For the vast majority of visitors, Dalaman is just a name on a plane ticket. The town itself is an agricultural centre on the plain between the mountains and the sea, built up around a state farm and a paper mill; it has no historic centre, no promenade and no beach of its own — the sea is over 10 kilometres from the main square. What it does have is an airport, through which most charter flights to the southwest coast arrive in season, and a location in the middle of one of Turkey's most interesting areas. Within half an hour's drive is Dalyan, with Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliff above the river delta, the 4.5-kilometre-long İztuzu spit where loggerhead turtles nest, and the ruins of the port city of Kaunos, which the sea retreated from, leaving it standing above the reeds. On the other side lies Lake Köyceğiz with the Sultaniye thermal mud baths, and to the west, Sarıgerme with its long sandy beach and Göcek with its marina, from where yachts sail out into the Bay of Twelve Islands. Anyone booking a hotel right in Dalaman saves on the transfer but pays for it with the commute to the sea.
The places worth your time in Dalaman, and what to expect at each
25 km northwest
A small town on the banks of the Dalyan River, above which Lycian rock tombs from the 4th century BC, with temple-shaped façades, open out of a sheer cliff face. They're inaccessible, viewed from the opposite bank or from a boat, and lit up in the evening.
Tip: The best view is from the riverside promenade around 6pm, when the sun lights the cliff face from the side; midday photos are flat and backlit.
35 km southwest
A 4.5-kilometre-long sand spit separating the river delta from the sea — fresh water on one side, salt water on the other. It's one of the main nesting sites for loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean, which is why there isn't a single building here and the beach is closed at night.
Tip: It's loveliest to arrive by boat from Dalyan and leave by bus, or the other way round. The back third of the beach at the river mouth is reserved for turtles, with no sun loungers there, but it's almost empty.
28 km west
An ancient city on a hill above the delta, once a port until silt from the river cut it off from the sea. What remains is a theatre set into the slope, a temple terrace, baths and walls running along the ridge. From the top row of the theatre you can see the whole delta out to the sea.
Tip: A small ferry from Dalyan's waterfront crosses the river for a few dozen lira and saves a 20-kilometre drive around; from the boat landing it's a 10-minute walk to the ticket office through the fields.
22 km north
A freshwater lake covering 50 square kilometres, linked to the sea by a network of delta channels. Wetlands and fields of fragrant sweetgum trees line the shores, pelicans and fishermen work the water, and at the southern end a channel leads out of the lake to Dalyan.
Tip: In the town of the same name on the north shore there's a big market on Mondays, and the waterfront tea houses charge half the prices you'd pay in Dalyan — the cheapest lunch in the area.
30 km northwest
Thermal springs on the southern shore of the lake, where you first soak in a small sulphur-water pool at around 39 degrees, then coat yourself in grey mud, which dries in the sun and washes off under a shower. The site is basic, with changing rooms and a snack bar.
Tip: The mud smells of sulphur and leaves yellowish stains on swimwear that won't wash out — bring old ones. Most boat trips from Dalyan stop here, so there's no need to come separately.
35 km southeast
A small town in a sheltered bay with several marinas and hundreds of moored yachts, the starting point for cruises around the Bay of Twelve Islands. The buildings are low-rise, a shaded avenue runs along the waterfront, and the side streets have cafés and shops selling boating gear.
Tip: There's practically no beach in Göcek, and hotels only have jetties out onto the water; people swim by taking a water taxi to the nearby coves, which are about 10 minutes away by boat and tend to be empty.
18 km west
A 7-kilometre-long sandy beach with a shallow entry into the water and pine forest behind it, backed by several large resorts. A small island called Baba lies offshore, and part of the coast, like İztuzu, is protected for nesting turtles, so lights stay off at night.
Tip: The water stays shallow a long way out, which is great with children, but the afternoon wind whips up waves — go in the morning for calm water.
6 km from the centre
The main air gateway to the southwest coast, with 2 terminals, through which most charter flights from Europe pass in season. It lies 6 kilometres from the town centre on the plain by the river, with direct bus links to the surrounding resorts.
Tip: Havaş buses leave on a connecting service after every arrival and are several times cheaper than a taxi; buy the ticket at the counter in the arrivals hall, not from the driver.
centre
An agricultural centre on the plain between the mountains and the sea, built up around a state farm and a paper mill. It has a main street with banks and pharmacies, a Saturday market and a handful of lokantas, but no historic core or tourist infrastructure, since people come here for the airport.
Tip: For an afternoon departure, Dalaman is the only place nearby for a cheap lunch close to the airport — the lokantas on the main street sell ready-made meals for a third of Dalyan's prices.
