The Lycian rock tombs of Kaunos are cut directly into the sheer cliff face above the Dalyan River, visible from boats making the trip down to Iztuzu Beach. The largest of the tombs have elaborately carved temple facades — Ionic columns, pediments, and friezes carved in relief from the limestone — that are remarkable for their scale and preservation. They glow orange in the afternoon light and are lit at night.
Kaunos was an important Carian and later Lycian city, and the ruins of the ancient city can be visited near Dalyan: an acropolis, a theatre, a Roman bath complex, and a harbour that is now silted up and covered by the delta. The full site takes half a day to explore. Access from Dalyan is by boat or by a walk that crosses the river by small ferry.