Dalaman Area Holidays

Fly direct from Dublin to southwest Turkey and enjoy a coastal holiday in Dalaman. The Dalaman area is home to old towns and traditional Ottoman culture, blended with modern resorts and the white sands of the Turkish Riviera. With beaches, mountains, and colourful markets, there's plenty to see and do.

City breaks

If you love on-the-go holidays with lots of sightseeing, you’ll love spending time in Marmaris. The highlights of the city are the 16th-century castle and old amphitheatre, along with the huge shopping bazaars, natural caves, and waterparks, which are dotted on the outskirts of town. Busy Marmaris days are best capped off with a relaxing visit to one of the city’s traditional Ottoman Turkish baths.

Beach getaways

Due to its location on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, the Dalaman area benefits from a hot Mediterranean climate that brings pleasant temperatures all year round. When the sun’s shining, Dalaman’s beaches are the place to be. And there’s a lot of them to choose from. One of the best is the five-kilometre Calis Beach in Fethiye, where you can parasail, windsurf, or relax under the shade of the palms.

Mountain views

For those who enjoy the great outdoors, a trip to Ovacik is a must. Located in the foothills of the almost 2000-metre tall Babadag Mountain, Ovacik is a quiet and peaceful hillside village where you can watch the paragliders launch themselves from the summit. The challenging 13-kilometre hike to the top shows off some of the area’s best flora and fauna. Keep an eye out for rare orchids, badgers, and even wild goats.

At a glance

Check out the turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoon in Olu Deniz
Excite the kids with a visit to one of the Dalaman area’s adrenaline-pumping waterparks
Shop for souvenirs at the lively markets of Marmaris

Destinations in Dalaman Area

Top Destinations

Marmaris Beach

Marmaris’ urban beach is located right in the heart of the city, so it’s very easy to get to if you’re staying in the local area. It offers quite dramatic-looking dark sands, backed by the surrounding mountains. Swimming and diving are popular activities here, and with the bustling promenade right behind, you’ll have all the refreshments you need throughout the day. There’s often some street entertainment, too.
Icmeler Beach

Icmeler Beach is another great option in the Dalaman area of Turkey. Its sands are a little lighter than those at Marmaris, and the calm waters are perfect for kids to have a splash about. Icmeler Beach is a 15-minute drive from Marmaris, or you can get there in 90 minutes on foot. While this may seem like quite the trek, it’s actually a beautiful walk along the Marmaris promenade and through Ataturk Park.
The Blue Lagoon

Probably the most famous beach in the Dalaman area can be found just 12 kilometres from Olu Deniz. The Blue Lagoon is named for its sparkling azure waters, and its sandy beach is the best place to view the changing hues. The main beach at Olu Deniz is also worth a visit. While pebbly, the limestone cliffs make for a picturesque backdrop, and you may spot some paragliders making their way down from Babadag.

Bargain Buys

The Marmaris Grand Bazaar is a covered shopping centre with rows and rows of small stalls offering handicrafts, textiles, and Turkish sweets, like Turkish Delight and halva. You can pick up some great bargains here, especially if you’re looking for budget-friendly fashion. It’s considered completely normal to haggle here, so it’s a great place to put your bargaining skills into practice.
Mid-Range Buys

Fethiye is home to many mid-range souvenir shops where you can buy local Turkish products to take back home. Ceramics are popular buys, along with handmade soaps and lotions made with olive oil. While you’re in Fethiye, stop by the Erasta mall. This two-storey shopping centre has brands like Deichmann and US Polo. Hisaronu is also good for shoppers, and you’ll find lots of clothing here.
Designer Buys

The area around the Marmaris marina is best for designer shopping, especially if you’re looking for the real thing. There are lots of international brands and Turkish outlets here, like De Facto. Along Ataturk Road, towards the Atlantis waterpark, there's another good designer shopping location in Marmaris. Turkish clothing brand Koton has a store here, and the Blue Port shopping centre has lots of stores inside.

Laid-back evenings

If your idea of a great night out is cosy cocktails with sweeping views of the Dalaman coast, then book a trip to Hisaronu. This small hillside town is remarkably lively. Many bars place fire buckets in their outdoor seating sections so you can enjoy the mountain views even on chilly evenings. Nearby Olu Deniz offers a quieter nightlife scene, with tiny beach bars serving up pub basics including local beers and wine. Fethiye is also a down-to-earth place, with a relaxed atmosphere around the harbour and promenade.
Lively evenings

For nightclubs, karaoke, and all-night parties, it’s got to be Marmaris. The hub of activity is Bar Street, which runs parallel to the marina. Foam cannons, laser shows, and live music await, with many clubs staying open until 5.00am. For something a little different, try popping into one of the meyhanes. These traditional Turkish joints specialise in local beverages such as raki, salgam, ayran, and sahlep. Nearby Icmeler is another lively night-time spot. While things tend to wind down a little earlier than in Marmaris, there are still plenty of clubs and bars with live music to see you through until morning.

Fresh seafood

Thanks to the Dalaman area’s location on the coast, many locals here follow a typical Mediterranean diet with plenty of fresh seafood and locally produced olive oil. Some of the freshest fish can be found at the Fethiye fish market, where you can select yours and have it cooked by the market’s own chefs.
Turkish meze

The traditional food culture in Turkey is all about taking it slow, and really making mealtimes into an event. If you sit down for some classic Turkish meze, expect an almost never-ending selection of hot and cold appetisers to be brought to your table, designed to be nibbled over hours of drinks and chatter.
Quick bites

Fortunately, there are some speedier options if you need to grab a quick bite in between sightseeing. In Marmaris especially, you’ll find there’s a big street food culture, with various roadside carts selling all sorts of handheld foods like simit bread, meat kebabs, and gozleme pancakes with sweet and savoury fillings.
Tea and coffee

While Turkey does make its own wines and beers, some of the best-loved beverages here are tea and coffee. Turkish coffee is renowned for being very strong, while the teas are often served black. Serving tea is almost a ritual here, typically poured into a dedicated curved tea glass with a small saucer.
Pine honey

Turkey is the world’s largest producer of pine honey, so kids with a sweet tooth will love the range of traditional desserts that are on offer here. Baklava is very popular, with layer upon layer of nuts, honey, and filo pastry. And don’t miss out on lokma, which is a type of doughnut smothered in sticky honey.

Dalaman Area Holidays

City breaks

Beach getaways

Mountain views

At a glance

Destinations in Dalaman Area

Top Destinations

Top things to See and Do in Dalaman Area

Marmaris Beach

Icmeler Beach

The Blue Lagoon

Bargain Buys

Mid-Range Buys

Designer Buys

Laid-back evenings

Lively evenings

Fresh seafood

Turkish meze

Quick bites

Tea and coffee

Pine honey

SIMILAR DESTINATIONS

Our destinations in Dalaman Area

Fethiye

Hisaronu

Icmeler

Marmaris

Olu Deniz

Ovacik

Sarigerme

Popular holidays

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