Iztuzu Beach is a narrow peninsula of fine white sand approximately 4.5 kilometres long, separating the fresh waters of the Dalyan channel from the blue Mediterranean. It is simultaneously one of the most beautiful beaches in Turkey and one of its most ecologically important — the most significant nesting ground in the country for the endangered Caretta caretta loggerhead sea turtle.
The beach is accessible by boat from Dalyan town (around 20 minutes downstream) or by road to the southern end. Swimming is safe, lifeguarded during the summer months, and the water is the kind of clear turquoise blue that belongs on a postcard. What makes Iztuzu genuinely unique, however, is the extraordinary story of how it came to be protected.
The conservation story
The story of how Iztuzu Beach came to be protected is remarkable. In the early 1980s, a German developer obtained permits to build a large hotel resort on the beach — a project that would have destroyed the primary nesting site of the loggerhead turtles that had been coming to this shore for millions of years.
The campaign to stop the development was led by June Haimoff, a British woman who had settled in Dalyan and become known locally as "Captain June." Her efforts, supported by the prominent environmentalist David Bellamy, brought international attention to the plight of the turtles. The campaign succeeded: the permits were cancelled, Iztuzu Beach was designated a protected Special Environmental Zone, and development on or near the beach was permanently prohibited.
June Haimoff spent the rest of her life in Dalyan protecting the turtles and the ecosystem. There is a statue dedicated to her in the town, and her hut at the south end of Iztuzu Beach remains standing. She is one of the most significant figures in Turkish conservation history.
Caretta caretta
The Caretta caretta, or loggerhead sea turtle, is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Adult females return to the same beach where they were born to lay their own eggs — a behaviour called natal homing that makes the protection of established nesting beaches critically important.
At Iztuzu, females come ashore at night between May and July to lay clutches of 70–120 eggs in nests dug deep into the sand. The nests are monitored and marked by DEKAMER (the Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre) at the south end of the beach. Hatchlings emerge at night from August onwards and make their way instinctively towards the sea.
During nesting season, sections of the beach are marked off and visitors are asked to stay clear of roped zones. Night access to the nesting areas is prohibited. These are small sacrifices for the continued survival of a species that has existed for 100 million years.
There are two ways to reach Iztuzu Beach from Dalyan town, each dropping you at a different end of the 4.5km beach.
Boats depart from the main jetty in Dalyan town throughout the morning from around 9am. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes downstream through the reed beds. This is by far the most scenic option — you pass directly below the Lycian rock tombs and through wildlife-rich channels. Boats drop you at the northern (wilder) end of the beach. Return boats leave from the same point throughout the afternoon. Day return tickets are available at the jetty.
A dolmuş (shared minibus) runs from Dalyan town centre to the car park at the southern end of Iztuzu Beach. This end of the beach is where DEKAMER, the turtle rescue centre, is located — as well as Captain June's hut. If visiting the turtle rescue centre is your priority, the dolmuş drops you much closer. Journey time is around 20 minutes. Departures from the main bus stop in town.
Practical information
The beach is open from 8am to 8pm during the main season (May–October). At night, access to nesting areas is prohibited to protect the turtles. Boat services from Dalyan run from approximately 9am with return trips throughout the afternoon.
Sections of the beach are roped off during nesting season to protect turtle nests. These areas are clearly marked. Visitors must stay outside the roped zones. Nest markers (small wooden stakes) are placed by DEKAMER scientists — please do not disturb them.
There are sun lounger and parasol rentals at the northern (boat) end of the beach. Small café facilities offer drinks and snacks. The southern end near the car park has more facilities including a small café, toilets and the DEKAMER centre. Bring your own sunscreen — strong UV is a given.
At the south end of the beach
DEKAMER (Deniz Kaplumbağaları Araştırma, Kurtarma ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi — Sea Turtle Research, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre) is located at the southern end of Iztuzu Beach. The centre treats injured, sick or disoriented turtles and rehabilitates them for return to the sea.
Visitors can see rescued turtles in treatment pools, learn about the conservation programme and the threats facing loggerheads in the Mediterranean. Entry is free. Captain June Haimoff's original wooden hut, where she lived while conducting her conservation campaign, stands beside the centre and is preserved as a memorial to her work.
Wake up, walk to the river jetty, and be on the beach in 20 minutes. A villa in Dalyan puts you right at the heart of it — with the freedom to catch the first boat of the morning before the crowds arrive. Browse handpicked villas at dalyanvillas.com.