Independent guide. Editorial policy
Dispatches

The Explore Lycia blog. Field notes from Turkey's coast.

Seasonal updates, operator profiles, trip reports, news from the Lycian Way and beyond. Written by editors who actually go.

In-depth guides

Long-form guides to the Lycian coast

Researched, opinionated deep-dives — each available in English, Türkçe, Deutsch and Français.

Experiences

Babadağ paragliding cost

What a tandem flight off Babadağ really costs — flight tiers, what's included, GoPro extras and the cheapest months.

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Beaches

Best beaches in Lycia, ranked

Blue Lagoon, Patara, Kaputaş, Butterfly Valley and more — ranked, with access and who each suits.

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Hiking

Best stages of the Lycian Way

The most scenic, day-walkable stretches of the trail — and how to walk them as a visitor.

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Boat trips

Blue Cruise Turkey guide

The classic gulet cruise — routes, cabin vs private charter, what's included, season and cost.

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Itineraries

Cappadocia + Lycia in 14 days

A two-week Turkey route pairing the balloons of Cappadocia with the Lycian coast, day by day.

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Getting there

Dalaman vs Antalya airport

Which airport for the Lycian coast — drive times, flights and transfers, with a clear decision table.

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Experiences

Diving in Kaş

Turkey's top dive town — sites, schools, courses, water temps and prices, plus snorkelling.

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Planning

Cost of a week in Lycia

A realistic budget — flights, beds, food, transfers and activities, with budget/mid/luxury figures.

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Boat trips

How to pick a gulet

Cabin vs private charter, boat quality, crew and food — the checklist before you book a blue cruise.

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When to go

Lycia: May vs September

Weather, sea temperature, crowds and prices head-to-head — and which to pick for your trip.

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When to go

October & the Air Games

October weather, the Ölüdeniz Air Games spectacle, warm sea and quieter crowds.

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Hiking

Lycian Way: 4-day western trio

A four-day sampler of the best western Lycian Way near Fethiye — day by day, with logistics.

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Destinations

Patara complete guide

The 18 km beach, the Lycian capital's ruins, St Nicholas and turtle-nesting rules.

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Planning

Lycia trip: practical FAQ

Visa, money, SIM/data, getting around, safety, packing — the practical questions, answered.

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Boat trips

The sunken city, Kekova

Underwater Lycian ruins by boat or kayak, Kaleköy castle, and how to visit responsibly.

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Where to stay

Where to base yourself in Lycia

Fethiye, Kalkan, Kaş, Çıralı/Olympos and Patara compared — vibe, who each suits, pros and cons.

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Experiences

Ölüdeniz paragliding

Tandem off Babadağ over the Blue Lagoon — what it's like, who can do it, the best months and how to book.

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Day trips

Kayaköy ghost town

The abandoned Greek village above Fethiye — ~500 empty houses, the 1923 story, and the walk over to Ölüdeniz.

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Day trips

Butterfly Valley

The cliff-walled cove near Faralya — getting there by boat, the steep descent, the moths, and staying over.

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Destinations

Çıralı, Olympos & the Chimaera

Seaside ruins in the trees, a quiet turtle beach, and the eternal flames you hike up to after dark.

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Ancient sites

Myra & the rock tombs

Demre's spectacular Lycian rock tombs and Roman theatre — plus the church of the real St Nicholas.

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When to go

Best time to visit Fethiye

Month-by-month weather, sea temperature, crowds and prices — and the windows that beat July and August.

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Where to stay

Fethiye vs Kaş vs Kalkan

Three very different bases compared — vibe, who they suit, beaches, costs, and which to pick for your trip.

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Itineraries

One week in Fethiye

A field-tested 7-day itinerary based in Ölüdeniz — day by day, plus what a week actually costs.

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Day trips

Day trips from Fethiye

The eight best days out — boat trips, Saklıkent, Kekova, Patara and Dalyan — with distances, costs and what's worth it.

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Practical

Turkey travel essentials

Visa, currency, SIM, safety and packing — the know-before-you-go basics for the Lycian coast.

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Beaches

Ölüdeniz & the Blue Lagoon

What the lagoon really is, where to swim, the paraglide, and the months that beat the crowds.

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Day trips

Saklıkent Gorge

Turkey's deepest canyon as a day trip — the freezing river wade, what to bring, and combining it with Tlos.

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Destinations

Things to do in Kaş

The coast's best base for diving, sea-kayaking over Kekova, and bohemian harbour-town atmosphere.

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Getting there

Istanbul to Fethiye & the coast

Flights, the Dalaman gateway, transfers vs the overnight bus — the fastest and cheapest ways down.

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Food

What to eat on the Lycian coast

Mezes, the Fethiye fish market, roadside gözleme — and what a real meal actually costs.

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Hiking

Lycian Way for beginners

Pick a section you don't have to walk all of — gentle starter days, fitness check, kit and where to sleep.

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Destinations

Things to do in Fethiye

Paragliding, the market, boat trips, Kayaköy and the harbour — how to spend two to four days.

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Beaches

The best beaches in Turkey

From Patara's dunes to Kaputaş and Butterfly Valley — the Lycian coast's finest, ranked honestly.

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Itineraries

An Antalya itinerary

Old-town Kaleiçi, the museum, and day trips into Lycia — how to plan three to five days.

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When to go

Turkey in October

Warm sea, thin crowds, lower prices — why October is the sweet spot, region by region.

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Every guide above is available in EN · TR · DE · FR — switch language from inside each guide.

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