Patara beach is stunning and makes an enjoyable visit with its gorgeous landscape and great swimming. Part of a national park, it is a key biodiversity area, rich in birdlife and the breeding ground of the endangered loggerhead turtle (caretta caretta). The beach is closed after sunset from May to October to give the turtles peace in which to lay their eggs as it is the second most important turtle nesting beach in Turkey.

The beach is an 12 kilometer-long strip of sand bordered on its ends by mountains and along its length by sand dunes and the large marshy area which once was the harbour of Patara. It is voted as one of the top beaches in the world and known as the widest beach of the northern Mediterranean. The absence of development and no water sports means that it is always peaceful. There is only one café near the end of the path to the beach.
(Location: Patara)

Uploaded by slavica on 1/17/2010, viewed 3268 times.