İztuzu Beach (Dalyan)

İztuzu — known as Turtle Beach — is a pristine 4.5-kilometer sand bar separating the freshwater Dalyan Delta from the Mediterranean Sea, creating a unique ecosystem where sea turtles, blue crabs, and diverse birdlife thrive. This protected beach is one of the most important loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting sites in the Mediterranean, with strict conservation measures including beach closures after 8pm during nesting season.

The most magical way to reach İztuzu is by riverboat from Dalyan, gliding past the spectacular 4th-century BC Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliffs along the Dalyan River — and through the reed beds where terrapins and kingfishers abound. The delta's natural mud baths, rich in sulfur and minerals, are a popular stop en route. The beach itself features unusually warm, shallow water on the sea side and a freshwater lagoon on the river side — you can literally swim in both salt and freshwater within a few steps.