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.
Starting from Bodrum and sailing through the Aegean for 5 hours, you set foot on an enchanted island. Waves and winds apart you leave the Turkish soil to sail into Symi, a massive naked rock sprouting out of blue waters. Following the coast you make your way into one of the most popular ports between Turkey and Greece. Luxury boats, most decorated with Turkish flags, shamelessly display their comfy lengths along the shore. During high summer season, they quickly fill up the tiny parking lot starting sharp at 4 p.m. to be protected from strong winds. On the shore is a tiny town of multi-colored houses squished and topped together as high as the eye can see. This is the place you will run into on a movie screen where the casanova secret agent will chase the bad guys away and start smooching with an Angelina Jolie-type Greek supermodel.
There is something for everyone at Symi. Yacht owners/renters who are out of alcohol and tobacco run into the duty-free shop to splurge on the cheapest vodkas and cigars while the ladies mingle through the overpriced jewelry shops. One can go through the whole town in a day including stops at the legendary churches/monasteries. ATV rentals are available for the cool thrill riders. And once all the unavoidable touristic schedule is done, there are numerous restaurants to choose from for the chill summer dinner. Yet, if you still insist on partying, there is nowhere else to go but Manos’. Depending on the night and the mood of the owner you might get the chance to break some porcelain plates and get drunk to Turkish beats (of course with an extra addition to your bill). Make sure you make a reservation long before your arrival.
