Things to Do in Köyceğiz: 5 Places to Visit

Places to Visit in Köyceğiz

• 1 Ancient City
• 3 Nature
• 1 Beach

i Photo: mwanasimba from La Réunion (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Source

1 🌳 Nature

Köyceğiz Lake

A lake that bears the name of the district, with sulphurous water, located within the district's boundaries.

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2 🏺 Ancient City

Kaunos Ancient City

Kaunos, founded where Köyceğiz Lake meets the coast, was one of the important ports and trading centres of Caria.

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i Photo: FurkanYalcin3 (CC BY 3.0) · Source

3 🌳 Nature

İztuzu Beach (Caretta Caretta Beach)

The 4.5 km stretch of sand is one of the most important nesting grounds in the Mediterranean for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Under protection from May to October, the beach has both a freshwater lake and the sea on its shores.

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i Photo: Mehmettorun (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Source

4 🌳 Nature

Sultaniye Hot Springs

Thermal springs on the southern shore of Köyceğiz Lake, at 39°C, contain sulphurous and radioactive water. The baths, which are believed to be good for rheumatism and skin conditions, offer mud baths.

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5 🏖️ Beach

Ekincik Cove

Ekincik, a neighbourhood of Köyceğiz on the Mediterranean coast, is a cove with a long beach and a yacht harbour.

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While you are in Köyceğiz, you can also see the highlights of Muğla province. These places are in other districts.

• Bodrum Castle (Castle of St Peter) — A castle built by the Knights of St John around 1402, partly using stones from the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.
• Mausoleum of Halicarnassus — A monumental tomb built by Artemisia for her husband Mausolos, king of Caria, and counted among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
• Ölüdeniz — South of Fethiye, with its turquoise water and sheltered lagoon, this is Türkiye's most photographed beach.
• Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi) — A valley and beach south of Ölüdeniz, enclosed by sheer cliffs and reachable only by sea.
• Kayaköy (Levissi) — A ghost village 8 km south of Fethiye, made up of hundreds of abandoned stone houses spread across a hillside, where Greeks lived until the 1923 population exchange.
• Dalyan Canal and Kaunos — A reed-fringed canal linking Köyceğiz Lake to the sea, with the ancient city of Kaunos on its bank.

Practical Information for Visiting Köyceğiz

Suggested time

Half a day

Best time to visit

Spring and autumn

Places to visit

5 places

• 🐟

  Köyceğiz Kefali

  Grey mullet caught in Köyceğiz Lake, prepared grilled or steamed. Grown in the mix of fresh and salt water in the lake, the mullet is known for its distinctive flavour.

• 🌿

  Sığla Yağlı Yemekler (dishes made with sığla oil)

  Oil obtained from the sığla tree, which is specific to Köyceğiz, is used as a flavouring in traditional dishes. Olive-oil dishes made with sığla oil are among the region's distinctive specialities.

• 🌽

  Çıtırma (corn bread)

  Traditional bread made from corn flour, cooked on a griddle and served with fresh cheese and butter. It is an essential part of the breakfast tables in Köyceğiz's villages.

• 🍽️

  Sılcan kavurması

  A dish made with the sılcan plant, which grows at the base of sığla trees. It is frequently served at tables in Köyceğiz and offered to guests.

• 🍽️

  Kefal balığı (Dalyan Strait)

  Grey mullet is produced in Köyceğiz Lake and the Dalyan Strait.

Culture, Local Products and Economy of Köyceğiz

• 🐢

  Caretta Caretta Conservation Efforts

  The Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area has, since 1988, carried out internationally coordinated work to protect Caretta caretta turtles. The nesting areas on İztuzu Beach are under strict protection.

• 🌳

  Sığla Forest Ecosystem

  The sığla forests around Köyceğiz are the largest natural habitat of this species in the world. Home to endemic plant and animal species, the forests are a candidate for UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status.

Local Products

• Köyceğiz Portakalı (Köyceğiz orange) — Köyceğiz Portakalı was registered as a protected designation of origin on 24 May 2022 (TÜRKPATENT registration no. 1124). Product group: processed and unprocessed fruit and vegetables and mushrooms. Registered by: Köyceğiz Chamber of Agriculture.
• Köyceğiz Sığla Yağı (Liquidambar) — Oil obtained from the sığla tree (Liquidambar orientalis), which grows naturally only in Köyceğiz and its surroundings anywhere in the world, used in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. It is a product with a geographical indication.
• Köyceğiz Balı (Köyceğiz honey) — Köyceğiz honey, obtained from sığla forests and pine trees, is known for its distinctive aroma. Beekeeping cooperatives in the area produce organic honey.

Economy

The economy of Köyceğiz is based on agriculture, beekeeping and tourism. Citrus, olive and sığla oil production are the main agricultural activities. Dalyan–İztuzu tourism and thermal tourism are important sources of income. Organic farming has developed in recent years.

How to Get to Köyceğiz

Dalaman Airport is 25 km away. Muğla is 70 km away and Fethiye is 75 km away. The D-400 highway passes through the district. Regular boat trips run from Köyceğiz Lake to Dalyan.

Get directions on Google Maps Getting to Muğla

Köyceğiz: Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Your Trip

• 🍽️ What to Eat in Köyceğiz Famous dishes and local products →
• 🗺️ Things to Do in Muğla The province's 19 best places and all its districts →

Other Districts of Muğla

• Bodrum 7 places Bodrum Castle (Underwater Archaeology Museum), Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (Halikarnas Mozolesi) and Ancient Theatre
• Dalaman 8 places Dalaman River and Rafting Course (Dalaman Çayı ve Rafting Parkuru), Kapıdağ Peninsula and Dalaman State Production Farm
• Datça 7 places Knidos Ancient City, Old Datça (Datça Quarter) and Palamutbükü Cove
• Fethiye 7 places Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi), Amintas Rock Tombs (Amintas Kaya Mezarları) and Saklıkent Canyon
• Kavaklıdere 4 places Kavaklıdere Castle, Hydai (Damlıboğaz) Ancient City and Kavaklıdere Pine Forests
• Marmaris 7 places Marmaris Castle and Archaeology Museum, Cennet Island (İncekum) and Bozburun Peninsula
• Menteşe 4 places Muğla Arasta Bazaar, Muğla Historic Houses (Saburhane Neighbourhood) and Muğla Grand Mosque
• Milas 12 places Beçin Castle and Ancient City, Gümüşkesen Monument Tomb and Euromos (Temple of Zeus Lepsynos)
• Ortaca 11 places İztuzu Beach, Dalyan Channel and Dalyan Channel and Kaunos Rock Tombs
• Seydikemer 7 places Saklıkent Canyon, Tlos Ancient City and Yakapark (Yaka Village)
• Ula 10 places Akyaka, Ula Castle and Akyaka (Gökova)
• Yatağan 5 places Stratonikeia Ancient City (Stratonikeia Antik Kenti), Lagina Hekate Temple (Lagina Hekate Tapınağı) and Yatağan Sword Museum (Yatağan Kılıç Müzesi)