Speed Boat Hire (Oludeniz)

Accessed only by boat, Butterfly Valley is one of the prettiest and most popular bays in Fethiye. Tucked into a deep valley with 350m high cliff-walls and a small waterfall at the rear, it is a stunning natural location with the wild flowers attracting many rare butterflies which led to its name. On shore you will find a beach, restaurant and bar with basic tree house/camping accommodation appealing to travellers during the summer months. Butterfly Valley is a lovely place to visit, especially early morning or later afternoon if you wish to avoid the day-trippers. A narrow channel acting as a safe harbour separates Gemiler Island from the mainland. This relatively small island measuring just 1000m x 400m is a real highlight of the local coast and boasts a fascinating history. Throw anchor in front of the island and take a trip across to find the ruins of buildings and churches dating back to the 4th and 5th century. Unfortunately, many of the old houses are hard to distinguish and lie in ruins or semi-submerged. You can, however, see the arches, dome and apse of 2 of the churches still in reasonable condition and a closer inspection will reveal frescos and mosaics some of which suggest the second church was dedicated to St. Nicholas, better known to us today as Santa Claus. Coldwater Bay is aptly named. It’s a popular bay situated between Fethiye and Oludeniz with a natural cold water spring rising from its depths and making for a refreshing and frosty swim stop. Although many sailing guides suggest there are only a handful of anchorages, the owner of the small restaurant on site is skilled at positioning yachts making it possible to moor up to around 12. From Coldwater Bay it’s possible to trek overland to the former Greek “Ghost Town” of Kayakoy, a fascinating village with a phenomenal history that now lies in roofless ruins following a population exchange in 1923. Here you can enjoy a beer and a Turkish pancake in a shaded local restaurant and glimpse a little village life that feels a world away from the thriving commercial resorts.