On my last day in Fethiye, feeling bored of the pool and boardwalk, I decided to take a day trip to Dalyan, another coastal town located about an hour’s drive from where I was staying. Like most tours, this one started bright and early, and we made the brief trip to the town by bus before boarding a wooden riverboat that would serve as our transport for the rest of the afternoon. There were several components of the tour, all of which were accessible by travel along the Dalyan River that flows through the area – hence the use of the boat. It was indeed nice to travel by means other than tour bus, and sailing along the water, surrounded by ocean breezes and whispering reeds, was quite relaxing.

Our first stop was the mud baths and sulfur springs, followed by a trip to Iztuzu Beach, and ending with a photo op at the Lycian tombs. As usual, I’ll let the photos tell the story!

Our boat for the day.

The mud baths! Eek! Supposedly it makes you look 20 years younger…

We were told to cover up. I couldn’t bring myself to put it in my hair, though…

It appears very liquidy, but beneath the surface it’s thick and gooey and… well, muddy.

The photos in the mud are all taken by the tour’s photographer. He had everyone do some strange poses.

“Model!”

“Zombie!”

“Monster attack!” This was my tour guide. Even when clean he was still rather odd.

We let the mud dry while we waited in the sun, then we could either jump into the river or stand under a nearby shower. After we were clean, we went into the sulfur bath. It was hot and stinky, and since I was already looking decades younger thanks to the mud bath, I didn’t feel compelled to stay for very long.

Iztuzu Beach is famous not only for being a great place to sunbathe, but also because it hosts one of the largest nesting sites of the loggerhead sea turtle, a very endangered species.

The turtles are notoriously shy, and generally can only be seen at night when they come to their nests. For their safety and privacy, the beach is closed during that time. This photo and the next came on the CD of photos I received after the tour, so I cannot take credit.

Heading to the Lycian tombs.

After the tour it was back to Fethiye, where I had one more night before embarking on the amazing 4-day Blue Cruise from Fethiye to Olympos. I’ll make that post tomorrow, but here’s a sneak peek:

Until next time, all my love!