Resort village in pine-covered hills above Ölüdeniz, used as a base for beaches and trails.
Hisaronu is a small resort village in the hills above Oludeniz, about 8 kilometres from Fethiye in southwestern Turkey. It sits in the pine-covered slopes of the Taurus Mountains, close enough to the famous blue lagoon at Oludeniz to use it as a base without being on the beach itself.
The village has grown considerably from its origins but local building restrictions have kept it from sprawling too aggressively, and newer buildings are generally built in a style that fits the surroundings. It is very popular with British visitors — English is widely spoken, and the range of bars and restaurants is considerable for a place this size.
The main draw is the proximity to the Oludeniz lagoon, whose turquoise water and white sand are among the most photographed in Turkey. From Oludeniz you can paraglide off Babadag mountain, join boat trips out to Gemiler Island and the rest of the Twelve Islands, walk down through the pine forest to the abandoned Greek town of Kayaköy, or pick up the Lycian Way for a half-day hike along the coast.
Guide
Bars and Cafes
Hisaronu has more bars per square metre than almost any other village in Turkey of its size, and the strip of pubs, karaoke bars, and shisha cafes along the main street is the reason it is so popular with British groups. Most stay open until two or three in the morning in season; many close entirely from November to April. None of it is sophisticated, but it is cheerful and very cheap. The quietest places are the family-run cafes off the main drag, where you can get a proper Turkish coffee and a baklava for less than the price of a pint round the corner.
Guide
Getting There
The nearest airport is Dalaman (about 60 km north), with seasonal flights from across northern Europe and year-round services from Istanbul. Airport transfers to Hisaronu take just over an hour by private car or shuttle bus; a dolmus via Fethiye is cheaper but slower.
From Fethiye, 8 km away, dolmuses to Hisaronu and Oludeniz leave every fifteen minutes from the harbour station and the journey costs almost nothing. By rental car, follow the signs to Oludeniz out of Fethiye and Hisaronu sits at the top of the hill, just before the road drops down to the lagoon.