Dalyan Sunset Cruise
The river does its best work in the last hour of the day. The heat comes off the water, the herons start moving, and the noise of the town drops away about two minutes after you leave the quay.
- Duration
- About two hours
- Departure
- Late afternoon, moving with the season
- Departs from
- Dalyan quay, town centre
- Returns
- After dark
- Group
- Shared boat, or private
- Season
- April to October
- Price
- Prices are on our sister site
The boat goes down into the delta rather than up to the lake, turns somewhere in the channels, and comes back with the light behind it. Nobody swims and nobody eats. That is the whole design and it is not an oversight.
The route, stop by stop
- Out past the tombsAbout 15 minutes
The cliff faces roughly east, so by evening the sun crosses it from the side rather than hitting it head-on. This is the hour at which the carving actually reads as carving.
- The reed channelsAbout 30 minutes
Slow water and very little other traffic. Egrets and herons work the edges at this hour and kingfishers are about, though none of them have agreed to appear.
- The turn, near the river mouthAbout 20 minutes
The boat stops and the engine goes off for the light going down over the sandbar. Whether the sunset is any good is a matter between you and the weather.
- Back under the lit tombsAbout 25 minutes
In season the tombs are floodlit from below after dark. The return leg is why a fair number of people take this instead of the day trip, and it is the part nobody photographs well.
Included
- The evening run with skipper
- Seating and shade on deck
- Drinking water
Not included
- Food and anything to drink beyond water
- Site entry fees, since the boat does not land
It is short, and it stays short
Two hours, no swim stop, no meal, no landing. People occasionally book it expecting an evening out and find they are back at the quay before they have finished settling in.
Take it as the last hour of a day you have spent doing something else, not as the day itself. It sits very well after a lazy afternoon and very badly as your only trip of the week.
Which evening to pick
Wind matters more than cloud. A still evening on the delta is glassy and silent; a breezy one is merely pleasant. If you have several days to choose from, ask on the morning rather than booking three days ahead.
September and early October are the best of it. The air is softer, the mosquitoes are thinning out, and sunset has moved back to a civilised hour.
What to bring
- A layer for after dark
- Insect repellent
- A camera if you own one better than a phone
- Water
Frequently asked questions
What time does it leave?
It moves with the season, because sunset does. In April the boat goes out well before the hour it would leave in July, so take the departure from the day rather than from an old page.
Is it good for small children?
It is two quiet hours with nothing to do and nothing to climb on. Some children find that magical and others find it very long, and you will know which yours is.
Can we do it privately?
Yes, and a private evening run is one of the more sensible uses of a whole boat. You can also stay out later than the shared boat does.
Are the tombs lit every night?
In season, usually. The lighting is not ours and we cannot promise it, so we mention it as a likelihood rather than a fixture.
You may also want to read
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Trip detailsPrivate Boat Charter From Dalyan
The same river with the timetable removed. You set the stops and the hour you turn back.
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