If you only do one, make it the Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon — it's the famous one for good reason: calm, impossibly blue, swimmable, and easy. But pair it with Patara, the polar opposite: 18 km of wild, empty sand behind Lycian ruins, where you can always find space. For a single unforgettable photo, detour to Kaputaş in its gorge. For a slow, undeveloped escape, choose Çıralı or remote Kabak. There's no need to do all seven — match the beach to the day you want.
What to skip the hype on: Butterfly Valley is stunning but a faff unless you take the boat (the cliff path is no joke); the Blue Lagoon's sand bar gets shoulder-to-shoulder by midday in August; and İztuzu is glorious but a long way west unless you're already near Dalyan. Go to the big, wild beaches early in the day, and you'll have the best of all of them.
How we ranked them
"Best beach" means different things to different people, so this isn't a single league table dressed up as objective truth. We've ranked for the typical first-time visitor — weighting the water, the setting, ease of access and how it holds up against the crowds — and then said clearly who each one actually suits. A wild 18-km sweep and a tiny gorge cove can't really be the "same" thing; we've tried to be honest about the trade-offs rather than pretend otherwise.
| Rank | Beach | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon | The iconic, calm, easy swim |
| 2 | Patara | Wild space + ruins |
| 3 | Kaputaş | The jaw-drop photo stop |
| 4 | Çıralı | Laid-back, low-rise, turtles |
| 5 | Butterfly Valley | Dramatic canyon cove (by boat) |
| 6 | Kabak | Remote, off-grid bohemian |
| 7 | İztuzu | Long, protected, turtle nesting |
1. Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon — the icon
Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon (Ölüdeniz)
The most photographed beach in Turkey, and the one paragliders drift down over. Sealed off behind a sandspit, the lagoon water is shallow, sun-warmed and dead calm — you can wade and float for hours. It's a protected nature park with a small entry fee, sunbeds and full facilities. Downside: the famous sandbar packs out by midday in summer, so come early.
The Blue Lagoon earns its fame. The turquoise is real, the water is the calmest and warmest on the whole coast, and it's genuinely easy — facilities, sunbeds, an entry-fee nature park keeping it tidy. Beyond the lagoon, the main Ölüdeniz (Belcekız) beach is a long pebble strand with the resort behind it. It's busy and developed, not wild, but as a swim-and-sunbathe day with everything to hand, nothing beats it. Read our full Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon guide for the practical detail.
2. Patara — 18 km of wild sand
Patara beach (near Kalkan)
One of the longest beaches in the Mediterranean and the polar opposite of Ölüdeniz: a vast, dune-backed sweep of golden sand with the ruins of the ancient Lycian capital just behind. No buildings on the sand, a single café, and so much space it never feels full. A protected turtle nesting beach, so it closes at night in season — which is exactly why it stays wild.
If the Blue Lagoon is polished, Patara is raw, and many people end up loving it more. You walk over the dunes and the sea opens up endlessly in both directions; even in August you can stroll five minutes and have sand to yourself. The combination of beach plus the extensive Lycian and Roman ruins — theatre, parliament house, colonnaded street, lighthouse — makes it a brilliant full day. There's a single beach café and little shade, so bring water and an umbrella. See our Patara guide for the ruins and turtle rules.
3. Kaputaş — the gorge gem
Kaputaş beach (Kalkan–Kaş road)
A tiny pebble beach wedged at the mouth of a gorge, right on the coast road between Kalkan and Kaş — you see it from above as you drive past and the colour stops you dead. The water is an electric, deep blue, clear as glass off the pebbles. You reach it down a long flight of steps from the road. Small, no real facilities, and busy in peak season — but unforgettable.
Kaputaş is small and gets crowded precisely because it's so photogenic, but the water colour is arguably the best on the coast. There are around 187 steps down from the roadside, no proper services, and limited parking, so go early or late. It works best as a swim stop on the drive between Kaş and Kalkan rather than a whole-day destination.
4. Çıralı — slow and low-rise
Çıralı beach (below Olympos)
A long, soft strand below the Olympos ruins on the eastern Lycian coast, with no high-rise hotels — just family pensions tucked behind it among orange groves. A protected loggerhead nesting beach with a slow, barefoot, slightly hippy feel. Walk the ruins of Olympos at one end, and hike up to the eternal Chimaera flames in the evening. The antidote to a resort.
Çıralı is the laid-back heart of eastern Lycia. The beach is long and uncommercial, the village deliberately low-key, and the whole place runs at half speed. It's the natural base for the Olympos ruins and the Chimaera flames, and it suits anyone who wants nature and quiet over nightlife. Further east still, near Antalya, lies Phaselis — Roman ruins set among three little bays you can swim straight off, another lovely beach-with-history combination.
