Car Rental in Dalaman

Why rent a car in Dalaman?

Dalaman is a great place to explore by car. Having your own wheels will let you properly explore this underrated town, as well as to visit the area’s number one attraction - its numerous beautiful beaches.

Top ways to enter Dalaman

• Dalaman Airport: Served by around 30 different airlines, Dalaman Airport handles nearly five million travelers every year. There are plenty of flights to such varied destinations as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, and Russia (although most of the international routes are only served during the warm months of the year). Located 8 km (5 mi) south of the city center, the airport can be reached in about ten minutes.
• Bodrum Airport: Another airport serving a famous beach holiday destination, Bodrum-Milas handles about three million travelers every year. The airport hosts flights by many charter and low-cost airlines such as Pegasus, easyJet, and TUI. Located 165 km (102 mi) northwest of Dalaman, Bodrum Airport can be reached in 2 hours and 20 minutes.
• Antalya Airport: Serving the most famous coastal hub in Turkey and perhaps in all of the Eastern Mediterranean region, Antalya Airport handled 35.4 million travelers in 2019. The airport has flights by around 50 airlines, providing connections with destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa. Located 235 km (146 mi) east of Dalaman, Antalya Airport can be reached in about 3 hours and 20 minutes.
• Izmir Airport. Serving Turkey’s third-largest city, Izmir Airport handled about 12.8 million travelers in 2019. The airport is a hub for SunExpress and Pegasus Airlines, and has flights by more than 20 other airlines. Flying to Izmir is a good way to reach Dalaman in winter time. Located about 300 km (186 mi) northwest of Dalaman, Izmir Airport takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to reach.
• Istanbul Airport. While the largest city of Turkey is more than a nine-hour drive from Dalaman, its airport is how many foreign visitors, via a layover there, get to the region. Istanbul Airport was opened in 2018 as it replaced Ataturk Airport and has since become one of the busiest in both Europe and Asia.

City facts

• Like most other Turkish cities on the Mediterranean coast, Dalaman has hot, sunny summers and mild, humid winters. The temperature often surpasses 30 °C  (86 °F) in July and August, and precipitation is almost non-existent during these months. December and January, are quite rainy.
• Dalaman is not only a center of tourism, but also an important agricultural hub. Different fruits and vegetables, as well as cotton grow in the rich soil that surrounds the city. Many delicious Southern Turkish foods are traditionally made from the ingredients that grow in the area. 
• Dalaman is located in Muğla Province, a region with fascinating history. Inhabited by ancient tribes like Carians and Leleges, the area was mentioned in Iliad and other Ancient Greeks legends and tales; the rich ports of Muğla experienced attacks from Egyptians, Persians, and Scythians. Many fascinating historic sites can be found in the area, the highlight being the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Letoon that is about a 90 minute drive southeast of Dalaman.

Top sights and activities

• Alexandria Train Station. Built in 1905 because of a logistical misunderstanding, Alexandria Airport has never actually served a train (the building blocks that arrived here by mistake were meant for Alexandria in Egypt). Today the train station is a stunning mansion covered in ivies that is located in the middle of the Dalaman state farm.
• Sarigerme. Located at the point where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean, Sarigerme Beach is a paradise for surfers and other water sports enthusiasts. Even if you’re not in a mood for something that active, simply spending time on this beautiful beach or in one of the coastal restaurants makes for a great day outdoors, especially as Sarigerme is less than 15 minutes drive from Dalaman.
• Sultaniye. Most spa resorts in Turkey have been opened during the last decade or two. Not Sultaniye, though, as it has been welcoming visitors for about 2000 years. Reportedly, Romans were the first to discover the healing effects of its springs, and if you remain a sceptic, see if taking a dip in the famous Sultaniye mud bath can change your mind.

Traffic and parking

• Unless specifically indicated otherwise, the speed limits are 120 km/h (74.5 mph) on highways, 90 km/h (55.9 mph) on two-lane roads, and 50 km/h (31 mph) in populated and built-up areas.
• It is illegal to use the mobile phone while driving.
• On regional roads there might be fewer gas stations than on the national highways. Never stay too low on gas and always set out your route in advance to know the location of the next gas station.
• Due to high taxes, Turkey has a very expensive petrol, with prices higher than even in the most EU countries. Keep that in mind when setting out a route ahead!
• Turkey is overall a warm country, but during winter roads can be covered with ice, especially in mountainous regions. Do ask your car rental provider in advance if your vehicle’s tires will be equipped for to the season.
• Occasionally you might encounter police roadblocks and even military checkpoints, especially in Southeastern Turkey. They are there for your own safety, and on most cases they will only check your license and warn you about any potential danger that might lie ahead. 
• The legal alcohol limit is 0.05% if you’re driving alone and 0.00%. Exceeding the limit can lead to large fines and a licence ban.
• The insurance and car documentation needs to be in the car whenever you’re driving.
• If you’re the driver, you need to have your passport or ID card with you at all times.
• The general emergency number is in 112. The police number is 155, the fire brigade number is 110, and the forest fire number is 177.

