Cheap Flights to Dalaman Airport

The gateway airport to much of Turkey’s most delightful stretches of coastline, the Dalaman Airport (DLM) is one of the busiest aviation facilities in the country. When travelling through this airport, you will be able to take advantage of the amenities, which include information desks, free WiFi, a medical clinic, telephones, ATMs, and currency exchange services. You can also access a good variety of stores, and duty-free shopping, and you can grab a bite in one of the numerous restaurants, cafes, and kiosks.

Taxis and public buses run the 6km into Dalaman, and surrounding towns. A taxi fare to pretty Fethiye, and popular Marmaris are 150TRY ($59) and 190TRY ($75) respectively, and only 40TRY ($16) to Dalaman.

Turkish Airlines is the main carrier for operations into Turkey, but you can also fly with JAL, British Airways, Etihad Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, and Qantas.

Why visit Dalaman?

Situated right on Turkey’s celebrated Turquoise Coast, flying into Dalaman will give you direct access to the remarkable landscape of this nation’s incredible Mediterranean coastline. But beyond its sandy shores, you must turn inward, and discover all the historical and cultural treasures of this storied land; from Roman, to Lycian, to Byzantine, there are heritage sites that will make any historian salivate. And within this blessed landscape, you will find lagoons to laze in, mountains to hike, gorges to trek, and villages to stroll through.

Things to do in Dalaman

Dalaman itself is really just a port for incoming travellers wanting to explore the breathtaking region surrounding this small town. Such as the gorgeous coastal Olu Deniz. A favourite among local and foreigners alike for its incredible Blue Lagoon, which feature perfect white beaches that you can spend your days lolling on.

Then head down on a river tour in Dalyan, where parts of the movie The African Queen was filmed, and spy the Lycian tombs carved high up into the gorge walls. Or bring your swimsuit and hop into a revitalising mud bath, and come back home looking ten years younger.

Trek the Saklikent Gorge, where you can work up a sweat along the 27km of trails, and then dip into the icy water that wends its way through this sun-soaked ravine to cool off.

See the starting calcite cliffs of Pamukkale’s travertines, which look more suited as the steps to a magical ice castle, than under the hot Turkish sun. Nearby you can soak in the hot springs and banish any tweaks from hiking around the hills and valleys of this area. Or travel to the ancient Hierapolis Ruins, where you can tour the colonnaded streets, stand before the celebrated Temple of Apollo, and sit in the remarkable open theatre. If you’re a fan of Roman history, stop by Laodikeia, whose ancient streets once welcomed the mighty orator Cicero, contemporary of Julius Caesar.

Best time to visit Dalaman

·         Summer (June-August) is for sun-worshippers, when you can pretty much guarantee perfect blue skies, and balmy temperatures of around 30°C.

·         May, September and October are also beautiful months, around 25°C highs, and far less tourists.

Arriving in Dalaman by plane

·         From Australia, you will encounter at least two layovers, usually in Abu Dhabi (AUH), Doha (AUH), and in Turkish hubs like Ankara (ESB), and Istanbul (IST).

Currency

·         Turkish Lira (TRY).

Visa requirements

·         Australian nationals wanting to travel to Turkey will need to apply for a visa. You will be eligible for the e-visa, and should be granted a stay of about 90 days. For more details, please go to the Smart Traveller page on Turkey, which gives important, and up-to-date travel advice for this country.

Please note that information is correct as of December 2016