Dalyan Day Boat Trip
This is the trip the town was built around, and if you have one day in Dalyan it is the one to take. Nothing else puts the rock tombs, the sulphur pools and the beach into the same day.
- Duration
- Roughly 09:30 to 17:30
- Departure
- Mid-morning, usually around 10:30
- Departs from
- Dalyan quay, town centre
- Group
- Shared boat
- Season
- April to October
- Price
- Prices are on our sister site
The boat goes upriver first, into the reed channels toward Koycegiz Lake, then turns and runs the whole delta down to the sandbar at the sea. Because the water is flat the entire way, this works with people who would not otherwise get on a boat.
The route, stop by stop
- The rock tombs from the waterAbout 20 minutes
The boat slows under the cliff opposite town. The Lycian tombs are cut into the rock face several storeys up, and the largest ones were never finished.
- Sultaniye thermal springs and mud poolAbout an hour
On the shore of Koycegiz Lake, roughly four kilometres up the water and a long way round by road. Coat yourself in grey mud, dry in the sun, rinse in sulphur water at around 38 to 40 degrees. Wear an old T-shirt.
- Lunch on boardAbout 45 minutes
Cooked on the boat and eaten moored up. The boat stops moving for it, which is the point.
- Iztuzu BeachTwo and a half to three hours
Four and a half kilometres of sand between the river mouth and the open sea, protected since 1988. There is no natural shade, so rent an umbrella or swim early.
- Back up the deltaAbout an hour
The same channels in flatter afternoon light, usually with most of the deck asleep. The tombs come round again on the way in.
Included
- The full boat trip with all stops
- Lunch cooked on board
- Shade on deck and a swim ladder
- Drinking water
Not included
- Kaunos site entry fee
- Thermal pool entry at Sultaniye
- Beach umbrella and sunbed at Iztuzu
- Soft drinks and alcohol
Who this trip is wrong for
If what you actually want is a beach day, this is a long way round to get one. The shuttle boat goes down the river to Iztuzu and comes back for you later, and you get the whole day on the sand instead of two and a half hours.
If you are eight or more travelling together, look at the private boat before you book seats on a shared one. You set the timings yourself and nobody has to negotiate for the shaded end of the deck.
What most people get wrong
- Bringing a good T-shirt to the mud pool. It will not survive.
- Assuming everything is on card. Site entry, the pool and the beach kiosks often are not.
- Not asking whether the boat lands at Kaunos or just photographs the tombs. Both are sold as the same trip.
- Wandering to the end of Iztuzu at three o'clock with a four o'clock departure.
What to bring
- Swimwear worn underneath
- An old T-shirt for the mud
- Towel
- Sun cream
- Hat
- Cash
- Water
Frequently asked questions
What time does it get back?
Late afternoon, usually somewhere between five and half past. On the busiest days it can run half an hour later.
Is it too long for small children?
It is a full day, but the river is flat, there is shade and there are four separate stops to break it up. It works better here than most boat days in Turkey.
Can I skip the mud baths?
Yes. Plenty of people stay on the boat with a book. Nothing is compulsory.
Will I see a turtle?
Maybe. Loggerheads nest at Iztuzu roughly between May and September and are sometimes seen in the river mouth. Nobody can promise it and we will not.
You may also want to read
Private Boat Charter From Dalyan
The same river with the timetable removed. You set the stops and the hour you turn back.
Trip detailsIztuzu Beach Shuttle Boat
The plain way down the river: no stops, no lunch, and the whole day on the sand.
Trip detailsKoycegiz Lake and the Thermal Springs
Upriver to the lake for the sulphur pools and the grey mud, and back before the afternoon is gone.
Trip details