Dilek Peninsula National Park in Kusadasi

Kusadasi Dilek Peninsula National Park, which is among the most important natural heritages of Turkey, continues to attract the attention of visitors with its endemic plant species, endangered animals such as fallow deer, Mediterranean monk seal and crested pelican, and its natural beauty.

It is located in a Historical Church on the Dilek peninsula. There is a framed section with pictures of Jesus and his apostles. The stone structure, the outer part of which is covered with ivy, is estimated to date back to 1850-1900.

The presbytery, located on the sea side of the church, was most likely the parish priest's lodgings. These two stones standing back to back in the same garden were repaired and preserved. Today the cafe serves under "ANTIC". It is thought that the stones of this building, which is very close to the sea, were built as an alternative to the church. There is also the Zeus cave.

Located at an altitude of 600 meters, 11 km from Güzelcamlı and 12 km from Davutlar, the monastery has a magnificent view and is hidden under high plane trees, like an eagle's nest.

In the spring, the region is a natural place where birds chirp, all shades of green embrace the blue sea, flowers smell fragrant and waters cascade.

The fallow deer, which are only found in the Antalya Düzler pine region in Turkey and some of them have been transferred to the Dilek Peninsula National Park in Kuşadası since March 2011 for the protection of their lineage, have almost made the Güzelcamlı National Park their home.

The Protocol on Creating New Habitats for Fallow Deer was signed. Within the framework of the protocol, some of the deer were transferred from the Antalya Düzler pine region to the Büyük Menderes Delta Dilek Peninsula National Park in Güzelcamlı, Kuşadası. The images of the fallow deer, which continue to give birth to their new offspring, began to be reflected on the photo traps.

At the south of the area lays the densely forested Dilek Peninsula which is the extension of Samson Mountains towards Aegean Sea. The Park has been under protection since 1966 due to its geologic and geomorphologic structure. The national park is spread over a 1.100 hectares of area. As there are endangered and near-in-danger species,such as the mediterranean seal, most of the area is forbidden to enter and limited amount of roads are built inside the park.

While there are roads only on a small percentage of the park the fascinating beaches and picnic areas in the National Park are very popular and visited frequently between April and October. Those beaches are Icmeler, Aydinlik, Kavakliburun (Kalamaki) and Karasu Bays. Basic facilities like water, WC, dressing cabins, picnic area and cookstoves are built near those beaches. Entrance is not allowed to those beaches after 18.00 from the gate and you have to leave before 19.00 the coast is home o many hidden coves some of which are only accessible by the boat tours.