When do turtles lay eggs on Zakynthos Island? A treasure trove of unforgettable impressions - Turtle Island Dalyan in Turkey

The length of Koh Tau island is only 8 km, the maximum width is 3 km. But the distance from the mainland is quite significant - 38 km. During the summer holidays in Thailand (from late April to mid-May), Koh Koh Island is hopelessly crowded as local holidaymakers flock here.

The six hundred inhabitants of Tau Island are distributed among the villages of Mahat, Khatsay and Chalok. Most of them live in the first village, a beautiful village surrounded by granite rocks. There are also establishments useful for tourists, such as restaurants and a bank. There is also a ferry pier in this village.

Half a century ago, Tau Island served as a prison. Evil tongues claim that the Thai government transferred prisoners (mostly political ones) from here simply because the island is too beautiful to be a place of punishment.

Beaches of Koh Tau

A few years ago, on the deserted beaches of Tau Island, it was easy to imagine yourself as Robinson. But now there are bungalows everywhere. The most beautiful beaches are in the west of the island, and they are easier to reach than the narrow coastal strips in the east and south.

Diving

Koh Tao Island is especially appreciated by experienced scuba diving enthusiasts. The underwater world here is still almost unspoilt. Three small islands adjacent to Tau from the northwest and collectively called Nangyuan are especially good for underwater forays. There are about a dozen scuba diving schools on Koh Tao Island, where you can rent the necessary equipment and also get a PADI diploma.

How to get there

By ferry:
travel from Chupmkhon by ferry takes about 6 hours, by speedboat - hours. An express boat runs daily from Thongsala on Koh Phangan (travel time about 2 hours). There is also a boat connection to Koh Samui.
By plane:
The nearest airport is on Koh Samui.

There is very little transport on the island of Koh Tau, but the distances are so short that they can be covered on foot.

We stayed at the ILLaria hotel between the two villages of Kalamaki and Laganas. The hotel consisted of small two-story houses with large green areas and a homely atmosphere. Thanks to the hotel owner. We lived in a house like this on the second floor. We walked to the beach through a eucalyptus forest. And you know, we didn’t feel either fatigue or sweltering heat from this walk. Pleasure and peace. The beach is very clean with warm sand. There are not many people, mostly everyone lies in the area where there are sun loungers. The sea is shallow, you walk and walk and you are still knee-deep, like we are in the Gulf of Finland, only here the water is warm, but in St. Petersburg you can’t even walk a meter, you’ll already freeze. This entrance into the sea is very pleasant for the children and me, since I am terrified of the sharp depths in the sea.

Having read information on the Internet that it is on our beach that turtles go to lay their offspring in the sand, and there were already a lot of clutches, we decided to take a catamaran. For two hours we swam along the shore and peered into the blue waters, but we didn’t see anything. Either it was the wrong day or all the turtles had already laid their offspring.

After relaxing on the beach for several days, we decided to visit the capital of the island of Zakynthos. A taxi from our hotel to the capital of the island cost 13 euros for a 15-minute drive, and given the fact that Greece has a problem with the punctuality of public transport, we decided to take a taxi.

There is an observation deck on the island, which offers a wonderful view of the city. And now we see the goal... but we don’t know where to go, since the signs are all written in a language we don’t understand. But we got there...and we were helped by a nice woman who didn’t know English, and we didn’t know Greek, but no one had canceled sign language, and we understood each other.

And here is the altitude we took in the heat of 35 degrees. To be honest, it was worth it.

In the evenings, tourists are brought to this cozy restaurant on the mountain, where I arrange for them a national Greek dinner with dancing and music. You can also see a simply stunning sunset here.....

On our way back home, we came across this little shop along the way. And pay attention to the onion, yes, yes, at the entrance to the store there is an onion of this size.

The day came when we sailed to Navagio Bay. In general, we don’t like a huge number of people, so we took an excursion on a small boat with a stop only at Navagio Bay and the blue caves. Along the way we saw such beauty.

And this ship headed to the island of Kefalonia.

Blue Caves. We'll go there a little later.

Incredibly beautiful nature. The waves crash against the rocks, the warm wind...Words cannot describe it.

Here it is, the long-awaited one... Let's swim up. We also arrived at a good time, there weren’t many people on the beach, and we managed to take good photos; when we were already sailing, the largest ship arrived, which can accommodate 500 people. Well, you can imagine what happened there;)

Have you ever seen such a color of the sea? Personally, I don’t. You see further on the water is already dark blue, but in the bay it is blue, turquoise, and I even heard someone call it milk-colored water.

Everyone, young and old, comes here. Unfortunately, small boats and boats do not have the opportunity to swim directly to the shore, so people have to swim to get there.

This rusty ship has been in the bay for a very long time and is its calling card, since according to legend, pirates crashed on this ship, and it still remains here. There are many Russian inscriptions on it, there is even the inscription Zenit Peter.

