Life Overseas

Holidays in Olu Deniz offer plenty to do for the foreign tourist, from a perfect sandy beach to bustling nightclubs and boutique shops. However, if you’re after something completely different on your holiday in Olu Deniz then why not take a trip to Butterfly Valley.

You may not have heard of Butterfly Valley, which is home to the rare Jersey Tiger butterfly, but the destination is the perfect place to explore on your holidays in Olu Deniz. Conveniently, taxi boats leave the resorts of Olu Deniz and Fethiye three times a day and make the thirty minute journey to ‘Butterfly Valley’. However, the more adventurous tourist may want to reach the valley a completely different way. A steep and rocky trail slopes down from the upper rim of the valley, following the footpath from the front of ‘George House’. Although this route is much more strenuous, reaching the scenic canyon after a long climb can be an incredibly rewarding experience on your holiday in Olu Deniz.

Butterfly Valley is made up of a canyon, with steep cliffs stretching more than 350 metres high. These cliffs extend from an unspoiled natural beach, which stretches out over 4 kilometres. The cove has no electricity and just a simple beach restaurant, which makes it the perfect place to relax and get away from everything.

However, whilst relaxing is certainly a rewarding prospect, the truth is that the majority of people on their holidays in Olu Deniz don’t come to this destination to relax, but instead to marvel at the hordes of brightly coloured butterflies. More than 40 different species of butterflies come to this area to mate from June up until September. However, the rare Jersey Tiger butterflies are best seen between the months of April and June.

The valley also houses an enchanted waterfall, with vibrantly coloured flowers which in turn help attract the butterflies. The waterfall is located in a protected park and so if you want to visit this area whilst on your Olu Deniz holiday then you must be prepared to pay a small admission charge.

If you’re after something a little different on your holiday in Olu Deniz then why not take a visit to the ghost town of Kaya Koyu? The town was home to the Anatolian Greeks up until 1922 when they were deported during the exchange of populations that took part after the establishment of the Turkish republic. The new residents did not take up the existing houses and so in 1923 Kaya Koyu became a ghost town. Visiting an abandoned village may not sound the most enjoyable prospect on your holidays in Olu Deniz but the town is actually the gateway to a number of secluded beaches. With the town currently undergoing restoration work be sure to visit the Panayia Pirgiotissa Church before any major changes take place. The dramatic mosaic laid on the floor shows evidence of a community that really took pride in its Orthodox culture. Hopefully this community spirit will finally be restored when the town is renovated as a ‘friendship and peace’ community within the next couple of years.