Lycian Way
Fethiye, Turkey
Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon, Fethiye
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Photo: Dan Taylor, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- Nature park — daily in daytime: one guide gives 7:00–18:00, others sunrise to sunset (verifying); Belcekız beach — always open
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 3 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Belcekız beach
- Free; sun loungers and parasols cost extra
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Nature park (spit and lagoon)
- On foot 150 lira per person; car with parking 750 lira
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Park hours
- Daily in daytime; sources give 7:00–18:00 or until sunset
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Getting there
- Ölüdeniz dolmuş from the minibus station by the Yeni Cami mosque, 25–30 min
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Dolmuş frequency
- Every 5–10 minutes in season, until late evening
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 3 hours; a full day with a boat trip or paragliding
- With kids
- Yes — shallow, waveless water inside the lagoon
Key facts
150 lirawalk-in entry to the nature park under the tariff in force since May 2026; a car with parking is 750 lira
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Fethiye Times, citing Fethiye TVYolcu360≈ 14 kmsouth of central Fethiye — sources range from 12 to 17 km depending on the start point
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English WikipediaWikivoyageTurkish WikipediaNo wavesthe spit shuts out the open sea, so the water stays calm and warms up fast
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English WikipediaWikivoyageProtectedthe lagoon is a nature reserve and building on it is prohibited
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English WikipediaTurkish Wikipedia“Dead Sea”the literal meaning of Ölüdeniz, for its still water; “Blue Lagoon” is the official English name
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English WikipediaTurkish Wikipedia1,969 mheight of Mount Babadağ above the village, the paragliding launch mountain
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English WikipediaTurkish WikipediaBelcekızthe beach where paragliders from Babadağ land; also spelled Belceğiz
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Turkish WikipediaWikivoyage≈ 1 kmlength of the Kumburnu peninsula between the lagoon and the open sea
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WikivoyageTurkish WikipediaBoats from the beachrun to Butterfly Valley and to Gemiler Island with its Byzantine ruins
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Turkish WikipediaWikivoyage≈ 45 minby car from Dalaman Airport (DLM)
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Turkish WikipediaWikivoyageÖlüdeniz Blue Lagoon entrance fee: what you pay
Ölüdeniz has two beaches side by side. Belcekız is the long public beach along the village — free to walk on, you only pay for a lounger and parasol. Kumburnu, the pine-covered spit that encloses the lagoon, is a gated nature park with a ticket booth at the road entrance.
The spit does charge admission. The tariff in force since May 2026 is 150 lira per person on foot, 750 lira for a car including parking and 450 lira for a motorbike. Local Fethiye news and the Turkish guide Yolcu360 give the same figures, but we have not found an official park price list, so they are marked “verifying”. A season earlier the walk-in fee was 100 lira, so expect it to change again.
Loungers and parasols cost extra on both the spit and Belcekız; prices depend on the beach club and we have no reliable figures. Some older English guides still say the lagoon is free — that no longer matches the gate. Carry Turkish lira in cash: it is the simplest way to pay at the gate and on the dolmuş.
If you would rather not pay, stay on Belcekız: it faces the open bay, but the spit and lagoon are in view from the end of the beach, and the gate is about 15 minutes’ walk along the shore.
How to get to Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon from Fethiye
Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
More tips
- Walk to Fethiye’s central dolmuş station by the Yeni Cami mosque — 5 minutes from the Paspatur old bazaar and the harbour.
- Take a minibus with “Ölüdeniz” on the windscreen — not the similar one to Kayaköy. In season they leave every 5–10 minutes and run until late evening. Pay the driver, ideally in lira cash: card payment is reported but not guaranteed.
- The road climbs through Ovacık and Hisarönü — 25–30 minutes in all, longer in summer traffic.
- Get off at the last stop in Ölüdeniz, on the Belcekız beachfront.
- Walk 5–15 minutes left along the shore to the nature park gate at the pine-covered spit, and pay the entry fee there.
- Head back from the same terminus; if you take a taxi, agree the fare before you get in.
What the Blue Lagoon actually is
A small enclosed bay in the resort of Ölüdeniz, cut off from the sea by the Kumburnu sand spit. Open-sea swell barely reaches it, so the surface is glassy and the shallows glow pale turquoise. The Turkish name means “Dead Sea” — for the stillness, not the salt.
The lagoon is a protected reserve, so there are no hotels on the spit: just pines, sand mixed with fine shingle, and the park’s beach facilities. Cafés, hotels and the boat jetties all line Belcekız next door.
The famous postcard view — the white curve of sand and the lagoon like a turquoise lake — is shot from Mount Babadağ above. From beach level it looks like a pleasant, calm bay. Come for the water; for the view, go up.
Is the Blue Lagoon worth visiting?
Yes, if you are travelling with children, dislike waves, or simply want a long swim in warm, still water — nowhere around Fethiye does that better. Pair it with a boat to Butterfly Valley or a paragliding flight off Babadağ and it becomes the day of the trip.
Skip it if you picture an empty, wild beach. In season it is busy, with boat traffic and beach-bar music drifting over from Belcekız. For space and quiet, Patara is a long drive away but the beach seems endless.
Things to do in Ölüdeniz besides swimming
- Tandem paragliding off Babadağ — 30 to 60 minutes in the air with an instructor, landing right on Belcekız beach. This is how you get the classic lagoon view.
