Asi Beach-Asi Bay is located just south of Dalyan. Day trips on boats out of Dalyan offer a day on the beach along with a barbarque. The bay has many caverns and caves, and an island where fish gather. It is a popular lay-over point for private and charter yachts plying the coastline. Asi Beach has a restaurant on the beach where you can order meals and drinks. It can also be accessed from Dalyan and this is usually by booking a jeep tour.

Ruins of Kaunos

Kaunos was a city of ancient Caria, Anatolia, a few km west of the modern town of Dalyan, Muğla Province, Turkey. Kaunos was said to have been founded by Kaunos, son of Miletos and Kyane, on the southern coast of Caria, opposite Rhodes. It was in a district later under the jurisdiction of Rhodes known as Peraea, "the Rhodian Shore", at the foot of Mount Tarbelos. Its acropolis was called Imbros. It exported, chiefly to Rome, highly prized figs. It was the home of the painter Protogenes. It was a member of the Chrysaorian League.
The ruins of the city are near Dalyan, on the right bank of the ancient Kalbis. Among them are a theatre, a large rectangular building that may have been a temple, others of uncertain description, a Byzantine church, and rock-hewn tombs.
Kaunos was Christianized early, and bishops are known beginning from the 4th century. Four bishops are mentioned by Lequien (I, 981): Basil, who attended the Council of Seleucia in 359; Antipater, who attended the Council of Chalcedon in 451; Nicolaus, who subscribed the letter to Emperor Leo in 458; and Stephanus, who attended the Council of Nicaea in 787. The Synecdemus of Hierocles and most Notitiae Episcopatuum, as late as the 12th or 13th century, place it in Lycia, as a suffragan of Myra.
Kaunos remains a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church, Cauniensis; the seat has been vacant since the death of the last bishop in 1972. There are three ways of reaching Kaunos which attract great attention today owing to its Venetian type of channel and Lycian type of tombs . The visitors who come by means of their yachts, land on the island named Delikli Ada and reach the site of the ruins by starting off in small boats from here; those who come from Marmaris by sea route, drop anchor in the vicinity of Delikli Ada and also reach the site of the ruins in small boats; and those who come by land route, reach the ruins by starting boats from the Village of Dalyan which is at a distance of 27 km from Köycegiz.
The existance of the ruins of Kaunos was first discovered in the year 1842, and excavations have been carried on there by the Turkish archaeologists under the supervision of Prof. Baki Ögün since 1967.
Kaunos, the son of Miletos, had been indicated as the founder of the city and therefore, it had been named Kaunos. The city was first captured by the Persians and then by Alexander and in the year 189 B.C., it was made subject to the Kingdom of Rhodes. We know that it continued until the year 167 B.C. Kaunos was the subjected to the kingdom of Pergamon and was brought directly under the sovereignty of Rome after 133 B.C. You reach the site of the ruins by means of channel adorned with Lycian type tombs belonging to the 4th century B.C. The first place that we see is the acropolis of Kaunos. The northern part of the city wall, which surrounds the acropolis, belongs to the period of Mausolos. The northwestern part has Hellenistic qualities. And starting from the harbour are seen the city walls of Cyclopean type belonging to the Archaic Period.
The theater belonging to the Roman Period is located at the skirt of the acropolis and its southern part is carved in the rock; the other parts are shaped into seats supported by gable roof vaults. There are 33 rows of seats, the scene has collapsed and the part of the orchestra has been filled in.
A temple, revealed by the recent excavations, is located at far west of the theater, and a church and the magnificent walls of the Roman Bath are visible beyond it. Another temple belonging to the Roman Period is located behind the bath. As we go downwards, we see the remains of a wall built in the shape of three-fourths of a circle with a row of columns on it and, behind it, a temple of the Doric order.
The locality called Sülüklü Göl - the Lake of Leeches in Kaunos today, was a harbour closed by means of chains during the Antique Period. The excavations performed at the north of this harbour have revealed a stoa which used to form a part of the port agora.
The fountain near the stoa has a plan of inantis style and has been restored recently, and the inscription which is seen on its side facing the harbour, contains the written decrees concerning the customs house. 
Kaunos today is accessible by taking a row-boat across the river down the street from the Dalyan Donmez Hotel at the river. Once across the river it is a 15 minute walk to the main gate of Kaunos. If you have traveled by boat from Marmaris or Fethiye your boat captain will be able to answer your questions about the ancient city and how to get to the entrance.

Köycegiz is a bigger town by the lake which is also called the same. It is a perfect place for people who want a quiet and peaceful area to visit. It has the famous Köycegiz Market every Monday which is also visited by people from Dalyan who come via road and also boats to shop. The Koycegiz Market boat trip travels across the lake to Koycegiz. Old Koycegiz was once a thriving town on the south coast of Turkey. The original Koycegiz was owned by the Selcuk people before the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. The people of Selcuk known as the 'Mentese Ogullari' were a very rich and owned land covering the area from Iztuzu Beach to the other side of the present Koycegiz. The end came for this thriving people when an earthquake filled the valleys to create what is now Lake Koycegiz. Only half of the old town still exists. This area is now protected and the original descendants of the ''Mentese Ogullari'' occupy the dwellings.

Iztuzu Beach -There are not many places that flaunt Turkey’s immense beauty and ancient culture like Iztuzu Beach. This 6km stretch of pristine golden sand forms a natural bank where the Dalyan Boǧazi River empties into the Rhodes Basin. This has created a large delta of lagoons behind Iztuzu which are home to many kinds of wildlife. The beach itself is in fact a breeding ground for the loggerhead turtle, and as such is protected land – but it’s well maintained and has all the facilities you need. Many tourists are put off by the 30-45 minute boat journey up the river to get here, so the beach rarely feels overcrowded, even in peak season. It’s a long trip, but genuinely worth it. The cruise itself is a leisurely experience, and there’s no better way to see the world-famous ancient rock tombs carved into the face of the cliffs that shadow the river.

