The Turkish beach towns of Bodrum and Dalaman may look similar to the foreigner. However, like sugar and salt, those who are familiar with the area know that each town appeals to a different type of traveler. Today we explore their beaches, attractions, and transportation options so you can make up your mind and decide to which airport you should fly into when booking your flights to Turkey.
Discover other Turkish beach towns: Fethiye, heart of The Turquoise Coast
Turkey’s Turquoise Coast
Turkish beach towns: Bodrum
One of the smaller Turkish beach towns along the Turquoise Coast, Bodrum can be described as a pulsing city with a small-town feel.
While the main town is teaming with nightlife, the best beaches are located outside of it. But don’t fret — the whole area is well-served by the excellent, cheap local bus system, so getting around is quite easy. Take a lift and head over to Bitez and Turgutreis for some sandy beaches.
Cleopatra’s Beach in Bitez, Bodrum by Catherine Murray, Flickr
Other attractions
From world-class wreck diving and nightclubs to ancient ruins and museums: Bodrum has it all!
Jeep Safari to the relatively-unknown Antique City of Pedasa:
Amphitheater, Pedasa Antique City courtesy of TripAdvisor
Halikarnas The Club: arguably one of the best dance clubs in town
Photo of Halikarnas The Club popping by TripAdvisor
Bodrum’s Museum of Underwater Archeology has many terrific exhibits. However, one particularly stands out:
“Glass objects recovered from shipwrecks were displayed in a darkened room, lit from below” by Anita363, Flickr
Turkish beach towns: Dalaman
If you really want to get away from it all, the Turkish beach town of Dalaman is a good choice.
Please keep in mind though, if you wish to explore surrounding areas, renting a car is paramount, as other means of transportation are either too expensive or time-consuming. You will also have to take a pricey taxi from the airport to the town’s center, as it is 6 km away.
Conversely, the intercity bus service is useful if you hope to mix a budget Turkish road trip with a relaxation break in sleepy Dalaman. Most notably, there is a direct bus from Tokat Yıldızı departing at 15:00 3 pm to Nevşehir, from which you change for Ürgüp and Göreme to visit gorgeous Cappadocia.
Dalaman boats by Karl Wright, Flickr
Other attractions
Once you have a car, the entire Turquoise Coast is at your feet. Depending on the time of the year you visit, you may go trekking, bathe in mud baths, see sunken Roman ruins amid the sand dunes of Patara Beach, go paragliding by Fethiye or even take a hydrofoil to Greece!
Hiking Butterfly Valley, Fethiye:
“It is named Butterfly Valley because in the spring the butterflies hatch here” – detroitstylz, Flickr
Mud Baths by Dalyan River:
Photo by Chris Tengi, Flickr
Paragliding over Olu Deniz, Fethiye:
Paragliding over Ölüdeniz beach, Fethiye by Tania Ho, Flickr
The old, picturesque fishing village of Kalkan:
“Kalkan Mosque seen through a Kosk” by John Rutter, Flickr
The spectacular Aspendos Roman theater by Antalya:
“The theatre at Aspendos is famous for its magnificent acoustics. Even the slightest sound made at the centre of the orchestra can be easily heard as far as the upper most galleries. It is the best preserved and most complete example of a Roman theatre” -Dennis Jarvis, Flickr
Have you visited any of these Turkish beach towns?
Which is your favorite?
January 29, 2013
Photos, Turkey