Holidays in Dalyan

If you ever been to Dalyan, than you are probably already in love with this beautiful town. For the ones that has never been to Dalyan I will give some information first:

Dalyan is a town in Muğla Province located between the well-known districts of Marmaris and Fethiye on the south-west coast of Turkey. The town is an independent municipality, within the administrative district of Ortaca.

Dalyan achieved international fame in 1987 when developers wanted to build a luxury hotel on the nearby İztuzu Beach, a breeding ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle species. The incident created major international storm when David Bellamy championed the cause of conservationists such as June Haimoff, Peter Günther, Nergis Yazgan, Lily Venizelos and Keith Corbett. The development project was temporarily stopped after Prince Philip called for a moratorium and in 1988 the beach and its hinterland were declared a protected area, viz. Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area.

Life in Dalyan revolves around the Dalyan Çayı River which flows past the town. The boats that ply up and down the river, navigating the maze of reeds, are the preferred means of transport to all the local sites.




Above the river's sheer cliffs are the weathered facades of Lycian tombs cut from rock, circa 400 BC. The ruins of the ancient trading city of Kaunos are a short boat trip across the river.

The south of Dalyan on the Mediterranean coast, lies İztuzu Beach, near the village of the same name is a popular area for sunbathing and swimming. There are regular boat and minibus (dolmuş) services to the beach. Visitors should be aware of the wooden stakes in the beach to mark nesting sites. The road route is particularly scenic, offering views of Sülüngür Lake.

In 2008 İztuzu Beach was proclaimed winner in the category Best Open Space (Europe) by The Times because of the eco-friendly exploitation of the beach. In 2011 Dalyan and İztuzu Beach were proclaimed Best Beach Destination of Europe by Dutch holiday assessment website Zoover.



 The beach is well known for the Caretta caretta (Loggerhead sea turtle), an endangered species that has existed for about 45 million years. International animal protection organizations monitor and protect the turtles' nesting grounds in Turkey. The beach is closed between 20.00 and 8:00 hours during the period that the turtles lay their eggs and hatch-lings go out to sea (May to October).

The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), or loggerhead, is an oceanic turtle distributed throughout the world. It is a marine reptile, belonging to the family Cheloniidae. The average loggerhead measures around 90 centimeters (35 in) long when fully grown, although larger specimens of up to 270 centimeters (110 in) have been discovered. The adult loggerhead sea turtle weighs approximately 135 kilograms (300 lb), with the largest specimens weighing in at more than 454 kilograms (1,000 lb). The skin ranges from yellow to brown in color, and the shell is typically reddish-brown.


 WHERE TO STAY

There are many hotels and pensions that you can stay. Most of them are small hotels. One of the best ones among all hotels is the Asena Motel, which is run by this great family. It is fairly priced and has a great garden. Also it is considered as the only boutique hotel for adults over the age of 16 in Dalyan and has also been a model of hospitality and comfort for your summer holidays. http://www.asenamotel.com

They say: "AsenaMotel has been the apple of Dalyan’s eye with its aesthetical architecture in harmony with the natural surroundings around it, and with its botanical garden where all colours of the nature come together with laughter and friendships that grow in it."

WHAT TO DO

Dalyan offers so many places to see and so many things to do. Natural beauties, history, Mediterranean Sea, Kaunos Antic City, Iztuzu beach and many activities. You can go through Activities in Dalyan pages prepared by Asena Motel.