Paragliding over Ölüdeniz
The world's highest tandem paragliding site — a ridge above 1,900m onto a lagoon — and where this coast's safety risk concentrates.
Enough context, no spoilers
Why it matters
Ölüdeniz's sheltered bay and the ridge above it, Babadağ, made this the coast's paragliding capital; operators fly tandem passengers off the summit most days from April into late autumn. Türkiye's civil aviation authority licenses pilots and operators. A cable car now reaches most of the way up for visitors who want the view without flying.
What to know before you go
This is the reason most visitors put Fethiye on the list at all, so it is worth understanding what you are actually buying before handing over a deposit. You are not piloting anything. Nearly every flight sold here is tandem: you are strapped in front of a licensed pilot, who controls the wing, while you provide the weight and the view. Take-off is from Babadağ, a ridge above Ölüdeniz commonly quoted at around 1,970 metres — sources vary by a few metres either way — reached by minibus convoy as part of your package, or by cable car if you are going up independently to watch rather than fly. The flight itself runs 20 to 30 minutes, gliding down over the pine ridge and the lagoon before landing on Belcekız Beach, the open sand strip north of the paid nature park, not inside the lagoon itself. All of that is genuinely spectacular, and none of it is risk-free, so it is worth saying the risk plainly rather than folding it into marketing copy. The UK government's travel advice for Türkiye names paragliding directly: British nationals have died or been seriously injured paragliding here, and it specifically warns bystanders to keep clear of landing areas — advice that is hard not to read as written with Ölüdeniz in mind. In November 2024 a 15-year-old British girl eating lunch at a beachfront restaurant was struck by a paraglider that came in out of control, breaking her spine, jaw and collarbone; the pilot, reportedly a foreign national, left the country afterwards. In April 2025 a tandem pilot and passenger died after their parachute failed shortly after take-off from Babadağ, prompting a temporary suspension of flights on the mountain and an official investigation. Neither case means the sport is reckless by nature — thousands fly here without incident every season, and pilots and operators are licensed by Türkiye's aviation authority — but it does mean the choice of operator is not a formality. Ask directly whether your pilot and company hold current licensing, get the price in writing (tandem flights are commonly quoted anywhere from roughly €90 to €180 depending on season and extras like video), and treat a company that brushes off the question as a reason to book elsewhere. Fly in the morning if you can arrange it: the air is calmer, the light on the lagoon is better, and you are airborne before the afternoon's thermals and crowds build.