Dalyan property & accommodation

Dalyan

Meaning ‘fishing weir’, Dalyan is a fast-growing tourist centre whose main economy has long been fishing. Over the years, the town replaced ancient Caunos as a fishery when the latter’s harbour became choked by silt.

The area around Dalyan has some of the widest variety of wildlife to be found in Turkey, including some species of birds not found elsewhere in the world. The treasured logger-head turtle has become a symbol of Dalyan and many tourists are drawn here for this reason. Turtle Beach, which has for centuries been a refuge for breeding logger-head turtles, is one of the only beaches in the world where the Marine Turtles come and nest. The beach is closed to tourists at night so that young turtles are not attracted by the bright lights, which would lead them away from the sea.

Many tourists bargain with one of the local fishermen to take them on a tour of the surrounding sights, where undoubtedly, the first stop is a mud bath on the banks of the river which contains calcium, magnesium and sulphur which is said to be very beneficial for the skin!

With a dry and warm climate, Dalyan is an excellent choice of holiday destination. On the eastern bank of the Dalyan River, there are two rows of tombs cut into the cliffs. Constructed for the citizens of Caunos, the tombs are mainly of the house type and date from the 4th century BC, with Ionic columns and triangular pediments. They are fenced off and must be viewed from some distance away.