Marmaris seafront promenade
Marmaris, Turkey
İztuzu Turtle Beach, Marmaris
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Photo: Maria Jonker, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia CommonsThe essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Hours
- From 1 May to the end of September (31 October per Wikipedia): 8:00–20:00, closed overnight; no night closure off season
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 2 h
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Night closure
- 20:00–08:00 from 1 May to the end of September; Wikipedia says to 31 October
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Parking, sunbeds, umbrellas
- Paid, only in the zone by the entrance
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - DEKAMER turtle hospital
- At the road end of the beach; per Wikivoyage daily 10:00–18:00, free, donations welcome
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - From Dalyan
- River boat ≈ 40–45 min, or ≈ 15–20 min by road
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - From Marmaris
- ≈ 90 km, about 1.5–2 hours by car to Dalyan
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Sea
- Mediterranean
- Location
- Dalyan, Ortaca district, Muğla province
Key facts
≈ 4.5 kmof sand between the Mediterranean and the freshwater Dalyan delta
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English and Turkish Wikipedia (Russian Wikipedia gives about 4 km)20:00–08:00closed to people from 1 May in the nesting season — to the end of September per the Turkish press, to 31 October per Wikipedia
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Habertürk, CumhuriyetEnglish, Turkish and Russian WikipediaCaretta carettathe loggerhead sea turtle — the beach is one of its main Mediterranean nesting sites
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English and Russian Wikipedia1988protected as part of the Köyceğiz-Dalyan Special Environmental Protection Area
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English and Russian Wikipedia1987work began on the Kaunos Beach Hotel here — halted after an international campaign
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Russian WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia, June HaimoffKaptan JuneJune Haimoff (1922–2022) lived in a hut on the beach and fought for it; the hut is now a small museum
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English Wikipedia: June Haimoff, İztuzu Beach2009the DEKAMER sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation centre started work
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DEKAMER websiteEnglish Wikipedia1 mileoffshore zone where speedboats are banned, as in the delta and river
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English and Turkish WikipediaNo carsand no animals on the sand
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English, Turkish and Russian Wikipedia2008named Best Open Space (Europe) in The Times awards
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English and Russian Wikipediaİztuzu Beach opening hours and entry
The beach is free to enter. From 1 May it opens at 8:00 and closes at 20:00, because loggerheads come ashore to nest at night and hatchlings head for the sea. You pay only for parking at the road end, sunbeds and umbrellas in the permitted zone, and the river boat from Dalyan.
When the night ban ends is less clear: Turkish newspapers in May 2026 said it runs to the end of September, while Wikipedia gives 31 October — if you are going in October, check locally. Prices change every season, so we don't quote them — ask at the car park or the boat cooperative. Swimming is pleasant from June to October; in May the sea is still cool. In July and August come early: the sand gets very hot by midday and there is no shade beyond the umbrellas near the entrance.
How to get to İztuzu Beach from Marmaris
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
- From the Marmaris seafront, take a city dolmuş to the bus station (otogar).
- Catch an intercity bus or minibus to Ortaca — about 1.5 hours; buses towards Dalaman and Fethiye pass through it.
- In Ortaca, change to the local bus or a dolmuş to Dalyan — 15–20 minutes, roughly every 15 minutes; stops are on the main street, Atatürk Caddesi.
- From Dalyan, take a cooperative river boat from the town-centre quay — about 40–45 minutes past the Kaunos rock tombs, summer only — or the beach dolmuş from the stop by the post office (PTT), about 20 minutes by road.
- Boats land at the western, river-mouth end of the sandbar; dolmuşes and cars arrive at the eastern end, by DEKAMER and Kaptan June’s hut. The two ends are about 4.5 km apart on foot.
- Easiest of all: a full-day guided tour from Marmaris that covers Dalyan, Kaunos, the delta boat ride and the beach.
Is İztuzu Beach worth it?
Yes, as part of a day in Dalyan and Kaunos: the delta boat ride ends right at the beach, and it is the longest, wildest stretch of sand in the area — no hotels, no concrete, just dunes, reeds and two kinds of water.
No, if you just want a swim. Ninety kilometres each way for a beach doesn't add up when İçmeler and Turunç Bay are much closer. And don't expect to see a turtle on the sand in daytime — your best chance is in the river near Dalyan or at DEKAMER.
What makes Turtle Beach special
İztuzu is a narrow spit with the open Mediterranean on one side and the calm, freshwater Dalyan delta on the other. It is one of the most important nesting beaches in the Mediterranean for loggerhead turtles, which is why everyone calls it Turtle Beach.
It owes that to a fight. In 1987 builders started on a large hotel here; a campaign joined by June Haimoff — Kaptan June to the locals — persuaded the Turkish government to stop it, and the beach became protected in 1988. That is why the sandbar has no buildings beyond cafés and changing huts by the entrance.
What to see
- Two waters side by side — waves on the sea side, a warm, shallow lagoon on the delta side that suits small children.
- Marked nests — cages and numbered signs on the sand; look, but keep your distance.
- DEKAMER, the turtle hospital at the road end, where turtles hurt by boat propellers and fishing gear recover in pools.
