| Desperately in need of a week-long respite from the fast
pace and incessant traffic |
| of the
big city, I decided to head to the south coast for a well-earned break.
In between |
| two
busy tourist centers, Marmaris and Fethiye, and less than fifty kilometres
from the |
| little
town of Dalaman is the peaceful town of Köyceğiz. It is more like
a sleepy village, |
| hidden
from the busy tourist path by the surrounding pine forests and its
huge, serene |
| lake.
Lake Köyceğiz is fed by abundant streams pouring down from the mountains
winter |
| and
summer, and its own overflow runs into the Mediterranean via a narrow
fjord-like |
| channel,
on which lies the village of Dalyan, famous for the great loggerhead
turtles |
| (Caretta
caretta). |
| Dalyan
is named after the net fisheries which are traditionally used here
to catch fish in |
| the
main channel and its maze of offshoots which form the delta. In the
restaurants of |
| Dalyan
you can enjoy delicious mullet astonishingly cheaply, and take boats
to the |
| beach
of İztuzu, the ancient city of Kaunos, the rock tombs, to Sultaniye
mineral springs |
| or to
the mud baths higher up near the lake. The mud baths might not smell
too pretty, |
| but
they are said to cure rheumatism and aid in the treatment of gynaecological
ailments |
| as well
as reducing stress and increasing sexual potency. |
|
| The
long sand beach of İztuzu stretching for seven kilometres at the mouth
of the |
| channel
is the breeding ground where the turtles come to lay their eggs. The
nesting |
| area
has now been cordoned off to protect the eggs and young turtles but
swimming |
| and
sunbathing are permitted during the day. The seven kilometres of white
sand and |
| emerald-coloured
sea is an attraction all by itself. Even in high summer the place
is |
| quiet,
a refreshing retreat from the madness of the summer holiday season.
Indeed in |
| every
season it is the perfect place to relax, recoup and inhale huge lungfuls
of fresh |
| mountain
air.Köyceğiz is a little fishing town nestling on the edge of Lake
Köyceğiz |
| at
the western end of the Toros mountain range. Surrounded by orange
groves and |
| cotton
fields, the pretty town is a quiet retreat. Situated right on the
edge of the lake, |
| it
is the perfect starting point for fishing trips and canoeing, windsurfing
and swimming |
| in
the spring and summer months. In autumn and winter there is mountain
hiking, treks |
| to
the nearby waterfall, and endless fresh air to breathe.The range of
activities that some |
| of
the pensions have on offer is sure to leave you breathless. |
|
| Television
watching is not really considered a sport in Köyceğiz at all. People
much |
| prefer
to be sociable and chat with their guests or play cards or backgammon.
Some of |
| the
pension owners have boats moored on the lake during the spring and
summer |
| months
to take their guests on full-day cruises around the lake and through
the canals. |
| On
one such trip we stopped at the ancient city of Kaunos, which is said
to be over |
| 3000
years old, established around the 8th century BC, and explored the
ruins of the |
| metropolis
for an hour or so. Kaunos was built by Kaunos, the son of Miletus,
whose |
| sister
fell in love with him, causing him to be banished from the kingdom.
The main |
| buildings
of interest here are an amphitheatre, a temple, a palaestra (a type
of |
| gymnasium),
Roman baths and stoa. A short walk away from the city proper, in the |
| cliffs
overlooking Dalyan, are rock tombs, most having façades in the form
of Ionic |
| temples. |
|
| The
Sultaniye mineral springs on the lake shore are well worth the stop.
Pools carved |
| out
of the rocks hold the hot water to bathe in, which is usually around
38 OC, unless |
| the
level of the lake creeps up to blend with the spring water. The distinct
sulfuric smell |
| is said
to be a wonderful cure for asthma and other lung ailments. The mineral-rich
hot |
| water
is very relaxing and soothing to sit or swim around in for hours at
a time, but you |
| can
not wash with any kind of soap here as it ruins the pH balance of
the water. Further |
| down
the road there are hot streams coming straight out of the side of
the mountain and |
| flowing
into the lake. It is this water that the locals and visitors alike
drink for the |
| treatment
of all kinds of ills and pains. It can not harm you, even if it does
not really help |
| much! |
|
|
Wandering off by yourself to discover
the lost treasures of Köyceğiz is highly
|
| recommended.
The local markets on Monday are a colourful sight to see as well. |
| The
one most important feature of the town is that there are no carpet
or souvenir |
| shops.
Sitting in the shady tea gardens or restaurants on the promenade,
and watching |
| the
fish leaping in the lake is the most popular activity in Köyceğiz.
If it is all too sleepy |
| for
you, you can rent a boat and paddle around in the middle of the lake,
fishing or |
| enjoying
the warm sunshine and fresh air, or take a cruise across the lake
to one of the |
| historical
ruins nearby. It is also possible to rent bicycles and pedal yourself
around the |
| town.All in all Köyceğiz is a great place to relax any time
of the year. It has not been |
| overrun
by mass tourism and it is quiet and pleasant enough to make it possible
to enjoy |
| the Mediterranean coast at its best. |
