Aydın: Dilek Peninsula - Büyük Menderes Delta National Park

Dilek Peninsula-Büyük Menderes Delta National Park is located in Kuşadası district of Aydın. The national park, which is located in the delta of the Büyük Menderes River, is one of the rare places where there is no settlement in the region and it has been successfully protected.

The National Park has four different beaches

There is no chance to stay in the national park. 

In addition, activities that may cause forest fires,

such as barbecues, are prohibited.

The national park is a preferred destination during the summer season. In addition, the weekends of the summer period are quite busy. On weekends, queues of cars can find kilometers. The reason why the national park is especially preferred is that it has four different beaches. The first beach after the entrance is the busiest, both because of the easy transportation and because its water is shallow.

It is safe because only pedestrians are allowed in earlier in the morning

On the other hand, my favorite is the last beach. It is calmer because its water suddenly deepens and has a long distance from the entrance gate. 

There are cattle and horses in the park that have been abandoned and have become wild over time. In addition to these, there are other animals that are unlikely (or impossible) to be seen outside the park, such as pigs, foxes, lynxes, hawks, eagles, hedgehogs. In the afternoon, if you're lucky, a family of pigs may come down to the beach and ask for your leftover food. There are six different endemic species in the park. It has more than 800 plants, along with sub-plant species.

Umbrellas and sun loungers are free if I remember correctly

For those who live in the area and spend their holidays nearby, it is also a very nice route for morning walks. The park is also one of the most ideal places in the Coastal Aegean for activities such as hiking, mountain biking, landscape viewing, bird watching and botanical tour.

How to Get There?

There are minibuses coming from Kuşadası to Güzelçamlı. These minibuses also come a short distance within the park. If you want to go to the first beach, you can choose minibuses. In addition, the municipal bus number 272 runs four times a day between Kuşadası and Güzelçamlı. If you arrive by 272, you can take a taxi or rent a bicycle in Güzelçamlı.

Where to Stay?

Accommodation in the national park is prohibited. However, there are camping areas (for caravans and tents) right next to the park. If you wish, you can stay in one of the hotels in Güzelçamlı. If you are thinking of nightlife and a more social area, I recommend you to stay in Kusadasi.

What to Eat?

There are modest cafes on every beach. I'm sure you'll find something to feed you. If you happen to come across it, you can also get something like pastries and bagels from an oven on your way to the national park.

On your way back, if you want to have something to eat immediately after leaving the park, I can recommend a few things in the area: There are several fish restaurants on the left at the exit. If you wish, you can choose pita, one of the leading products of Turkish cuisine. Local pita varieties are also available in some restaurants.