Things to do on or near the beach-Iztuzu Beach is both long and wide, so there’s plenty of space to relax and take in the incredible scenery that engulfs on all sides. There are sunbeds and parasols for hire, but a certain section of the beach is a ‘no umbrella’ zone: the protection of the loggerheads’ habitat comes first, and too right! The waters which lap gently at the shore are shallow and crystal clear, so children can swim and paddle safely. If you’re the sporting type, sailing and windsurfing is a great way to take in the stunning coastal views. The nearest place to stay is Dalyan, an up-and-coming resort that is still relatively peaceful. Yet there are plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants serving some excellent local cuisine. If you’re into ancient history, across the river from the main town are the ruins of the cityof Kaunos complete with amphitheatre. Or, you could forget about the past and ponder the future whilst relaxing in Dalyan’s Sultaniye thermal baths. Get yourself some good R&R and keep the wrinkles at bay in a mud bath - after all, you are on holiday!

Dalyan, Turkey

This historic fishing village named Dalayan - meaning Fish Trap has a friendly market place which just captures the warmth and hospitality projected by its inhabitance. Set in the most beautiful location on the Dalyan Çayi, a river that flows past the village linking the Köycegiz Lake and the sea. The river plays host to a number of tiny fishing boats moored in the harbor all anxiously waiting to sail you down through the never ending tapestry of reeds to 'Turtle beach'. The beach has scored a measure of international fame for its conservation of the endangered Loggerhead Turtles; its beauty also speaks for itself. Enjoyed by many including locals a relaxing day by the river is a must, at one of its cafes or restaurants you can marvel at the Lycian rock tombs carved over 2000 years ago that overlook the village. Dalyan also is famed for its mud baths and hot sulphur pools said to have youthful and invigorating properties they also attract many tourists from other resorts. Anybody interested in Archaeology or history will find the Kaunos ancient city nearby, which offers a glimpse into past civilizations. Kaunos has to be one of the most mysterious cities in the Mediterranean separated from Dalayan by the 15m canal (Dalayn Çayi) which holds the water that flows from the Köyceyiz Lake into the Mediterranean. The Lycian rock tombs that can be seen from the village belonged to the people of Kaunos and are the landmark of Kaunos and Dalyan. The ruins of the city are one kilometre away from Dalyan, you can reach them by motorway or by sea. This said because of the shallowness of the water at some points where the waters of the canal fall into the Mediterranean, yachts are not allowed to enter Kaunos. You can however get a small boat to the to Kaunos from here, disembarking from the boat, passengers are required to walk for ten minutes to get to the city.

IT’S GOOD TO SPEAK TURKISH
One of the best ways to reward the inevitable hospitality of your hosts is to speak a few words of Turkish to them. They are very proud of their nationality and they will see your attempts to speak their language as a compliment and a sign of respect.
If you can’t make yourself understood, Turks are very good at sign language!
BODY LANGUAGE ‘YEs’ (evet) is shown by moving the head forward and down, sometimes with a slight tilt to one side.
‘No’ (hayir) is shown by a single gesture of moving the head up and back, lifting the eyebrows at the same time.
Quite often one will make the sound ‘tsk’ at the same time. By contrast, moving the head from side to side doesn’t mean ‘no’, it means ‘I don’t understand’.
So if a waiter asks you if you would like something and you shake your head, he will probably repeat himself or try another language.
If someone is trying to express ‘Come on, follow me’ it would not occur to him to waggle an upright hand, (unless perhaps he was being vaguely obscene!) he would wave his hand downward and towards himself is a scooping motion.
DON’T BE RUDE!
Turkish current-day etiquette stems from the times of the Ottoman Empire which was highly organised and very formal. Every encounter among people became a mini-ceremony full of the flowery ‘romance of the East’. Although things have changed somewhat since that time, you will still notice signs of those courtly days. Should you learn Turkish you would learn many polite phrases which are repeated on cue to many daily situations,
for example: Afiyet olsun – enjoy your meal (literally ‘may it contribute to your health’)
Hosgeldiniz – Welcome Hosbulduk – answer to welcome (literally ‘ we have found ourselves welcome’)
Use these often and Turks will love it!
SOME EVERYDAY EUROPEAN MANNERISM THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED RUDE AND OFFENSIVE HERE ARE:
- Never point your finger directly to a person.
- Never show the sole of your feet or shoes towards anyone.
- Don’t blow your nose in public, especially in a restaurant.
- Don’t use a toothpick openly, instead cover your mouth while doing this.
- Don’t hug and kiss a person of the opposite sex in public.
- When visiting someone’s house, remove your shoes at the door.
You may be told to keep them on, but this is just politeness.
Speak Turkish with easy Words
Hello - Merhaba
Good morning - Günaydın
Good evening - İyi akþamlar
How are you? - Nasılsınız?
Very well - Çok iyiyim
Yes – Evet
No – Hayır
Please - Lütfen
Thank you - Teşekkür ederim
Excuse me - Pardon
What? - Ne? How? - Nasıl?
How much? - Ne kadar?
Who? - Kim?
When? - Ne zaman?
What time is it? - Saat kaç?
Friend - Arkada?
Big/Small - Büyük/Küçük
Hot/Cold - Sıcak/Soğuk
Left/Right - Sol/Sağ
Near/Far  Yakın/Uzak
Early/Late – Erken/Geç
Good/Bad - İyi/Kötü
Beautiful - Güzel
Street - Sokak/Cadde
I don’t understand - Anlamıyorum
I don’t know - Bilmiyorum
Sun/Sea - Güneş/Deniz
Water - Su