Places to visit in Turkey (Carian Trail)
After walking the most beautiful stages of the famous Lycian Way, I turned my eyes to the Carian Trail one of the beautiful places to visit in Turkey. These roads are the paradisiacal corners of Turkey, the ancient homes of prehistoric civilizations that lived along the coast. Along these roads, there is abundant forest, greenery, sea, and magnificent coastal views, with the bonus of historical ruins.
The Carian Trail, like the Lycian Way, is not just one road. It consists of five different routes. Those interested can continue from the Lycian Way to the Carian Trail because the end of one is very close to the beginning of the other. This road starts in Dalyan and extends to the border of Aydın. However, the biggest handicap is that the markings are not as clear and reliable as those on the Lycian Way. Because of this, and also because we now have a baby, we gave up trekking and toured this area by car last year. We only walked the Marmaris-İçmeler and Turunç sections. Here are the Carian Trail and the places to visit in Turkey : (Photos belong to me)
Dalyan:
Various attractions are available in the center, which is located southeast of the Dalyan Delta, where Lake Köyceğiz connects to the Aegean Sea. From here, you can observe the royal tombs of Kaunos and rent a boat.
We didn’t visit the ancient city of Kaunos, which is a bit further from the center, but we went to the magnificent İztuzu Beach, where Caretta Carettas are commonly seen. İztuzu Beach is very spacious and covered with soft black sand. It could be the most beautiful beach you’ve ever visited. Besides the caretta living here, there are also various other marine creatures. Even the road from Dalyan to İztuzu Beach is worth seeing in terms of natural beauty. It seems that the Carian Trail also includes the ancient city of Kaunos. From what I saw on the map, it seems necessary to cross to the other side of the Dalyan Delta. We didn’t come across any trail markers.
Marmaris:
After the short route in Dalyan, a long road starts from Marmaris İçmeler and goes around Bozburun. The markings in this area are probably the best on the Carian Trail. We had walked as far as Turunç before. My recommendation is to start the walk from the center of Marmaris. There is a walking path along the seafront all the way to İçmeler. This easy path is a romantic walk under the trees.
The İçmeler-Turunç road is relatively more challenging, but it might seem short to experienced hikers. If you continue from Turunç, the next stop is the ancient city of Amos.
Bozburun:
This region, which is not well-known, is a must-visit area between Marmaris and Datça in my opinion. We visited Turgut Şelalesi (Turgut Waterfall) and Kızkumu Beach in this area. There doesn’t seem to be any marking issue at Turgut Şelalesi. I looked around a bit. It seems like a pleasant route.
Kızkumu Beach is an interesting place. There is a small statue of a girl on the beach, and there is a shallow area where the sea splits, allowing visitors to walk in the sea. It’s a unique experience.
Datça:
In the tranquil and beautiful town of Datça, which I have visited many times before, the places we chose this time were the old Datça houses, which are also part of the Carian Trail, Palamutbükü, and the much-anticipated Bördübet.
The old Datça houses consist of stone houses that are over 100 years old. These houses, where people still live, also have small and modest gardens. Besides history and architecture, these streets also smell of art. They have painted the stones and made very cute decorations. Tourists can even buy them as souvenirs.
We were lucky enough to enter one of the houses. Despite the heat of the summer, it was quite cool inside. Also, Can Yücel’s house is here.
Palamutbükü is one of the most beautiful bays in Datça and one of the beautiful places to visit in Turkey. It’s a peaceful place. What I remember most is the people camping on the hill just beyond the center. They set up their tents with a magnificent sea view. If you want to camp and relax, I recommend it.
Bördübet (Datça)
I was very curious about Bördübet because it is one of the few places on Earth where you can observe the universe with the naked eye. There was also an attractive camping area here. They had caravans with glass roofs. Years ago, I wanted to book a place there, but they said on the phone that the stars were not visible from the facilities due to the trees.
Also, because the accommodation was very expensive, I was disappointed and didn’t book. Access to this area is difficult in any case, but you don’t need to spend a lot of money on camping in a facility here. We found a coastline that was not occupied by any facility. The sea here is so shallow that it looks like a river. The sea is like a sheet, swimming is fantastic. If you have time, park your car and spend the night in such a place, I recommend.
We wanted to find the Carian Trail markers and walk a bit in Palamutbükü and Bördübet, but we lost the markers.
Akyaka-Gökova:
One of the most wonderful places in nature that you must visit on the Carian Trail. I went there a long time ago, had a meal on a boat, and also took a boat tour on the Azmak River. I walked in nature and saw Barış Manço’s house. This time, we visited the famous nostalgic eucalyptus road in Gökova. You can also enter this road by car.
Bodrum:
Although the Carian Trail ends before reaching Bodrum, both the natural wonders of the bays that you must visit before arriving in Bodrum and the center of Bodrum are worth seeing. You should visit for the unique views of the historical windmills and the white-blue simple designs of Bodrum houses that you can see at sunset overlooking the two bays.
Kapıkırı:
The Carian Trail separates to the inner Caria region before reaching Bodrum. The road passing through Milas also passes through Kapıkırı. There are historical ruins in the middle of Lake Bafa here. The Carian Trail goes from here to the border of Aydın.
Translated from here