The Blue Lagoon at Oludeniz is widely used to advertise Turkey as a holiday destination and is one of the most photographed beaches in the world. Oludeniz is literally translated as ‘dead sea’. The Lagoon is set at the foot of pine clad mountains and is a protected area to preserve its natural beauty. To enter the lagoon beach there is a small entrance charge and only non-motorised watersports are allowed. It also has beautiful sandy private beaches and the sea is so calm that is is ideal for children. The private beaches are a popular destination for weddings.
The main beach is a long stretch of coarse sand and pebbles called Belceğiz. Most of the hotels are set back from the beachfront and are no more that 3 storeys high. Oludeniz is a turistic area and there are no villas or apartments to rent here. Rental villas and apartments can be found in the neighbouring towns of Hisaronu and Ovacik a short distance away. Oludeniz is a perfect family resort, great for a laid-back beach holiday, with plenty of facilities but not too much development. There is a wide variety of restaurants offering local and international cuisine or have a relaxing drink in one of the many bars and watch the world go by. Shops stay open into the evening. Daily boat trips depart from the bay to explore the surrounding coast or take the small boat to Butterfly Valley for a beach day with a difference. You can also spend the night camping here. Oludeniz is also known world-wide as a paragliding centre. Tandem paragliders take off from the 6000 ft Babadağ mountain, landing near the main beach about 45 minutes later. The views are spectacular and it is truely a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Oludeniz is not only a summer resort as some restaurants and cafes stay open all year round. During the winter the beach is a wonderful place for a picnic, you may be lucky enough to have the beach to yourself. On fine weather days you may still see some paragliders taking off from Babadag mountain, practicing their aerobatic skills and landing on the beach front. For hardy souls the sea is warm enough to swim all year round.
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