Ölüdeniz
The Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz is protected by a sandspit that turns the sea into a millpond, with water so clear you can count pebbles at chest depth.
- Best forFamilies · Beach lovers · Adventure seekers
- In November19°C · 7 rainy days
- Ideal stay5–7 nights
- Approx. flying time~14h 15m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyTRYTurkish lira
- LanguageTurkish
- Local time13:162h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+90
Why go
The lagoon does the heavy lifting here: a sandspit curls out from the pine-covered slope of Babadag and traps a sheet of turquoise water that barely moves. Behind it the Turkish coast rears up into forest, and above it paragliders spiral down all afternoon. Days are simple. Swim, take shade, eat, swim again, then walk the shingle strip at Belcekiz when the light goes soft and the boats come in.
Most visitors base themselves on the resort strip or up the hill at Hisaronu and treat the beach as the day's anchor, with Fethiye's market and the ghost village of Kayakoy within easy reach. July and August are hot and full; May, June and September are kinder on both temperature and queues. Anyone hoping for a quiet, undeveloped stretch of coast should look further east along the Lycian shore.
- Ideal stay
- 5–7 nights
- The vibe
- Turquoise, pine-scented, holiday-bright
From our guides
Pay the small entrance fee for the lagoon-side national park section rather than the open beach — that's where the calmest water is — and rent a pedalo for the full effect. Paragliders drift down from Babadağ all day, providing free overhead entertainment.
Featured in Ten beaches with calm, shallow water for small swimmers
Things to do
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Blue Lagoon national park
The protected section behind the sandspit holds the calmest water on this coast, shallow enough for small children and shaded in patches by pines. Pedalos and sunbeds are available inside.
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Belcekiz beach
The open pebble beach in front of the village takes the swell and the sunsets, with a line of cafes behind it and paragliders landing on the sand through the afternoon.
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Paragliding off Babadag
Tandem flights launch from around 1,700 metres and take roughly half an hour to come down, which makes this one of the longer commercial flights in Europe. Morning air is smoothest.
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Butterfly Valley
A steep-sided cove reached by boat, with a stream, a waterfall walk inland and a shingle beach hemmed in by cliffs. Day boats run through the summer season.
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Kayakoy ghost village
Hundreds of roofless stone houses climb a hillside above Fethiye, abandoned after the 1923 population exchange. A walking track links it back over the ridge to the coast.
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Lycian Way opening stretch
The long-distance path begins near Fethiye and passes high above the lagoon, giving a couple of hours of clifftop walking and the view everyone photographs from the road.
Getting there
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Fly to
Dalaman (DLM)
Nearest airport to Ölüdeniz, about 35km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Ölüdeniz
About an hour and a quarter by car or transfer from Dalaman airport (DLM), the last stretch a winding descent from Hisarönü.
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On the ground
Getting around
The lagoon and beach are a short walk from most hotels, and dolmuş minibuses shuttle constantly up to Hisarönü and down into Fethiye.
Public transport: Minibuses are frequent, cheap and cover everything a beach holiday needs, including the Butterfly Valley boat at Ölüdeniz harbour.
Flights
Los Angeles Ölüdeniz, Turkey
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Roughly 14h 15m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 12°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in January, with rain on about 13 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
November19° · rain 7 daysMild with rain most weeks.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — May to October. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Mid-size beach hotels with pools, family-run pensions and apartment blocks up the hill. A few boutique places in Kayaköy; almost no luxury resorts of the Turkish riviera kind.
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Best base overall
Ölüdeniz
Belcekiz beach and the lagoon entrance are on your doorstep, with paragliders landing on the sand all afternoon. It is compact and busy, and the strip is loud until late in August.
Find stays in Ölüdeniz -
Best value
Hisarönü and Ovacık
Up on the hill behind, cooler at night and considerably cheaper, with dolmuş minibuses down to the beach every few minutes. The bar strip is brash, so choose your street carefully.
Find stays in Hisarönü and Ovacık -
Quietest
Kayaköy
The abandoned stone village inland, with small pensions, vine-shaded restaurants and no nightlife at all. You drive or take the minibus to the sea, which suits some people perfectly.
Find stays in Kayaköy -
Best with children
Ölüdeniz seafront hotels
The flat stretch behind Belcekiz has family hotels with pools a few steps from calm water and the pedalo hire. Everything is walkable, which spares you the hill road with a pushchair.
Find stays in Ölüdeniz seafront hotels
Worth knowing before you book: July and August fill with British package bookings, so independent rates rise. Ask whether the hotel is on the beach side or the hill, since the walk back up is steep.
Search everything else in Ölüdeniz by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Getting there
- Dalaman is the nearest airport, about an hour and a half by road. Transfers and dolmus minibuses run from Fethiye up over the hill.
- Beach shoes
- Belcekiz and much of the lagoon shore are pebble rather than sand, and the stones get hot. Something on your feet makes the walk to the water far easier.
- Flight weather
- Paragliding is cancelled in high wind, which is common in the afternoon. Book early in your stay so there is room to try again.
- Cash or card
- Cards work in most restaurants and hotels, but the lagoon entrance, minibus fares and beach hire are simpler with small lira notes.
- Sun and shade
- There is little natural shade outside the pine strip and the sun is fierce from June to September. Midday is for lunch indoors.
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Ölüdeniz?
For warm, mostly dry days, May to October. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 12°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest in July and August; wettest in January, with rain on about 13 days.
How long should I spend in Ölüdeniz?
Our suggestion: 5–7 nights.
How do I get to Ölüdeniz?
About an hour and a quarter by car or transfer from Dalaman airport (DLM), the last stretch a winding descent from Hisarönü.
Do I need a car in Ölüdeniz?
No. Minibuses are frequent, cheap and cover everything a beach holiday needs, including the Butterfly Valley boat at Ölüdeniz harbour.
What currency and language are used in Ölüdeniz?
Currency: Turkish lira (TRY). Language: Turkish. Plugs: type C and F.
Who is Ölüdeniz best for?
Best for families, beach lovers and adventure seekers. In a phrase: turquoise, pine-scented, holiday-bright.