With the end date of my time in Turkey approaching quicker than I’d like to, I’ve been forcing myself off my sun bed and into some more clothes than just a bikini to explore a bit more of the area.
One of the highlights along the Lycian way is Butterfly Valley. Situated below Faralya, the ‘village on the cliffs’, the valley is well known for its beautiful canyon and waterfalls and of course the hundreds of endemic butterflies that flock to the area.
I went on a boat trip to Butterfly Valley with some guests of Shambala, including two Aussie girls whom I’ve become good friends with. The boat left Kabak Valley around 5pm and the rather rocky and exhilarating ride took about 20 minutes to reach the valley. The views along the way were of course, spectacular. Huge, dramatic cliffs lined the sea, where the dark blue water smashed angrily against the rocks, leaving a white foamy reminder.
We reached the bay and was in awe of the place. Somewhat reminiscent of Thailand’s beautiful coves, Butterfly Valley is overpowered by the large cliffs that surround it, yet the peaceful little bay holds its own with the hippie vibes and island inspired huts. We walked along the pebbled beach and up to an outdoor shower which we couldn’t resist having a go at.
Continuing the ‘clothes are overrated’ trend which I’ve seemed to follow this past couple of weeks, we hiked the path to the waterfalls in our swimmers.
The walk took about twenty minutes and was an easy hike compared to the one I did last week to reach the waterfalls in Kabak. However this walk was much more exciting as the ochre coloured canyon enveloped us as we delved further in. We climbed up to reach the waterfall, where we washed ourselves with the fresh, cold water. It’s such a nice change from the sea water, makes you feel so clean. Unfortunately, we were there at the wrong time to see the butterflies, with the best time to see them being May.
Staying there for awhile, revelling in the silence of the canyon except for the calming rush of water falling from the cliffs, we were reluctant to leave this little oasis.
Heading back to the boat, we headed off for another bumpy (and slightly scary) ride through the rough waters to another secret cove, where we jumped off the boat into the the clear, sapphire coloured water. While I’m not afraid of the ocean, I was always a little wary of the deep waters because of the great and wonderful unknowns lurking below (thank you Australian waters). However the Mediterranean has changed that in me, the ocean is so clear and empty, I’m happy to leap off the boat way out from the beach. No scary Jess-eating sharks or jellyfish to hurt me!
After our swim we headed back for Kabak Valley, where the two Aussie girls and I stayed down at the beach to watch the stunning sun set beyond the ocean. As I’m working nights for my last two days here in Kabak, I was thankful to witness this beautiful sunset. I’ve truly been lucky to stay in this wonderful part of Turkey for the past two weeks. It’s been nothing short of incredible.
J. x
A Blonde and Her Passport 