The water in the bay is never calm; the waves were even higher. You can do, for example, lunges like this :)

And this is my photo shoot;)

For everything, the boat captain gives you an hour of time to take a photo and swim, although I personally didn’t sail more than a meter from the shore. Firstly, it was deep, and secondly, the wave washed me back. The next point on our sea voyage was the blue caves. The water is crystal clear, transparent and very warm, even warmer than in the bay.

This is how all the men escaped from the boat :)

Surprised? We were too. Why are there no people on the street and the shops are closed? Because on this day there was a holiday in Greece, and the whole island was resting. But we weren’t too upset, we wandered through the quiet streets, found the only cafe on the embankment that was open and enjoyed another day in this wonderful and already so dear country.

The cats of Greece have always touched me. They are thin not because they are not fed, but it’s just very difficult for the fat ones. Hot, scorching sun, not a drop of rain.... My fat ass wouldn’t have taken root there;)

On the penultimate day of our vacation, we decided to rent a boat and sail to the neighboring Turtle Island. It is called so because it is shaped like a turtle. And there, on the white sand, turtles lay their offspring.

We are early birds, and that's why we were the very first to arrive. The beach is very rocky, but we swam here to swim in the caves. This is where I snorkeled for the first time. I experienced so many emotions in that moment. As I already wrote, I am afraid of depth, and that is why it took me so much effort to overcome myself. We saw so many beautiful fish, both small and large. They swam near us, some of the bravest ones were very close, and some, seeing us, swam away.

Salt water creates such funny hairstyles :)

You can sail around the island in 20 minutes. On one side there is a rocky beach with caves, and on the other side there is an open beach with white sand, but that day there was a strong wind, so we could not leave our boat there, it was constantly being carried away.

Our journey has ended on the wonderful island of Zakynthos. Sea, sun, soft sand, warm sea breeze, invigorating and aromatic Greek coffee, enchanting nature and an atmosphere of warmth, comfort and tranquility, this is all that we experienced during these 10 days.
Come to Zakynthos. Turtles are waiting for you;)

And Beldibi, a miniature island, abundantly overgrown with greenery and completely covered with hills and mounds, comfortably lurks. This uninhabited piece of land has no official name.

However, tourists know it under three names: “Mouse Island”, “Turtle Island” and “Island of Unfaithful Wives”. You can learn more about this wonderful place from the article below.

In contact with

To visit Turkey without visiting this place is simply blasphemy! After all, this is one of the most famous local attractions.

Most tourists and diving enthusiasts try to include this island in their “research” program. And this is not surprising! Despite its small proportions, the Mouse Island of Turkey is surrounded by legends and traditions of antiquity.

According to one version, its the first name is “Mouse” (in Turkish it sounds like “Sychan”)- I received the island as follows. Once upon a time, a ship was wrecked near its shores.

In the chaos that began, the crew members noticed a curious detail - all the mice that lived on board the ship began to swim in a crowd towards this place. The sailors followed their example, and thus managed to survive when they reached land. And someone sees the profile of a mouse in the outlines of the earth.

The island owes its second name - “Turtle” - to the abundance of these amphibian representatives living there. And its shape itself is somewhat reminiscent of a turtle shell. Funny turtles are almost the main attraction.

The most interesting legend dates back to the times of the Ottoman Empire. Once upon a time, a certain sultan suspected one of his wives of adultery. He gave her the order to put on all the gold jewelry she had and in such “armor” swim to the island. If the wife manages to swim, she will receive spousal forgiveness.

In those days, Turkish women did not know how to swim, and, most likely, the poor thing was swallowed up by the abyss of water under the weight of gold. Hence the custom to call it “The Island of Unfaithful Wives.”

And there is another version. They say that husbands who suspected their spouses of infidelity forced the latter to swim to Dalyan Turtle Island. The one of the wives who sailed safe and sound was declared innocently convicted of adultery. Hence they began to call it the “Island of Unfaithful Wives.”

Contact Information

Official address: Turtle Island, Turkey, Antalya, D400 road, Antalya Kemer Yolu, Turkey.
Geographic coordinates: 36°48’8″N; 30°35’22″E.

How to get to Mouse Island?

This heavenly oasis is located between Antalya and Beldibi. You can get to Mouse Island by yacht or catamaran.

Sailing near the coast, you can see the island in all its amazing beauty, combined with a bizarre mountain landscape and lush, bright green trees.

The yacht usually makes a stop to give tourists the opportunity to enjoy a holiday on the beach, visit Chaltydzhak Bay, and swim near the island. There are many yachts constantly moored near Dalyan and Turtle Island, since there is no end to those who want to visit this unusual place.

Thanks to Turkey's subtropical climate, the flora and fauna are quite diverse. Due to the bizarre mountainous terrain, the overall magnificent impression is further enhanced. Mostly coniferous trees grow on these rocks, but there are also fruit-bearing trees.

During their flowering, they spread a truly intoxicating aroma around. The underwater world of the coast is also famous for its diversity and outlandish beauty.

