The Best Beaches in the Dalaman Region

There is no doubt that one of the major reasons people travel to the Mediterranean for a summer holiday is to lap up the sunny beach lifestyle. One place you may not have considered is the southern coast of Turkey, but it (arguably) has some of the best beaches and richest history in Europe.

Easily accessible by airport transfers, Dalaman is not far away from the International Airport, and will out you in the vicinity of a host of stunning beaches, including Oludeniz and Iztuzu.

Oludeniz

When you arrive on your airport transfers, Dalaman is just a short distance to Fethiye, from where you can visit the beautiful Oludeniz Beach. This is one of the most popular beaches in Turkey – and with good reason. It is truly beautiful, with the landscape consisting of soaring mountains that meet the sea on either side of the magnificent beach.

The name Oludeniz literally means ‘dead sea’ and reflects the fact that the waters around the beach are always amazingly calm, even during the worst weather. The white pebble beach stretches in an arc, fronted by a blue lagoon with crystal clear waters. This area is the place to go to experience some great water sports: you can paraglide, scuba dive, snorkel and, if you are feeling brave, hang glide off nearby Babadag Mountain and down over the beach to see the natural beauty from above. If you're in the mood for a stroll, head out along the Lycian Way, which is a five hundred kilometre trail that leads from Fethiye and runs through Oludeniz and on, eventually, to Antalya.

Iztuzu

Another benefit of arriving to the destination on the airport transfers, Dalaman is not too far from the lovely beach of Iztuzu. Also known as Turtle Beach, it is just thirty miles away, making it an ideal place to visit if you're based in Dalaman. The beach is also known as Turtle Beach, being the last breeding ground of the loggerhead sea turtle. It is a narrow strip of land, which has had protected status since 1988; in an unusual twist, it has seawater on one side and fresh water on the other!

If you do want to visit this beach you'll need to pick your times - it is closed to the public from the first of May to the end of October, as this is the breeding season for the sea turtles. While you can visit the beach and see the site where this endangered species lays their eggs, you cannot stay overnight. So if you feel like a day lounging on the beach and taking part in watersports, it is best to stay elsewhere. With plenty of airport transfers, Dalaman is a great option as a home base – from where you can then take day trips to places like beautiful Iztuzu Beach.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you’re looking for airport transfers, Dalaman is easily accessible. Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.