Sinanation

My trip to Bodrum this weekend was accompanied by an intriguing “toy for the big boy”, a water gadget called Seabob Cayago F7. I got the opportunity to take it out for a swim and was greatly impressed by its performance. Bob should be considered the Kawasaki of the mighty waters (and you don’t need a license or extensive training to take it around). Once charged, this floating water jet will take you anywhere you would like to go on or under water. It has great speed, comfortable grip and could be an awesome chick magnet. Just make sure you have good goggles to maintain vision. Keep your arms and legs as straight as possible to make smooth turns. And when you are ready to dive in put your weight on Bob and let it take you downtown.

Ready to buy one? You won’t find this baby at your local toy shop. This much fun comes with a heartbreaking price. Seabob is currently sold for USD 19K on Amazon.

Two of my closest friends decided to have their wedding on Barbaros Bay in Bodrum this summer. So, I decided to be close to all the action and booked a room at the Kempinski to avoid the thrill of going all the way back home in Yalikavak (a 45 min. drive from Barbaros) in the middle of the night. 

The wedding was the perfect excuse to testing out this well-known luxury hotel. As rumored, Kempinski turned out to be one of the best getaway summer hotels I have stayed at so far in Southern Turkey. Here are the whys and the why nots:

• The staff is extremely helpful and professional, but considering Kempinski’s worldwide reputation, the concierge could do a better job at restaurant reservations.
• This is simply one of the quietest hotels I have been to on the southern coast. Even the music at the beach bar is barely hearable. Do not expect any groovy occasions and/or happy hours.
• The rooms are all very spacious, luxurious and welcoming (been to a couple). Yet, the bathrooms could use a little more privacy. The toilet is separated by a glass window exposing the nature’s nasty work to the other inhabitants in the room (in short, you wouldn’t want your girlfriend anywhere near the room for an hour after a heavy meal).
• The TVs in the rooms can definitely be a little bigger.
• The pool area is the best I have seen so far in any hotel (even though I prefer the sea and do not dip in the pool unless it is nighttime).
• The beach is a little far away from the hotel, but there is a shuttle service almost every second. They take you from the hilltop lobby to the shore in 5 min. If you prefer to walk like me, the trip should take you 15 min.
• The waterside experience is exquisite. The complimentary services include ice cold towels to cool off the hot temperature and a sunglasses wiper that walks around the beach every 2 hours.
• The water is much colder than the average Bodrum sea temperature. So it takes you a few “holy sh…” to finally give up and jump in. Do not expect white sandy beaches. Tiny rocks are the best you will get. Bodrum is known for its rocky shores (and even Kempinski can’t change that).
• Have your lunch at the Barbarossa Beach & Grill. The Pides (Turkish pizza) with a side of cucumber & yogurt sauce and the Fırın Sütlaç (Turkish rice pudding) with a scoop of chocolate ice cream are much recommended.
• The Spa is huge and there is an extensive menu of massages and treatments. Just make sure you book at least a day before.
• The room service is simply exceptional (since they served me delicious Mantı and lentil soup without hesitation at 5 a.m. in the morning).

What to expect: Some call it the St. Tropez of Turkey. Others use it as the gate to serenity. Whatever the case may be Bodrum is undeniably one of the best summer resorts found in the Southern Turkey. Dressed in the white of its architecture, this vacation spot provides visitors with a wide range of activities, welcoming the old and the young with arms wide open. The multiple bays that surround Bodrum are decorated with wooden decks built by private resort managers, helping the guests avoid the pain of walking through rocky beaches. The hotels are the most popular for beach and happy hour time with their great service and music. Dinners are usually at local seafood restaurants. The night parties are at restaurants that turn into beach clubs right after the evening’s final desert is served.

One characteristic that makes Bodrum so appealing to the Turks is the mild wind here that never ceases to keep the air fresh during the summer. It blocks humidity and eases the sizzling effect of the summer sun. So it is no wonder that all the metropolitans, especially the Istanbul locals who have been deep frying during the summer week, hop on a plane on Fridays to cool off their stress and temperature with a weekend in Bodrum.

Getting there: The flight from Istanbul to Bodrum Milas Airport takes approx. an hour. You can either fly from the Atatürk or the Sabiha Gökçen airports. Keep in mind that Sabiha is located on the Asian side of Istanbul and the cab ride can take upto 1.5 hours depending on the traffic. Atatürk is the main airport and is located on the European side and takes approx 45 min. from the city center (depending on the traffic). I recommend Turkish Airlines or Pegasus for the flight. Delays are usually unavoidable because of busy airports and crowded flights. So expect to be a little later than your original arrival time.

Where to Stay: It all depends on what kind of a vacation you are looking for. There are so many other bays to mention including the Bodrum center full of shops, restaurants and clubs, but I will be focusing on my two favorite:

• You need to be in Türkbükü Bay if you are looking to party and swagger on the beach, gaze at the socialites and mingle with the crowd. You can either rent a boat for the duration of your stay and park it in the bay among the numerous million-dollar yachts gliding gallantly on shallow waters or stay at Maça Kızı, the most popular and my favorite hotel in Türkbükü. For boat rentals I recommend Durukos Yachts (if you mention Sinanation at the time of your reservation you will get a 10% discount on your rental). Durukos has been in the charter business since 1970s and has available fleets in Turkey, Greece and Croatia.

• Yalıkavak Bay is where you should head to if you are looking to have all the glitter of Türkbükü, but wish to avoid the heavy crowd. I recommend Palmalife or Highlight for your stay. Keep in mind that both hotels have sandy beaches, definitely a rare find in Bodrum.

Where to Eat: You will be having lunch on the beach whatever resort you choose to visit or stay at. Maça Kızı is known for its phenomenal open buffet lunches and famous Sunday Turkish raviolis with yogurt. You can not leave Bodrum without having the famous Midye Dolma (muscles prepared cold with rice, spices and lemon) sold by street merchants in the afternoons in almost every bay. Midye Dolma is sold by piece and we usually have 10 pieces per person.

Seafood should be the main focus dinnertime. You need to try Sait’in Yeri in Yalıkavak (Tel: +90 252 385 5386) and Mimoza in Gümüşlük. Do not leave Sait’in Yeri without having the Köpoğlu for starter and Kabak Tatlısı for dessert. Irmik Helvası is unavoidable for desert at Mimoza. Reservation is a must and should be done a few days earlier.

Where to Party: The one and only Ship Ahoy in Türkbükü. Adamik Bar and Küba in the Bodrum center. Party starts past midnight and goes until the early morning.

What to Drink: Satsuma shots! Satsuma is an unusual tangerine collected from the trees at early age. It has a comforting scent and a sour/sweet taste that goes great with vodka or any other hard liquor.

Shots made with satsuma have been the best shots I have ever tasted so far.