MARMARIS
CED Internet C@fé (%413 0193; 28 Sokak 63B; per hr
€1.65; h10am-midnight low season, to 2am high season)
A new place. You can buy drinks from the café below.
Internet C@fe (%412 0799; Atatürk Caddesi, Huzur Apt
30; per 30 mins €1.10; h10am-1am). More expensive than
the CED.
Post Office (PTT; 51 Sokak; h8.30am-midnight)
Phones are accessible 24 hours a day.
Tourist Office (%412 1035; İskele Meydanı 2;
h8am-noon, 1-5pm Mon-Fri mid-Sep–May, daily
Jun–mid-Sep) Right near the castle.
Sights & Activities
MARMARİS CASTLE
The small castle on the hill behind the tourist
office was built during the reign of Süleyman
the Magnificent. In 1522 the sultan massed
200,000 troops here for the attack and siege of
Rhodes, which was defended by the Knights
of St John. The fortress is now the Marmaris
Museum (Marmaris Müzesi; %412 7420; admission €1.10;
h8am-noon & 1-5pm Tue-Sun). Exhibits are predict-
ably nautical, historical, ethnographic and
fairly unexciting, though the building itself,
draped in bougainvillea, and the views over
the marina and out to sea are lovely.
BEACHES
For such a major holiday resort it’s strange
that there aren’t any good beaches near town.
Hotel swimming pools provide the solution.
The beaches at İçmeler and Turunç ( p341 )
can be reached by dolmuşes from outside the
Tansaş Shopping Centre, and water taxis from
Yeni Kordon Caddesi southeast of the Atatürk
statue. The beach at Günlücek Park is also acces-
sible by dolmuş from outside Tansaş. Dolmuşes
to İçmeler cost €0.85, to Turunç €2.75.
HAMAM
The clean and modern Armutalan Hamam (%417
5375; 136 Sokak 1; bath & scrub €14, with massage €19.50;
h8.30am-10pm May-Oct) lies behind the govern-
ment hospital just off Datça Caddesi about
2km from the town centre. Go after 6pm when
the hamam is empty of tour groups. There’s a
frequent free shuttle service from outside the
Tansaş Shopping Centre and back, as well as
from some hotels and the tourist office.
BOAT TRIPS
Besides the daily boats to Rhodes ( p340 ),
yachts, cheek-by-jowl along the waterfront,
offer day tours of Marmaris Bay, its beaches
and islands. They cost around €175 to €200 per
boat (up to four people – around €24 to €28 per
person), but you’ll need to negotiate. Yachts sail
from May (some from April) to October.
Boats usually leave between 9.30am and
10.30am and return at around 5pm to 5.30pm.
Before signing up, check where the excursion
goes, its cost and whether lunch is included
and, if so, what’s on the menu.
Bay excursions usually visit Paradise Island,
Aquarium, Phosphoros Cave, Kumlubuku,
Amos, Turunç, Green Sea and İçmeler.
Two-day trips (around €385 for the boat)
and three-day trips (€555) popularly go to
Dalyan and Kaunos. You can also charter
longer, more serious boat trips to Datça and
Knidos, west of Marmaris.
DIVING
Several centres offer scuba diving excursions
and courses from April to October. The Deep
Blue Dive Center (%412 4438; Yeni Kordon Caddesi)
charges €280 for a PADI Open Water course
over two to four days. Day excursions cost
€35 including two dives, all equipment, a dive-
master and lunch.
Sleeping
Interyouth Hostel (%412 3687; interyouth@turk.net;
42 Sokak 45; dm or s without bathroom with/without ISIC
card €5.60/7, d without bathroom €14; i) Located in-
side the covered bazaar (signposted up the
THE SPONGE DIVERS OF MARMARIS
‘Before tourism came, our main source of income in Marmaris was sponge diving. I remember
that every year, in early April or May when the seas were calm, most of the men of the village
would say goodbye to their families and leave to go diving. We didn’t see them again for six
months. Working along the reef from Marmaris to Antalya and around Bodrum too, they covered
maybe 600km.
‘Each diving team basically had three boats, a mother boat where the divers slept and ate,
a working boat that pumped air directly to them as they dived, and a rowing boat taking the
divers to and from their fishing.
‘When they dived, they would walk along the sea bed at depths of 35m or 40m, collecting as
many sponges in their baskets as they could. When their dive time was up or they began to go
too deep, the captain would pull on the pilot string attached to their lead casket.
‘But because they were paid by the kilo, many divers went well beyond their safety limits.
Sometimes they went as deep as 50m or 60m or more! If a diver lost consciousness or stopped
responding to the pilot string, they’d haul him up to a shallower depth and leave him in the
water until he began to respond again.
‘Yes, serious accidents did unfortunately happen and divers were injured – or even killed –
every year. Maybe the air pipe would get caught in a propeller or the air pump would break
down, but usually it was the divers themselves that got themselves into trouble.
‘I remember all the women and children at the quayside keeping their eyes on the Straits of
Marmaris waiting for their husbands or fathers to return. When a diver didn’t come home, all of
Marmaris went into mourning. It would be the talk of town for weeks. All of us boys had uncles
who had been injured or died. Usually they were paralysed – sometimes from the waist down.
I had a neighbour who was crippled.
‘But it wasn’t just for the money that they took these risks. There was terrible competition
not just between the different boat crews but also between the divers themselves. There was
huge prestige in the amount of sponges a diver collected – his daily tally was chalked up on a
board on the boat. Also how deep he dared to go and how long he dared to dive for. After the
dives, many divers would drink. I remember them buying lots of bottles of rakı. My father had
a grocery shop in Marmaris where they used to come. But they never paid their bills and in the
end my father went bankrupt.
