Olu Deniz holidays

The legendary Blue Lagoon is the main calling card of Olu Deniz holidays. This part of Turkey’s iconic Turquoise Coast is where natural beauty meets relaxed village vibe. And with its mountain backdrop, this place is perfect for paragliding adventures, too.

Iconic beauty at the Blue Lagoon

Olu Deniz sits in south-west Turkey, with a coastline to make other resorts blush. The area was once a paradise for pirates and smugglers, but nowadays the world-renowned Blue Lagoon is a treasure of a different kind. It’s one of the country’s most highly-photographed landmarks, and the likes of Belcekiz Beach – with its clear turquoise waters – regularly features on the list of the world’s best beaches.

Blue Flag beaches and seafront life

The mile-long sand-and-shingle beach in Olu Deniz has been granted a Blue Flag environmental award. It’s fringed by a bustling seafront promenade, too, where local Turkish dining is easy to come by. Just behind the beach, meanwhile, the village has preserved its charm, and there are plenty more places to eat and drink.

High altitude thrills

Behind the beach and the village, the landscape’s peppered with jagged, pine-cloaked mountains. You can bring out your adventurous side here, with paragliding and tandem flight experiences from the 1,960-metre Babadag Mountain. Glide all the way down to the landing zones on the beach promenade while soaking up the sights of the Blue Lagoon and Butterfly Valley – a canyon home to butterflies of every colour. If you prefer to keep your feet closer to the ground, there are plenty of scuba diving and boat trips down at the beach.

Daytrips to Fethiye and Lycian ruins

If you fancy venturing out, it’s just a 25-minute dolmus ride (the local minibus) to nearby Fethiye. Sit back and soak up the atmosphere at the marina, or get an up-close view of the Tomb of Amyntas. This Lycian rock tomb dates all the way back to 400BC.