ABOUT BODRUM
For so many person wakeup call is start of the daily activities. For many others it is a call to sleep, as they wend their way home at the close of Bodrum's active nightlife. This contrast most probably shows Bodrum's uniqueness and differentation as a holiday resort, serving on the one hand watersports, perfect dining, shopping and nightlife, on other hand understanding its cultural and historical heritage. Day or night, everything is different at all in Bodrum.
Bodrum has a special place in so many people's hearts. A popular home for Turkish artists and intellectuals. Bodrum's first known writer is the "Halicarnassus Fisherman". After existing the Turkish Republic in 1923 Cevat Sakir Kabaagacli exiled to Bodrum for his political expressions. His books and stories about life of Bodrum attracted romantics to this town and mostly responsible for creating the Bohemian atmosphere of Bodrum of today. Actually mostly known inside Turkey, Cevat Sakir Kabaagacli ranks with King Mausolus for being Bodrum's most famous residents.
With the muezzin's call to prayer as a metaphor for daytime and night time pursuits,
You are never far from the sea anywhere in Bodrum and all it’s around, because of this you can see all heaven coastline when you’ll do a Bodrum night. In August the average daily air temperature is 33 C and sea temprature is 25 C, perfect for every kind of water sports.
Actually, Bodrum beaches aren’t the best beaches of Turkey, because of being shingly and narrow. But, there are wooden jetties for sunbathing, free for everyone's enjoyment in every village or resort, in front of hotels and seaside restaurants. There is so much comfortable place for swimming and sunbathing. Another good thing is that you never rent a bed. While some hotels do reserve their sun beds for their own guests, the rule on local beaches is who come first served first.
It is so difficult to find pure and clearer water than this shore on the Turkish coast. It’s no matter where you go, visibility is always charming. Absence of heavy seas or strong tides and currents make the Bodrum area a paradise for swimmer's and snorkeler's. For those interested in spending more time underwater than one breath there are several scuba diving centers with instruction and equipments, for the beginner or expert.
Recently here is declared one of the world's best windsurfing areas by a popular windsurfing magazine, you can do surfing anywhere on the peninsula.
Windsurf schools and rental places, generally around Gümbet and Bitez. If you like speeding and excitement, water-skiing, jetskiing and para-skiing are also available on several beaches.
Bodrum is the major boat building and yachting center in Turkey.Because of that you can enjoy boating from almost anywhere in this town. On other hand you can find from canoes and pedaloes to luxury motorsailers, all types of craft. The cheapest aquatic trips are the several dayboat tours to villages around town. With local captains and crew these boats make a good day; stopping at the best swimming areas on the way and usually giving brake at a seaside restaurant for lunch. One most popular stop is "Karaada" or Black Island, where warm springs flow from a shoreline cave into a walled-in pool jutting into the sea. And also for those interested in serious sailing, weekly tours may be good with dozens of yachts, for motor sailing comfort, or modern sailing yachts.
There's plenty to do as well for who prefer to spend your holiday ashore.
Turkey has proud of more famous historical and archaeological areas than any other country in the world. Bodrum's Aegean part offers the possibility to see some of the best. City of Ephesus famous in all world or the unique Temple of Apollo at Didyma to strange and secluded Iasus, a two thousand-year trip into the past is only a few hours away from Bodrum. With organized tours, rent-a-car or public bus, so many spectacular sites are close enough to visit easily in a day. Bodrum's history is another big value. Here is birth place of Heredotus (the "Father of History"); home of Mausolus, entombed in one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; and Alexander The Great stayed very long years here, Bodrum is a unique combination of modern and over two thousand ancient years of history. Places that you have to see in Bodrum are; Mausoleum, on the hill above town amphitheater and Castle of St. Peter from early fifteenth century. There is also spectacular with its perfect gardens, thick stone works and different towers, museum of underwater archaeology is in the Castle.
Bodrum is for people who likes to shopping. Leather clothes and tools are in the latest fashions and at cheapest prices. Turkey is one of the world's largest carpet producers. Traditional hand made carpets are priced preferably less than other countries. Hand made jewelry, brass, copper, woodcrafts and gifts are plentiful and sales are generally continueing with a friendly glass of tea and with a serious discussions about prices. Turkey is also a large textile producer. Modern and sports can be had with very good savings. The local tailors are perfectly willing to custom make clothing to buyer’s size, be it "shalvar" (traditional Turkish trousers) or latest evening wear.
Bodrum bazaars presents to live experience of a real Turkish bazaar. Every Tuesday textile and clothes and thursday and friday farmers and tradesman from villages bring their products and wares to the this bazaar. This area worths a visit for smell the atmosphere, funny bargains can be found on everything from fresh fruit, cheeses and aromatic herbs and spices, to carpets, clothing and shoes.
Because of Bodrum has become more popular place in past few years, services have fastly improved, became a complete self contained community for residents and visitor. Doctors, dentists, laundries, car repair, shops and utilities now serve for almost every kind of needs of people.
There are rental or selling places for who plans to stay longer. The new four hundred and fifty-berth Karada Marina offers every service a yachtsman could need. Because of this reason many boat owners berths here permanently.
Bodrum is growing, with Turkish people and foreigners that attracted with its warm, relaxing atmosphere. Growing definitely brings change, but fortunately some things will always stay as same. Here weather will stay always sunny, residents will stay always hospital.