Natural beauties
ÇALIŞ
The Çalış Beach, at a distance of 5 km. from the city centre of Fethiye, is one of the prominent accommodation and entertainment centres in the region. Directly across, there is the Chevalier Island which may be termed as the entrance gate of the Fethiye Harbour. In addition to municipal buses and dolmuş, it is possible to reach the Çalış Beach by sea with small boats, which is a great facility for holiday-makers. The cool evenings in hot summer days is a privilege for those choosing to stay at Çalış during their holidays. The Çalış Beach is one of the major locations where the Caretta Carettas lay their eggs. There is also the Çalış Natural Park - Birds Paradise where about 219 species have been recorded up to now. With the most romantic sunset in the Mediterranean and the Nomadic tent where local culture is displayed, Çalış is a centre possessing all the facilities for a pleasant holiday and for playing host to local and foreign guests.
If water sports and especially wind-surf is among your indispensable holiday habits, Çalış is the ideal choice for you. Everything needed for enjoying a day on the beach, the sun, sand and the sea, warm hospitality of the residents, good service and lots of entertainment, provides for an unforgettable holiday at Çalış. (The region just behind the Çalış Beach boasts of the availability of 7.500 beds of the total accommodation capacity of tourism in Fethiye. Small and large accommodations of various standards, restaurants, bars and shopping centres meet all the requirements of tourists. The Günlükbaşı district at a distance of 3 km. and Kargı and Yanıklar Villages offer alternatives for tourism services of various standards with boarding houses, hotels and holiday villages.)
ÖLÜDENIZ-BELCEĞIZ
Having a rendezvous with the sea in an evening...
Almost touching the bright blue sky with your hands...
Dancing with the sweet Mediterranean breezes and leaving footprints on the sand...
Ölüdeniz, "The Gates of Paradise" Ölüdeniz, "The Beach of Freedom"...
Ölüdeniz with its sheltered, calm waters and the adjoining Belceğiz Beach combine the white foams of the Mediterranean with the greenery of the pine trees. World-renowned Ölüdeniz Kumburnu National Park and the Belceğiz Beach is at a distance of 15 km. from the Fethiye city centre and are located at the skirts of Babadağ which deserves the right of being a "world heritage" with its rich flora and suitability for paragliding. The Belceğiz Beach offers you facilities for benefiting from the sea, sand and the sun, as well as enjoying all kinds of water sports...
At the same time, you can discover other beautiful sports around Ölüdeniz by participating in daily boat tours departing from the beach and, with a mini blue voyage, can witness how the deep blue of the Mediterranean turn into the green of the Taurus mountains along the coastline. The fact that the temperature of the sea at Ölüdeniz Lagoon is never below 19 degrees and the average temperature in the region is around 12 degrees day and night in winter time is a reason for you to prefer spending your winter holiday also at Ölüdeniz...
HİSARÖNÜ-OVACIK
The trip which takes you to the magnificent beauty of Ölüdeniz also offers you two special regions for your holiday. Ovacık and Hisarönü villages.
Ovacık and Hisarönü, at a distance of 4 km. from Ölüdeniz, are two charming villages where you can stay, enjoy yourself and have a rest as you feel the sweet breeze from Babadağ covered with pine forests during hot summer days. With the hotels, restaurants, entertainment and shopping centres and hospitable people, Ovacık and Hisarönü are also the starting points of holiday-makers trekking on the Lycian Path The Ovacık, Hisarönü and Ölüdeniz are has a total accommodation capacity of 20.000 beds. Ranging from first-class holiday villages to small boarding houses run by families and campsites, you can find accommodation facilities of all standards. The best samples of the Mediterranean flora of about 20.000 species and 49 endemic plants grow on Babadağ with an altitude of 1.975 metres, which is also a most enjoyable centre for people all over the world who are keen on paragliding...As the paraliders glide in the sky and end up on the white, soft sands of the Belceğiz Beach, it becomes a real adventure not only for them but also for the spectators.
