One of the most beautiful places you’ll ever visit is The Butterfly Valley. If you’re looking to immerse yourself in sanctuary nature and forget the world this beautiful blue lagoon is the place for you. The beautiful rocky mountain and the deep blue water surrounds you and instantly lift your mood.
- About Butterfly Valley:
- Why Butterfly Valley should be your next travel destination:
- How to get to Butterfly Valley?
- Where do you stay in Butterfly Valley?
- Things to do in Butterfly Valley:
- How to go around butterfly Valley:
- What is the right time to visit Butterfly Valley?
- How much will you have to spend in Butterfly Valley?
The name Butterfly Valley comes from the vast population of butterflies that once used to live in the valley. However, the exposure to tourism has caused the butterflies to drive away. But that doesn’t mean all the beauty of this valley is lost. Situated in Turkey the Butterfly Valley is an experience you’ll never forget.
In today’s article, I will be talking about the beauty of this incredible place stripped right out of a fantasy. Also, I will be talking about some of the things you can do when you visit the place for yourself. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.
About Butterfly Valley:
Butterfly Valley is located in Fethiye, Turkey. The Valley was opened to tourism in 1987 and since then has become one of the most famous places to visit around the world.
Though the name Butterfly Valley doesn’t hold up as well as it once did, due to the disappearance of butterflies from the valley, you can still notice many varieties of butterflies around spring.
Butterfly Valley is surrounded by Mountains and waterfalls which are truly breathtaking. As a matter of fact, I still dream of going back to the valley now and then. Many fragrant plants such as lavender which are home to the butterflies are found around the valley.
The whole process from getting there to all the little things you can do over there is fascinating. It’s an incredible therapeutic trip that I feel everyone needs to experience once in their lives.
Why Butterfly Valley should be your next travel destination:
So, why should you visit Butterfly Valley? The answer is pretty simple, it’s one of the most beautiful trips you could ever take. You should probably know a few things, there are not as many butterflies if not any as there were once. And, there are a lot of tourists scattered around the valley.
However, there are so many things you can do and so many places you can visit which will make your whole journey one remember.
Going to Butterfly Valley allows you to have an intimate connection with nature. With Mountains and waterfalls around the valley, you can refresh your mind by experiencing the beautiful sites. Moreover, you can go on hikes, camp, go on short tours around the valley or just relax in your unique accommodation.
You can scuba dive, skydive, or rent a yacht and experience the sea by yourself. Go skinny dipping and feel the warmth of the afternoon water on the beach. But the part I love the most about this valley is how quiet it is.
A trip here helps you escape the world and just busk in peace for some time. In short, it’s a place full of peace and beauty, and visiting here is a no-brainer.
How to get to Butterfly Valley?
The only way you can get to Butterfly Valley is by boat. If you’re not a fan of boat rides this might be bad news for you but give it a try it can still be a fun experience to have.
Numerous boat trips leave from Olu Deniz but they’re a little harder to get your hands on. However, I suggest you use the official Butterfly Valley boat taxis. These taxis are very cheap and travel back and forth from 11 am to 4 pm.
I took a taxi boat and I loved the whole experience. However, it is worth noting the ticket sellers are usually all over you and can be quite annoying as they want to sell you the ticket no matter what. But getting wet while climbing on the boat taxi was completely worth it once I reached the Valley. If you like boat rides, you will enjoy this one as well. The deep blue sea takes your breath away.
Be open-minded and enjoy the trip. Once you reach the valley it all feels worth it. Also, try not to get angry at the ticket sellers, I find their enthusiasm quite adorable, and it’s always better to have a playful approach to new cultures.
Where do you stay in Butterfly Valley?
So, you have reached the valley but where do you stay? It’s quite interesting. The accommodation takes you back in time. A wooden hut and washing facilities with shared bathrooms further down the track into the canyon is the most common way of living. If that doesn’t sound like fun to you, you can rent a tent around the valley which can also be a fun experience.
Let’s say adventurous accommodation isn’t your type, then you have motels and first-floor stay-ins. These cost a little more than the other options but provide a very luxurious experience for you.
Things to do in Butterfly Valley:
Butterfly Valley is incredibly beautiful. Despite it already being spoilt by mass tourism there are a lot of things you can still do in the valley to make your trip one remember. In short, if you know what to do and where to go, it all gets way better. So here are a few of the things you can do in Butterfly Valley:
Go to the Beach:
Just remember to not get your hopes up too high. Butterfly Valley doesn’t shelter butterflies as it once did and it’s more likely you’ll see people laying down on the beach and a lot of party cruises just blasting music without any concern. With that being said, the beach is still incredibly beautiful. A cruise in a rented boat around the deep blue sea can lift your moods.
