Beaches of Lycia

Beaches of Lycia

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The Lycian coast holds every kind of beach at once: from the crowded Blue Lagoon of Ölüdeniz with paragliders overhead to wild coves under the cliffs, reachable only by boat or kayak. Here you get the pebbles and turquoise of Kaputaş, the caretta turtles of Çıralı and the Maldives-like Suluada an hour by boat from Adrasan. The table below sorts beaches by type, their headline feature and the nearest town, while the FAQ covers free wild coves, boat-only spots, turtle nesting and the swimming season.

Beaches of the Lycian coast: type, highlight and nearest town

BeachTypeHighlightNear
ÖlüdenizLagoonparagliding, Blue LagoonFethiye
Kaputaş BeachPebble coveturquoise, ~180 steps downKaş
Paradise Bay (Cennet Koyu)Coveby trail or boatFaralya
KabakWildcamps, end of the descentFaralya
ÇıralıSand and pebblecaretta turtles, Chimaera nearbyOlympos
AdrasanBaycalm inlet, pinesAdrasan
SuluadaIsland coveMaldives look, by boatAdrasan
Karaöz BeachPebble, wildquiet, end of the coastKaraöz
LimanağzıCoveby boat across the bayKaş
UfakderePebble, wildsecluded, clear waterKaş
Volcanic Beaches of the Lycian WayBlack sandvolcanic shore of the trailLycian Way

Places11

Attraction map
Ölüdeniz Kaputaş Beach Paradise Bay (Cennet Koyu) Kabak Çıralı Adrasan Suluada Karaöz Beach Limanağzı Ufakdere Volcanic Beaches of the Lycian Way

Articles5

Paradise Bay on the Lycian Way
2022
Paradise Bay on the Lycian Way

Cennet Koyu - Balartı - Paradise beach - Paradise Bay - Paradise beach The name of the bay is eloquent and speaks for itself. By the way, this toponym appeared on maps relatively…

✍ Kostiantyn Klynov
Kalabantia - pirate bay or Lycian port?
2022
Kalabantia - pirate bay or Lycian port?

Kalabantia - Καλαβαντία - Kalabantia (Kalabatia, Kalabanita) Kalabantia or Kalabatia is a former Greek village, and in the past an ancient city. Sometimes this place is called a…

✍ Kostiantyn Klynov
Kabak or Kabak Koyu
2022
Kabak or Kabak Koyu

Kabak Koyu - Kabak Let's start with the name. Kabak can be translated from Turkish as pumpkin or zucchini. Title this is carried by several objects: This is a bay or gulf that has a…

✍ Kostiantyn Klynov
Patara Beach on the Lycian Way
2015
Patara Beach on the Lycian Way

We came to Patara beach. This is an absolutely flat sandy infinity in which sea turtles thrive (they lay eggs here), sand crabs (live in burrows), and human cubs who take great…
The Lycian trail where it all began
The Lycian trail where it all began

Video travel diary Western Lycian path in the fall of 2020. This is the story of what started my "tourism". For me, this is a way to be alone with myself and to put my thoughts and…

FAQ5

Which Lycian beaches are wild and free, and which are organised?
Kabak, Karaöz, Ufakdere and the trail's volcanic beaches are wild, free to enter and barely developed. Ölüdeniz, Çıralı and Adrasan are set up with sunbeds, cafes and parking, and the Blue Lagoon nature-park section charges entry. Kaputaş is free but has loungers and a snack bar up top.
Which spots are reachable only by boat or kayak?
Suluada is reached by boat from Adrasan - the island has no landing beach, so you swim off the deck in turquoise water. Limanağzı, across the bay from Kaş, is easiest by water taxi. Paradise Bay below Faralya is a steep hike or a boat drop-off, and many small coves between Kaş and Kekova open up only from the sea.
Where do caretta sea turtles nest, and what are the evening rules?
The main nests are at Çıralı and along the long beach of Patara, both protected. The laying season runs roughly from May to October. In the evening the beach closes to visitors, and lights from torches and phones, umbrellas stuck in the sand and litter are all banned: light disorients the hatchlings so they cannot find the sea.
Is there shade and are there sunbeds on the beaches?
On the organised beaches (Ölüdeniz, Çıralı, Adrasan, Kaputaş) you can rent loungers and umbrellas and there are cafes. On the wild Kabak, Karaöz and Ufakdere natural shade is scarce, so bring an umbrella or tarp; the pines behind Çıralı and Adrasan offer some shade. The volcanic beaches and boat-only coves have almost none.
When is the swimming season on the Lycian coast?
Swimming is comfortable roughly from May to October. The warmest water is in July to September, when the sea heats up most. May and October feel warmer in the air than in the water, but the beaches are emptier; in winter the sea is cool and most beach cafes are closed.

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