's inside. These toms are carved into the stones, and you can only admire them from the road below. Along the road, you will reach the ruins of Kaunos, where you can spend time exploring the ruins delicately. If you do not have much time, you can look through the ruins and find the place in the ruins that give the best view of the Mediterranean that lies beyond.
Çandır
A few kilometres ahead of Kaunos is the village of Çandır. The place has a culture house that provides you with all the information about the place. You can take a leisurely walk at Çandır and look through the unexplored sides of the different places that lie on the bank of the Dalyan Çayı.
Sultaniye
On your boat ride back from the beach, the Sultaniye is a must-visit for everyone visiting Dalyan. The Sultaniye is the famous Dalyan mud bath that everyone visits and enjoys in Dalyan. The mud bath is adjoined with a thermal pool to cleanse yourself after enjoying your time exfoliating in the mud.
Dalyan Day Trip
If you stay at Dalyan for a short while and do not have sufficient time for a detailed tour, you can look into the best places to visit in Dalyan. If you want to look into all these places, you might prefer personal transport, but several accessible public means of transport can help you move around.
Some of the places for you to visit are:
Ekincik
Ekincik is a beautiful cove a few kilometres from Dalyan. The journey to Ekincik is through beautiful scenery, making the journey very enjoyable. If you want to visit this place by car, you have to take the long route surrounding Lake Köyceğiz. If you are short on time, you can take a boat ride on the Dalyan ferry and reach Ekincik easily.
Köyceğiz
If you visit the best places in Dalyan, Köyceğiz is one of the most important places you should visit in Dalyan. If you like a local market, the place adds charm to your visit. You should have a leisurely lunch by the lake, overviewing the scenery of the lake.
Yuvarlakçay
If you are visiting Dalyan in the summer, Yuvarlakçay is the best place for you to relax. Yuvarlakçay has crystal clear water and a lot of tree shade that gives you the best ambience to relax in nature and clear your mind.
Akkaya and Akaya
Akkaya is a valley with the Dalaman river flowing through it. There are several restaurants for you to enjoy a nice cup of coffee while you see birds nesting in the trees of the valley. The place has several gardens and grounds for you to take a stroll and take a boat ride directly to the beach.
Akaya, on the other hand, is a tourist spot built for tourists to chill. It is part of the Cittaslow movement and is one of the favourite places for tourists visiting Dalyan. If you want some quiet for the weekend, you can visit the place and a nearby place Muğla to take a break from your hectic schedule.
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