Muğla

The number of archaeological excavations in the western province of Muğla, which is home to important ruins besides offering sea, sand and sun tourism, increased from 23 last year to 30 this year. While most of the archaeological excavations continue in summer and winter, seabed rescue excavations are also carried out.

More than 300 cyclists from some 12 countries will compete in the "Santini Queens of the Aegean Boostrace" race on May 29 in the southwestern province of Muğla's Marmaris district, a tourism hub in the region.

Entering three famous beaches in the southern province of Antalya at night between 8 p.m. to sunrise has been banned with the start of the nesting season of the endangered Caretta caretta.

Those disobeying the rule on Çıralı, Olimpos and Patara beaches will be fined 109,785 Turkish Liras ($6,699).

The animals that were rescued from the forest fires last summer in the Marmaris, Bodrum and Milas districts of the western province of Muğla are still undergoing treatment at the İzmir Rescued Farm Animals Shelter.

In the first two days of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, six cruise ships brought more than 4,700 visitors to the Kuşadası district of the western province of Aydın on the Aegean coast.

Another 3,000 travelers also arrived in the famous resort town on the last day of the Eid holiday.

The owner of Karaca Island, located in the Gökova Gulf, has updated the island's sale price from 145 million Turkish Liras ($9.8 mln) to 360 million liras ($24.3 mln).

Real estate agents in the southwestern province of Muğla's Marmaris district, where the island is located, said the owner is a Turkish businessman living in the U.S.

British environmentalist June Haimoff, who was known as the "mother of Caretta caretta" for her massive efforts to protect the endangered species that lay eggs on the southwestern province of Muğla's İztuzu beach, has died at the age of 100 due to organ failure.

Forests and lands that were reduced to ashes as a result of the extreme wildfires that engulfed the southern province of Antalya and the southwestern province of Muğla in the summer of 2021 have been replanted in less than a year, daily Milliyet has reported.

Four inscriptions made of marble and limestone from the Umayyad period have been unearthed during the archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Knidos in the western province of Muğla's Datça district.

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck in the Mediterranean Sea off Cyprus on Feb. 3, Turkey's disaster management agency AFAD reported.

The quake took place at 00:03 a.m. local time (2103 GMT) about 136 kilometers (84.5 miles) off Antalya province, according to AFAD.

It occurred at a depth of 13.20 kilometers (8.20 miles) below the surface, it added.