BUTTERFLY VALLEY

There are two ways to access the valley. One is to take a boat from Ölüdeniz, which passes some wonderful coastline, and either spend the day enjoying the beach or hike up to the village of Faralya at the top. It’s a steep uphill hike but it’s pretty too, passing waterfalls, creeks and springs, and the expansive views from the top are a fine reward. There are also accommodation options, including a campground, meaning you can spend the night and wake up to the glorious scenery the next morning.

This stunning natural site, which dates back to 400 BC, is at the foot of the almost 2,000 metres high Babadag Mountain and lives up to its name by hosting around eighty different species of butterfly—the most famous resident being the strikingly striped tiger butterfly. Popular for its stunning sandy beach, the valley’s steep cliffs, which rise up some 350 metres, give the place a wonderfully tranquil and isolated feel that make it ideal for hiking.