Butterfly Valley: One of the best places to have holiday in Turkey

Butterfly Valley Turkey (Kelebekler Vadisi), a large canyon which can be reached by a taxi boat from Fethiye Oludeniz, is one of the best places to have a holiday in Turkey. The canyon, around 250 meters wide and 1 km deep and (practically) can only be accessed from sea by boat, was once called Gudurumsu, but then renamed as Butterfly Valley thanks to large swarm of endemic butterflies living around the waterfalls on the canyon wall furthest from the sea. Unfortunately it has become very popular recently and is far from its peaceful atmosphere in the late 90s and early 2000s but still it is a great place to have a summer holiday.

Accommodation is basic in Butterfly Valley. The most luxurious option you will have is a wooden hut without electricity and shower (showers are shared). You can also rent a tent for the night or you can sleep outside on the beach! Last time I have been there, I have just rented a space to put my sleeping mat outside and then slept 3 nights there just next to the beach. And actually I have simply slept on the beach at one of the nights. Here you will stay in bungalows without electricity. This basic but unparalleled holiday experience draws many international tourists here from as far as Singapore, Australia and USA.

If you do not want to stay there, you can stay in Oludeniz and visit Butterfly Valley for a day or two.  But one of the best things to do in Butterfly Valley is to enjoy its otherworthly night.

The best way to get to Butterfly Valley is to use the official Butterfly Valley boat taxi which leaves Olu Deniz beach at 11:00 AM and 02:00 PM and valley at 01:00 PM and 05:00 PM. The other boats will try to sell you their boat trips and will be very annoying. Do not believe in what they say (they may even say there is no more taxi boat to Butterfly Valley) and wait for the official boat. It will approximately take 45 minutes boat ride from Olu Deniz to the valley and a round trip should cost 15 Turkish Liras.

Butterfly Valley Turkey – Source : Turkish Travel Blog

The management who is running the butterfly valley has the monopoly in this small place and this will translate into expensive meals. For example a beer will cost you around 7 Liras while a fish-bread will be also around that price. If you are really on budget buy some canned food and snacks from a market in Olu Deniz so you can have some cheap.

There are not many things to do here except resting quite well. The valley has a decent beach and the sea is quite OK. You can hang out in the restaurant all day and make new friends from around the world. Nights may be passed by singing in front of the beach fire or in the bar and you should at least once track the canyon to the waterfall to see the butterflies of the valley. People usually go to Butterfly Valley to do absolutely nothing which is actually quite good way to charge your batteries before going back to work.

And the valley has its own legend: Once upon a time, there was a small village at the mouth of a large canyon opening to the sea. One day, a ship comes to the shores of the valley  and a girl from the village falls in love with a sailor. But when time comes for the sailor to leave, he promises the girl that he will one day come back. He sails away and never comes back. But the girl waits with faith. Soon she has a baby from the sailor. Villagers abandon her and she shelters in the church of the village.

One day, a big storm blankets the valley. The villagers escape to the high grounds but the poor woman does not leave the church because she thinks if the sailor comes, he may not be able to find her there and may go back. Storm turns out to be a big one and the waves sweeps away the village and everything in the village. Today, there is only one stone structure in the valley and it is believed to be the church of the village where the woman died with her baby.

Where to stay in Oludeniz?

Ölüdeniz is located 14 kilometers south of Fethiye, in the skirts of Babadağ where Mediterranean and Agean Sea’s meet and it’s one of the most popular tourism hubs of our country. Found in almost all of the promotional clips and print materials, it’s also one of the symbols of the Turkish tourism industry. With its Blue Flag bearing, wonderful 3 kilometers long Belcekız Beach, (which is one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey), famous, turquoise blue sea, and it’s under water presenting amazing visuals for scuba diving, it’s a nice resort area with all kinds of accommodation options.
Not long ago, just 20 years ago from now, Ölüdeniz was known as Belcekız or Belceğiz, a little village where backpacker tourists camped, but today it’s a crowded, developed  resort area with about 100 hotels (inside and around) thanks to tourism. Today there are tens of different hotels, restaurants and bars right along its beautiful beach. Still this development is not as uncomfortable as it is in Marmaris or Antalya; there are no high-rise concrete blocks and ultra-loud night clubs here yet. Ölüdeniz may not be the most popular resort area in Turkey, but its relatively calm atmosphere, accommodation facilities and activities are really among the best.

In this post, we will give some information and tips regarding where to stay in Ölüdeniz. You’ve got roughly two alternatives on this one. You can stay in a hotel in the walking distance to Belcekız Beach which the life here revolves around, and you can also do that if you want to stay close to the night life to find the opportunity of spending a nice vacation. Or you can stay in the holiday resorts working with an all-inclusive system that are located around Ölüdeniz. While these facilities may offer a lot of amenities that especially your kids would love, you would find an intimate atmosphere at the better 2 and 3 star hotels of Ölüdeniz (you’re likely to meet the family and the owner in these hotels. Clients are usually the types who come every year to stay in the same hotel).

Let’s continue to our post by giving a few good hotel recommendations that are in the center of Ölüdeniz and are in the walking distance to beaches and bars.

Between the hotels that are both near to the town center and in 5-10 minutes of walking distance to the beach, the best one is probably the 3 star Asena Beach Hotel Ölüdeniz. This hotel has pretty nice pool and a restaurant inside its facilities and you can think of it as the center of Ölüdeniz since this place makes it easier to access both the beach and the night life scene of Ölüdeniz. Asena Beach Hotel Ölüdeniz has two pools. A beautiful mountain view is welcoming you when swimming in the larger one. Second pool is adults only and has a bar inside. There’s a separate pool for children.

Asena Beach Oludeniz is only 5 minutes walk to Oludeniz beach and is one of the best answer to where to stay in Oludeniz question.

Another one of the best hotels in Ölüdeniz in the walking distance to both Ölüdeniz beach and Ölüdeniz nightlife, is the 3 star Karbel Beach Hotel. While being 5 minutes of walking away from one of the best beaches in Turkey, it provides everything you need and a pool with a bar. There’s also a pool for kids for families with children. There are no restaurants in this hotel but it’s very close to the coastal road where restaurants and bars of Ölüdeniz are located.

Luxurious Hotels of Ölüdeniz

If you are looking for a luxurious hotel both located in the center of Ölüdeniz and close to the beach, with its sea level location and first class comfortable accommodation, the 5 star Belcekız Beach Club Hotel is the right choice for you.

Ölüdeniz Belcekız Beach Club is right next to Oludeniz beach (Belcekiz Beach) which is one of the best beaches in Turkey.

Another hotel close to the sea and in the center of Ölüdeniz in this category is the 5 star Club Sun City. Aside from its place and its luxurious facilities, it also has a nice pool for people who don’t feel like going to the sea.

For a complete list of Oludeniz hotels with details like Oludeniz hotel prices and customer reviews, visit Oludeniz Hotels page.