Toll roads

Driving on most national motorways, as well as some bridges and tunnels in Turkey require a toll payment, including many motorways in Dalaman area and in the wider Turkish Mediterranean region. 

Most Turkish toll roads only permit an electronic, contactless payment from an electronic toll-payment transponder that’s in a car or by an electronic chip-sticker that’s on a car. This means that you cannot pay either by cash or credit card for most toll roads (only a handful newer ones will permit that). 

All rental cars have to be equipped either with a toll-payment transponder or with a toll-payment sticker. Some rental car providers might charge an extra fee for this service. Do contact your rental car provided in advance to find out more. 

The toll roads in Turkey are divided in HGS, the High-Speed Passage System (Hızlı Geçiş Sistemi in Turkish) and OGS (Otomatik Geçiş Sistemi in Turkish). On HGS roads, you can pass through the toll area at a higher speed. On OGS roads, you need to slow down as you go through a toll gate and the toll payment is registered through the electronic transponder that’s in a car. The exact amount you’ll have to pay will depend on the specific road you drive on and on the distance of your travels.

Find out more about the toll roads in Turkey on the European toll road website.

Ideas for day trips

• Kayaköy. Abandoned in the 1910s when the massacres of World War I drove out its surviving inhabitants, the town of Kayaköy has no permanent inhabitants, but is nonetheless a fascinating place to explore. Its beautiful buildings, churches, and workshops make this place more of a museum than a ghost town.
• Beaches. As if the golden sands of Dalaman itself weren’t enough, with your rental car you can also easily reach other famous resorts like Marmaris, Fethiye, Dalyan, and Hisarönü, or even try to find a more private and secluded spot just for yourself.
• İztuzu Beach. Yes, the 6.4 km (4 mi) long Iztuzu is a beach, just like the ones mentioned before. However, unlike the other ones, it is most famous not for its human visitors but for its animal inhabitants, the loggerhead turtles that love making their nests here.
• Uzunyurt. Best known for its quarter of Faralya which is also called the Butterfly Valley after the many rare species that it provides home to, Uzunyurt is a coastal town about a 90-minute drive south of Dalaman. In addition to a diversity of flora and fauna, the area is also famous for its stunning coastal cliffs and canyons, as well as certain ancient landmarks relating to Lycians, the long-gone civilization that once inhabited the area.

Most popular cars

The most popular rental car in Antalya is Hyundai i20, closely followed by the Ford Fiesta and the Hyundai Accent. The most popular car types are economy, compact, and mini. Most roads in and around the city are in good shape, but if you plan to drive in the nearby mountains, 4x4 vehicle would be better equipped for the task.

Further destinations

• İzmir. The third largest city in Turkey has been inhabited for nearly 9000 years, even before the Ancient Greeks arrived there and named the city Smyrna (it was given its present Turkish name later). Come here to wander in its old districts, try local dishes, and feel the city’s unique atmosphere.
• Myra. Even though Father Christmas is said to reside in Lapland, his supposed birthplace is at the other end of Europe, in the small town of Myra that’s about 180 km (110 mi) from Dalaman. Come here to learn more about this local legend and even visit the church that was built in his honour.
• Antalya. Famous not only for its resorts and serene beaches, but also for its architecture, history, and local character, Antalya, about three hours drive east of Dalaman, is perhaps the most famous coastal city of Turkey.

Car rental prices in Dalaman

• Station wagons - from $24 per day
• SUVs - from $28 per day
• Medium cars - from $16 per day
• Small cars - from $16 per day
• Premium cars - from $43 per day
• Vans - from $37 per day
• Large cars - from $19 per day

Money-saving and other tips

Try these things to get a good rental car deal in Dalaman:

• Compare rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Dalaman is the cheapest in January when renting a car is about 60% cheaper than the yearly average.