Located at the southern end of Ölüdeniz, Turkey, the Blue Lagoon beach is renowned for its crystal-clear turquoise sea and surrounding natural beauty.
The coastal spot boasts extremely calm waters and is overlooked by the 1960m high (6,430ft) Babadağ mountain, a popular paragliding spot.
Aside from being a pristine destination for water sports and sunbathing, the Lagoon stretch has a range of bars and cafes that line the beach, making for an attractive, and therefore very busy place in the height of the summer months.
During my visit to Ölüdeniz in November 2023, the beach was quiet and appeared untouched by a mass of tourists. But it failed to stand up against Kabak Bay which I visited the day before as I journeyed the D400 coastal route from Antalya.
Tucked at the foot of a lush green valley, the bay ‘Kabak Koyu’ is the other side of Butterfly Valley from Ölüdeniz, so the journey between the two offers indescribable views.
It’s a worthy pitstop on the Lycian Way, a 760km, 35-day way-marked footpath around the coast of Lycia in southern Turkey, from Fethiye to Antalya.
The beach can be reached by a fairly steep walk down a dusty path that meanders from the top of the valley, or if you drive, the meandering dirt track down has proven good fun with some visitors, according to Tripadvisor reviews. I stayed at the Mandala Camp, which boasts incredible views over the valley from its wooden bungalows, but there is some accommodation at beach level just a few minutes from the bay.
Strolling down to Kabak Bay, you can soak up the panoramic scenery washed with vivid shades of blue and green. The azure water appears transparent from above and becomes even more tempting with every step-down.
On a hot day, as I experienced in early November, it’s advisable to wear comfortable and sturdy footwear for the walk down and to pack plenty of water. A picnic is also worth taking as there’s little more than a small cafe on the beach, which was closed during my visit.
That said, the lack of amenities on the beach adds to the undiscovered charm of the place, making it feel secluded and somewhat cosy.
The Blue Lagoon in Ölüdeniz does have one thing over Kabak Bay – its golden sand. Kabak Beach is a rocky beach though it’s not sharp or uncomfortable.
Plus, the undisturbed location makes it much more private than sandy shorelines that stretch for miles with sun-seekers crammed in every spot (much like Ölüdeniz in the summer).
This beach is free to visit out of season, and temperatures are still high at 21C-25C in October and November. It’s a complete suntrap here too, with the only shade being in the tree-line path that you can take along the coast when you reach the beach.
Kabak beach may not have the same world-class status as Ölüdeniz’s Blue Lagoon, which Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2 and Jet2holidays, called a “standout” beach in the area around Dalaman, dubbed Turkey’s ‘Turquoise coast’, but it has much more.
It’s not easy to see until you locate the path down to it, but when it comes into view, there’s something quite spectacular about the small curve of Turkey’s southwest coastline. The location is also unique, sitting in the central stretch of the famous Lycian Way, just a short journey along the coast to Butterfly Valley which is well worth visiting if you plan to journey from Kabak to Fethiye.
The lack of amenities makes it peaceful and private, and the quiet waters are almost completely flat, making them perfect for swimming. Plus, very few boats moor in this bay out of season, unlike others that are tourist hotspots visited by party boats and day trippers.
