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In Turkish, the name means “fish trap”. With the Mediterranean lapping at its Turkish shores, the beachside town of Dalyan proved to be the best spot to start exploring all that Turkey has to offer. As a chaperone on this Grade 7 trip, I was pretty stoked to be along for this four day adventure.

Our flight from Istanbul International Airport to Dalaman was just over an hour. Having surrendered their passports and phones to us at the airport, my students were extra talkative. After 2.5 years of pandemic schooling – the majority of which were 100% distance learning by Turkish government decree – their enthusiasm was at a fever pitch.

After touching down, we stopped at a gorgeous Turkish restaurant nestled in the reeds of a quiet fishing village. The vibe was pure vacationland and the breeze was gorgeous. Evil eye trees decorated the outdoor restaurant. The food was simply delicious (a mezze course followed by grilled vegetables and meat options). My students loved watching the fish and crabs below. We even saw a turtle feeding.

After lunch, our Turkish tour guide took us to Turtle Beach where we visited the Dekamer Sea Turtle Research, Rescue, and Rehabilitation Center. Turtles are brought there from all over the Mediterranean, the vast majority having been injured by boat propeller strikes. The center does a lot with just a little. The only of its kind in Turkey, the center is responsible for nursing many sea turtles back to good health. My students and I were moved by the efforts, not only surrounding rehab, but also protecting local nesting grounds and conducting scientific research. If you’re interested in sponsoring these efforts or volunteering at the center in the future, please click here. Support is needed to continue this truly important work. Boat owners – cage your rotors!

Most regions of Turkey have their own speciality, from chestnuts to honey to baklava. Dalyan is known for its pomegranates. Our time there included a trip to a local pomegranate farm. We met the workers in the fields who showed us how to properly cut a pomegranate from a tree (they hang like apples). The farmer discussed the economics of the journey from tree to table. We learned that it takes four years from planting a tree until it is able to yield fruit. That tree can then produce for 20 years. We ate the deliciously rupe pomegranates right there in the fields and there is hope of turning this portion of the trip into a service project in the future, especially during the harvest months of August through November.

One of our afternoons was spent hiking up to and swimming under a waterfall. We enjoyed fish at a restaurant straddling the mountain stream. The students loved the rope swings and were eager to jump into the refreshingly chilly water.

One full day of the trip was spent on the open water. Our group of 50 boarded two local boat charters, each equipped with a roof deck/viewing platform, a sizable galley, and BBQ cookers on the stern. As we wound our way through the marsh out to the open ocean of the Mediterranean, we passed Lycian rock tombs (The Tombs of Kaunos) created in 400BC. These exquisite carvings towered over the delta below, a reminder of just how long man has walked this region of the world.

On the boat, we hopped from cove to cove, reveling in the bright and clear turquoise waters. You could see straight down to sand and rocks over 15 feet below. The guides organized challenges and games for the kids, mostly carried out on paddle boards, as we floated along in the salty Mediterranean. Food never tastes as good as it does on the ocean! The kids had a blast jumping from the roof deck in deeper waters and we kept the Spotify playlists going all day.

Another activity local to Dalyan is mud baths, which I would love to check out next visit. Super chill and a guaranteed good time, I could definitely see returning to Dalyan with friends and family in the future. For now, I’m resting up for my next adventure – an art teacher conference in Florence later this week. More to follow!