‘We all knew that it was a hard job and I guess we thought that they were brave and in a
way heroic. They were definitely richer than the rest of us (though I don’t think any died rich –
though the agents did) and they dressed in a certain way, walked in a certain way, and spent
money. Sometimes you’d see them building quite big houses. There were many folk songs about
them too – or about their families and the losses they endured.’
The 1970s saw the final demise of Marmaris’ divers, but some are still alive and still full of tales
of their diving days. You can ask to meet them if you like, though none speak English. Look out
also for the diver memorial statue in Marmaris.
With thanks to Erol Uysal, local guide and historian, for agreeing to be interviewed in Marmaris
Ayçe Otel (%412 3136; fax 412 3705; 64 Sokak 11; s
€17-20, d €22-28 depending on season; as) Central,
friendly, family-run and with good facilities,
this is a two- or three-star hotel at one-star
prices. With comfortable rooms with balcon-
ies, a medium-sized pool and a pleasant roof
terrace, it’s terrific value.
Royal Maris Otel (%412 8383; www.royalmarisotel
.com; Atatürk Caddesi 34; s €22-50, d €39-83 depending on
season; as) Comfortable and stylish (with
a roof terrace that’s designed to resemble a
ship’s deck), this hotel is great value. Facilities
include two pools, a private beach, a hamam
and a fitness centre. All rooms have balconies
and 50 have direct sea outlooks. The views
from some rooms and from the roof terrace
are stunning.
Marina Hotel (%412 0010; www.marmarismarina
hotel.com; Barbaros Caddesi 39; s €28, d €40-44; hApr-Oct)
Don’t be put off by the castle-cut-out entrance.
The rooms, canary-yellow with frilly curtains
and doilies in the bathroom, are homely and
comfy. The biggest boon is what the hotel
claims is the ‘best terrace in Marmaris’ with
wonderful panoramic views over the marina
and castle. There’s even a fixed telescope for
serial boat-spotters.
Hotel Begonya (%412 4095; fax 412 1518; 39 Sokak
101; d high/low season €34/17; a) With seven cosy
rooms set around a shaded courtyard, this
place is beguilingly peaceful. But set slap-bang
in the middle of Bar St, it’s for party-goers
only, as the owner freely admits! Do as they
do and snatch a siesta during the day.
Eating
RESTAURANTS
If you’re planing a feast of fish, be sure to
ask about prices before ordering, particu-
larly on the waterfront. For something cheap
and cheerful, try the bazaar area between the
post office and the mosque, the old town area
around the castle where there’s a host of small
Turkish restaurants, and along 39 Sokak (Bar
St), where stalls cater to the ravenous late-
night revellers.
Meryem Ana (%412 7855; 35 Sokak 62; mains €1.40-
2.25 h8am-11pm) Though simple and under-
stated, this place serves terrific traditional
home cooking. A firm family affair, you can
see the mother and aunt hard at work in the
kitchen stuffing vine leaves. It has an excel-
lent reputation locally and is a good choic
for veggies too (a large mixed plate of many
dishes costs €4.45).
Liman Restaurant (%412 6336; 40 Sokak 38;
h8.30am-1am) Though something of an insti-
tution and well known for its mezes (€2.50 to
€8), this lively restaurant inside the bazaar is
not the cheapest of places. But the fish soup
(€4) is famous, and the buğlama (steamed fish,
€19 for 500g) a sumptuous speciality.
Fellini (%413 0826; Barboras Caddesi 61; meals €10;
h9am-midnight) Perennially popular with both
locals and visitors in the know, this attrac-
tively set waterfront restaurant does great
thin-crust pizzas (€7 to €9) and also has pasta
(€5 to €9).
Ney Restaurant (%412 0217; 26 Sokak 24; meze €2.20,
mains €5-11) Tucked away off the street up some
steps is this tiny but delightful restaurant set
in a 250-year-old Greek house. Decorated
with seashells and wind chimes, it’s run by the
charming Birgül, owner and cook, who offers
delicious home cooking at pleasing prices. Try
the mantı böreğı (Turkish ravioli).
CAFÉS & QUICK EATS
Café Yavuz Patisserie (%412 6876; Atatürk Caddesi 34/A;
ice cream per scoop €0.85, h6.30am-9.30pm low season,
to 1.30am high season) Also offering an appetis-
ing array of Turkish tantalisers, this place is
particularly known for its baklava (€1.65 for
four pieces), made daily.
Özsüt (%413 4708; Atatürk Caddesi 4; ice cream per
scoop €0.70, puddings €1.95-2.20; h9am-midnight) With
tables set on the seafront, this is the perfect
place to tuck into a Turkish pud or two. This
ever-popular chain offers the usual freshness
and high quality that will have you moaning
for more. Try the delightfully named aşure
(Noah’s pudding).
Doyum (%413 4977; Ulusal Egemenlik Bulvarı17; h24
hr) Serving fresh home cooking at fabulous
prices, the Doyum is all-too-rare in Marmaris.
Perhaps that’s why it’s packed with apprecia-
tive locals. Clean, friendly and always open,
it’s a good place for an early breakfast (€2.20),
and also serves an array of tasty veggie dishes
(€1.10 to €2.20)
İdil Mantı Evi (%413 9771; 39 Sokak 140; meze 2.20-
2.75, mains €5.50-10; h4pm-4am) Conveniently lo-
cated in Bar St, this is a great place if you get
the night-nibbles. With simple wooden tables
around a traditional oven, it’s a delightful and
atmospheric place. Guests leave little messages
or their names on the wooden panels of the
interior. Veggie dishes (€3.35 to €6.65) are
available. The gözleme (crêpes, €2.75 to €4.45)
make a great snack.
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