The Bodrum Peninsula’s Best Beaches
Just imagine the gorgeous surprises that await anyone looking for the best beaches on the Bodrum peninsula. If you are unsure of what to expect, know that it is one of Turkey’s top summer holiday destinations. Every year, thousands of Turks and foreigners descend on the region to enjoy a unique hedonistic ambience found no-where else.
As a peninsula, beach holidays are the number one priority for holidaymakers and Bodrum always delivers but gives more than just a stretch of sand. During the day, as a place to relax, swim and soak up sun rays for a gorgeous tan, once the sun sets, some beaches also turn into a party or dining centre. You can choose from hundreds of long beaches and small hidden coves but for help to decide where to go, here are our favourites.
The Bodrum Peninsula’s Best Beaches
1: Yahsi Beach in Ortakent
Adored by Turkish holidaymakers, Yahsi, in the Ortakent district, delivers by offering clear waters and a gentle wave that also makes it a kid-friendly destination. If it is a clear day, lift your head for a stunning clear view of Kos in the distance. When you are not swimming but still feel that burst of energy, head for the water sports centre offering jet skis, surfing, and parasailing or local dive schools sell one session tickets for beginners to scuba dive with a trained professional. Yahsi provides everything for day and night because once you have glimpsed that terrific peninsula sunset, nearby restaurants turn their menus over from daytime snacks to evening meals, offering front row seats to the gorgeous Aegean.
2: Laidback Bitez
With a light blowing wind and the strong smell of sea air, Bitez ranks on Trip Advisor’s list of Bodrum’s best beaches. Sitting 6 miles from Gumbet, there is nothing fast-paced about Bitez; hence, it attracts an older crowd, but some water sports await anyone who cannot lay back and enjoy the rays. People also swim out to pontoons for a more advantageous swimming spot. Most restaurants and bars backing the beach offer free sunbeds and umbrellas if you buy drinks and lunch from them but otherwise Bitez is another destination offering a front-row seat to that amazing Aegean sunset.
3: Spacious Kadikalesi Beach
For ample amounts of space to enjoy tranquillity, choose this long and wide beach. Kadikalesi is a small, rural village, hence apart from the few holiday accommodations, it doesn’t attract hordes of holidaymakers. The breeze offers itself to ideal windsurfing conditions, and a small selection of water sports are available to rent, but Kadikalesi is about letting the world go by without a care. A few restaurants serve day and night Turkish menus, but you might also want to take a picnic bag and cool box.
4: Rustic Gumusluk
There is nothing fancy about Gumusluk, but that is its charm. The centre beach isn’t wide and at peak times during summer is crowded, however outside these months, it is a gem worth visiting. Restaurants and bars backing the beach ensure you never have to go far, and with the landmark Rabbit island, spectacular views also await. Once the sun sets, head right and walk a short distance to Gumusluk’s famous fish restaurants that serve diners from all around the peninsula. (Read more: Gumusluk: Bodrum’s best-kept secret.)
5: Karaincir Plaj: Bodrum’s Prize Gem
As another beach boasting about clear waters, the 500-metre Karaincir beach in Akyarlar combines the trio of sun, sea, and sand for an ideal family day out. Twenty years ago, the area was most famed for its fig trees, but as more people want to discover the beauty for themselves, its beach popularity grows every year. Such is its reputation, and sitting within a bay with the same name, many daily boat trips and private yachts drop anchor off the coastline. A gentle wave gives way to white foam lapping onto the sand, which during summer is filled with sunbeds and umbrellas to rent. Although as an alternative, a few jetties also have sunbed spots.
Also of Interest
Bodrum Area Guide: The best beaches on the Bodrum peninsula are only a snippet of what the region has to offer. In this guide, we talk about the nightlife and shopping scenes, the best time to visit and where to stay. It includes further area guides for each town and village so you can explore at leisure and enjoy one of Turkey’s top summer holiday spots.
Bodrum
