About a month ago, my boyfriend surprised me with two plane tickets to Dalaman. I didn't know anything about Dalaman, but he said it didn’t matter because we wouldn’t spend any time there anyway. We would go straight to Ölüdeniz. Ölü.., what?

 

Until that day, I had also never heard of Ölüdeniz. before. It's actually good that I'm writing and not talking about Ölüdeniz, because I have no idea either how to pronounce that town. Nevermind.

 

 

A week later, I was ready to go. Oh boy! I wasn't disappointed at all.

 

The gorgeous little town Ölüdeniz is located on the Mediterranean coast of Southern Turkey, 15 kilometers from Fethiye and about 70 kilometers from Dalaman Airport.

 

 

I was quite impressed when we arrived at the beach. I had heard this place is one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean sea. Once I got there, I understood why. A long white pebble beach, surrounded by mountains and seawater that reflected all shades of turquoise and aquamarine. It was magnificent.

 

Butterfly Valley (pictured below) is one of the best beaches to visit in this area.

 

 

The scenery was even more spectacular from above. Ölüdeniz is known as one of the world's best place for paragliding. I couldn't ignore the hundreds of paragliders coming down all day. After watching them for some time, i was psyched! Suddenly I knew, I was so going to do that as well. Forget sunbathing on the beach when you can fly like a bird and get a tan in the sky...

 

 

The next day, I checked some of the travel agencies that offers Tandem Paragliding. There were plenty of them in town. I ended up booking my Tandem Paragliding online because I got overwhelmed by all the shops.

 

One of the guides told me that their pilots fly about 25 times a week for about 6 months a year. That's the time of the season in Ölüdeniz, from April to October. When the season is over, some of them continue paragliding in South Africa, Brazil or Nepal. For a second I thought, that's actually a pretty cool job.

 

 

The guide also mentioned that their pilots had never gotten into any accidents. After that conversation, I felt secure, but also excited. Couldn't wait to fly myself. Or ... I mean in a Tandem.

 

I was picked up by a mini bus, that carried a group of people, mostly guys. At that point, I became extremely nervous. Not because of the guys of course. I was anxious to fly. Plus, the ride up to the top of Mount Babadag was anything but relaxing. We were driving right to the narrow cliff edge and the view was a mix of stunning and terrifying.

 

Honestly, I was scared to do the paragliding, but I would have been even more terrified to get back in that mini bus and endure the drive down the mountainside.

 

I felt pretty relieved when we reached the top of Mount Babadag which was 2,000 meters (6,500ft) in height.

 

Finally, I got introduced to my pilot, a guy called "Dirty". Funny nickname. I wondered where he got it from, but I was too distracted to ask. He looked more like a Californian surfer dude, but eventually he made me believe that he's Turkish. He seemed like a cool guy and I had no doubts that he would bring me safely back to the ground at sea level.

 

Dirty gave me a quick, but good briefing prior to take off. Unfortunately, he took my flip flops away and gave me the ugliest sneakers you could imagine. So just for the record, the shoes I'm wearing on the photos are not mine. (So make sure to bring your own sneakers, their shoe selection might not fit your style ;)

 

 

The take off was easier than I thought. I was strapped to him, so I couldn't run away anymore or change my mind about doing the jump. Thank God I didn't have to run to the edge of a cliff! Actually, I had to run for about 2 meters and then we were lifted gently up into the sky. 

 

I didn't know that we would go even higher. Dirty told me it was possible to get up to 2500 - 3000 meters. First it was amazing. Then I thought I need to throw up. Then it was amazing again. Dirty tried really hard to keep me entertained  and after a few minutes I was fine and could really enjoy it.

 

 

From that point on I was like on drugs. It was just surreal. Looking at the blue lagoon below us and having the sun above, shining on us was truly out of this world. I was so amazed that I forgot to take pictures.

 

 

The view over the bay of Ölüdeniz, the mountains and the national park was simply breathtaking. 

 

 

After some time in the air, Dirty told me we could extend it to 40-45 minutes, but since I felt a bit nauseous (but also amazed!), I said I would rather land sooner.

 

The touch down was perfect and smooth. We landed on a green strip, right next to the beach. As much as I loved the experience of flying, I was happy to set my feet back on the ground.

 

 

To sum it up: I loved it. The Tandem Paragliding was so much fun, a must do adventure in Ölüdeniz! It's a lifetime experience!

 

 

The rest of my time in Ölüdeniz was relaxing. Mostly hanging out on the beach and swimming in the beautiful blue lagoon. A boat trip to Butterfly Valley is a must - do, it's absolutely stunning!

 

I really fell in love with this little town, even though Ölüdeniz is anything else than a traditional Turkish village. Can't wait to come back here and maybe even spend an entire summer here...

 

 

All in all I loved our 8 days escape in Ölüdeniz, I liked it so much that I will consider going back next year, rent an apartment and stay over the summer. 

 

 

tUrkey Travel Tips

 

Are you ready to fly to Turkey? Here are some quick booking links and resources that I use myself for travel planning. These websites will help you to get started with your Turkey itinerary!

 

 

Cheap Flights to Turkey

 

Skyscanner is my favorite search engine for finding cheap flights to Turkey, from anywhere in the world. I always start my flight search here! 

 

 

Transport within Turkey

 

Bus, boat, and trains: Omio is one of the most reliable websites when it comes to booking buses, ferries and railway. Get an instant seat confirmation and start your overland travel worry-free.

 

 

Find a Place to Stay in Turkey

 

Hostels, hotels and resorts: Agoda is excellent if you're looking for hotels from budget to luxury! It's one of the largest hotel booking websites in the world. Plenty of options to book now and pay later, or even pay at the hotel. Risk-free booking, many with free cancellation. My other go to is Booking.com.

 

Homestays and Housesits: For a more authentic and local experience I recommend Homestay.com, a website where you can find places to stay with locals for such a great price. Personally, I'm obsessed with Trusted Housesitters, where you get to stay completely for free in exchange for pet care. Find out more in my article on How to Become a House Sitter and Never Pay for Accommodation.

 

 

Fun Tours and Activities in Turkey

 

Get your Guide has plenty of fun activities in Turkey, such as boat cruises, hiking tours and city sightseeing trips. There is plenty of choices to keep yourself entertained!

 

Klook is similar than the one above, but offers additional options such as airport transfers, SIM cards, and food & dining experiences. It' a great way to meet other travelers while exploring a new place!

 

 

eSIM - Stay connected with Internet

 

Get an eSIM before you go and have Internet available from the second you arrive! I highly recommend Roamless or JetPac -  they're both highly ranked, inexpensive and reliable. 

 

 

Travel Insurance

 

Never go adventuring without travel insurance! I recommend Genki or SafetyWing - they're both very affordable and will cover you in an emergency. 

 

 

Do I need a Visa for Turkey?

 

Travelers from most countries are allowed to enter Turkey visa-free, for a period of 30 - 90 days. You can check on iVisa whether you need a visa and how long you are permitted to stay.

 

 

More Blog Posts from Turkey

 

• Istanbul Travel Guide - Awesome Things to do, Must-Try Restaurants and Cool Places to Stay
• 20 Photos That Will Make You Want To Visit Turkey!
• Discover and explore the best of the Turkish islands
• A Guide to Blue Voyage and Sailing in Turkey Turquoise Magic: Fethiye
• Taksim Square - 10 Days After Istanbul Got Out Of Control
• Hotel Review: Castle Inn, Unique Arch And Cave Rooms In A Chateau In Cappadocia

 

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