western-mediterranean part 3

Drinking & Entertainment

Marmaris’ nightlife rivals anything on the
Turkish coast. The aptly named ‘Bar St’ (39
Sokak, also known as Hacı Mustafa Sokak)
has a string of places that are wildly popular
in summer.

Unless stated otherwise, the following bars
open from 7pm to 4am daily. Beers cost €3.90,
spirits €4.40 and there are foam parties every
night as well as dance and laser shows.
Bars ‘in’ when we visited included the ever-
popular Back Street (%412 4048; 39 Sokak 93) and a
close second, Areena (%412 2906; 39 Sokak 54; beer
€4.50), with its bar elevated above a large dance
floor and high-quality lasers. Ranking number-
three in the trendy stakes is Crazy Daisy (%412
4048; 39 Sokak 121; h3pm-4am May–mid-Sep) with
its raised terraces (good for dancing on), as
well as the cavernous Greenhouse (%412 8792;
39 Sokak; beer €3.90).
The Panorama Bar (%413 4835; Hacıİmam Sokağı40;
beer €2.75; h9am-midnight mid-Apr–Oct), off 30 Sokak,
is more of a permanent fixture and less of a
club. Its terrace, though not large, more than
justifies the bar’s name – it probably boasts the
best views in Marmaris. To find it, follow the
signs from left of the museum and castle.
At the eastern end of Bar St, near the Net-
sel Marina, there is also an open-air cinema
(tickets €3.85; hJun-Sep) behind the Keyif Bar.
All movies are English-language releases and
are screened at sunset. At the time of writing
it was closed, but there were plans to reopen
it in the future.
Getting There & Away

AIR
The region’s principal airport is at Dalaman,
120km east of Marmaris. Turkish Airlines
runs an airport bus (known as the Havaş bus;
(€3) for their passengers from the Turkish
Airlines office in Marmaris, departing about
3½ hours before each Turkish Airlines flight.
Otherwise, take one of Marmaris Coop’s buses
to Dalaman (€3.90) from Marmaris otogar,
and take a short but quite expensive taxi ride
(€14) from there.

Turkish Airlines (%412 3751; Atatürk Caddesi 26-B)
has an office about 400m west of the Atatürk
statue on the waterfront. See p351 for info
on flights.

BOAT
Catamarans sail daily to Rhodes Town in
Greece (one way/same-day return/open re-
turn €42/42/73 including port tax, 50 min-
utes) from 15 April to 1 November, leaving
at 9am. They return from Rhodes at 4.30pm.
Cars cost €150/180/250 for a one-way/
same-day return/open-return ticket.
Greek catamarans also sail during the
same period from Rhodes to Marmaris (one
way/same-day return/open return €57/57/75)
at 8am daily, returning from Marmaris at
4.30pm. Carscost €150/180/180 for a one-way/
same-day return/open return.
Turkish cargo boats (carrying up to 78 pas-
sengers) also sail once a week in high season
to Rhodes (same prices as the catamarans; two
hours; departures usually 12.30pm), and two
to three times a week in low season, depend-
ing on weather (departures usually 9am). They
either return the same day or stay in Rhodes
for a period of two or three days.
Note that catamarans do not operate from
November to mid-April, and there are no
Greek cargo boats.
Tickets can be bought from any travel
agency including Yeşil Marmaris Travel & Yacht-
ing (%412 2290; www.yesilmarmaris.com; Barbados Caddesi
13; h7am-midnight Mon-Sat high season, 8.30am-6.30pm
low season).
Book tickets at least one day in advance
(more if you have a car) and bring your pass-
port. You need to be at the ferry dock one
hour before departure. Some agencies pro-
vide a free pick-up service from hotels in the
town centre. Note that when you return from
Rhodes (even if you’ve just been for a day trip)
you’ll still need to buy a new Turkish visa
from the immigration authorities in front of
Customs in Rhodes.

