Bodrum: expectation and reality
The desire to write a story about a vacation in Bodrum is primarily due to the scarcity of information about this region, both on the TurPravda website and on other travel portals. This direction has not yet been properly promoted by tour operators, so the information is fragmentary and does not give a complete picture of the Bodrum region.
Tourists choosing the Aegean coast of Turkey need to know that Bodrum should be understood not only as the city of Bodrum itself, which is the historical center of the region, but as a whole peninsula, large in size, with many bays, villages, where hotels for tourists are located, with a sea coast of different quality, as well as stand-alone luxury hotels without reference to settlements. Therefore, Bodrum is a very controversial tourist destination, and the features of each tourist site on the peninsula will determine both the choice of a hotel and the quality of your holiday.
We liked the Aegean coast of Turkey even earlier, after the previous holiday in Marmaris, but the thirst for novelty, the richness of historical sites and excursion routes (Ephesus, Pamukkale), the proximity of Greece, the Greek flavor of the region as a whole, the advertised sea views became decisive in choosing Bodrum as a place of rest. Therefore, the choice of the Eken Resort 4 * hotel in Gumbet should have been a compromise, providing for the proximity of the center of Bodrum with its historical sights, and proximity to the sea, and accessibility to excursions and transport. And all this for reasonable money. And in this sense, the hotel has fully justified itself, a separate review has been written about it, so I won’t dwell on it especially. I can only say that the hotel is distinguished by the friendly and friendly attitude of the staff and good cuisine, as for a budget hotel.
But the sea coast near the hotel was disappointing: the sea is a bit shallow, with a small stony problematic entrance, the bottom is silted up with a nearby waste stream, from numerous yachts in the bay, oily stains periodically appear on the surface of the sea, there is no way out into the open sea, such an impression that you are not on the seashore, but on some kind of reservoir. Having walked almost the entire Gumbet Bay on foot, I can say that the quality of the sea is slightly improving in its central part and along the right bank, where there are more star and expensive hotels, numerous restaurants, the entrance to the sea is better and cleaner, the infrastructure is more developed, but more crowded and noisy from restaurants. For the youth public, this is the very thing, according to the Gumbet hangout, few areas of the coast in Bodrum can create competition, but in general, the sea in Gumbet leaves much to be desired.
A completely different sea in Turgutreis - a cozy village on the western coast of the Bodrum Peninsula, where we went on our own by minibus from Bodrum on the recommendation of experienced Turpravda participants to a large clothing and food market, which takes place on Saturdays. The sea there is deep, clean, with beautiful landscapes, alluring Greece on the horizon, you can get to the island of Kos in 20 minutes. on a ferryboat. I was struck by the abundance and variety of the food market in Turgutreis, but the clothing market is replete with consumer goods at inflated prices. So I can recommend this village and the choice of hotel for recreation.
Resting on the Bodrum coast, it would be unforgivable not to visit the neighboring Greek islands - Kos or Rhodes. We chose Kos as closer and more accessible, and were very pleased with the trip. Only 40 min. – and you are in a different country, with a different culture, with different people, with different prices. Of course, a 6-hour stay on the island is not enough to explore most of its sights, but if you prepare for the trip with information, you can do a lot and return with new impressions and memorable Greek acquisitions.
To feel all the beauty and charm of the Bodrum coast, one of the proposed boat trips through the bays and islands of the peninsula is a must. We were lucky to get acquainted with the Turkish Maldives on Orak Island, and this is the white sand of the beach, turquoise water and unforgettable impressions.
Bodrum has its own visiting card - these are their windmills. By themselves, they are not of particular value now, but I set aside one pre-dawn morning especially for visiting them, to enjoy the views of Bodrum, Gumbet, other islands in the rays of the rising sun and capture it in a photo. Among the local attractions are also required to visit: the Mausoleum - one of the seven wonders of the world and the Myndos Gate. Here you can get acquainted with the historical heritage of the great ancient Halicarnassus.
What I have described in this short story about Bodrum is only a small part of what this wonderful place has to offer for your holiday. The main thing is to carefully choose a hotel, depending on your preferences, and you will be happy.
