If you are coming to Dalyan by car, you may come via Muğla-Köyceğiz or Fethiye. The distance table and the map below will help. A little tip: Do not turn from the first Dalyan sign after Köyceğiz, which is an old and worn-out road. Follow the road over Ortaca.

Airlines
Turkish Airlines have direct or transferred flights everyday from Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir to Dalaman. From Dalaman to Dalyan, it takes 25 minutes by car. You can check the times and the prices of Turkish Airlines and also make online reservations on www.thy.com.tr.

Taxis
When you come to Ortaca, if you choose to come to Dalyan by a taxi, do not forget to bargain first. The taxis in Dalyan have taximeters. But still, there is a chance of a special deal for long distances. There are not many taxis in Dalyan, the phone numbers of the ones are given below.

The length of the caretta carettas varies between 115 cm and 150 cm and they are usually 70-90 kg, their shells are brown and bellies orange. Caretta carettas, which feed on moss generally, live in colonies. Their life span is thought to be about 70 years. Caretta carettas, which lay eggs normally once in 2-3 years, bury their eggs in one of the holes that they dig using their back feet. A caretta digs 80-100 holes but buries all her eggs in one (it is either to hide the eggs and the hole in which the eggs are in or in order to hide the eggs in the best conditions, to check the moisture may be a reasonable explanation for digging all those holes). The process of laying eggs takes hours and the mother turtle cries since she suffers of pain. In Iztuzu Beach the nesting period is 55-60 days between May and July. The male turtles hatch about 28.5 C, females about 32 C at the beginning of July and this continues until September. There are many natural enemies of the eggs and fox is one of the most dangerous ones. Foxes can find the eggs by sniffing and destroy them. The turtles come out of the eggs and go towards the light reflecting on the water where they will start their life. However, many die of thirst because they lose their way and cannot make it to the sea. Many others that make it to the water end up being food to crabs, fish and birds. The experts say 1-2 turtles are enough for the survival of the species. If there is another light in the area that might mislead them, the turtles follow the false light that will cost their lives. For this reason, it is prohibited to enter the Iztuzu Beach from sunset till dawn.

The places such as bars, restaurants, cafes, built on the river, are one-flat facilities and in great harmony with the nature. Of course, of the greatest view is the Stone Tombs appearing on the right when moving towards Iztuzu. The magnificent appearance that has been standing there for other 3000 years definitely takes your breath. It used to be possible to walk through the tombs in the past but four years ago, because of the damage caused by the people, it was prohibited and still is.

As you move along, you can see the walls of the antique Kaunos on your right. As the boat drains off, you lose your sense of direction, the minute you think you will go right; the captain turns the wheel to the opposite direction. Due to the geographic conditions, many twists and lakes have been formed in time. As the boat flows towards the sea, you come to the Iztuzu Beach, which is the second best natural beach in the world where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean and where you can swim either in fresh or in salt water.

When you move up from the delta, you come to the Lake of Köyceğiz. If you are traveling with one of the daily tours, this lake is the second stop after the mud baths. The boats drop anchor in the middle of the lake for you to enjoy swimming in fresh waters.

By the way, do not be surprised to see the dalyans (fish farms) that you might come across in the delta.

The people of Kaunos used Iztuzu as a harbor in old times. It is learned from an epitaph that this beach used to be a customs point and the people of Kaunos used to sell salt, slaves and salted fish there.

Another surprise waiting for you at the shore is the romantic dance of the sea and the beach. The images that the sea forms are a perfect proof the nature’s unlimited creativity. The beach is 5400 m long. There is no construction allowed except for the changing cabins. Also, in order to avoid any possible damage to the caretta caretta eggs, pets, such as cats and dogs, are not allowed on the beach. At the certain points, it is prohibited to place an umbrella.

There are two ways to go to the beach of Iztuzu. First one is by boat; you can come to the beach by the boats from the port of Dalyan in about 35-40 minutes with a wonderful journey among the thick rush. The second way is to take the mini-buses that leave near the post-office. This journey is also very nice, moving along the Sülüngür Lake and the pine trees. But still, we suggest you take the boats, as the views are more beautiful when you come to Iztuzu and the journey is more fun.

As you walk through the beach of Iztuzu, a wonder of nature, you will be jealous of your own shadow!

You will feel your soul squeeze with the greatness of history when you see the King Tombs in Dalyan: The eternal King Tombs have been standing there for1000 years against all the harshness of time and carrying the mysteries of the past to the future. As you look at the tombs, you get the feeling that the stones have something to say. The gigantic rocks had been caved in amazing forms. The tombs that are caved in the rocks, at some points with an angle of 80 C to the sea, force the limits of your mind.

According to the archeologists, these tombs are the symbol of wealth and power in the antique city of Kanuos. Most of the city, even today, is still protected with borders that are 7-8 m high.
In the rock tombs, which were caved as in the form of Ionia sanctuary, there are three lines of stones for the dead to be buried. The Ionian columns that decorate the front side of the monuments have been destroyed. Only in one of the pediments, the glyph of two lions facing each other is interesting sight.

It is prohibited to walk through the rock tombs because they are high and/can be dangerous and prohibition is the only way to avoid man-made destruction.

Sultaniye Thermal Water, on the southwest of the Lake of Köyceğiz, on the skirts of the Ölmez Mountain, is only 4 km away from Dalyan. Boats departing from the port come here. Sultaniye Thermal Water has the highest (98.3) radioactive thermal water in Turkey and is the second in the world after the thermal waters in Indonesia. The water is 39 C. It has calcium chlorine, calcium sulfate, calcium sulfur and radon.

It is said that the thermal water has a healing effect on waist pains, rheumatism, sciatica, nephritis, skin diseases and gyniatrics. The healing period is 21 days and you must bath twice a day starting with 10 minutes. Drinking this water is also good for liver, cystic and gut diseases.

The water in the Sultaniye Thermal Water had been used in the times of the Kaunos people. Later, the Byzantines turned this place into a stopover. The ruins from that period are under the waters of Lake of Köyceğiz.