Dalyan is a small riverside town that makes a great base for snorkeling, trekking, rafting and jeep tours. It’s a holiday made for adventurers and history lovers. Seek out the older part of town for its gardens and charming streets.

Boat Tours
Boat tours from Dalyan can take you to the hot springs, mud bath, Kaunos and Iztuzu beach. Take a turtle spotting tour that leaves early every morning. For an evening cruise take a sunset tour offered twice a week in the summer. The Dalyan Cooperative offers the best rates.

Kaunos
Take a boat from Dalyan to Kaunos. The site is only a five minute walk from where you disembark. This ancient port has a history influenced by the Persians, Carians, Egyptians, and Romans. The Roman theater is carved into the hill, a defensive sea wall (with no sea in view anymore), and the remains of the Great Harbor can all be seen on a steep hike. The Roman baths, Byzantine basilica and a Roman temple to Apollo are nearby. Rock tombs can be seen from the river. These ornate tombs were carved by the Greeks and reused by the Romans.

Iztuzu Beach
This famous beach, nicknamed Turtle Beach, is home to a protected area for almost-extinct loggerhead turtles. Two beach areas are here. The one where all of the boats dock is crowded. The other part of the beach is at the far end and run by the town. This is one of the most pristine and beautiful beaches in the area.

Mud Baths
Ten minutes upriver from Dalyan an outdoor spa, Aqua Mia, features a pool and mud bath fed by springs. Slap on some mud and wait for it to do its work. A few minutes farther up the river is a thermal spring, Sultaniye Kaplicalari.