Fethiye
As I’m standing over the edge of the concrete slope of the launching area for the paragliders, I feel a sudden jolt in my stomach as I look down and realise just how high up I am. I can’t even make out what’s on the land below me. I just see green and the brilliant blue of the Mediterranean in the distance. I think to myself - “This is it. You asked for this.” I’m called to get fastened to the paraglider and the instructor. After we’re geared up and ready, we’re told to wait for the signal and then run off the edge of the slope. I start regretting ever wanting to do this. We hear the “Go! Go! Go!” and we both run as fast as possible. When I felt my feet leave the concrete, I immediately closed my eyes. But then after a few seconds, I opened them back up and was greeted by the most amazing view I have ever seen in my life.
Paragliding is one of the many things you can do in the amazing place known as Fethiye. Located southwest of the country in the Turkish Riviera, Fethiye is a port city that is known for its beautiful harbours and, of course, Ölüdeniz. Before we look at what is at offer, let’s learn some history. Fethiye is located on what was then Telmessos, the largest city of the region of Lycia. The city came under the rule of the Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and then the Ottomans. Not much is known about Telmessos’ ancient history. We believe the city prospered due to its port and its wine production. During the 8th century AD, “Makri” (Μάκρη), meaning “long one”, became the new name of the city. In the 1920s, Makri’s huge Greek population were forced to leave as part of the Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey. They founded a new town in Greece named Nea Makri (Νέα Μάκρη). Turks from Greece then arrived and repopulated the city. In 1934, Makri’s name changed to Fethiye in honour of a famous Turkish pilot named Fethi Bey.
Over the years, Fethiye has grown to become one of the most famous holiday destinations of Turkey. If you want to see some of the best water Turkey has to offer, look no further than Ölüdeniz, a resort village very close to Fethiye. People all over the world flock to this area to enjoy the Blue Lagoon, the beach, and Butterfly Valley. You can easily have a boat take you to popular swimming areas. If you want a place that's less crowded, I highly recommend Butterfly Valley, which sits at the bottom of Babadağ Mountain. A beach protrudes from the valley, and you get the same pristine blue water to swim in. Also, as the name suggests, there are dozens of different butterfly species in the area. It’s literally a little piece of paradise.
While I didn’t get the chance to swim in any of the water, I was able to get an absolutely astonishing view of Ölüdeniz from the sky. Tandem paragliding is a very popular activity here and honestly it might just beat the experience of swimming in the water. As someone who has never done anything like this, I was pretty terrified. But as soon as I found myself in the sky, the heavenly views and just the sheer amount of adrenaline made this one of the most memorable things I’ve ever done my life. You truly feel like you’ve conquered the world. Tandem paragliding, for those of you who don’t know, is when the the instructor/pilot is doing all the flying, not you. It’s a very safe activity and the pilot ensures you have a great time as he cracks jokes and even has you fly around for a few minutes. You can easily find a paragliding company in the town. They all offer the same thing and launch from the same mountain of Babadağ. It definitely did cost quite a bit of money though. But if you look around you might find one that fits your price point. I can’t recommend paragliding at Ölüdeniz enough. You will not regret it.
For my nature people, the Lycian Way is a very popular route for hikers. It’s a 500 km long trail that stretches from Ölüdeniz to Hisarçandır, a village very close to Antalya. Now, I’m willing to bet money that very few of you would be willing to hike the whole thing. However, if you commit to just the trail near Ölüdeniz and maybe a little more, you will still get some sick views of the blue Mediterranean and the mountains. You can also arrive at Butterfly Valley on the way. If you do end up hiking the whole thing, it’s going to be 29 days of some of the best views of the sea and mountains. Saklıkent National Park is another very popular destination about 31 miles east of Fethiye. It’s a canyon about 300 ft deep and has a water running through it. You can walk through the canyon and there are various activities like rafting and overnight camping. It makes for some amazing pictures as some parts of the canyon can get amazingly beautiful.
If you’re a history person, Fethiye will not disappoint with the Lycian Rock Tombs. As a classicist, this was one of the craziest things I’ve seen. The ancient Lycians carved façades of temples onto the sides of mountains. They believed that by being laid to rest as high as possible, it would be easier for them to reach the heavens. Inside the “temples” is just a room filled with stone coffins, nothing too fancy. The Tombs of Amyntas can be found in the town of Fethiye on the cliffs. However, there’s also a ton of them in Dalyan, as mentioned in the previous post about Marmaris.
Fethiye is a place that has it all - amazingly beautiful water and beaches, ancient mountain tombs, canyons, mountains, and much more. I wouldn’t call it a party city. It’s a place where you can just relax and enjoy the sea and nature but also have the opportunity to shoot your adrenaline levels sky high (pun intended). If this is what you’re looking for, then Fethiye is for you.
Things to do -
Visit Ölüdeniz (boat trips are widely available if you want to swim)
Visit Butterfly Valley (only accessible by foot or by boat)
Go paragliding (remember it can get a bit pricey)
Hike the Lycian Way
Visit Saklıkent National Park
Visit the Lycian Rock Tombs
