Kingfisher 1 Tours is based in Dalyan – a town in the Muğla Province of Turkey. Life in Dalyan revolves around the Dalyan Çayı River, which flows past the town. The boats that ply up and down the river, navigating the maze of reeds, are the preferred means of transport to the local sites such as Köyceğiz Lake and Iztuzu Beach.
Dalyan means fishing weir in Turkish. Bass, Mullet and Sea Bream swim upstream from the sea to Köyceğiz Lake where another large town of the region, Köyceğiz, is located. The fish spawn there, and when returning to the sea they are caught in the “dalyans”.
Above the river’s sheer cliffs are the weathered façades of Lycian tombs cut from rock, circa 400 BC. The ruins of the ancient trading city of Kaunos are a short boat trip across the river.
To the south of Dalyan on the Mediterranean coast, lies İztuzu Beach;a popular area for sunbathing and swimming. In 2008 İztuzu Beach was proclaimed winner in the category Best Open Space (Europe) by The Times because of the eco-friendly exploitation of the beach. In 2011 Dalyan and İztuzu Beach were proclaimed Best Beach Destination of Europe by Dutch holiday assessment website Zoover. The beach is well known for the Caretta caretta (Loggerhead sea turtle), an endangered species that has existed for about 45 million years.
Kingfisher 1 is moored very close to the Lycian tombs. We visit both the Köyceğiz lake and the Iztuzu beach, as well as the town of Köyceğiz for its Monday market.
You can appreciate the beauty and tranquility of Dalyan and the Dalyan Çayı river through these images.
