Fethiye to the Butterfly Valley: a beautiful day trip in Türkiye’s (Turkey’s) Turquoise Coast
By Ling and Jace
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The beach at Butterfly Valley
One of the most beautiful and secluded parts of Türkiye’s (Turkey’s) Turquoise Coast is the Butterfly Valley, which can only be reached by boat from the town of Ölüdeniz.
The Butterfly Valley is a small beach in the Turkish Riviera, a serene region that follows the ocean beside Antalya and Muğla. It is surrounded by steep cliffs that are hundreds of metres tall. Inside the cove, the water is crystal clear and coloured by stunning shades of turquoise.
We’ve put together this guide with everything that you need to know to visit the Butterfly Valley on a day trip. It includes where to stay, how to hire a boat to get there, and the best things to do while you’re in the area.
We’ve also included options to get from Fethiye to the Butterfly Valley (a popular and worthwhile day trip), as well as from Istanbul, Izmir and Denizli.
We loved capturing this trip and if you like any of the photos, you can find us on Instagram @ling.and.jace
Contents
Tips for planning a trip to the Butterfly Valley
HOW TO GET from Ölüdeniz or Fethiye to the Butterfly Valley
Hiring a car in Türkiye (Turkey)
When to visit the Butterfly Valley
WHERE TO STAY NEAR THE BUTTERFLY VALLEY
Making payments in Türkiye (Turkey)
Mobile and data plans (with A discount)
The best Türkiye (Turkey) tours to Fethiye
The best Things to do around the Butterfly Valley
Note: we paid for all of our experiences in Türkiye, but this post contains some affiliate links. If you decide to book a similar experience, we might make a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The beach at Butterfly Valley
The view from the boat as you land on the Butterfly Valley
Tips for planning a trip to the Butterfly Valley
How to get from Ölüdeniz or Fethiye to the Butterfly Valley
The only way to get to the Butterfly Valley is by boat from the coastal town of Ölüdeniz. Ölüdeniz is about a 20 minute drive away from Fethiye, which makes the Butterfly Valley a great day trip from Fethiye.
The closest airports to the Butterfly Valley are Bodrum (BJV) and Dalaman International Airport (DLM). You can book an airport transfer from Dalaman Airport to Fethiye, Calis Beach or Ölüdeniz in advance here.
It is also possible to fly into Antalya Airport (ASR) and take a driving tour along the coast to Fethiye.
Another option is to stay in Mamaris and visit the coast near Fethiye on this day trip to the Blue Lagoon.
Hiring a car in Türkiye (Turkey)
We visited Fethiye and the Turquoise Coast as part of a road trip from Denizli. We rented a car in Denizli Çardak Airport, stayed a few nights in Pamukkale, and then drove down to Fethiye for a couple of nights.
We booked our car for one week through Rentalcars.com which conveniently let us compare prices across the major hire companies.
When to visit the Butterfly Valley
The best time to visit Türkiye’s (Turkey’s) Butterfly Valley is in summer, between June and September. That’s when you’ll get the warmest weather and clearest skies, but it’s also when the region will be at its busiest.
We visited in the off peak season in October. We found it was still warm enough to swim and much less crowded. It made the trip more comfortable and affordable, however, there were also less boats running to the islands and lagoons. Most boat tours eventually stop running for a few months over the winter period (between November to April).
Where to stay near the Butterfly Valley
If you are planning to take day tours or hire a car in Türkiye (Turkey), the most convenient places to stay near the Butterfly Valley are in Ölüdeniz or Fethiye.
We booked our accommodation through Agoda and had a wonderful stay in the Yacht Boheme Boutique hotel (adults only) in Fethiye. Some of the highest rated hotels closer to the beach in Ölüdeniz are the Akdeniz Beach Hotel, the Ecclesia Hotel (adult only) and the Tonoz Beach Hotel.
Making payments in Türkiye (Turkey)
We used our Wise card that was loaded with Turkish lira to make payments and withdraw cash throughout Türkiye (Turkey) with no issue. Card is accepted virtually everywhere in Türkiye (Turkey), but it also helps to carry cash in the off chance that you might need it.
There are hidden fees in any international exchange rate, but we always travel with a Wise travel card which can be used all over the world, including in Türkiye. It operates like any other bank, but is much cheaper than exchanging money through a traditional bank (depending on the exchange, it can be up to eight times cheaper).
Mobile and data plans in Türkiye (Turkey)
If you are looking for a data plan in Türkiye (Turkey), you can get 5% off Holafly’s Türkiye (Turkey) eSim with this link or by using our code ‘LINGANDJACE’.
We use Holafly’s eSIMs on all of our international trips because they can be set up easily with a QR code. Many other SIM companies have a cap on the amount of data that you purchase, but all of the Holafly plans come with unlimited data.
We had uninterrupted access to data and reception all across Türkiye (Turkey).
The best Türkiye (Turkey) tours with Fethiye
On our two week trip to Türkiye, we visited the areas around Istanbul, Cappadocia, Pamukkale and Fethiye. If you want to take the thinking out of your trip and reach all of these places by tour, we’d recommend joining this 12 day tour that includes accommodation and transport.
All of the day tours that we’ve included in this post are with GetYourGuide or Viator, which we’ve used in every country that we’ve visited. We have compared every option and found the best prices on the platforms.
The best things to do around the butterfly Valley
Taking a gulet boat to the Butterfly Valley
It used to be possible to hike down to the beach in the Butterfly Valley from above, but the trails have been closed because it is too dangerous.
Now, the only way to get to the Butterfly Valley is by boat. Gulet boats are traditional wooden sailing ships that are used in this region of Türkiye.
Gulet trips to the Butterfly Valley can be booked in advance here and run from Ölüdeniz.
The beach at Butterfly Valley
Multi-day gulet cruises around the Turquoise Coast
Gulet cruises can be taken for multiple days around the most beautiful areas, and they are the perfect way to explore the coast. If you would like to start and return to Fethiye, we’d recommend this eight day gulet cruise which includes all meals on board.
Alternatively, this gulet cruise runs from Fethiye to Olympos if you’d prefer to end the sailing trip there.
If you’re travelling with a larger group, you can also book a private yacht. This yacht has seven cabins and can be booked for anywhere up to 14 guests for a four day sailing tour. There are other variations of the gulet cruise available on Viator depending on your travel routes.
A gulet cruise from Fethiye to the Butterfly Valley
Paraglide from Mount Babadag
The landscape surrounding the Butterfly Valley is so impressive because of its steep cliffs, with Mount Babadag looming in the background and Ölüdeniz nature reserve adding spectacular greens to the scenery.
This area is one of the most popular places in the world to go paragliding. The paragliding companies take you up the winding roads to Mount Babadag, where you’ll take off at nearly 2000 metres high. You’ll glide for around 30 minutes, and have unbelievable panoramic views of Ölüdeniz and the valleys around it the whole time.
If you’re interested in paragliding in the area, we’d recommend booking a tour through GetYourGuide on the first day of your trip so that you can reschedule it if the weather is bad. This paragliding tour includes pick up from Fethiye, Hisarönü, and Ovacik.
The beach at Ölüdeniz
Scuba diving in Ölüdeniz
Ölüdeniz has some of the best beaches and waters along the Turquoise Coast. It goes without saying that scuba diving is an amazing experience such crystal clear water. The main dive spots are Aquarium Bay and the Blue Cave, which are lush with schools of fish and turtles.
Scuba diving trips run from both Fethiye and Ölüdeniz and include equipment training, dive instructors and underwater photography. They only depart twice a day, so we’d recommend booking your time slot in advance.
The beach at Butterfly Valley
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