5. Butterfly Valley — the canyon cove
Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi)
A small beach at the foot of a steep, green canyon, walled in by cliffs and named for the butterflies that breed there. There's a rough camp, a waterfall walk up the valley, and an end-of-the-world feel. Most people arrive by boat from Ölüdeniz; the alternative is a steep, exposed scramble down from Faralya — for confident walkers only.
Butterfly Valley is genuinely spectacular, but it's the one with the biggest access caveat. Take the boat — regular water-taxis and tour boats cross from Ölüdeniz in 20–40 minutes. The cliff path down from Faralya has fixed ropes and real exposure; it's not a casual stroll and people get caught out. Done by boat, it's a magical half-day. Our Butterfly Valley guide covers both routes.
6. Kabak — off-grid bohemian
Kabak beach (Kabak Valley)
The wild end of the western coast, past Faralya: a beautiful cove backed by forested slopes dotted with treehouse camps and bohemian retreats. Reached by a steep walk (or shuttle) down from the valley above, or by boat. Little development on the beach itself, a yoga-and-hammocks crowd up in the camps, and a deliberately off-grid mood.
Kabak is for people who want to disappear for a few days — not a quick beach stop. The cove is lovely, the descent is steep, and the appeal is as much the woodland camps and slow living above as the sand below. It's the final flourish of the western Lycian coast and a favourite of walkers finishing the first stretch of the Lycian Way.
7. İztuzu — the turtle beach
İztuzu beach (near Dalyan)
A long, narrow sandspit dividing the Dalyan river delta from the sea, near the western edge of the region. One of the Mediterranean's most important loggerhead turtle nesting sites, so it's strictly protected: no building, restricted night access, marked nesting zones. Reached by boat down the reed-lined river or by road. Wild, important, and lovely — but a fair way west.
İztuzu is a conservation success story as much as a beach — the place that helped save Turkey's loggerheads. Arriving by river boat through the Dalyan reed beds, past the rock tombs, is half the experience. It's superb, but it's out near Dalyan, so it makes most sense if you're basing yourself in the west or doing a Dalyan day rather than detouring from Kaş or Olympos.
When to go to the beach in Lycia
Beach season runs June to September, with the sea warmest from July right into October. May and early June are gorgeous and far quieter, though the water is still on the cool side; October often still gives swimmable seas with a fraction of the crowds. July and August are the classic beach months but hot and busy — go early in the day, and lean on the bigger beaches like Patara and Çıralı that swallow the crowds. For the full picture, see our best time to visit Lycia guide, and our wider best Turkey beaches round-up.
Plan your trip
Frequently asked
What is the best beach in Lycia?
It depends what you want. For iconic, calm, swimmable turquoise, the Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon — and it earns the fame. For wild scale, Patara's 18 km behind ancient ruins. For a jaw-dropping photo, tiny Kaputaş in its gorge. We'd put the Blue Lagoon top overall for first-timers, with Patara a very close second for anyone who prefers space.
Which beach has the bluest, clearest water?
Kaputaş and the Blue Lagoon. Kaputaş, at the foot of a gorge between Kalkan and Kaş, has an almost unreal electric-blue clarity because the water is deep and clean right off the pebbles. The Blue Lagoon is the postcard turquoise — shallow, sheltered, glass-calm. Both are most vivid in strong midday sun.
What is the longest beach in Lycia?
Patara, by far — about 18 km of uninterrupted golden sand, one of the longest in the Mediterranean, behind the ancient Lycian capital. It never feels crowded even in August. As a protected turtle nesting beach it closes at night in season and has no buildings on the sand, which keeps it wild.
Are there quiet, undeveloped beaches?
Yes. Çıralı is a long, soft strand below Olympos with low-rise pensions and a slow feel. Kabak is a remote cove reached by a steep track or boat, ringed by woodland camps. Butterfly Valley is a tiny beach under a sheer canyon, mostly by boat. All trade easy access for space and atmosphere.
How do I get to Butterfly Valley beach?
Almost everyone takes the boat — water-taxis and tour boats run from Ölüdeniz in 20–40 minutes, the easy, scenic way in. There's a hiking route down the canyon from Faralya, but it's steep, exposed and demanding, with fixed ropes — for sure-footed walkers only. For a day trip, take the boat.
When is the best time for the beach?
June to September is peak, with the sea warmest July into October. May and early June are lovely and quieter, though the sea is cool-ish; October can still be swimmable with fewer people. July–August are gorgeous but hot and busy — go early, and use the bigger beaches like Patara that absorb crowds.