Türkiye / Turquoise Coast / Fethiye & OludenizFethiye & Oludeniz
The Blue Lagoon, Paragliding and the Lycian Way
A working harbour town with Lycian rock tombs and a fish market, and 15 km south the Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz, where paragliders spiral down 1,960 m from Babadağ to the beach. Twelve-island boat trips, Butterfly Valley, the ghost village of Kayaköy and Saklıkent Gorge are day trips; the long-distance Lycian Way walking trail starts here. Dalaman airport is about an hour away.
Highlights
- Tandem paragliding from Babadağ
- Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon
- Twelve Islands boat trip
- Butterfly Valley
- Kayaköy abandoned Greek village
- Saklıkent Gorge wade
- Lycian rock tombs above town
- Fethiye fish market dinner
Things to do
- Tandem paragliding from Babadağ to ÖlüdenizMorning · 2h 30m
- Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon beachAfternoon · 4h
- Twelve Islands boat tripApr–OctAny time · 7h
- Kayaköy walk & the Lycian Way to ÖlüdenizMorning · 4h
- Saklıkent Gorge & TlosMorning · 6h
- Fish market: pick your fish, they cook itEvening · 2h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: May – October
Heads up
Wildfire Season in the Coastal Forests
Hot, windy summers bring wildfires to the pine forests round Marmaris, Bodrum, Antalya and Izmir (2021 and 2025 were bad years). Follow local news, obey road closures and never light a fire or drop a cigarette outdoors.
Worth knowing
August: Peak Crowds and Prices on the Coast
August is the coast's busiest month, with Turkish and European school holidays together: hotels cost the most, boat trips and beaches are packed, and the roads and airports are slow at weekends. June and September have warm sea, lower prices and far fewer people.
Worth knowing
Off Season: Many Hotels and Boats Closed
From November to March many hotels, beach clubs, restaurants and daily boat trips close, the Greek-island ferries stop or run rarely, and the sea is too cold for most swimmers. The towns stay open and quiet; choose a hotel that says it is open in winter, or stay in Antalya or Alanya, which keep going all year.
Worth knowing
Bayram Holiday: Buses and Flights Sell Out
Ramazan Bayramı (about 9-12 March 2027) and Kurban Bayramı (about 16-19 May 2027, often stretched to nine days off) send millions of Turks travelling. Intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, coastal hotels fill, and some museums close on the first morning. Book transport and rooms early, and avoid travelling on the first and last days of the holiday.
- Ramadan (Ramazan) — The fasting month, expected from about 8 February to 9 March 2027. Life for visitors carries on: restaurants, cafes and sights stay open, and alcohol is still sold in tourist areas. In conservative cities (Konya, Mardin) eat discreetly in daylight. At sunset the iftar meal fills restaurants and Sultanahmet's square becomes a night market; drummers wake the neighbourhoods before dawn.
- Ramazan Bayramı (Eid al-Fitr) — The holiday ending Ramadan (expected about 9-12 March 2027). Millions of Turks travel home: intercity buses and domestic flights sell out and prices jump, so book a few weeks ahead. Some museums close on the first morning; Istanbul's bridges and public transport are often free.
- Kurban Bayramı (Eid al-Adha) — The four-day feast of the sacrifice (expected about 16-19 May 2027), often stretched to nine days off. The biggest travel rush of the year: buses, flights and coastal hotels book out and fares double, and the Aegean and Mediterranean resorts fill with Turkish families. Avoid moving between cities on the first and last days.