BUS
Marmaris’ otogar lies 3km north of the cen-
tre of town. Dolmuşes run to and from the
otogar along Ulusal Egemenlik Bulvarı every
few minutes in high season. Bus companies
have ticket offices around the Tansaş Shop-
ping Centre.
Buses run to Bodrum (€6.70, 3½ hours,
165km) every one to two hours in high sea-
son, every three hours in low season. All year
round, buses run to İstanbul (€25, 13 hours,
805km) four times a day, to İzmir (€10.65, 4¼
hours, 320km) every hour, to Fethiye (€5.55,
three hours, 170km) every half-hour, and to
Antalya (€15, six hours, 590km) twice a day.
For Datça (€3.90, 1¾ hours) dolmuşes run
every hour in high season and every 1½ hours
in low season. For Köyceğız (€2.80, 40 min-
utes) take the Fethiye bus. For Dalyan, take
the Fethiye bus and change at Ortaca (€3.40,
1½ hours) and take the dolmuş.
Getting Around
Frequent dolmuşes run around the bay, be-
ginning and ending at the Tansaş Shopping
Centre on Ulusal Egemenlik Bulvarı. Recently,
they have been colour-coded to denote their
different routes: the green dolmuşes go to
Uzunyalı (€0.55, 3km) and Turban-Siteler
(€0.90, 6km), and the orange ones to İçmeler
(€1.70, 11km).
AROUND MARMARİS
Once a separate fishing village, İçmeler, 8km
west and south around the bay, is now merely
a beach suburb of Marmaris. However, it feels
a much classier place, not least because it
has been better planned and has a relatively
clean beach.
Turunç is the next beach resort, but its isol-
ated position has given it some protection
from massive overdevelopment. It is popular
with British tourists seeking a more relaxed at-
mosphere than the Marmaris scene. Dolmuşes
make the trip over the mountains and down
a steep hillside to the cove every 40 minutes
(€3.40).
From May to the end of October, water taxis
run from various points on the water front
between the tourist office and the Atatürk
statue to İçmeler (€4.15, 30 minutes, every
30 minutes) and Turunç (€5.55, 50 minutes,
every hour).
REŞADİYE & HISARÖNÜ PENINSULAS
A narrow, mountainous finger of land
stretches west from Marmaris for about
100km into the Aegean Sea between the
Greek islands of Kos and Rhodes. Known in
ancient times as the Peraea, it is now called
the Reşadiye or Datça Peninsula; its southern
branch is known as the Hisarönü or Daraçya
Peninsula, with the ruins of the ancient city
of Loryma at its tip.
The peninsulas have some of Turkey’s most
beautiful coastline, with deep blue bays, rug-
ged mountains and islands shimmering in
the distance, and some excellent, well-priced
pensions where you can laze for days.
A road twists its way from Marmaris west
to the tip of the Reşadiye Peninsula, perfect for
hiring a scooter, although a voyage by boat is
preferable. Aside from the joy of sailing near
the peninsula’s pine-clad coasts and anchor-
ing in some of its hundreds of secluded coves,
visitors come to explore Bozburun (a fishing
town 56km from Marmaris), Datça (a resort
town about 60km west of Marmaris) and the
hamlet and ruins of Knidos (the ancient city
of the great sculptor Praxiteles) 35km west
of Datça. Here there are ferry connections to
Rhodes and the neighbouring Greek island
Simi (Symi).
Selimiye
%0252
About 9km south of Orhaniye is an intersec-
tion with roads to Bayır and Bozburun. Fol-
low the Bozburun road to reach the village of
Selimiye, a traditional boat-builders’ village
on its own lovely bay facing an islet topped
by bits of ancient ruin. Some hotels have been
built beside the beach here.