Photos: Dalyan and the rock tombs — Fluxe-deluxe (CC BY-SA 4.0) · İztuzu Beach — FurkanYalcin3 (CC BY 3.0) · Kaunos — HALUK COMERTEL (CC BY 3.0) · Lake Köyceğiz — Mustafa Orhon (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Sultaniye Mud Baths — PinarKarayilan (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Göcek and the marina — Jorge Franganillo (CC BY 3.0) · Sarıgerme — Leon 82 UK (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Dalaman Airport — Tiha0711 (CC BY 3.0) · Dalaman town — Maria Jonker (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking
Best for: a main base for the area
A small town on the river 25 kilometres from the airport, where most visitors to the area stay. It has a riverside promenade overlooking the tombs in the cliff, restaurants and small hotels with pools. İztuzu Beach is reached by boat or bus, 15 to 45 minutes away.
Best for: a classic beach holiday
18 kilometres west, the closest resort to the airport of them all — the transfer takes around 20 minutes. Large all-inclusive resorts and a long sandy beach with a shallow entry into the water. Outside the hotels there's only a short street of shops, so expect to spend most of your time within the resort grounds.
Best for: yachting and quiet
A bay with marinas 35 kilometres southeast, visited for the boats rather than the beach. Accommodation is pricier and the clientele quieter, with evenings spent on the waterfront. Anyone not renting a boat or at least a water taxi to the coves has little to do here.
Best for: cheap lodging by the water
A small town on the northern shore of the lake, 22 kilometres north, mostly home to Turks. A waterfront with tea houses, a Monday market and prices noticeably lower than in Dalyan. The sea is far away, so you swim in the lake or drive out, but the quiet here is complete.
Dalaman is served by direct flights, with the airport 6 kilometres from the town centre, and in season it receives charter flights from across Europe. A hotel transfer is usually included with a package and takes 20 minutes to an hour to most resorts: Sarıgerme 20 minutes, Dalyan 35, Göcek 40, Fethiye just under an hour. Independently, Havaş buses run from the terminal timed to arrivals to Fethiye and Marmaris, where you change onto a dolmuş. The alternative is flying into Bodrum, but that's over 230 kilometres and a 3-hour drive away.
Dalaman (DLM) · 6 km
Bodrum–Milas (BJV) · 230 km
Dalaman sits on the main D400 highway, and dolmuş minibuses run both ways from it: to Ortaca and Köyceğiz to the north, to Göcek and Fethiye to the east, and to the turn-off for Sarıgerme to the west. Getting to Dalyan means changing at Ortaca, around 45 minutes in total. To İztuzu Beach from Dalyan there's both a road served by minibus and sightseeing boats along the river, which are twice as slow but much prettier. Anyone wanting to see more than 1 place a day should rent a car right at the airport — it's the cheapest rental in the area and the flat roads are fast.
Useful apps: Google Maps, BiTaksi, Moovit
Swimming season runs from June to October, when the sea is 25 to 29 degrees. The delta is loveliest in May and June, when the reeds are green and mosquitoes aren't yet at full strength — the lowland by the river has noticeably more of them in summer evenings than the rockier coast further east, so pack repellent. Turtles lay eggs from May to July, and hatchlings emerge in August and September, when part of İztuzu Beach is off-limits and closed at night. In winter Dalaman is rainy and, outside the airport, almost nothing operates.
Best time
May, June and September
What to avoid
summer evenings in the delta without repellent, and winter away from the airport
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day | 15° | 16° | 18° | 21° | 26° | 31° | 34° | 34° | 31° | 27° | 21° | 16° |
| Night | 6° | 6° | 8° | 11° | 15° | 19° | 22° | 23° | 19° | 15° | 11° | 8° |
| Rainy days | 11 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 |
| Sea | 17° | 17° | 17° | 19° | 22° | 25° | 28° | 29° | 28° | 25° | 22° | 19° |
The area around Dalaman is agricultural, and it shows in the food: greenhouses along the river supply tomatoes and peppers across Turkey, honey from sweetgum trees is harvested by Lake Köyceğiz, and fish is caught in the delta. Dalyan's speciality is fish straight from the lagoon, mainly grey mullet and grouper, along with mullet roe, which is dried and preserved in wax. Eating is cheaper in Köyceğiz and in Dalaman itself than on Dalyan's promenade, where there are lokantas serving ready-made dishes from a display case for locals. Breakfast is a long affair and is usually included at guesthouses.
