# Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon, Fethiye > The Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon is a sheltered turquoise bay behind a sand spit, 14 km south of Fethiye: shallow, warm, almost waveless. Allow 3 hours; the dolmuş from town takes 25–30 minutes. Belcekız beach next door is free, while the spit is a gated nature park open in daytime: walk-in entry is 150 lira per person. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/oludeniz-blue-lagoon - City: [Fethiye](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye), Turkey - YesGo score: 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Entry: Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free - Opening hours: Nature park — daily in daytime: one guide gives 7:00–18:00, others sunrise to sunset (verifying); Belcekız beach — always open - With kids: Fine with kids - Belcekız beach: Free; sun loungers and parasols cost extra - Nature park (spit and lagoon): On foot 150 lira per person; car with parking 750 lira - Park hours: Daily in daytime; sources give 7:00–18:00 or until sunset - Getting there: Ölüdeniz dolmuş from the minibus station by the Yeni Cami mosque, 25–30 min - Dolmuş frequency: Every 5–10 minutes in season, until late evening - Time needed: 3 hours; a full day with a boat trip or paragliding - With kids: Yes — shallow, waveless water inside the lagoon - Coordinates: 36.54945, 29.11156 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **150 lira** — walk-in entry to the nature park under the tariff in force since May 2026; a car with parking is 750 lira (source: Fethiye Times, citing Fethiye TV; Yolcu360) - **≈ 14 km** — south of central Fethiye — sources range from 12 to 17 km depending on the start point (source: English Wikipedia; Wikivoyage; Turkish Wikipedia) - **No waves** — the spit shuts out the open sea, so the water stays calm and warms up fast (source: English Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) - **Protected** — the lagoon is a nature reserve and building on it is prohibited (source: English Wikipedia; Turkish Wikipedia) - **“Dead Sea”** — the literal meaning of Ölüdeniz, for its still water; “Blue Lagoon” is the official English name (source: English Wikipedia; Turkish Wikipedia) - **1,969 m** — height of Mount Babadağ above the village, the paragliding launch mountain (source: English Wikipedia; Turkish Wikipedia) - **Belcekız** — the beach where paragliders from Babadağ land; also spelled Belceğiz (source: Turkish Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) - **≈ 1 km** — length of the Kumburnu peninsula between the lagoon and the open sea (source: Wikivoyage; Turkish Wikipedia) - **Boats from the beach** — run to Butterfly Valley and to Gemiler Island with its Byzantine ruins (source: Turkish Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) - **≈ 45 min** — by car from Dalaman Airport (DLM) (source: Turkish Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) ## Ölüdeniz 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 1. Walk to Fethiye’s central dolmuş station by the Yeni Cami mosque — 5 minutes from the Paspatur old bazaar and the harbour. 2. 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. 3. The road climbs through Ovacık and Hisarönü — 25–30 minutes in all, longer in summer traffic. 4. Get off at the last stop in Ölüdeniz, on the Belcekız beachfront. 5. Walk 5–15 minutes left along the shore to the nature park gate at the pine-covered spit, and pay the entry fee there. 6. 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. > **In July and August the spit fills by noon** By 11:00–12:00 in high summer the loungers are gone and tour boats drift into the bay. Arrive when the park gates open or after 16:00. In May, June, September and October it is much quieter and the sea is still warm. ## 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](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/patara) is a long drive away but the beach seems endless. ## Things to do in Ölüdeniz besides swimming - **Tandem paragliding off [Babadağ](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/babadag)** — 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](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/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](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/kayakoy)** — 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 - [ ] Leaving early, before the spit fills up - [ ] Cash in lira for the dolmuş, lounger and water - [ ] Water shoes — there’s shingle at the water’s edge - [ ] Sunscreen and a hat — shade is limited - [ ] Water and snacks — beach prices are resort prices - [ ] Boat trip or flight decided — booked in the morning ## Blue Lagoon vs Butterfly Valley vs Patara | | Blue Lagoon | Butterfly Valley | Patara | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Calm bay behind a sand spit | Beach in a cliff-lined gorge | Very long beach with dunes | | Water | Shallow, no waves | Open sea, deeper | Open sea, can be wavy | | From Fethiye | Dolmuş ≈ 30 min | Dolmuş to Ölüdeniz + boat | ≈ 1.5 h by car | | Summer crowds | Busy | Moderate | Light | | With kids | Best choice | Harder: boat and rocks | Yes, but far | | Time needed | 3 h to half a day | Half a day | 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. - [Lycian Way](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/lycian-way) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free - [Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/oludeniz-blue-lagoon) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free - [Patara](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/patara) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · ≈ €15 (foreign visitors), ruins + beach - [Saklıkent Gorge](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/saklikent-gorge) — YesGo score 20/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Entry 85–120 TL, verifying - [Butterfly Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/butterfly-valley) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Boat fare; entry fee unconfirmed ## 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. 1. [Babadağ](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/babadag) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 950 TL return, under-7s free 2. [Ölüdeniz Blue Lagoon](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/oludeniz-blue-lagoon) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Park 150 TL on foot; Belcekız free 3. [Butterfly Valley](https://yesgo.io/turkey/fethiye/butterfly-valley) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Boat fare; entry fee unconfirmed > **The famous view is from the mountain** The white-spit, turquoise-water shot is taken from Babadağ — on a paragliding flight or from the viewpoint. Paragliders circle over Belcekız all day; if you are not flying, watch the landings from the promenade. ## Good to know Several places in Turkey use the name “Blue Lagoon”, including boat-trip stops near Kemer and Antalya. This page is the lagoon at Ölüdeniz in Fethiye, Muğla province — not Malta’s Comino or Iceland’s geothermal spa. ## Tips - 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. ## How we checked Facts are checked against at least two sources. The park tariff since May 2026 — 150 lira on foot, 750 lira for a car with parking — matches in local news (Fethiye Times, citing Fethiye TV) and the Turkish guide Yolcu360; in summer 2025 walk-in entry was 100 lira. We found no official park price list, so the tariff is marked “verifying”. Older English guides and Wikivoyage say entry is free, which conflicts with the current gate tariff; we rely on the recent local data. Park hours differ: Wikivoyage gives 7:00–18:00, other guides sunrise to sunset; both are shown as “verifying”. Guides give 25–30 minutes on the dolmuş and every 5–10 minutes in season; fares appear only as estimates, so we don’t quote one. Distances to Fethiye range from 12 to 17 km; we use about 14 km, as English Wikipedia and Wikivoyage do. Flight times off Babadağ differ (30–40 minutes in Turkish Wikipedia, about an hour in Wikivoyage), so we give 30–60 minutes. The year the area was protected (1978, Turkish Wikipedia) rests on one source and is left out. ## Sources - 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 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.