Ölüdeniz
Ölüdeniz is a town near Fethiye in Turkey, famous for its 'Blue Lagoon'.
Understand
Inland to the north, 2 km to Ölüdeniz, are the former villages of Ovacık and Hisarönü, with occasional family-run guesthouses only a decade ago, but are today concrete sprawls of hotels and bars, agglomerated almost without a gap with the town of Ölüdeniz. Both serve as "bedroom communities" that offer accommodation that is close to but cheaper than Ölüdeniz proper.
Get in
Most buses will drop you off at the bus station in Fethiye, from there you can take a very frequent minibus (dolmuş).
Get around
See
Blue LagoonKnown in Turkish literally as "dead sea" because of the stillness of the water, the lagoon is a nature preserve. To enter the park there is a fee of 7 TL per person. You will also likely have to hire a beach chair which are an additional 15 TL each (15 TL for an umbrella).
Do
ParaglidingA number of companies in Ölüdeniz offer paragliding opportunities from the summit of nearby Mt. Babadağ, about 1,900 m from the sea elevation. A "trip" from the top to the beach takes around an hour and offers stunning views of the Blue Lagoon and the valleys and mountains covered with pine forests around. Training and tandem flights are also possible for those inexperienced at paragliding.
Hike along Lycian WayYou can hike to Fethiye the western end of the Lycian Way or just start in the direction of Faralya (5 hr) and Kabak. While the views of the sea, the mountains and the Ölüdeniz beach are great, there isn’t much shade on the way to Faralya, so try to avoid the noon-heat, bring enough sunscreen and water (or some water purification if you intent to use the cisterns on the way). If you’re just doing a day hike you can take a dolmuş back from Faralya (last one leaving about 19:40). You can also take the dolmuş to Kabak and hike the coastal route to Faralya (4-5 hr) and again return by dolmuş, though it’s well worth staying at either village.
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
-
phone: +90 252 616-61-39address: Kırıncağıl Mahallesi, Ovacık-ÖlüdenizA hotel at the trail head of Lycian Way, a very convenient base to get rest after/before your long hike. Rooms with en-suite bathrooms, air-con, and balconies, all with the view of large pool.
Mid-range
-
phone: +90 252 617 00 86Family-owned, small hotel. Rooms with air-con, TV, and balcony. There are also a swimming pool with children section, playground, and safety boxes. Staff is friendly and fluent in English and French. The hotel is on the top of a small hill, so it has clean and cool air flow. View of the Oludeniz from the hotel is breathtaking.
-
phone: +90 1603 869930 ,+44 117 230 3677 (in the UK)Orka Village is set in a private complex with breathtaking views of the Babadag mountains. The site is beautifully landscaped and features a 650-m² swimming pool and a separate children’s pool. There is also a bar/snack bar on site. The complex also features a reception, secure parking and 24h security.
Splurge
Go next
- Butterfly Valley (Faralya) is a remote canyon to the south, on the sea-shore, with some rare butterflies and waterfalls. Boats and minibuses head there from Ölüdeniz. A little further south, at the end of the road is the village of Kabak, which has a canyon similar to Butterfly Valley, although a little easier to access.
- For a bit of history and a deserted ghost town experience in your trip, take the road to west from Hisarönü and head to Kayaköy, where hundreds of partially ruined houses cover the side of a hill.
- Ovacık to the north of Ölüdeniz marks the beginning of Lycian Way, a more than 500 km hiking trail leading to Antalya in the east.