Explore Ekincik

EKİNCİK

Ekincik Bay, one of the main stopover points for boats traveling between Marmaris and Göcek, is connected to Köyceğiz by a wide asphalt road. The beach and the area around the pier are full of large and small hotels and guesthouses. To go to Ekincik by road, proceed from Köyceğiz via Hamitköy, watching the magnificent view of the lake. After leaving Hamitköy and crossing the bridge, when you climb the first long ramp, take a break at the top for a view, you can take wonderful photos. It is perfect for breakfasts in Kersele Bay.

When you come to the level of Hapisane Island, look carefully at the pine trees, you will see that the trees have turned white like an old person. The reason for this whitening is bird droppings. But this bird is not one of the "tiny birds" you know. Eagles, which have become very rare in Turkey, have made their home here. There are only four parts of the world that have this type of eagle. If you wait patiently, you may have the chance to see an eagle soaring from the rocks towards the lake. If you turn left as the road leaves the lake, you will go to Sultaniye Hot Springs. If you continue, you have now left the lake and the road continues through the forest. And it starts to climb. The view of Köyceğiz Lake disappears and then appears. When you climb the hill and start going downhill, this time you come across the magnificent beauty of Ekincik Bay.

First, you pass the cute Ekincik Village surrounded by greenery. Then you come to a sparkling bay. All around you is forest, in front of you is the beach and the sea. The beach is very beautiful, the sea is very clean. A small stream divides the beach. The owners of the facility do not like this small stream very much because it reaches the sea in S shapes on the beach in the winter and spoils the beach in the meantime, but we think it adds beauty to the beach. Where the road reaches the shore, there is a suitable pier for yachts to moor and a small kiosk where yachts can meet their needs. The pier is also the mooring point for boats carrying daily passengers to Dalyan. There are also hotels and restaurants on the beach.

DALYAN

You can't come to Dalyan and not return without a boat tour in the delta. You can't give a definitive answer to the question of what it means to be in touch with nature without experiencing the breathtaking panorama of the natural wonder of the Dalyan delta, the magic of the reeds that make you feel like you're in a giant labyrinth or on the world map when viewed from above.

The magnificence of the steep rocky mountains rising next to you as the boat sails among the reeds is proof that nature offers you all its generosity here.

The long-beaked, colorful bird that suddenly appears in the reeds where 180 species of birds live and shows you how to catch fish is called the kingfisher. Observers from many parts of the world come to Dalyan to see these rare birds. The water is so clear that you can watch the fish swimming in the channel accompany the boat throughout the journey.

Places such as bars, restaurants and cafes built on the river are single-story and in harmony with the view. Of course, one of the most beautiful views is the historical King Tombs on the right as you go towards Iztuzu. The magnificent view that has been standing for 3000 years leaves one speechless. It used to be free to walk around the King Tombs, but due to the recent destruction, it has been banned for the last 4 years.

You can see the walls of the historical city of Kaunos on your right. As the boat moves forward, your sense of direction completely disappears, and when you think it will turn right, you suddenly see that the captain's rudder is turning in the opposite direction. Due to geographical conditions, curves and lakes have formed in the Dalyan Delta over time. As you move from the Dalyan Delta towards the sea, you reach Iztuzu Beach, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean, where you can swim in either fresh water or salt water, and which is chosen as the second best natural beach in the world.

As you move upwards from the delta, you go to Lake Köyceğiz. If you are traveling with one of the daily tours, the second stop of the tours on the delta after the mud baths is Lake Köyceğiz. The boat anchors right in the middle of the lake and you enjoy swimming in the fresh water.

By the way, do not be surprised by the fish farms you will come across while traveling in the Dalyan delta.

MUD BATH

Beauty mud near the point where Köyceğiz Lake meets the Dalyan Delta. The first stop of daily tours departing from Dalyan pier. The place where Dustin Hoffman and Sting also visited in the 90s. No business has been allowed to be built in the place where natural mud is formed. However, in the region that receives more visitors, it has not been scientifically proven that mud applied to the body has any benefits, but we still cannot help but write what the people living in this region say.

It is said that as the mud dries on you, your skin tightens and wrinkles are reduced if certain sessions are continued. Immediately after your mud adventure, you enter the hot water source located in the business.