SLEEPING & EATING

Hotel Begovina (%446 4292; fax 446 4181; s/d low season
€11/17, high season €14/28) Run by Zeki, a retired
shoemaker, this hotel offers good-sized, spot-
less rooms with direct sea views (some with
large balconies). All have fridges and a few
have kitchenettes. It lies just metres from the
shingle beach and is excellent value.
Hydas Otel (%446 4297; fax 446 4298; Selimiye Köyu;
s/d €20/42; hApr-Oct; s) Despite the rather
lurid Mediterranean colours and twee towels
arranged like bows, rooms are spotless and
comfortable. Those on the upper level share
a large zigzag terrace overlooking the café
and seafront. It lies around 100m east of the
Yakana, and has a medium-sized pool.
Sardunya Bungalows (%446 4003; s €20-26, d €33-
45 depending on season; a) Nestled behind the
Sardunya Restaurant, these attractive stone
bungalows are set around a garden less than
50m from the water. A good choice for travel-
lers with children.
Yakana Beach Hotel (%446 4360; www.yakana
.com; Selimye Köyu; s/d €22/44; as) East of the
Begovina, the Yakana is a modern, well de-
signed hotel by the beach. There are 35 rooms
around a pleasant pool; some have balconies
and sea views.
Beyaz Güvercın Motel (White Pigeon; %446 4274;
www.beyazguvercin.com; Selimye Köyu; s €34-56, d €45-75
depending on season; pa) Perched on a hillside at
the end of the bay 3km from the town centre,
the hotel has a peaceful location amid large

and attractive gardens that stretch over 6500

sq m. The chalet-style rooms are simple but
some have glimpses of the sea. Windsurfing
and sailing are possible and there’s a floating
restaurant aboard a taka (Black Sea boat).

Sardunya Restaurant (%446 4003; meals around €6)
It’s not quite as pretty as the Aurora but serv-
ing even better food. Local organic products
are used and it specialises in fish and seafood.
Its kalamar (squid) stuffed or fried (€6.65) are
famous. Try also the delicious buğulama (fish
casserole, €14).

Aurora Restaurant (%446 4097; Bahçeıçı; meals €17-
22; h9am-1am Apr-Oct) With a good reputation
locally, the Aurora is very prettily set in a
200-year-old stone house with a shaded ter-
race as well as tables on the seafront. Fish is its
speciality; the mezes are mouthwatering too.

Falcon Restaurant & Pansiyon (%446 4105; Selimiye
Köyu; h9am-midnight) Offering similar fare to the
Aurora, this is a new, family-run restaurant
about 100m from the town centre and 40m
from the sea.

GETTING THERE & AWAY
Dolmuşes run to and from Marmaris (€2.75)
every two hours. For Bozburun, you can hop
on the Bozburun to Marmaris bus (which
passes through Selimiye) if there’s space.
Bozburun
%0252
From Selimiye the road twists onwards until,
after 12km, you reach Bozburun, a sleepy
seaside village and one of the biggest boat-
building ports on the Mediterranean. Bozbu-
run is a perfect antidote to the tourist madness
of Marmaris. Fishing and farming still employ
most villagers, though some work in bars and
shops set up to serve the yachties who drop
anchor in Sömbeki Körfezi (Sömbeki Bay).
There are a few small, well-run pensions and a
PTT. Some of the shops exchange currency.
Bozburun is not known for its beaches, but
you can dip into the startlingly blue water
from the rocks by the primary school south-
east of the bust of Atatürk, and charter private
vessels to explore the surrounding bays. There
are also many interesting walks in the sur-
rounding countryside.
SLEEPING
Yilmaz Pansiyon (%456 2167; www.yilmazpansion.com;
İskele Mahallesi 391; s/d €11/22) This convenient and
friendly little pension is around 100m from
the centre and 200m from the dolmuş station.
Rooms are simple but cheerful and there’s a
vine-covered terrace metres from the sea. Six
rooms have direct sea views and the hotel
boasts a good breakfast.

Pembe Yunus (Pink Dolphin; %456 2154; www.pembe
yunus.net; Kargı Mahallesi 37; s/d €14/22; hApr-Oct;
ai) Around 700m from the dolmuş sta-
tion (though you can ask to be dropped here)
is this delightful pension run by a mother
and her ex-model daughter. Rooms, lavender
blue as if sponged with rugs and rustic-style
furniture, are clean and homely. Four have
stunning sea views. Fatma, the mother, cooks
famously. Set-menu dinners cost €14.

