Things to do in Fethiye
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Fethiye
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Walkers spring with wildflowers, high gorge water and a cool sea.
Best all-round window with warm sea, everything open and lower crowds than peak.
Peak heat and crowds with full boats, slow Ölüdeniz road and top prices.
Locals favourite in September and early October with the warmest sea.
Season exhales in late October and November, town and Çalış carry on.
Real town in winter, cheap and quiet, not a beach holiday.
What's on
- Ölüdeniz International Air Games October
Headline paragliding festival over Ölüdeniz in October.
Best things to do in Fethiye
Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon
Sheltered lagoon water for a morning swim before crowds fill the nature park.
Belcekız Beach
Open sea beach where paragliders land, with clubs and the resort strip behind.
Kayaköy
Abandoned Greek village of roofless stone houses emptied in the 1923 exchange.
Tomb of Amyntas
Temple fronted Lycian rock tomb above town with the best free harbour viewpoint.
Babadağ Teleferik
Cable car to 1200 and 1700 metre stations for gulf views without paragliding.
Çalış Beach
Long flat west facing beach made for sunset drinks on the promenade.
Kıdrak Beach
Pine backed nature park cove that is calmer and clearer than the main strip.
Gemiler Beach
Local swim and grill cove facing the Byzantine ruins of St Nicholas Island.
Where to stay in Fethiye
Fethiye Town Centre and Karagözler
first trip, all-round base
Real town base with harbour, markets, best local restaurants and transport hub.
Ölüdeniz
beach-first and paragliding trips
Lagoon and mountain at walking distance, at premium prices with peak crowds.
Çalış
families, longer stays and value
Flat sunset promenade, small hotels and apartments, easy trips into town.
Hisarönü
nightlife-first groups
Dense bar and club strip with big value pool hotels and no beach.
Ovacık
villa groups and Lycian Way walkers with a car
Quieter cooler hill plateau with villas, pools and the trailhead.
Kayaköy
quiet rural food and walking nights
Boutique stays under the ghost town with garden breakfasts and village restaurants.
Think twice about
- Hisarönü main strip
Rooms on the bar street get full late night volume and the strip is largely shuttered out of season.
- Ölüdeniz main strip in peak season
Bar noise, touting and crowds at the door at higher prices. Two streets back changes everything.
- Remote Ovacık hill villas without a car
Steep walks home from every meal and taxi fares eat the saving.
- Far-out all-inclusive compounds
Good resort week but almost no Fethiye if the town is what you came for.
Best restaurants in Fethiye
Mozaik Bahçe Restaurant
Southeastern Turkish cooking in a leafy garden near the fish market.
Çarıklı Et Restaurant
Local meat institution for expertly grilled lamb, beef and kebabs.
Paşa Kebap
Long running kebab and pide house where Fethiye eats on a weekday.
Köfteci İmadettin
No frills counter famous for köfte ekmek done superbly, fast and cheap.
Fethiye Fish Market
Buy fish by weight at a stall and have a ring restaurant cook it.
Hilmi Restaurant
High volume cooking house inside the fish market hall.
Mori Restaurant
Refined marina dinner of daily fish, meze and Turkish wine over harbour lights.
Zoi Fish Restaurant
Grilled fish and seafood meze without the fish market negotiation.
Outdoor things to do in Fethiye
Babadağ Tandem Paragliding
Tandem flight from Babadağ over the lagoon, landing on Belcekız beach.
12 Islands Boat Tour
Full day swim boat through the sheltered gulf islands with lunch on board.
Ölüdeniz Boat Tour
Boat day south to Butterfly Valley, Gemiler Island and clear swim bays.
Saklıkent Gorge
Icy gorge walk on boardwalks and through meltwater, a real heat escape.
Tlos Ancient City
Lycian fortress city on a rock pinnacle with tombs, stadium and valley views.
Gizlikent Waterfall
Short shaded walk to a waterfall you can stand under near Saklıkent.
Lycian Way
Opening Lycian Way stages from Ovacık to Faralya and Kabak above the coast.
Fethiye Scuba Diving
Clear water diving on walls, caverns and reefs including Afkule and Aquarium Bay.
Best hotels in Fethiye
Yacht Classic Hotel
Benchmark marina boutique with pools, spa and Mori restaurant in town.
Ece Saray Marina & Resort
Rooms inside the private marina with rooftop breakfast over the bay.
Alesta Yacht Hotel
Marina side boutique with rooftop restaurant and spa near the promenade.
Liberty Lykia
Large resort in its own pine valley with pools and private beach coves.
Liberty Lykia Adults Only
Adults only side of Liberty Lykia for a couples focused resort stay.
Kassandra Boutique Hotel
Small well run boutique a short walk from Belcekız beach.
Jiva Beach Resort
Polished promenade all inclusive at the quieter end of Çalış.
Hotel Vanilla
Simple sea near family hotel on the flat Çalış promenade.
Is Fethiye expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | TRY 2,200 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | TRY 4,750 a person |
| Splurge | TRY 10,500 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Babadağ Teleferik: a few days ahead
- Butterfly Valley: a few days ahead
- Babadağ Tandem Paragliding: a few days ahead
- 12 Islands Boat Tour: a few days ahead
- Ölüdeniz Boat Tour: a few days ahead
- Fethiye Scuba Diving: a few days ahead
- Dalyan: a few days ahead
- Jeep Safari: a few days ahead
- Book paragliding 1 to 3 days ahead direct and keep a weather flex day.
- Reserve the Babadağ 1700 metre sunset restaurant and allow for the down queue.
- Book good mid range hotels early for July, August and Bayram weeks.
- Book small group boats a day or two ahead in season.
- Book Çarıklı, Mori and Mozaik Bahçe for weekends and summer evenings.
Is Fethiye safe?
- Watch bags in the Tuesday market crush where pickpocketing is the main risk.
- Use licensed operators and check insurance covers adventure activities.
- Follow sea flags at Belcekız and flash flood discipline in the gorge.
- Emergency number is 112.
Fethiye travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Agree fish market prices and cooking fees before you sit down.
- Use bank ATMs in lira and recount any cash exchange at the counter.
- Skip jewellery and leather factory outlets on tour itineraries.
- Confirm boat drinks prices, extras and lunch before boarding.
- Buy paragliding direct as reseller prices vary widely for the same flight.
- Agree the full hammam price before you start.
Getting around Fethiye: public transport and more
- Dalaman Airport is 45 to 60 minutes away by bus, shuttle or private transfer.
- Dolmuş minibuses link Fethiye with Ölüdeniz, Çalış, Kayaköy and Saklıkent.
- Use the seasonal water taxi between Fethiye and Çalış for a sunset dinner.
- Agree taxi fares or insist on the meter before moving.
- Hire a car for villa stays and the Saklıkent, Tlos, Xanthos and Patara days.
Who Fethiye suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Fethiye your trip
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