Sarsala Bay

Sarsala Bay lies on the Dalaman coast of Mugla province, a long pebble beach curving beneath a hillside of pine forest with no permanent development along the shore. The bay has held Blue Flag status for its water quality, and its clear, sheltered sea is calm enough for family swimming as well as snorkelling along the rocky margins. A small restaurant and a pier for visiting boats sit at the back of the beach, and the cove is a regular stop for gulets and blue-voyage yachts working this stretch of coast.

The bay is also known as a habitat for the endangered Caretta caretta loggerhead turtle, which nests on nearby beaches and is sometimes seen swimming alongside anchored boats. Because Sarsala sits within a longer stretch of coastline threaded by multi-day cruising routes, it is best reached during a Fethiye gulet cruise that combines it with the bays and islands further along the gulf. The quieter months of May and September bring fewer visitors and calmer water, while summer sees a livelier mix of day-trip and overnight boats.