Dolphin Pansiyon (%456 2408; Plaj; www.dolphinpen
sion.com; Kargı Mahallesi 51; s/d €22/44) A four-year la-
bour of love built stone by Bozburun stone by
Yılmaz (son of the indefatigable Fatma from
Pembe Yanus), this well-designed place has 10
good-sized and pleasantly decorated rooms with
balconies and sensational sea views. There’s also
a verdant terrace and sundeck above the water.
From May to September Yılmaz runs daily
boat excursions (€8 per person, minimum two
people) around the bay. Swimming, snorkelling
and fishing are all available.

Sabrinas Haus (%456 2045; Plaj; www.sabrinashaus
.de; r €47-61, 15% extra May–mid-Nov) Only reachable
by boat or a 20-minute walk from the Dolphin
Pansiyon, Sabrinas Haus is the ultimate get-
away-from-it-all place. There are 20 simple
but well-designed rooms in three buildings
hidden in a beautiful garden filled with ma-
ture trees, hibiscus and bougainvillea. The
accommodating German owner offers kayak
trips to the many deserted inlets nearby, as
well as trekking trips.

EATING & DRINKING

Kandil Restaurant (%456 2227; İskele Mahallesi 3; meze
€1.65; h7.30am-midnight) The local favourite, this
restaurant does good home-style cooking as
well as excellent fresh fish. Try the delicious
kalamar tava (fried squid, €6.40).

Bozburun Restaurant (%456 6943; h8.30am-
midnight Apr-Sep) Though it looks hideously tour-
isty (and proudly brandishes photos of Bill
Gates eating here), it offers some great value
two-course fixed meat/fish menus (including
17 types of meze) for €8/€10. Grab a table on
the seafront.

Fishermen House (%456 2730; İskele Mahallesi
391; meze €1.40, seafood meze €3.35, fish €10-12 per 500g;
h8am-midnight Apr-7 Nov) Run by a local fisher-
man, this place offers fresh fish at unbeatable
prices. There are tables on the waterfront.

Sabrinas Haus (%456 2045; hdinner) Serving
traditional Turkish Mediterranean cuisine
in a lovely setting, the restaurant (in the hotel
of the same name) has a refined reputation.
The set menu (including a meze buffet and
seasonal fish) costs €22. Note that you can
eat here as long as the restaurant’s not filled
with hotel guests. Call to check and for a boat
to pick you up from town.

GETTING THERE & AWAY

Minibuses run between Bozburun and Mar-
maris (€2.75, 50 to 60 minutes) six times a day
via Selimiye year-round.
Datça
%0252 / pop 10,570
Connected only tenuously to the mainland,
the little harbour town of Datça seems to
have floated away from the big resorts. It has
some decent beaches and an easy-going mix
of yachties, English and particularly German
retirees, as well as trendy İstanbullus and fam-
ilies. A weekly hydrofoil connects the town
to Rhodes.
Datça’s ‘undiscoveredness’ may not last
long. A big shopping mall is billed to open
by the end of 2007, and the road from Mar-
maris is being improved so that in future it
will take just 45 minutes to get to Datça from
Marmaris.
Datça has three small beaches: Kumluk
Plajı (Sandy Beach), tucked away behind the
shops on İskele Caddesi; Taşlık Plajı (Stony
Beach), running west from the end of the
harbour; and Hastane Altı (Hospital Beach),
Datça’s biggest beach.

ORIENTATION
The main street, İskele Caddesi, runs downhill
from the highway, before arriving at a small
roundabout with a big tree. Immediately be-
fore the roundabout, Buxerolles Sokak on the
right has several small pensions.
After the roundabout İskele Caddesi forks
left and runs to Cumhuriyet Meydanı, the
main square with a market and otogar. From
there it continues to the harbour, with a clus-
ter of small pensions on the left, finally run-
ning out at the end of a short peninsula, once
an island called Esenada, which features an
open-air cinema (hJun-Sep).