18 September 2023 | Updated 3 February 20254 min read
Iztuzu Beach, Dalyan This epic sweep of sand is a fave with beach bums and turtles alike!
Turkey’s southern coastline has every kind of beach imaginable. Pine-fringed sands packed with all the facilities? Tick. Dramatic coves only accessible by boat? Yup. Blue Flag beauties that look like they belong on a postcard? You bet!
With so much choice, picking just one glorious stretch of sand is a toughy. So, we’ve narrowed down nine of Turkey’s best beaches to add to your bucket list. Sea you there.
As Turkey’s most iconic beach, Olu Deniz’s Blue Lagoon deserves the top spot on any ‘best beach’ round up. More than just good looks, this Blue Flag stunner has powder-soft sands for sunbathing and calm waters protected by a huge sand bar – awesome for snorkelling, kayaking and paddle-boating.
Get there by car or bus from Fethiye or take the scenic route: by paragliding from Babadağ mountain!
Named after the Egyptian queen who is said to have bathed here, Cleopatra Beach certainly lives up to its legendary reputation! Stretching along Alanya’s coast, it has a dreamy 2km (1.2 mile) ribbon of amber sand and crystal-clear sea.
You’ll find heaps of restaurants, bars and shops close by, plus sun-loungers and umbrellas to rent. It's a fab spot for watersports too – take your pick from parasailing, jet-skiing and kitesurfing.
Iztuzu isn’t just a hit with holidaymakers; its pristine, protected sands are loved by the adorable loggerhead turtles that lay their eggs here, too. (That’s us sold).
Its 4.5km-long (2.7 miles) strip of sand is blissfully undeveloped, though you’ll still find plenty of sun-loungers and umbrellas for hire.
Arrive via a boat taxi from Dalyan for a beach trip and sightseeing tour in one – the route takes in the ancient Lycian rock tombs so you can tick off another of the area’s highlights. Win!
Nestled between dramatic cliffs and home to a dazzling array of unique butterfly species, this secluded little pocket of sand is as fairytale as it sounds. Add its gentle, aquamarine seas and a waterfall hidden in the valley, and it becomes pure magic!
You’ll find Butterfly Valley just 20 minutes south of the Blue Lagoon, only reachable via boat or a challenging hike from Faralya. Visit in spring for your best chance of spotting the winged wonders.
Turkey’s largest beach – we’re talking 20 whopping kilometres (12 miles) long – is pretty hard to miss! But its size is not the only thing that makes Patara stand out.
Like Iztuzu, it’s an untouched, undeveloped turtle haven and you won’t find a single hotel along its honey-coloured sands. What you will find are desert-like dunes and the ancient ruins of Patara City.
The shallow shoreline makes it a fave with families while the larger offshore waves are a surfer’s paradise.
Located in the heart of the Turquoise Coast, Marmaris is one of Turkey’s most popping beach resorts. The down side? Its main beach gets pretty crowded, so head instead to Icmeler’s golden shores, just a 15-minute drive south.
You’ll be glad you did. Sheltered by pine-clad hills and looking out onto Keci Island, this beach was made for your Instagram. There’s tons to do, too. Keep it chilled out with swimming and snorkelling or go for full-on thrills with parasailing and banana boating!
Beach bums are spoilt for choice in Antalya, but Konyaalti’s sand-and-shingle stretch beneath the Taurus Mountains is easily the best of the bunch. With clear teal waters, spotless shores and an excellent range of facilities, it’s totally worthy of its Blue Flag status.
Come day or night, there’s something going on here. The beach’s cafes and kiosks offer daytime refreshments and watersports, while the beach clubs, bars and lively promenade keep the entertainment going long into the evening. Sign us up!
Looking for laidback? With a string of simple bungalows and low-key tavernas, Cirali feels super distant from the busy resorts on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Oh, and it’s pretty gorgeous too.
Its strawberry blonde pebble-and-sand stretch sits between fragrant fruit orchards and pine-covered mountains, and has plenty of space for sunbathing. For something a little different, the ancient city of Olympus is just a 15-minute walk away.
Head inland as night falls to witness a fascinating wonder: the Yanartaş Burning Rock.
Kabak has evaded the spotlight of better-known neighbours, Olu Deniz and Butterfly Valley, making its idyllic pebbly beach one of the coast’s last hidden gems (we won’t tell if you won’t?).
Flanked on either side by lush mountain valleys, it’s visited mainly by locals, hikers and campers looking to stay off the beaten track.
The hike down to the beach from Kabak village is steep, but so worth it for the baby-blue bay that awaits – trust us!
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