Three kinds of water in one day
The Dalyan delta connects a lake, a river and the sea, and a boat trip travels through all three. That is why swimming here is so varied.
- Thermal water at Sultaniye: hot, sulphurous and mineral-rich, rising from natural springs on the lake shore.
- Sheltered water on the route: calm, brackish water where swimming stops sometimes happen, depending on the trip and conditions.
- İztuzu Beach: salt sea with waves on one side, and the calmer, warmer river mouth on the other.
If you want to understand how these waters connect, we explain the geography in the Dalyan delta explained.
The thermal pool at Sultaniye
The first water most people enter is not for swimming so much as soaking. After covering yourself in mud, you rinse off and settle into the thermal pool, which is fed by hot springs and has a distinct sulphur smell.
The water is warm to hot and relaxing in short spells. Most people stay in for a while, get out to cool down and go back in. It feels particularly good in spring and autumn, when the air is cooler.
It is not for everyone. Anyone with a heart condition, blood pressure problems, pregnancy or a heat-sensitive condition should check with a doctor first, and children often find it too hot. Nobody has to go in. More in our mud bath and hot springs guide.
Swimming stops from the boat
Depending on the trip, the route and the conditions on the day, the boat may pause for a swim in sheltered water. The crew decides where and when, based on safety and traffic.
Swimming from a boat is different from swimming from a beach. You enter from a ladder or the side, the water is deeper than it looks and you need to be able to get back aboard. Stay close to the boat and well away from the propeller and from other boats.
If swimming stops matter to you, ask when you book whether your trip includes them. On a private boat you have more say in where you stop.
İztuzu: the sea side
The Mediterranean side of İztuzu is what most people picture: a long sandy beach with open water and small waves. The sea is clear and refreshing, and cooler than the river side.
The seabed shelves away more quickly here, and on windy days the waves can become strong. Swim within your ability, keep children close and pay attention to conditions rather than assuming the sea is calm because it was in the morning.
Walk a little way from the main entrance and you will find more space. We cover the beach’s remarkable history in how İztuzu was saved.
İztuzu: the river side
A short walk across the sandbar brings you to the other side of İztuzu, where the river meets the sea. Here the water is calmer, shallower and warmer, closer to a lagoon than to open sea.
It is the favourite side for families with young children, weaker swimmers and anyone who simply wants to float. Many first-time visitors only discover it at the end of the day and wish they had found it sooner.
Remember that the river is also where boats come and go. Swim in the areas where others are swimming, away from the boat channel and the landing points.
How warm is the water?
It depends heavily on the month. The sea lags behind the air: it is coolest in spring, warms through June and July and is at its warmest in August and September. Many visitors find September the most pleasant month of all for swimming.
In April and early May the sea is bracing, and the thermal pool becomes the most appealing water of the day. By late October the sea is cooling again, though often still swimmable.
The river side of İztuzu is usually warmer than the open sea at any time of year. For a full picture of the season, see our month-by-month guide.
Swimming safely
- Swim within your ability, and do not assume deep water from a boat is as easy as a pool.
- Children should always be in the water with an adult.
- Stay away from propellers, boat channels and landing points.
- Reapply sun cream after swimming and after the mud; time in water increases sun exposure.
- Give turtles plenty of space. They generally avoid swimmers, and you should not follow them.
- Drink water through the day. Swimming in the heat dehydrates you faster than you notice.
And if you are in any doubt about conditions at a particular spot, ask the crew. They know the water.
If you do not swim
A Dalyan boat trip is still very much worth it if you do not swim. The mud baths, the tombs, the reed channels and the lake crossing need no swimming at all, and the shallow river side of İztuzu is ideal for wading.
Most boats carry life jackets, but sizes vary, so if you or a child will want one that fits properly, ask before the day. Our guides for families with children and older travellers cover this in more detail.
For everything else to prepare, from swimwear to cash for entrance fees, see the mistakes first-timers make.