The place has a lot of people around but you can still have your own alone time. One thing I did was look for a quieter side of the beach and went for a swim. The water is so warm and clean that it clears your mind from all negativity. And you just get lost in the beauty of nature.
Take a hike up to Faralya Village:
Even if you don’t like hikes give it a try when you’re in Butterfly Valley. The beautiful scenery is not to be missed and walking around seeing it all for yourself is an experience everyone should have. Now, where should you hike to? what trail is the best to take? I would suggest Faralya village.
The hike up to Faralya is a steep one. First, you will have to walk inland from the beach in the valley, you will find a trail that goes up the side of a mountain. Follow the trail to Faralya where you can spend the night. Faralya is a much quieter place to spend the night than the beach and the view is phenomenal.
The hike gets tricky at times and you should get yourself a guide to help you out. This 45-minute hike is completely worth it once you get up there. The stunning view will take your breath away, while the peaceful surroundings will take a hold of your soul.
Camping at the top of butterfly valley:
The true beauty of Butterfly Valley can only be seen from the mountains. The whole Valley is surrounded by mountains and it’s truly mind-blowing. One of the best ways to spend the night is by camping in one of these mountains.
You can bring your own gear or rent camping gear from one of the guest houses. The campground is free and all you have to do is set your tent up and you’re all set.
The best part about camping is you can choose the right spot you want, you can go through the thrill of cooking your own food. And what better way to wake up than the scenery of Butterfly Valley. There is no shortage of space and it’s very peaceful to camp around the valley. Also, make sure to pitch your tent at the right spot to have a front-row seat to watch the beautiful, unreal sunset of Butterfly Valley.
Don’t worry about food, you don’t have to go hunting around the mountains for that. Just ask the nearby guesthouse for food and they should have homecooked dinner for you for free. Also, there’s a campground food court where you can pay for dinner.
The food is diverse and quite tasty so don’t worry about that either. The toilets can also be found in the guesthouse and only require a few cents to use.
Your camping experience would go to waste if you don’t experience the stars at night. Faralya is a small village and is located in a much more remote area of the valley. Because of this, there isn’t as much light polluting the starry sky. Make sure to come out at night and look up at the sky, you’ll come across very few things as beautiful as that.
How to go around butterfly Valley:
There are two ways you can go around Butterfly Valley. Let’s look at what those are:
Hiking:
Butterfly Valley, Faralya, and Kabak are located right along the ancient trekking route. For this reason, you can reach most of the places on foot. Hiking is a big part of the experience in Butterfly Valley. So make sure to have hiking shoes and water containers with you for that.
Minibus:
If you don’t prefer hiking you can take a minibus which will take you around the valley. These buses run every hour from 7 am to 6 pm in the summer. However, during winter they are much less available.
What is the right time to visit Butterfly Valley?
Butterfly Valley is the busiest from June- to August. During this time the amount of tourists is very hard to deal with. The beach is almost full to the brim due to the water being warmer. Because of the crowd, the prices are higher than usual.
Also, I do not prefer hotter months for a vacation, especially because of how hot Turkey can get.
I recommend visiting the valley in May or September. This is when everything falls back into normality and the weather is much more balanced. Moreover, the prices go down and become a little more affordable. I also suggest not to go to Butterfly Valley during Ramadan as Turkey is a Muslim country and it might be harder to find food during this time.
How much will you have to spend in Butterfly Valley?
Now let’s talk about how much you might have to spend on the trip. It is better to have enough money to spend to get the best out of your trip but I have calculated exactly how much you will need to have the best time possible. Let’s talk about that:
Accommodation:
A 3-night stay should cost you around 45 USD if you decide to camp. However, prices go up as high as 300 USD in motels and Stay-in.
Food:
For an average meal, you might have to spend around 10 USD for food.
Transportation:
Transportation is much cheaper and will cost you around 5 dollars for the cruise to the beach. It will cost you just as much if you travel around the valley in a minibus.
In total, you can have a pretty good trip in under 200 USD in Butterfly Valley. Which compared to other travel destinations is a bargain.
To conclude, it’s an incredible place to visit. I still feel that I have lived a dream of visiting the Butterfly Valley. And I hope this article helped you have a better understanding of the place as well.
