Unfortunately, in my eyes, it's also a perfect example of a pretty spectacular area getting
destroyed by an influx of a certain type of holiday maker.
Coming from Fethiye, it's about a 25 minute drive. Catching a Dolmus is the best way we've learnt to get around the coast. Pronounced 'Dole-Moosh', the 'buses' are pretty much large vans, decked out with a few handrails to ensure that everyone packed in like sardines can still hold onto something if they are stuck standing up. It makes for an entertaining (but not always fast) ride around for only a few Lira each way. Waving them down can often be a luck of the draw on who will stop for you.
Driving along, every single restaurant you start to pass in the more built-up areas have the classic sign out front saying, 'Full English Breakfast here.'
I thought we were in Turkey?
How about that cultural experience.
I guess the picture menu may work for some, (as long as there is a picture for fries too as you wouldn't want to get that basic side confused) but for me it's a nono I try to avoid.
If you can turn a blind eye to all of this and the punters that match you may remember that your still in Turkey. Which is nice.
Bobbing up and down in the ocean are various Turkish Gullets, the wooden boats that will take you just about anywhere including Butterfly Valley.
It's a 20 minute ride along the coast to this spot. Coming into the bay you soon forget about where you were before as both are worlds apart but still share the same beautiful electric turquoise waters.
I think people expect something to be there, some sort of attraction when they arrive to Butterfly Valley and many go away feeling disappointed. (Dare I admit it but I did read this from people who had left reviews on Trip Advisor).
There isn't much there. There certainly isn't any mass tourism. Or picture menus.
And that is why I liked it.
I read that there are meant to be over 60 different butterfly species living in the valley and that it has been their home for over thousands of years. Only in the 90s did hippies really discover the valley, moving there from the Blue Lagoon in Ölüdeniz to escape mass tourism.
Funny that, as now that's why most people still go there.
We didn't see any butterflies the day we were there. And we even obeyed the signs to keep quiet as it can scare the butterflies away. But we did see a camel and a very cool Combi Van tent.
At this time of year, the waterfall isn't streaming down into the valley but it's still provides a solid cool off from the afternoon heat.
Most people who stay there either camp on the beach or take the luxury option of a beach shack styled bungalow. Us day trippers instead took the last ferry back to 'reality' knowing we would be missing an epic night under the stars.
Toodle pip x
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