Faralya

village in Fethiye, Muğla Province, Turkey

Faralya is a village in Lycia on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, 15 km south of Ölüdeniz and 30 km south of Fethiye. It's best known for Butterfly Valley, a scenic canyon. Officially it's called Uzunyurt, which refers to the straggle of settlements comprising Kozağaç, Kirme, Hisar, Faralya, Kızılcakaya and Kabak (separately described). Nobody calls it that, but the name is apt, as it means "straggle of settlements, et cetera, et cetera". The strip around Faralya had a population of 640 in 2022.

Get in

A narrow road winds 14 km from Ölüdeniz, branching off the main highway from Fethiye near the Blue Lagoon. Allow 30 minutes to drive it, dodging potholes. The road continues to Kabak, where it dead-ends. Hitchhiking is easy, and dolmuşes ply the length of this road.

See below for the Lycian Way hiking trail.

Boats sail June-Aug from Ölüdeniz to Butterfly Valley.

Get around

The path from the highway and village down the canyon to the beach has been closed as unsafe. It always was a harum-scarum scramble, and those competent to undertake a mountaineering route can still make it, but the only regular access is now by boat trip to the beach. You'll have to go to Ölüdeniz to join these.

See

  • 🌍 Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi) is a 1 km canyon that you can peer into from the village above, but only safely access from the beach, reached by boat trips. Check whether your trip includes any admission charge - someone's sure to demand an "eco-fee" or somesuch and tuck it away in their back pocket. The canyon is named for its butterflies, which are commonest in the upper, well-watered sections in early summer. The waterfalls are likewise best before the season turns dry.
  • Mosques here are both modern.
  • Lycian sarcophagii are dotted about. The nearest is at the end of the village towards Kabak, on the gentle slope on the left side of the road. The largest is near Aktaş beach and Nautical Hotel, reached by the waymarked coastal trail. Two more are hidden in the forest between Kabak and Aktaş off the trail.
  • 🌍 Babadağ is a limestone mountain of 1969 m / 6460 ft rising sharply from sea level: see Ölüdeniz for access by road, cable car and hiking trail.

Do

  • The Lycian Way is a long-distance hiking trail that officially starts at Ovacık, 2 km north of Ölüdeniz, though many hikers start from Fethiye to take in the ghost village of Kayaköy. From Ovacık to Faralya is 16 km and can be done in a day, else camp midway in the mountains. The trail rejoins the road at Watermill Hotel and passes the mosque before striking into the hills towards Kabak.

Buy

Butterfly Valley seen from the village
  • Gül Market is the general store, at Hisar Cd 7 next to Watermill, open daily 07:00-23:00.
  • No ATM and no fuel until you get back to Ölüdeniz.

Eat

  • Kelebek at 24 Hisar Cd is open 24 hours.
  • Zakkum is at 38 Hisar Cd, open daily 09:00-23:00.
  • Nihan's Kitchen in the main village is open daily 09:00-23:30.
  • Pera Pool Garden at Kızılcakaya Sk 48/1 is open daily 10:00-01:00.
  • Yiğitoğlu at Kızılcakaya Sk 89 is open daily 09:00-23:30.

Drink

  • Cafes and restaurants serve alcohol, there's no free-standing pub.
  • Take plenty of water on hikes.

Sleep

"King's Tomb"

Connect

Faralya and the road from Ölüdeniz have 4G from all Turkish carriers, but there is no signal further south or inland. As of Aug 2024, 5G has not rolled out in Turkey.

Go next

  • Kabak 8 km further south has a more accessible canyon.
  • Ölüdeniz is best known for its blue lagoon, but you need a bright day. The name actually means "dead sea", which is how it looks in dull conditions.
  • Fethiye is the big resort further north.


Routes through Faralya
Fethiye ← Ovacık ← Kirme ←  W  E  → Kabak → Antalya



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