KAYA VILLAGE
The Kaya Village is significant as an area of settlement dating back to the time of antique Karmylassos where various cultures blended, lived together and migrated. On the slopes there are stone houses built in typical Mediterranean architectural style, not overshadowing one another, as well as churches, schools, chapels, workshops and other buildings, and narrow streets crossing each other, looking almost like an architectural laboratory... During the population exchange undersigned by the Turkish and Greek Governments in line with the Lausanne Treaty, the Greeks living in the Kaya Village were exchanged by the Turks who were resident in Western Thrace. However, because the Turkish immigrants could not get accustomed to the life-style here, the village has assumed the its deserted appearance. The Kaya Village is preserved as a prominent sample of the cultural mosaics in Anatolia and is presently being re-evaluated with a contemporary tourism concept for the purpose of transforming the melancholic past into joy and for the budding of new hopes. The governmental and non-governmental organizations are endeavouring to set up a village of peace, science. culture and art here in the future, which would set up an example for the rest of the world, when the restoration and planning are carried out. The Kaya Village is famous for its Kaya Rugs with root dyes and original colours. Similarly, it is renowned for its products such as figs, chick-peas, melons and pomegranates.
Accommodations, restaurants, wine houses and Kaya Art Camp are providing services. The Gemile Cove and Afkule Monastery nearby are also prominent attractions which set Kaya apart. Furthermore, its healthy climate is another privilege.
VALLEY OF BUTTERFLIES
Pieris Rapae, Euglapia Quadripunctia, Danaus Chtysippus and others... The "Valley of Butterflies", one of the most beautiful bays of Fethiye, is located on a level area of ten hectares at the bottom of a steep and deep valley. The valley resembles an open-air museum where all the species of Mediterranean butterflies can be seen at sea level where starting at spring time and throughout nine-ten months the life scope of 30 day-time and 40 night-time butterflies can observed... The Valley of Butterflies can be reached in half an hour by the boat departing from Ölüdeniz, as well as after a difficult walk from Faralya or by flying with a parapant from the Babadağ at an altitude of 1975 metres. The Valle of Butterflies is also a stop-over for boats taking off from Ölüdeniz for daily tours. With boats departing from the Belceğiz Beach every morning, even a short stop-over at the valley is sufficient to remind you that you are in a special paradise. In recent years this beautiful site has been included on the route of trekkers on the Lycian Path . In 1955 the valley was proclaimed a natural sit area of first degree and there are no accommodations because building is permitted here...You can stay in the tents or sleeping bags you bring along or underneath the wooden pergolas covered with bushes and leaves. It is possible to get something to ear at the small rural restaurant...After you enjoy swimming in the tiny cover with turquoise-coloured water, there is a surprise awaiting those taking a walk into the heart of the valley with a rich flora...Two small waterfalls at the end of steep and high
cliffs provides for a pleasant shower for trekkers.The "Valley of Butterflies" is an ideal choice for a holiday devoid of concrete buildings, in natural and safe surroundings.
SAKLIKENT
The Saklıkent Canyon is a unique natural wonder at a distance of 50 km. from Fethiye. The canyon is 300 metres deep and 18 km. long, shaped up by waters flowing down from the mountains for thousands of years, abrading the rocks. As the water level rises during winter, visitors can get into the canyon only during summer months. If taking photographs is among your hobbies, you can catch magnificent
scenes of unspoiled panorama which exists in and around Saklıkent. The discovery of the Saklıkent Canyon is also interesting. A shepherd wished to establish a trout farm here and a temporary bridge had to be constructed for the research which opened the doors of this hidden paradise to all travellers. At first the canyon was intended only to raise trout but due to intensive interest on the location, it was re-planned to meet the requirements of the visitors. The wooden resting platforms erected on the waters running swiftly in and out of the canyon, trout and traditional pastry are offered to visitors which enrich their holiday memories and enhances the pleasure of the holiday
It is possible to reach Saklıkent from Fethiye either by dolmuş or by daily tours organized by the travel agencies. During a journey of about 45 minutes, as you pass through small villages maintaining their authentic mode of life, you can get glimpses of tobacco, cotton, aniseed, sesame, wheat farms and hothouses of vegetables. There is a sturdy bridge used to enter into the canyon. Even on the first step, the visitors are fascinated by the snow-white foams of cascading spring waters and the greenery of this hidden paradise. Saklıkent is a refuge for those weary of the heat of the summer and a walk of about 3 km. in the waters of Saklıkent is an ideal sport for everyone.
