Olu Deniz is a picturesque beach resort town located on the idyllic Aegean Sea on the south west coast of Turkey, with steep mountains rising behind it. If you were asked to pick a colour to sum up Olu Deniz, that colour would be blue. The small beach resort plays host to beautiful aquamarine waters that lie peacefully below cloudless blue skies. Whether you are below the waters or above, you will be amazed by the beautiful shades of turquoise, aquamarine and cobalt among all the other colours of the rainbow, which you can find in the coral, green grass and colourful flowers.
The mountains behind Olu Deniz create dry, cloudless and hot summer weather by blocking cool, moist winds to the town and forcing any clouds to form over them, rather than over the coast, leading to summer temperatures averaging up to 33°C, but with comfortable humidity levels.
Olu Deniz is especially known for the beautiful mountain of Babadag, which makes this resort the second most popular paragliding spot in the world. Paragliding is especially popular during May, September and October, but plenty of visitors do it during the morning hours of the summer months as well.
Olu Deniz also boasts one of the most photographed beaches in the world, and once you visit, it's easy to see why. The area has become a popular beach escape and is home to a variety of different activities such a diving, hiking and boating. During summer the average water temperature of the beautiful lagoon ranges between 24°C and 26°C.
The town of Olu Deniz lies just around the corner from a breathtaking blue lagoon. The lagoon is a protected nature reserve where building is prohibited. This has meant that despite the area being a popular tourist resort it remains relatively unscathed. The beach is one of the top 5 beaches in the world and holds an official 'blue flag', which means it is known, worldwide as one of the cleanest and well looked after beaches. So whether you choose to visit the south-western coast of Turkey in summer, winter, spring or autumn you will find weather conditions to suit you. Temperatures are mild outside of summer and the heat of the summer months is easily escaped by the cooling winds and refreshing waters of the Aegean Sea.
To top off the amazing landscape, Olu Deniz also has fantastic weather. Sunny skies, temperatures in the twenties and low rainfall last from late April till early October. Winters are cool and wet but generally preferable to the gloom of northern Europe at the same time of year. You don't have to worry about rain ruining your holiday during the summer Olu Deniz's average rainfall per month doesn't surpass more than two days.
With 13 full hours of sunshine in summer and 7 in winter, you will always have time to do some exploring and to have fun at Olu Deniz's beaches.
Summer Weather In Olu Deniz
Temperature
Summers in Olu Deniz get very hot, but the cooling breezes blowing in off the Aegean Sea make afternoons comfortable and the evenings more than pleasant. Temperatures start to rise very early on in the year, getting up to an average high of 24°C in May. It then climbs to an average high of 29°C in June. May evenings can still be quite nippy with an average low of 11°C, but in June the average low is 16°C which is hardly cold. In the height of summer (July/August) the average high is about 33°C which is very hot indeed. Luckily, low humidity means it rarely feels uncomfortable.
You will see the beaches filling up as travellers flock to sizzle on the sand and take refreshing dips in the sea. However, in the middle of the day, the temperature can climb high into the high thirties and you may have to retreat indoors. At night the average low sits at 19°C and you'll want that air conditioning for comfortable sleep. September is still exceptionally warm with an average high of 29°C and an average low of 15°C. It is best to pack hats, sunscreen and to avoid the middle of the summer days, if one is sensitive to heat and has pale skin.
Sea Temperature
The sea is pretty much warm enough for swimming all year round and in the summer the average water temperature is always in the twenties, peaking at a bathwater-warm 27°C in August. Rain is not something you have to worry about at this time of year.
Sunshine Hours
Olu Deniz puts other Mediterranean resorts to shame when it comes to sunshine. While ten hours of sunshine per day is seen as fantastic in the height of summer, Olu Deniz receives this in May, rising to a whopping thirteen hours per day in June, and peaking at an outstanding fourteen hours per day in July. Brighton, on the southeast coast of the UK, is considered to be pretty sunny for the UK, and few would complain of gloomy summers there, yet the average for summer is to receive seven hours of sunshine per day: half that of Olu Deniz.
Autumn Weather In Olu Deniz
Temperature
Pleasant temperatures last long into autumn but it does get considerably wetter. October sees an average high temperature of 23°C, higher than the average of any place in the UK in peak summer, and cool nights with an average low of 10°C. November is much cooler with an average high of 16°C and an average low of 6°C.
Rain
Rainfall increases throughout the season; November sees about twice the amount of rain that October does. Rain falls in heavy showers but generally only falls on a couple of days each week.
Sunshine Hours
Sunshine levels do reduce considerably, but with the starting point in mind it is unsurprising that it is still quite sunny, especially in comparison to the UK. The average hours of sunshine reduces to eight hours per day in October and six hours per day in November.
Sea Temperature
The sea remains gorgeous at 23°C in October and 20°C in November.
Early autumn is a good time to visit if you want to miss the summer crowds; it is still hot and sunny without extreme heat. September and October are months were paragliding becomes extremely popular in Olu Deniz, since the weather is milder during that time. The beaches are less crowded since autumn marks the end of the tourist season, making for a calmer, more serene holiday destination than Olu Deniz in summer.
Winter Weather In Olu Deniz
Temperature
Winters in Olu Deniz receive cool, wet weather. From December till January the average high sits around 10°C and the average low around 2°C. UK temperatures are only a couple of degrees cooler than this.
Rain And Sunshine Hours
It rains frequently in heavy downpours. Wet, grey periods can last for several days and showers are sometimes whipped into violent storms by sea winds. December is the wettest month with almost 300mm of rain alone. However, when it isn't raining the skies usually clear allowing for a good five hours of sunshine on average per day in December and January, and six in February. This is a huge improvement on sunshine levels seen in the UK.
Sea Temperature
If conditions are right, and you're brave enough, you might even take a dip in the sea. At its coldest it still sees an average temperature of 17°C, which is about as warm as it ever gets around the south coast of Britain.
Humidity
Humidity reaches 85% in winter, causing the temperature to feel often lower than what it actually is. It is advised to pack warm clothes when visiting Olu Deniz in winter.
Spring Weather In Olu Deniz
Temperature
Spring sees the quick return of warmth and sunshine, and the retreat of rainclouds. The temperature climbs to an average high of 14°C in March, 18°C in April and 20°C in May. Night times remain cold, the average low only creeping above 10°C in May.
Rain And Sunshine Hours
Rainfall lessens dramatically and while you'll still see the odd shower, the sun is much more reliable. Seven hours per day can be expected in March, climbing to ten in May.
Sea Temperature
The sea remains cool but most would find it bearable for swimming throughout the season. The water warms up to 20°C in May.
Late spring is a fantastic time to visit to avoid the crowds and enjoy the weather. May is also another month when many tourists come to paraglide off mount Babadag. The flight from the tip of the mountain ends down in the beautiful lagoon's beach and has been described as exhilarating and amazing by many who have dared to partake in this popular feature of Olu Deniz.