Travel Eye on Marmaris (Turkey)

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Overview:

Marmaris nowadays is top-heavy with cheap tourism, and it shows. But a short drive out of town reveals the original appeal that drew visitors in the first place. Leaving their mark along the peninsula are a slew of ancient civilizations, some woven into the daily fabric of humble villages, tourist marinas, and magnificent beaches.

North of Marmaris on the road to Mugla is Gökova, another stop on the yachting trail, dotted with clusters of picturesque wooden houses built in the two-story Ottoman style.

Marmaris is a good choice for couples who enjoy shopping, water sports, sun-worshipping and lively evenings.

There is a wide range of modern hotels of varying quality and value, stacked virtually one on top of another, with an increasing number of aparthotels and apartments. While some are on the beach side of the busy main road, many are beside the road itself, and increasing numbers of additions are in the dusty no-man's-land at the back of the resort the Armutalan area at the west edge of Marmaris is growing into a small resort in its own right.

Locality:

Marmaris is situated in south west Turkey, on the Mediterranean coast, north of the Greek island of Rhodes (6 mls NE of Içmeler. 66 mls NW of Dalaman airport; 75 mls SE of Bodrum airport). It is found at the end of a narrow sea inlet, surrounded by gentle, pine-clad mountains.

Entertainment/Facilities/Attractions/Things to do:

Marmaris has a long but poor stretch of beach with many rough sections unsuitable for bathing. The best section, close to the centre, gets crowded in peak season. Along the promenade is an abundance of restaurants, bars and clubs. Içmeler's beach, 6 mls away, is a much better prospect.

The Old Town has plenty of shops and stalls set up in the former Ottoman "Kervansaray", the name given to an ancient resting place for merchants of old. Best buys are leather goods, jewellery and carpets.

During the daytime for the culture vultures there is a museum in the 16th-century castle. A great town for shopping and bargain-hunting.

There are other activities such as horse-riding along with boat and yacht charters. There is loads of water sports, including banana-boat rides, jet-skiing, para-gliding, windsurfing, water-skiing and diving. Also take a visit to the Turkish baths.

The nightlife here is based around the bustling waterfront promenade, and the main road, which are dotted with music bars and the odd disco. Overall one of the livelier and noisier resorts for nightlife.

There is a good choice of fast-food snacks and local specialities, especially fish, with one or 2 quality restaurants.