- Boat to Butterfly Valley — a beach at the foot of a gorge that is almost impossible to reach overland; boats leave Belcekız several times a day.
- Gemiler Island — also called St Nicholas Island, with Byzantine ruins; full-day boat trips stop there and at swimming coves along the way.
- Babadağ viewpoint without flying — go up the mountain just to see the whole lagoon from above.
- Walk over the hill to Kayaköy — the abandoned Greek village reached by a forest trail from Ölüdeniz.
- Kayak or paddleboard — the flat lagoon is the easiest place to try; rental on the beach.
Before you go: checklist
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Blue Lagoon vs Butterfly Valley vs Patara
| Blue Lagoonyou are here | Calm bay behind a sand spit | Shallow, no waves | Dolmuş ≈ 30 min | Busy | Best choice | 3 h to half a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butterfly Valley | Beach in a cliff-lined gorge | Open sea, deeper | Dolmuş to Ölüdeniz + boat | Moderate | Harder: boat and rocks | Half a day |
| Patara | Very long beach with dunes | Open sea, can be wavy | ≈ 1.5 h by car | Light | Yes, but far | Full day |
The Blue Lagoon is the easiest, calmest beach for your first day. For wilder scenery and fewer people, pick Butterfly Valley; for sheer space, Patara.
Beaches and water near Fethiye compared
Every beach, gorge and waterside spot around Fethiye rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Lycian Way | 42 | 3 h | Free | 3.1 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoonyou are here | 29 | 3 h | Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free | — |
| Patara | 26 | 3 h | ≈ €15 (foreign visitors), ruins + beach | 36.9 km |
| Saklıkent Gorge | 20 | 2 h 30 min | Entry 85–120 TL, verifying | 27.6 km |
| Butterfly Valley | 19 | 3 h | Boat fare; entry fee unconfirmed | 6.0 km |
A day in Ölüdeniz
Morning flight or viewpoint on Babadağ, midday in the lagoon, afternoon boat to Butterfly Valley. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Babadağ2 h · 950 TL return, under-7s free
- 114 min walk from the previous stopÖlüdeniz Blue Lagoonyou are here3 h · Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free
- 104 min walk from the previous stopButterfly Valley3 h · Boat fare; entry fee unconfirmed
3 places · about 11 h 38 min with walks · 218 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Get there before 10:00 — the water is clearest and loungers are still free.
- Belcekız is free: if the park is full or closed, swim there — the lagoon is at the end of the beach.
- Book the Butterfly Valley boat in the morning; the last boats back leave in the afternoon.
- You don’t have to fly for the view — you can go up Babadağ without a paraglider.
- Stay for sunset: the lagoon turns pink, and dolmuşes run back to Fethiye until late.
Questions
Is there an entrance fee for Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon?
Yes: walk-in entry to the nature park is 150 lira per person under the tariff in force since May 2026, according to local news and a Turkish guide; we are still looking for the official price list. Belcekız beach next door is free — you pay only for loungers.
Is Ölüdeniz beach free?
Belcekız, the long public beach along the village, is free to use. The Blue Lagoon spit beside it is the paid nature park. Loungers and parasols cost extra on both.
How do I get from Fethiye to Ölüdeniz?
Take the Ölüdeniz dolmuş from the central minibus station by the Yeni Cami mosque — 25–30 minutes, every 5–10 minutes in season. The park gate is a 5–15 minute walk from the last stop.
Can you drive and park at the Blue Lagoon?
Yes, there is a car park at the gate. A car including parking is 750 lira and a motorbike 450 lira. In July and August arrive early — the spit is crowded by noon.
What are the Blue Lagoon opening hours?
The park is open every day in daytime. One guide gives 7:00–18:00, others say sunrise to sunset. Hours shift with the season; we are verifying them.
Is Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon worth it?
Yes for calm, warm, shallow water and families. Not if you want an empty wild beach — in summer it is busy. Combine it with Butterfly Valley or paragliding.
Is the Blue Lagoon good for kids?
It’s one of the calmest beaches on the coast: shallow, warm and nearly waveless inside the lagoon. Bring water shoes for the shingle at the edge.
When is the best time to visit Ölüdeniz?
May, June, September and early October — warm sea, fewer people. In July and August arrive at opening time or after 16:00.
How long should I spend at the Blue Lagoon?
About 3 hours for a swim. Make it a full day by adding a boat to Butterfly Valley or a flight off Babadağ.
How far is Ölüdeniz from Dalaman Airport?
About 45 minutes by car. The Havaş bus runs from the airport to Fethiye in about an hour; change there to the Ölüdeniz dolmuş.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- English Wikipedia: Ölüdeniz; Wikidata Q1344290
- Russian Wikipedia: Олюдениз
- Turkish Wikipedia: Ölüdeniz, Fethiye; Kelebekler Vadisi
- English Wikipedia: Babadağ (mountain, Muğla)
- Wikivoyage: Ölüdeniz; Fethiye — park hours, dolmuş, boats, airport bus
- Fethiye Times, 7 May 2026 edition (citing Fethiye TV): Kumburnu beach entry and parking fees
- Yolcu360: Kumburnu Plajı — entry fees, 2 June 2026
- Politikam: Kumburnu beach guide, summer 2025 — previous fees
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