On the outskirts of Dalaman, not far from where the famous Dalyan River flows into the Mediterranean Sea, is the town of Köycegiz. People started to settle in tens of thousands of years ago. One of the earliest settlements found in the vicinity of the town, dates back to 3400 BC. This land was inhabited and traced by the Assyrians, Persians, Hellenes, Dorians, Romans, Ottomans.
Modern Köycegiz developed already during the Ottoman Empire. In many ways it is not like other tourist centers. The population here remains virtually unchanged throughout the year. The city doesn't look crowded in the summer months, and in the winter months it is not completely deserted as in most tourist areas. Köycegiz is suitable for those who want to spend their holidays in a quiet and peaceful environment. Köycegiz is suitable for those who wish to spend their holidays in a quiet and peaceful environment and can be visited at any time of the year.
Köycegiz is a real water paradise. You only need to go a couple of meters deep at any point in the area, and a fountain with spring crystal clear water immediately begins to flow from under the ground. That's probably why the land in Köycegiz is unusually fertile and suitable for agriculture. Plants get moisture directly from the soil and do not wither even in the hottest summer days. The valley is surrounded by mountains covered with amber and pine trees. A similar similar forest where similar trees grow together is found nowhere else.
In the center of the city there is a square, from which neatly planned and clean streets diverge in different directions. It is always lively, and at dusk, restaurants, cafes and bars open in the streets adjacent to the city centre, restaurants, cafes and bars open up. Tables are often set up right on on the pavements. Despite their simple decoration, cafes and taverns offer a variety of appetisers and delicious dishes of all kinds of fish, meat and poultry. The prices here are much more attractive than in other tourist centres. It can be noted that in local establishments there is no division between "tourists" and local customers.
The city has a picturesque full-flowing lake Köycegiz, famous for its natural hot springs and mud baths. The lake narrows into a canal to the Dalyan River, which in turn flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The sandy beach in the area is said to be one of the most beautiful in Turkey. It stretches for five and a half kilometres and reaches a width of fifty to two hundred metres. There are here and showers with changing rooms.
You can rent a boat and visit Prison Island. Earlier on it was a prison fortress, of which now there are only ruins. There is, however, a more beautiful name - Love Island. As the legend goes, once upon a time a couple of lovers were hiding on this island from their parents’ wrath, and they immediately died from a snake bite (this is the most common story in Anatolia about a snake and an island). In order not to mistake the sea for a lake, you should orientate yourself by the the reed. It only grows in the lake.
The area covered by the lake and the Dalyan Canal is about 6,300 hectares. At the very end of the canal there is a small lagoon filled with a mixture of salt and fresh water. In these areas, the lake mullet lays its eggs.
The beach is a breeding ground for the "caretta" sea turtle. Drowning in reeds, the river meanders into the sea, winding around Lydian stone tombs from the 4th century BC.
Centuries ago, the valley was covered in silt and separated the lake from the sea, but the two are still connected. The lake's delta was formed by the sediment load of the Yuvarlak and Nam Nam rivers. A walk around the lake with a camera will give you a lot of pleasant impressions and excellent shots. The calm surface of the water reflects rocks and forests, a rare combination of amber and pine trees. In addition to walking, you can also enjoy rowing, sailing and surfing. Even if you are not interested in such types of recreation, then going on a boat for an evening walk, you will definitely get great pleasure from the magnificent starry sky, and fishing lovers are strongly advised to bring equipment and fishing rods. The lake is very favourable to anglers and it's hard to leave without a catch.
There is a thermal spring Sultaniye near the lake. The temperature of the water in it is about 40 degrees centigrade. It is one of the most famous balneological spas: there is a pond with therapeutic mud, which has to be washed off after 45 minutes in a pool of thermal water.
