This Butterfly Valley Is One Of Turkeys Hidden Treasures

Only accessible by boat, Fethiye’s Kelebekler Vadisi (Butterfly Valley) is a truly remote beach where you’ll find nothing more than nature in its full beauty. Also home to many species of butterflies (hence the name), Culture Trip takes a look at what makes this stunning valley so special.

If you’ve taken on the Lycian Way, you probably already had the chance to gaze upon the magnificent Butterfly Valley. However, to get to its beach, you have to travel by boat, one of the main reasons why this particular section of nature is so remote and still untouched. The glorious mountainous valley, stretching around 86,000 square meters (21.3 acres), opens up to the brilliantly blue sea with a white sand beach in its midst. It is also here that more than 100 species of butterflies flutter about undisturbed (including the local orange, black, and white Jersey Tiger butterfly) in an area where a waterfall cascades down from a canyon and flows into a river right by the lavender flowers. As such, it’s no wonder that the Turkish government declared the valley a preservation area in 1987, in order to protect the butterflies and their natural habitat.

Unlike nearby Ölüdeniz, a beautiful lagoon that has become overcrowded with tourists, the Butterfly Valley has succeeded in remaining remote from the common path, burgeoning superbly in its isolation. The story goes that in 1981, Faralya’s residents sold the valley to the Anatolia Tourism Development Cooperative—they were planning on turning it into a tourist gem. However, three years later, the land was deemed a national preservation area with the automatic prohibition of construction. Nowadays, thankfully only tents and bungalows are allowed on the beach, as the focus on nature and its protection and growth are truly palpable. You’ll be happy to see that olive, orange, walnut, peach, pomegranate, lemon, palm, laurel, and oleander trees are all thriving wonderfully without any disturbance.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.