It is said that the source is good for rheumatism, back problems, and sciatica. As far as we have observed, it is a fact that the mud applied creates physical changes on the body and an animation among the visitors there. Tourists who see each other's muddy states in the region joke around and take lots of photos. We think the region gains a fun activity thanks to this.

IZTUZU BEACH

One of the rare beaches that carretas trust and entrust their babies to is Iztuzu Beach. Iztuzu, which also holds the award for being the second beach in the world that has preserved its naturalness, is a true natural wonder. It is said that this beach, with fresh water on one side and the Mediterranean on the other, has no equivalent. The sands of the beach, which starts from the bottom of the mountains extending vertically into the sea and closes the mouth of the Dalyan Delta, are golden yellow and fine. The sea is crystal clear. Iztuzu Beach, which has a shallow shore, leaves a velvety taste under your feet as you walk.

Iztuzu was a port used by the Kaunos in ancient times. An inscription found in Iztuzu indicates that this place was a customs gate in ancient times and that the people of Kaunos sold salt, slaves and salted fish.

Another surprise waiting for you at the beach is the dance of the sea and the beach. The images formed by the effect of the sea are beautiful proof that creativity is limitless in nature. The length of the beach is 5400 meters. No construction is allowed except for the changing rooms. Also, pets such as cats and dogs are not allowed on the beach so as not to harm the Caretta Caretta eggs. It is forbidden to place umbrellas in the marked areas.

There are two ways to reach İztuzu Beach. You can reach the beach after a pleasant 35-40 minute journey among the reeds by boats departing from Dalyan pier. The second way is by minibuses departing from Dalyan post office. This journey, which takes you around Lake Sulungur and comes among the pine trees, is quite enjoyable. However, if you ask us, you should prefer boats, both the point you reach on the beach is more beautiful and the journey to İztuzu is more enjoyable by boat.

You even envy your shadow while walking around the natural wonder İztuzu Beach.

ROCK TOMBS

There are some places that concretely display the grandeur of history. They are not theories of history but concrete evidence.

When you see the king's tombs in Dalyan, you will feel your soul crushed by the grandeur of history. The immortal king's tombs that have survived for thousands of years against all the cruelty of time, carrying the secrets of the past to the future. When you look at the king's tombs, you think that the stones are speaking. The giant rocks are carved and shaped with astonishing fineness.

The tombs, which were made by carving the insides of the rocky mountains rising at 80-degree angles to the sea in some places, challenge the limits of reason.

According to archaeologists, these tombs are an indicator of the wealth and power of the ancient city of Kaunos. Today, most of them still maintain their height of 7-8 meters up to their trenches. The rock tombs, carved to look like an Ionic temple, have three rows of stones side by side for the burials. The Ionic columns decorating the front facade of the monumental tombs are damaged. Only one of the pediments is striking with a lion relief facing each other.

SULTANİYE THERMAL SPRING

Dalyan is known as a healing place as well as its unique natural beauties. Famous guests from all over the world coming here are an indication of this. The number of people who say that they have suffered from back pain, rheumatism and sciatica for years and that they got rid of all these pains after entering the hot springs here is considerable. Sultaniye hot springs are at the top of these hot springs.

Sultaniye Hot Springs, located in the southwest of Köyceğiz Lake, at the foot of Ölmez Mountain, is 4 kilometers away from Dalyan.

You can go there by boats departing from the dock. Sultaniye Hot Springs, which is the highest radioactive hot spring in Turkey (98.3), is second in the world after the hot spring in Indonesia in terms of Radon value. The temperature of the water is 39 degrees. It contains calcium chloride, calcium sulphate, calcium sulphide and radon. It is said that the hot spring water is effective in the treatment of back pain, rheumatism, sciatica, nephritis, lumbago, nephthalphy, skin and gynecological diseases.

In the hot spring where the 21-day treatment period is applied, it is necessary to take a bath twice a day, initially for 10 minutes. In addition, when used as drinking water, it is good for liver, gall bladder and intestinal disorders.

The water in the Sultaniye Hot Spring began to be used during the Kaunos period. Later, accommodations were built by the Byzantines. The ruins of the port and buildings from this period are under the waters of Lake Köyceğiz.