GÖCEK
Göcek is at a distance of only 12 km. to the Dalaman Aiçrport. It is the closest one to the airport among the tourist centres in the region. Consequently, it is an ideal choice for spending the week-ends. The accommodations and boarding houses of various standards are open throughout the year. The warm-hearted and hospitable residents of Göcek are awaiting those wishing to discover Fethiye and its environs overland or by sea. As you travel westward to Fethiye, you catch a glimpse of the sea among the trees. Göcek is a natural marina for yachts and the brotherhood at sea brings fans of yachting from various countries, speaking different languages, together. Göcek is a port where a cup of coffee is shared with the neighbouring boat and warm friendships are established. The blue colour of freedom in the Göcek bays recalls the lines written by poet Orhan Veli...Be a Sail, Be a Steering Wheel, Be a Fish, Go as far as you can...Göcek and its environs used to be called Daidalos in the Antique period. It is presumed that it was named after architect Daidalos who created the first man with wings, Ikaros. In the historical records of Strabo and Herodotus Daidalos is mentioned as a Lycian port. Unfortunately, the city was completely demolished by earthquake during the antique period with very few traces remaining to our day...The temple-like rock tomb which you see as you leave the Inlice Village on the 25th km. of the Fethiye-Mugla highway gives an idea about the boundaries of the city. In the Gulf of Fethiye, the coves alongside the coastline of Göcek and the islands provide the passengers on the blue voyage a pleasant natural and historical trişp. These islands and coves with ruins of the past are a source of inspiration for the artists as well...The Taşyaka Cove where painter and poet Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu drew a picture of a fish on a rock, the sunken bath dedicated to Egyptian Queen Cleopatra at the Monastery Cove, the summer and winter ports on the Tersane Island, Kap-Göbün Cove, Sarsala, Boynuzbükü, Yassıca Islands, Göcek Island and others are some beautiful spots worthy of a visit...
ISLANDS- COVES CHEVALIER ISLAND (Old Meğri)
The island to the north of the Fethiye Harbour has had a strategic significance since ancient times as it could control entrances into the harbour. It is known that the Rhodian Chevaliers controlled the city for a long time by virtue of a citadel they had built on the island. The ruins discovered on the island proves that it was in use also in the Late Roman period. Nowadays remains of the walls of the citadel, houses, old cisterns and various mosaics are still discernible. The Chevalier island is a summer place and daily picnic area, with one hotel, two aparts, one restaurant, the beaches and picnic areas. It is at a distance of 1,5 miles to Fethiye and there are regular boat services during summer months between the hours of 10 and 19. The Chevalier Island is cooled by the Mediterranean breeze even on hottest summer days and it is one of the indispensable spots in Fethiye.
KIZIL ADA
At sunset, when the sun falls on the stones and the sand, they become reddish and the whole island takes on a crimson colour. Perhaps the island was named as Kızıl Ada because of this, who knows..., There are no buildings on the island except for a lighthouse and the residence of the guard at the southern tip of the island. The rocks of various sizes in the north-west (Deliktaş Islands) are very handy for diving and fishing. The eastern coast of Kızıl Ada is protected from the waves and the wide beach is suitable for swimming and casting anchor . Therefore it is a stop-over point both for the blue voyagers and for boats on a daily tour.
KATRANCI ISLAND
The island across from the Katrancı Cove, which is one of the most prominent campsites of the town, is named after this cove. The island is not very suitable for the boats to dock but is a must for those keen on fishing.
GÖCEK ISLAND
Located opposite Göcek, the charming holiday district which is an indispensable stop-over point for yacht owners, the Göcek Island has numerous coves where boats can dock. This charming island is covered with pine trees and offers many facilities for those looking for a quiet place to swim and to cast anchor.
YASSICA ISLANDS
The Yassıca Islands of 5 small islands of various islands is the place where daiy boat tours stop over longest. The main island extended in the south-north direction has a sandy northern tip which is ideal for swimming. It is an entertainment centre where various water sports are carried out. Going through the islands which are separated from each other with tiny, narrow straits and coming across to a new beautiful panorama at every turn is like an insatiable adventure. Especially, if you have weighed anchor at Yassıcalar on a moon-lit night, you can easily think you are on a land of fantasy. The Hacı Halil Island (zeytinli ada) at the southern end of the Yassıca Islands is the only private property in the region. On the island here is an installation for pressing olives which may have been used during the Ottoman period.
TERSANE ISLAND
The Tersane Island is the largest one in the region and there are ruins of various buildings dating back to Late Roman period but most carry the features of the Mediterranean architecture. In so far as there was a shipyard here in the past where small boats were constructed, maintained and repaired, it is called the Tersane Island. A stop-over point for boats on tours of 12 islands, a few families live on the island nowadays involved in cattle-raising and farming. Furthermore, there is a small but charming restaurant on the shore. The fishermen call the two sheltered coves there as the Summer Port and the Winter port which are the most secure anchorage places in the region for yacht owners.
