There are so many beautiful places you can head to as a day out from Fethiye, without even having to drive that far. Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant is one of those places.
We’ve just had friends here for their summer holiday. They suggested getting a car for the day and going for a little wander. Where to go…
We knew they’d been in the Kaş and Kalkan direction relatively recently so we decided to take off in the opposite direction and do a little mini tour of a particular area.
First stop, the very pretty Dalyan, just for a little mooch around and a drink by the waterside.
And then it was onwards to somewhere we’ve been itching to get to for some time. It might as well be now…
Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant
Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant has a very popular Facebook page (link below) which gets hundreds (sometimes in the thousands) of likes on its photos.
Always photos of various people on a swing, over a river. That river is the Yuvarlakçay.
And, as you can see, its waters are sparkling and aqua-coloured.
Small things, eh?
I was driving and had a rough idea of the direction to head in to get to Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant.
Hopefully, road signs would help us out.
And it was all really just to see what was going on with this swing over the river…
Trout Restaurants
As with many rivers in this part of Turkey, the Yuvarlakçay has attracted a long row of trout restaurants similar to the ones you’ll find around Tlos and Saklıkent (such as YakaPark) and around Ören, beyond Seydikemer.
Customers can sit under the shade of the trees and feel cooled by flowing waters as they eat trout and other simple meals.
Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant is one of these restaurants.
As a just-for-fun question, we posted a photo of Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant to our Facebook page and asked if people knew it.
Amazing how many ‘Saklıkent’ responses we got.
Actually, Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant is right at the far end of the long line of restaurants, along winding roads that climb and fall.
Just as you’re wondering where the heck this place is, you realise the restaurant owners must have thought the same thing.
Amusing little signs (in Turkish) start to pop up intermittently along the roadside.
“Don’t worry, keep going. Only another 5 minutes to go.”
After around 5 minutes, another sign will say, “3 minutes.”
Anyway, you get there eventually…
Icy Cold Water
And as we entered, there was the swing.
And just the most beautifully clear water right in front of us. Barry dipped his toe in.
Icy cold, just like the water of Saklıkent.
That didn’t stop a Turkish family from jumping straight in, though. They were loving it!
There are stone steps leading into the natural pool but this is the sort of water that, if you are going in, you jump straight in.
That sort of activity is for other people.
We headed for a seating area, right at the far end where the waters of the Yuvarlakçay gush away, through the forest.
Towering trees shaded us. The tumbling river cooled us. We tried to take photos of (what we think was) a vibrant blue dragonfly as it constantly danced around us.
Then, after enjoying a leisurely couple of drinks & a plate of sigara böreği, it was time to visit the swing.
There are two swings; one is the idyllic one in the photo. The other is a piece of tree bark dangling from rope that hangs over a section of pure white, gushing, foamy river.
Whilst our friends were straight in there, gathering up the swing and launching themselves from the Yuvarlakçay riverbank, and out over the rapids, we laughed and made videos.
Barry’s recovering from a rib injury and, even though he really wanted to join in the fun, decided it probably wasn’t wise.
And, as for me, I just decided it probably wasn’t wise. I can’t remember the last time I was on a swing so the thought of swinging out over the Yuvarlakçay wasn’t too appealing.
But, then, that’s just me…
Keeping It Peaceful
And peaceful, natural places like Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant are all the more precious when you know that local people are constantly having to protect this whole Dalyan-Köyceğiz environment.
In 2010, work began on the construction of a hydroelectric power plant using the waters of the Yuvarlakçay. That was successfully halted.
Iztuzu Plajı, aka Turtle Beach, just down the road has also been successfully defended on more than one occasion.
And, more recently, a geothermal project in Okçular (a village between Ortaca and Dalyan) has been stopped by the courts after protests from locals, backed by the same lawyer each time.
People around here are vigilant. They like their area just the way it is and want to protect its special geological importance and natural beauty.
It is a constant job for them and we can feel privileged that when we’re driving along the winding roads that follow the Yuvarlakçay river, we can enjoy restaurants and camps in truly beautiful places like Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant.
Yeşil Vadi Restaurant, Yuvarlakçay – Useful Info
- Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant is in Pınarköy, through the district of Beyobası. Beyobası is part of a protected region that also covers Köyceğiz and Dalyan.
- When driving along the D400 from Fethiye, you will see a signpost between Dalyan & Köyceğiz indicating you are in Beyobası. Take the large turning to the right. You will see all the signs for the riverside trout restaurants. Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant isn’t signposted at first. Keep driving until you spot the signs. It took us around 15-20 minutes to reach Yeşil Vadi from the junction. See map below.
- According to their website, it’s also possible to take a small tent to Yeşil Vadi and camp there overnight. We’d love to do this!
- For more photos of swings and food – and info about the restaurant – you can join thousands of others and like the Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant Facebook page.
- When staying in Fethiye, there are so many great trips out you can do. After Yuvarlakçay Yeşil Vadi Restaurant, we then headed off to Akkaya Garden Restaurant. Click this link for more ideas about days out from Fethiye.
Ozlem's Turkish Table
Monday 6th of July 2015
Oh, how very inviting!! So wished to be at that swing over the blue water! Wonderful post : ) Ozlem x
Turkey's For Life
Sunday 12th of July 2015
Yeah that was definitely the more inviting of the two swings, Özlem. :) Hope to explore more of the restaurants along Yuvarlakçay in the future. A really peaceful place. :)
Joy @MyTravelingJoys
Monday 6th of July 2015
How lovely indeed! Reminds me of that afternoon we spent at Yakapark with our grandparents in 2012! :-)
Turkey's For Life
Monday 6th of July 2015
Yeah, Joy, all this area around Yuvarlakçay is very similar scenery to Yaka Park and Tlos. Will always have a soft spot for Tlos. :)
Alan
Sunday 5th of July 2015
Dear, oh dear! Now you've let the cat out of the bag! (although we prefer the much more natural Derin Vadi Restaurant)
Turkey's For Life
Monday 6th of July 2015
Not sure we've let the cat out of the bag, Alan. Think we're pretty late to the party if their Facebook page has over 25,000 Likes. :) Yeah, want to explore more places around Yuvarlakçay and see what the other restaurants are like.
Liz Cameron
Sunday 5th of July 2015
Love this place! Thanks for reminding me of it - fond memories...
Turkey's For Life
Monday 6th of July 2015
We loved the whole are around Yuvarlakçay, Liz Cameron. Will explore more places around here over time. :)