Oludeniz Blue Lagoon — Fethiye, Turkey
Tucked beneath the shadow of Babadag Mountain on Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, Oludeniz has earned its reputation as one of the Mediterranean’s most photogenic shores. The lagoon is so sheltered that even when storms churn the open sea, these waters remain glassy and still, earning the name ‘Dead Sea’ in Turkish. Adventurous travelers flock here for tandem paragliding flights that launch from the mountaintop and drift over the coastline for twenty breathtaking minutes. Down on the beach, the shallow turquoise water is warm enough to wade in comfortably from spring through late autumn. A modest entrance fee grants access to the protected lagoon area, where pine-covered hills frame the scene like a painting. The combination of aerial thrills and waterside tranquility makes this a destination unlike any other.