DOMUZ (PRENS) ISLAND
Named after wild boards presumed to live on the hills, the island is also referred to as the Prince Island due to its last owner. It is a private property where some ruins extend down to the coast and some are buried into the sea. There is no harbour where boats can be anchored.
GÖBÜN COVE
As you enter Karanlıkiçi from Darboğaz, there is the Göbün Cove in the south, almost hidden from sight, covered with pine and olive trees, which is a most popular stop-over for the passengers of the Blue Voyage with ruins of an antique building which is thought to be a bath. On the heights there are royal tombs glimpsed among different tones of greenery and ruins from the Caunos culture, a place worth a visit among the islands. It is a must to have baked fresh fish and bread at the restaurant on the coast and to watch the sunrise from the hilltop in the morning.
BATH (MONASTERY) COVE
Another popular cove of the Blue Voyage is the Bath CVove which is unique with its sea and natural panorama. This is the Mediterranean people for yu... They are convinced that Cleopatra swam here and called it the Cleopatra Cove. It is disputable whether Cleopatra waded into the sea here but it goes without saying that had she come here, she would have loved it! On the eastern side of the isthmus between the Kurtoğlu Cape and the mainland, sunken ruins of a building are discernible in the cove. It is not clear whether I is a monastery or a bath. According to one legend, Kurtoğu, which the cove is named after, was a pirate and had a mansion here; the existing ruins constitute part of that mansion. Silvery stones and the walls are buried in deep blue water. There numerous ruins around the cove, covered with pines and bushes. The Kurşunlu Cove has a large wall across the isthmus, which is most suitable for the yachts to spend the night. The antique city Lydae on the hill, which can be reached by a walk of Yavansu near the Bath Cove must definitely be visited by history addicts.
TAŞYAKA (BEDRİ RAHMİ) COVE
Across from the Tersane Island, as you reach the Taşyaka Cove from the sea, the painting of a large fish on a large rock greets you. It should be no surprise for you to see the fish, painted by Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu during one of his Blue Voyage trips, still maintaining its lively colours. This is the only cove in the region with fresh water supply. To weigh anchor at this cove, to see the Lycian rock tombs on the slopes, to wander underneath the pine trees...It is beyond words; you have to go and see Taşyaka...The first stop on the way from Göcek to the islands is Akbükü, covered with pine trees, the sea in the most exhilarating tones of the blue colour and the styrax trees at the rear of the beach lend a special beauty to the scene. If you go further south, there is the Kapıdağ peninsula with Boynuz Bükü with interlocking coves, Sarsala which is the last cove which can be reached overland, Kille and many other coves, all of which are the apple of the eye for passengers of the Blue Voyage.
OYUKTEPE PENINSULA
Encircling the Westside of the Fethiye Harbour, this peninsula has numerous coves such as Aksazlar, Samanlık, Kuleli and Boncuklu, where the sea embraces the pine trees, each more beautiful than the other. The peninsula can be toured on a road of 7 km., and the coves constitute a most popular picnic area for the local settlers. Furthermore, the road is an ideal track for trekkers.
TURUNÇ PINARI
Named after the bitter orange trees and fresh water spring here, the cove is frequented by the yachts The fishermen's restaurant where all kinds of seafood are prepared and served with great care is a favourite of the gourmets. The cove can be reached by trekking from the Kaya Village and is an ideal daily picnic area with its beach and clean sea.
GÜNLÜKLÜ (Küçük Kargı)
It is a picnic area within the forest, covered with styrax trees. Which grow only in this region. With its unique beauty and the available sub-structural facilities for those on a picnic as well as for campers, it has a special status among various sites of tourism. It is on the Mugla-Fethjye Highway and can be reached also by dolmuş.
KATRANCI COVE
It is a picnic area and campsite within the forest, where dense pine trees hug the seai surrounded by coves of various sizes. All the services required by holiday-makers are available and it is one of the most attractive tourism centres with its natural panorama and the beach.
GEMILER COVE AND ISLAND
The road going over the hill behind the Kaya Village takes you to the Gemiler Cove which is another beautiful site, surrounded by olive and pine trees. From the Gemiler Cove you can cross over to the Saint Nicholas (Gemiler) Island by boat and see the ruins there from the Byzanthian times. In 1990 a Japanese archaeological team collaborated with the Fethiye Museum and stated excavations here. On the basis of the unearthed finds, it was established that this was a prominent centre of pilgrimage and that Nicholas, the saint of sailors lived on the island.