this region offers such a myriad of activities, it’s hard to list them all.  there are beaches, mountains, ancient lycian ruins, adventure sports, boat trips, and even traditional activities like village weddings and camel wrestling!

saklıkent gorge, a short drive away, offers nature hikes, canyoning, white water rafting, horseback riding, etc.  fethiye  offers paragliding, boat trips to twelve different islands, great restaurants and shopping, and traditional turkish markets.  you can go sea kayaking and diving in kaş , take a boat through a bamboo labrynth to mud baths in köyceğiz lake, take a boat trip to rhodes, the closest greek island, or take a three day boat trip called the blue cruise from fethiye to chimerla, the ancient eternal burning flame.  the best nearby beaches are ölüdeniz and patara, also home to one of the most famous of the ancient lycian cities. 

this is the region of the ancient lycian civilization, a pre-greek flourishing culture, with  the lycian way, a 30 day hiking trail, connecting the most important cities: xantos, the political capital, letoon, the religious capital, and patara, the economic capital and boat harbor. at patara, you get “two in one” for your trip there: a view of the ancient ruins, and an amazing beach, the longest in turkey, 18 km long.  most of the cities are a short drive away, and everywhere in the area you find lycian tombs and architecture, as this is the heart of what lycian country.

with all of the options, it can get a little overwhelming, so we have some favorites we’d like to suggest. you can go up to the mountain for a beautiful sunset at dervish lodge, watching the turquoise mediterranean from thick cushions in a magical surrounding. let erdem cook you a delicious dinner and turkish coffee, sleep under the stars, in a yurt, or in one of the cozy cabins, and enjoy a turkish breakfast early in the morning before heading out on a gorgeous two and a half hour hike through the forest, down to one of the best kept secrets in turkey, kabak beach. It’s a secluded, super chilled-out beach, where people spend days lounging, swimming, smoking rolled cigarettes, camping, or hanging out at one of the cute cafes.  spend the night in kabak valley, and in the morning, take the tractor up to the top, to kabak village. alternatively, you can also continue to follow the lycian trail up to the top in a steep but gorgeous hike. take a dolmus to butterfly valley, hike down and spend the night, or to ölüdeniz, a famous but crowded beach, and take a boat ride from there.  when you’re ready, you can take the dolmus back to fethiye and back to yakabağ where you can again relax by the pool and enjoy some delicious home-cooked garden food.

if you’re up for some traditional adventures, you can go with sinan to any traditional festivities in the region, such as camel wrestling, traditional oil wrestling, village weddings, circumcision celebrations, and ceremonial lunches. you can photograph these occasions together and edit them during night chats.

whatever your interests, whether it’s a quiet healing retreat, an adventure-packed holiday, some fun in the sun, experiencing traditional life, or life on a farm, there are plenty of things to do.  the best part is to feel like you’re coming home at the end of the day when you enter the valley between the two sets of mountains, and come back the quiet of the village and to your yakabagh family.