- Kaptan June’s hut, a tiny museum on how the beach was saved, by the minibus stop.
- The delta from the boat — reed channels, fish traps and the Lycian rock tombs above Dalyan.
Before you go: checklist
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İztuzu vs Cleopatra Island vs İçmeler
| İztuzuyou are here | Wild sandbar between sea and delta | ≈ 90 km, full day | Turtle nests, the delta | Closed from 20:00 in season | Yes, shallow lagoon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleopatra Island | Island in the Gulf of Gökova with ancient ruins | Car plus boat, full day | Its sand and the ruins | Daytime boats only | Yes |
| İçmeler | Resort beach by the village | Short dolmuş ride | Easy, cafés everywhere | Open | Yes |
İztuzu is for nature and the delta on a day trip. For a quick swim, İçmeler. Cleopatra Island if you want ruins and unusual sand.
Beaches and water around Marmaris
Every waterside place around Marmaris rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Marmaris seafront promenade | 44 | 1 h | Free | 31.6 km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| İçmeler | 33 | 2 h | Free | 34.9 km |
| Turunç Bay | 28 | 3 h | Free | 33.3 km |
| Kızkumu Beach | 28 | 1 h 30 min | Free | 43.8 km |
| İztuzu Beachyou are here | 26 | 2 h | Free | — |
| Cleopatra Island | 19 | 3 h | Entrance fee plus boat fare | 43.1 km |
| Dalyan and the Kaunos rock tombs | 16 | 4 h | Kaunos €3, under 8 free | 4.0 km |
Dalyan in a day from Marmaris
Morning boat to the Kaunos tombs, afternoon on İztuzu, then an evening stroll on the Marmaris seafront after the drive. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.
- Dalyan and the Kaunos rock tombs4 h · Kaunos €3, under 8 free
- 70 min walk from the previous stopİztuzu Beachyou are here2 h · Free entry, sunbeds extra
- 549 min walk from the previous stopMarmaris seafront promenade1 h · Free, open 24 hours
3 places · about 17 h 19 min with walks · 619 min on foot in total
How to do it right
- Pair the beach with the delta boat and the Kaunos tombs — that is what makes the drive from Marmaris worthwhile.
- Driving? Park at the road end; vehicles are banned on the sand.
- With small children, swim on the lagoon side — it's shallow and calm.
- Leave time for DEKAMER and Kaptan June’s hut: your best daytime chance to see turtles up close.
- Don't feed turtles in the river or swim towards them — human food and propellers harm them.
- Take your rubbish with you: there are no bins on the wild end of the spit.
Questions
What are İztuzu Beach opening hours?
From 1 May the beach is open 8:00–20:00 and closed overnight for nesting turtles — until the end of September per the Turkish press, 31 October per Wikipedia. Off season there is no night closure.
Is İztuzu Beach free?
Yes, entry is free. You pay for parking, sunbeds and umbrellas by the entrance, and for the river boat from Dalyan.
Is the turtle hospital at İztuzu free?
DEKAMER, by the road end of the beach, is free to visit according to Wikivoyage and visitor guides, and donations are welcome; some guides mention a small fee, so take a little cash.
How do I get to İztuzu Beach from Dalyan?
By cooperative river boat from the Dalyan quay, about 40–45 minutes in summer, or by beach dolmuş along the road, about 20 minutes. Boats land at the river-mouth end, road traffic at the eastern end.
How do I get to İztuzu Beach from Marmaris?
Bus from Marmaris otogar to Ortaca, minibus to Dalyan, then a boat or dolmuş to the beach — or a full-day tour from Marmaris. Allow about 2 hours each way.
Will I see turtles at İztuzu Beach?
Rarely on the sand in daytime — females nest at night. You're more likely to see loggerheads in the river near Dalyan or recovering at the DEKAMER turtle hospital.
Is İztuzu Beach worth visiting?
Yes, combined with Dalyan and Kaunos — it's the wildest beach in the region. Not worth the 90 km just for a swim; İçmeler and Turunç are closer to Marmaris.
Is İztuzu Beach good for kids?
Yes: the lagoon side is shallow and calm, the sea side has more waves. There's no shade beyond the rented umbrellas, so bring hats and water.
When is turtle nesting season at İztuzu?
Nests appear from May and hatchlings emerge over the summer. The night closure starts on 1 May and runs at least to the end of September; Wikipedia says to 31 October.
Who was Kaptan June?
June Haimoff (1922–2022), an Englishwoman who lived in a hut on the beach and helped stop a hotel being built in the late 1980s. Her hut is now a small museum.
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: İztuzu Beach, June Haimoff, Dalyan
- Russian Wikipedia: Черепаший берег Изтузу
- Turkish Wikipedia: İztuzu Plajı
- DEKAMER Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre — official website
- Wikivoyage: Dalyan — transport and DEKAMER
- Turkey Travel Planner and Frommers — getting around Dalyan and to the beach
- Habertürk (29.05.2026) and Cumhuriyet (18.05.2024) — the night ban on turtle beaches
- İşçi Haber (21.07.2025) — paid parking and sunbeds at İztuzu
- Wikidata Q2016002
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