Kahvaltı
Turkish breakfast: cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggs, honey with clotted cream and endless tea. It's served over hours and is a social occasion, not just a meal.
Mezeler
Cold and hot starters — garlic yoghurt, roasted pepper paste, stuffed vine leaves. Ordered for the middle of the table and easily enough to replace a main course.
Kebap and köfte
Grilled skewered meat or minced meat patties, the backbone of Turkish cooking. Cheapest at lokantas for locals, where you simply point at what's on display.
Pide and lahmacun
Turkish flatbread topped with cheese or minced meat. Lahmacun is rolled up with lemon and parsley and is the cheapest filling lunch in the country.
Baklava and künefe
Sweet layered pastry with nuts in syrup, and melted cheese in shredded pastry. Served with Turkish tea, not coffee.
Grilled fish
Chosen from the display case at harbourside restaurants and charged by weight — get the price per kilo confirmed upfront so the bill doesn't surprise you.
Gözleme
A thin flatbread filled with cheese, spinach or potato and cooked on a griddle. The cheapest meal on a day trip, often made by women right by the roadside.
Çay and Turkish coffee
Tea in tulip-shaped glasses is drunk all day and topped up for next to nothing. Turkish coffee is served with grounds at the bottom, which you don't drink.
Tea at a tea house
TRY 25–45
Ready-made meal at a lokanta in Dalaman
TRY 250–350
Fish dinner in Dalyan
TRY 700–1,100
Beer, 0.5 l
TRY 180–300
Boat from Dalyan to İztuzu and back
from TRY 300
Entry to Kaunos
from TRY 250
Sultaniye mud baths
from TRY 200
Havaş bus from the airport to Fethiye
TRY 350
Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.
1 day
2 days
3 days
Fethiye
55 km · 55 min
A port town with a covered fish market, a bazaar and Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliff above the centre, from where full-day cruises set out around the Bay of Twelve Islands.
Ölüdeniz
65 km · 1 h 15 min
A blue lagoon within a protected reserve beneath Mount Babadağ, from where tandem paragliders launch and land right on the beach. The country's best-known bay.
Marmaris
90 km · 1 h 30 min
A large resort town in a sheltered bay with a long promenade, a castle above the marina and the liveliest nightlife in the area. The drive passes Lake Köyceğiz.
Only in 2 cases: if you have an early departure or late arrival flight, or if you're renting a car and want a cheap base. The town has no beach and no centre, and the sea is over 10 kilometres away. For a beach holiday, Sarıgerme, Dalyan or Göcek are better, all within 40 minutes' drive.
Sarıgerme is 20 minutes, Dalyan 35, Göcek 40, Fethiye just under an hour, Ölüdeniz an hour and 15 minutes, Marmaris an hour and a half. A transfer is usually included with a package; independently, Havaş buses run from the terminal timed to arrivals.
It's a 4.5-kilometre-long spit between the river delta and the sea, and one of the main nesting sites for loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean. Because of that, not a single building stands on it, it's closed at night and unlit. The stretch near the river mouth is reserved for turtles, with no sun loungers there.
No, they're carved into a sheer cliff face above the river and are inaccessible. They're viewed from the opposite bank, from the riverside promenade, or from a boat during a delta cruise. They're lit up in the evening. The ancient city they belonged to is Kaunos, on a hill a short way upstream, and that one is accessible.
Boats leave from Dalyan's waterfront through channels lined with reeds beneath the tombs to İztuzu Beach, taking around 45 minutes. Most trips stop along the way at the Sultaniye mud baths and at Kaunos. You can return by boat or by minibus on the road, which is faster.
It's possible without a car — dolmuş minibuses run along the main road in both directions, and you change at Ortaca for Dalyan. But the sights are spread out and services stop running by early evening, so anyone wanting to see Kaunos, the lake and 2 beaches in a few days will save a lot of time by renting a car right at the airport.
May, June and September. The delta is green in spring, the sea reaches 25 degrees from June and 28 in September. In July and August the lowland is muggy and mosquitoes are out in force in the delta by evening. In winter the area is rainy and most businesses close except the airport.
Most Western nationalities, including EU citizens, don't need a visa for stays of up to 90 days — a passport valid for at least 60 days after the end of the stay is enough. A national ID card isn't sufficient. At Dalaman Airport, arrival is simply a passport check, and no fee is charged.
Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.
Check visa requirementsLanguage
Turkish
Currency
TRY
Timezone
Europe/Istanbul
Dial Code
+90
Population
85.3M
Area
783,562 km²
Voltage
220V / 50Hz
Driving Side
Right
