If you’re looking for the best beaches in Fethiye and surrounding areas, you've come to the right place.
Here we have curated a list of the best beaches in Fethiye. Whether you’re planning to spend a summer break with the kids or a romantic honeymoon with your partner, make sure you spend time at one (or more!) of these beautiful beaches.
1. Ölüdeniz
With dazzling blue waters and bright white sands, Oludeniz is a 23 minute drive south of Fethiye and has 3 beaches: the Blue Lagoon, Belcekiz Beach and Kumburnu Beach.
The Blue Lagoon (also known as Ölüdeniz Plajı) is a famous destination in Turkey that's framed by Babadag mountain in the background, a popular site for paragliding.
The Blue Lagoon is protected from the wind, so the waters are calm compared to Belcekiz beach. Note that you do have to pay an entrance fee here.
The Blue Lagoon and Belcekiz Beach are actually on the same shoreline, it’s just that one is further down from the other. However, entrance is free at Belcekiz Beach. Both these beaches have plenty of bars and restaurants where you can enjoy Turkish food and cocktails.
Further along from these beaches is Kumburnu Beach. With little ones in tow, this is a great family-friendly destination for a fun and safe beach day. There are fish and seahorses to be found, and the water is shallow.
In addition to swimming, you can also enjoy some gentle water activities like paddling, kayaking and snorkelling. There are also several lifeguards on duty here in the daytime.
2. Çaliş Beach
This beach is probably the most touristy shore in Fethiye after featuring in the 2012 James Bond movie Skyfall and it’s also just a few minutes from Fethiye’s central area.
Çaliş Beach (Cha-leesh) is a great destination if you are an adrenaline-junkie who loves water adventures. You can go wind surfing, kite surfing and sailing from this beach.
To wrap up the day, you could enjoy a sunset from one of the lively bars on this beach.
3. Iztuzu Plaji (Turtle Beach)
As you can guess from its name, Turtle Beach is the nesting site of the Loggerhead sea turtle. If you’re lucky, you can see these little turtles crawling across the sand into the water in the summer months.
Apart from turtles, Iztuzu Plaji is also one of the cleanest shores in the region with clear blue water and golden sand. We recommend this beach if you are a wildlife and nature lover. You can reach it by boat from Marmaris, Fethiye, or Dalyan. The boat trip from Dalyan usually includes a stop by the mud baths on the way. If you’re going by car, it’s about a 70 minute drive north of Fethiye.
4. Katranci Bay Nature Park
If you want a fun day trip or a camping experience, then Katranci Bay (Kat-ran-jee) is our recommendation for you and just a 20 minute drive north of Fethiye’s main town.
It is surrounded by lush pine forests and has 2 beach coves, one sandy and one pebbly. Because it is sheltered, it’s a great place for children learning to swim. You’ll have to pay an entrance fee to access the bay. If you plan on camping, then they also have tents for rent at the campsite.
This beach is easily accessible using public transportation, like the minibus known as dolmuş (dol-moosh). Unlike in other cities in Turkey, you can pay with cash if you don’t have a dolmuş transportation card (known in Fethiye as a Kentkart).
If you’re into hiking, then you can hike the scenic 16-kilometre coastal trail that runs all the way from Katranci Bay to Fethiye.
5. Kelebekler Vadisi (Butterfly Valley)
As the name suggests, this beach is famous for the many colourful butterflies (over 80 species!) that live there. The only way to reach this beach which is sandwiched between two cliffs is by boat from Ölüdeniz or Fethiye.
Although it's just a short distance through the woods towards Butterfly Valley, the slope is very steep and dangerous. Some backpackers in the past used to trek the forest towards the beach but this has been prohibited since 2020 after several injuries.
In addition to being the perfect place to take photos, Kelebekler Vadisi has a 50 meter waterfall, a restaurant and a diving school.
6. Kidrak Beach
30 minutes’ drive south south of Fethiye in the Ölüdeniz area is Kidrak Beach, also known as Paradise Beach, because the mountains in the backdrop make for a beautiful coastline. Being the largest beach in Fethiye, visitors here can spread out and have as much privacy as they like.
Kidrak Beach is preferred by couples, more so than families, because the waves can be quite high and unsuitable for children to swim in.
7. Kabak Beach
The most serene beach in Fethiye is probably Kabak Beach. To reach this hidden gem, you'll have to walk for 30 minutes down a hiking trail.
If you prefer to reach Kabak Beach by water, you can take a boat ride from the town of Fethiye. This way, you’ll save some energy for snorkelling the clear waters.
8. Inlice Beach
Many vacationers actively avoid crowds in their downtime. If this is you, then we recommend Inlice Beach (in-lee-jeh)which is a quiet beach 24 minutes north of Fethiye.
Unlike many beach cafes, the café at Inlice Beach is as it’s run by the municipality.
If you’re staying for a while in Fethiye, then here are some more beaches to check out.
- Sovalye Beach Island: Across the water from Çaliş Beach is this beautiful island with a great beach for swimming.
- Karaot Beach: You can camp for free at Karaot Beach (a 15 minute drive north of Fethiye’s main town), and since it’s away from the tourists spots it’s very quiet and used more by locals.
- Kuleli Beach: A white sandy beach (30 minutes’ drive north west of Fethiye) with a floating pier you can jump off. It is especially popular with families as the water is shallow and clean.
I’m a writer and graphic designer currently living in Turkey with my family. I enjoy learning language, great food (chicken kebab is a favourite at the moment) and experiencing places less-traveled.
