Dalaman Airport (DLM) sits on Turkey’s south-western coast and serves one of the most diverse and visually dramatic stretches of the Turkish Mediterranean — a coastline of pine-forested mountains, deep natural bays, ancient Lycian ruins and some of the clearest water in the country. The main resort destinations served by this airport — Fethiye, Ölüdeniz and Marmaris — each occupy a distinct position in the Turkish holiday market and suit quite different types of traveller.
Fethiye is Thomas’s personal recommendation for guests who want Turkey at its most naturally beautiful. The town is a working Turkish harbour with Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliff face above it, a marina full of traditional gulets and a covered bazaar that serves locals as well as tourists. Fifteen kilometres south, Ölüdeniz and its Blue Lagoon — a sheltered bay of turquoise water behind a narrow sand spit, with the Babädağ mountain rising dramatically behind — is one of the most photographed places in the Mediterranean. The paragliding here, from the thermals above Babädağ, is among the finest in the world. The all inclusive hotel offer in Fethiye is more limited than in the larger resort areas, but what the destination lacks in hotel scale it more than compensates for in natural setting and variety of experience.
Marmaris offers a very different experience — a large, well-developed resort town in a deep natural bay surrounded by pine-forested hills, with a long sandy beach, a lively town centre and one of Turkey’s busiest marinas. It is considerably more resort-oriented than Fethiye, with a strong all inclusive hotel infrastructure, a well-established nightlife scene and good transport links to the Datça Peninsula and surrounding area. For guests who want a proper Turkish resort with a town to explore and a beach to lie on, Marmaris is the stronger answer on the Dalaman coast. For guests who want natural scenery and a quieter, more distinctive atmosphere, Fethiye is the better choice.
Dalaman town itself sits in the river valley at the centre of this stretch of coastline — a quieter, more locally flavoured base for guests who want to explore the surrounding area at their own pace. Lake Köyceğiz and the Sultaniye thermal springs, the Dalyan River and its ancient rock tombs, and the Iztuzu Beach — one of Turkey’s most protected and beautiful stretches of sand, a nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles — are all easily accessible from Dalaman and make for some of the most rewarding day excursions on the entire Turkish coast.
Dalaman Airport is served by direct flights from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and other UK regional airports throughout the summer season. Transfer times vary by destination — approximately 45–60 minutes to Fethiye and Ölüdeniz, and approximately 75–90 minutes to Marmaris. The road from the airport to both destinations passes through some of the most beautiful inland scenery in south-western Turkey.
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