It is no coincidence that this quiet and mysterious place has been chosen by lovers of underwater exploration - divers.

Before the trip, future tourists need to learn some simple rules so as not to find themselves in an ambiguous position and incur the wrath of ardent Turks.

When visiting, respect the integrity of the ecological system. Do not pollute it, do not destroy vegetation and representatives of the animal world. The Turkish authorities impose severe penalties for such offenses. Spitting is also punishable.

Visit the historical town to feel how diverse this amazing country is. And of course, be sure to visit the famous one.

Excursions in Dalyan

Many tour operators provide the opportunity to take an excursion to Mouse Island. Here is a list of some of them:

Coral Travel. A catamaran sailing from the port of Antalya will allow you to take an interesting walk to Mouse Island and admire the beauty that opens up;
Travel company "Dilite". Departure on the Antalian yacht from the port of Chelebi;
Travel company "Unitravel"

For a fairly reasonable price, you can fully enjoy all the delights that Turtle Island generously offers in Turkey: take a walk along the coast on a catamaran or yacht, swim in the purest fresh Mediterranean water, watch cute amphibious turtles (of which there are plenty here), remember the mysterious ancient legends.

You never know what else! Despite its small size, it can more than make up for this with a rich variety of flora and fauna, blessed silence and tranquility, and can compete even with well-known resorts. Also, if you decide to make purchases, you may need information about, want entertainment, at your service, and many more interesting things (,). Make your choice and go on vacation!

An excursion to Turtle Island or Prison island combines a sea voyage across the blue Indian Ocean and a visit to an abandoned prison and a turtle park, where a colony of giant turtles lives.

Important!!! Don't hesitate to buy this excursion. In the article below, I will tell you how to easily and cheaply organize this mini-cruise for yourself and get a sea of unforgettable impressions.

Officially, you can feed turtles on the island; everyone who buys an entrance ticket is given a bunch of grass.

Prison island on the map of Zanzibar:

How to visit Prison island (Turtle Island Zanzibar) on your own:

If you are in Stone Town, plan 2.5 - 3 hours for this tour. If not in Stone Town, think about how to get to the capital.
The map shows a point on the beach in Stone Town itself. Here you can rent a boat. The more people you have, the cheaper the price for each. There were three of us, for three the starting price for a boat was 30 dollars, but we easily dropped the price to 20 dollars.
This price includes: a motor boat with a captain, transportation in both directions and waiting while you walk around Turtle Island. This is what the boat looks like.

We sail to turtle island in a race with other tourists

The journey takes 30 minutes one way across the very blue Indian Ocean.
The recommended time for visiting the island grounds is every day until 14:00. Turtles that crawl freely around the island feed on the stems of some kind of grass; this grass is given to every tourist who pays an entrance ticket. You can feed the turtles until 14:00, so after this time nothing is given to incoming tourists, and the turtles are not so active and not hungry.

The boat will take you directly to the beach of the island, drop you off and wait while you have some fun.
Turtle Island is very small, but nevertheless divided into two independent parts. First: a turtle park, where a whole colony lives, more than 500 turtles. Entrance here costs $4 per person. For this money you get a bunch of grass that you can feed freely crawling turtles. Second: an abandoned prison with amazing views of the ocean, admission is free.

There is a small restaurant on Prison Island where you can drink a cold beer or order food, but the prices here are three times higher than the average on the island.
It took us an hour and a half to walk around the entire island and see everything.
The journey back takes the same 30 minutes.
Total: 2.5 hours, 10-11 dollars per person and no guides or intermediaries. Organizing an excursion to Prison Island on your own is as easy as shelling pears.

After reading the entire article, I hope you understand that the best time to visit is the first half of the day. We made the mistake of planning a whole day. When you are brought back and dropped off on the same beach where you started, then in 10 minutes you can walk to the very center of Stone Town, Forodani Gardens. And from there everything is within walking distance. Choose any.

In addition to turtles, the island is home to peacocks and guinea fowl. More details in the article at the link.

Will help you get a general idea of what awaits you on this archipelago, including smaller islands such as Prison Island.

In conclusion: It doesn't matter how far you travel from Stone Town. If you are in Zanzibar, you must set aside time to visit Prison Island, Turtle Island. The photo above I hope convinced you.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: below are the main resources without which you cannot organize your holiday in Zanzibar (immediately add what you need to your bookmarks):

Air travel:– the cheapest tickets to Zanzibar via Istanbul, Dubai, Doha or Muscat.

Ready tours: — tours to Zanzibar from 60,000 rubles. (You can find a direct charter Moscow - Zanzibar)

Hotels:– hotels on the island with 50% discounts, work with Booking, Ostrovok, Trivago.

Villas, bungalows and hotels on the first line:- There are exclusive options at great prices.

Car rental:- the world leader in car rental, in Zanzibar too.

Extended health insurance:— cooperate directly with the Zanzibar hospital and clinic. When purchasing insurance, you will receive a free online consultation with a doctor 24/7 during your trip!