A great day out at Dalyan
A boat trip to Dalyan from Turunç offers a day of both relaxation and activity. You will enjoy a sea cruise, some time on a beautiful sandy beach, a gentle cruise through reed beds and a mini-makeover at the famous Dalyan Mud Baths. Your boat will have a fully stocked bar and you will be pleased to know that there are toilets on board too! All you need to do for the first few hours is lie back and enjoy the morning sunhsine.
The initial journey to the first swim break takes about two hours and after the first swim break, lunch is served. This is a great mix of barbecued chicken, kofte and sometimes fish. All is served with a fresh salad and bread and tastes delicious. The boat then moves to the Hole Island, so named because of a hole in the rocks on its southern side. There are jetties here and the boat moors so that all of the passengers can disembark. You will then transfer to smaller, flat bottomed boats. These are used to ferry you through the reed beds and to the Mud Baths. The water through these channels is very shallow and so these smaller boats are necessary to navigate these waterways. From Hole Island you can see the full stretch of the long sandy beach which is known as Turtle Beach. Its proper name is Iztuzu Beach and it is a protected sandbar that runs for over 5 km. Your taxi boat will head into the narrow channel of water at the end of Iztuzu Beach. This is where the saltwater meets the freshwater. There are small jetties on the freshwater side of the beach where you will moor. You will have a stop for sunbathing and swimming on the beach for about an hour.
Turtle Beach is so named after the Caretta Caretta Turtles who lay their eggs here. The beach is now protected from development but this only came about after much petitioning, most notably from David Bellamy. There are some sunbeds and shades on the beach (charge payable) and a few cafes offering snacks and drinks. There is a broad band of sand where sunbathing is prohibited at all times. This is clearly marked and is patrolled to prevent tourists from straying into this area. It is this area of beach where the turtles lay their eggs. The ban on tourists using this stretch of sand is to minimize the noise and disruption for the growing baby turtles.
After 8.00 pm the beach is closed and the turtles can come out of the sea to lay their eggs. The baby turtles then have a clear and undisturbed run to the sea when they hatch. This beach is a great spot for swimming but be warned that the waves are quite powerful and there is a deceptive current which can easily take you further out to sea. After your stop on Iztuzu Beach you will return to your taxi boat. You will then take a gentle cruise through the Dalyan Channel. The reed beds of this natural delta form a labyrinth of waterways. For those film buffs on the day trip, it may be interesting to know that the area was used in the filming of The African Queen with Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. The delta is the channel through which the water of Köycegiz Lake slowly makes its way to the sea. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty and the freshwaters of the delta are full of fish. This is turn attracts many birds and other wildlife.
As you pass through the reed beds you are able to see the ruins of Caunos city to the north. This ancient site was first inhabited in 3,000 BC and was at its peak as a major port during the Lycian occupation. There is an imposing amphitheatre, four temples and many stretches of city wall to see. Several other buildings are well preserved and the site is worthy of a visit. 
Eventually, you will move past the town of Dalyan with its many restaurants and cafes lining the river side. As you start to come closer to the mountains you will see the impressive tombs carved into the rock. These are from the Lycian occupation of Caunos and were originally built as burial chambers for the kings of the city. As the river narrows slightly you will moor up in readiness for your visit to the Sultaniye Thermal Baths. These are ancient springs used by the Caunons and then later refurbished in the Byzantine period by the Romans. Many famous people have visited these baths including Hollywood stars, pop singers and politicians. The first step of the cleansing process is to submerge yourself in the hot mud. Some people may find this squeamish, whilst others revel in the chance to act like a child and have an excuse to cover themselves in mud. Once fully coated you stand in the sun and wait for the mud to dry completely onto your skin.
After the mud has dried, the next step is to clean it all off. A large covered area with running warm water is provided for you to try and get every last bit of mud from your skin. There are always those unmentionable areas where the mud seems determined to stay! The mud may be fabulous for your skin but it is not so good for swimming costumes and bikinis, so don't wear your best swimwear as the chemicals in the mud and spring water can discolour the fabric permanently. It is also not kind to silver and all silver jewellery should be removed before entering the baths. From the rinsing area you will head towards the natural hot spring. This very warm water has a high sulphur content (hence the smell of rotten eggs) but it is a very relaxing way to spend a few minutes just sitting in the curative waters. The spring water is allegedly good for most ailments including rheumatism, skin disorders and neuralgia amongst many others. A friend who always experienced prickly heat rashes in the sun has never had a reoccurrence of the problem since she had her first thermal bath here. Whether it works for you or not, it is a great way to treat yourself to a full body mini makeover and it is good fun too! From Sultaniye Thermal Baths you will go in your taxi boat past Dalyan town and back through the reed beds to Hole Island. Once you are back on board your larger boat, there is a brief swim stop before the journey back to Turunç. This swim break is very welcome as it gives you the chance to rid yourself of the last remaining bits of mud from those “hard to reach” places! Many people have a snooze on the return journey, whilst others read a book or two or have a cooling drink as the heat of the sun starts to fade to a gentle warmth. This is a long day trip with a start usually at 9.00 am and the return at Turunç harbour is between 7 to 8.00 pm The price of the trip includes your barbecue lunch, taxi boat fare and your entry to the Mud Baths. The only extras are the drinks or extra snacks that you will have had on board. Your choice is the usual range of soft drinks and fruit juices in addition to local spirits and beers. Cold bottled water, tea and coffee are also available. Don’t forget to take sun creams, sunglasses, a beach towel, your camera/camcorder and old swimwear. Remember that you will need to remove any silver jewellery at the Mud Baths so maybe it is best to leave this behind in your apartment or hotel. |
