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Thinking about visiting Bodrum? Need some convincing?
Intro to Bodrum
Former sleepy fishing village: Check.
Great weather: Check.
Friendly locals: Check.
Amazing resorts near town: Check.
Incredible nightlife: Check.
Interesting history: Check.
Crystal clear water: Check.
Great beaches: Ehhhhh…
Cheap food: ?????
That’s Bodrum in a nutshell. Welcome to one of Turkey’s most popular summer resort destinations.
The name Bodrum refers to both the town of Bodrum and the Bodrum Peninsula. Scattered around the peninsula, there are several small villages with resorts catering to different tastes and budgets. For this entry, I will focus only on the town of Bodrum.
History of Bodrum
Bodrum was once known as Halicarnassus (Αλικαρνασσός) and was capital of the kingdom of Caria (Καρία). The Carians were an ancient people who inhabited this part of Anatolia before being colonized by the Greeks. Caria was later ruled by the Persians, Alexander the Great, the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans. It was known as Petronium while under Crusader control. The modern name of Bodrum is derived from Petronium.
When to Visit Bodrum
I’ve stayed in Bodrum for an entire week during low season in October and a few days in November. Hotels were cheaper, it was a lot quieter, and the weather wasn’t as hot as in summer. I really enjoyed my stay and wish it could’ve been a much longer holiday. The only downside is that by November, a lot of places close for the season or shut down early.
Bodrum during high season is a different story. It’s crowded, prices are inflated, and my experience wasn’t nearly as good as it was in low season. Try to stay away during summer.
Airport
The city is served by Milas-Bodrum Airport. You can fly from either airport in Istanbul. Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, and AnadoluJet fly between the two cities regularly, and there are seasonal flights to cities all over Europe and the Middle East.
Airport Shuttle
Havaş shuttle buses outside the arrivals hall of the airport take travelers to the New Bodrum bus Terminal (see below). The ride costs 80₺ (as of April 2023) and takes about 35 minutes in total. It drops off passengers along the way at a crossroads and at a few different resorts.
New Bus Terminal
The airport shuttles take travelers to the New Bodrum Bus Terminal (Yeni Bodrum Otogarı) outside the city center. You can get to the city center by taking a taxi, or hopping on a Muttaş public bus to the old bus terminal. It’s also possible to get to other towns in the region by minibus, or major cities such as Istanbul or Izmir on large coaches.
Old Bus Terminal
At the Old Bodrum Bus Terminal (Eski Bodrum Otogarı) in the city center, it’s possible to catch minibuses to towns and villages on the peninsula (see below). If you want to take a bus to other towns in the region or larger cities much further away, you have to go to the New Bodrum Bus Terminal.
Where to Stay in Bodrum
With high-priced luxury resorts dotting the peninsula, Bodrum seems to cater to the rich and famous. Thankfully, there are plenty of choices for normal people.
Oalis Boutique Hotel
The best place I’ve stayed at in Bodrum is the Oalis Boutique Hotel. It’s located just a block from the main strip along the beach. The taxi driver had no idea where to find it, so he dropped us off somewhere in the back streets until we stumbled upon it by accident.
Oalis Boutique Hotel has a handful of rooms situated in a restored stone home overlooking a small courtyard. The hosts are wonderful and the rooms are comfortable, quiet, and clean. It’s a simple place but it captures the essence of the Aegean. I stayed there for two nights in June 2022.
Angora Hotel
On my very first visit to Bodrum in October 2012 I stayed for six nights at the Angora Hotel. It’s run by a family that were extremely helpful and friendly, and I felt very welcome. The hotel is by no means a luxury hotel, but it was cheap and clean. It has a nice rooftop pool with freezing cold water on top – great for those days when the sun is sizzling – and excellent views of town.
Breakfast is included at the hotel and is a typical Turkish breakfast with lots of cheese, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and meats. There were complaints about noise from the nightclub across the street during high season but it has since been demolished. However, in the off-season (after September), I had no issues whatsoever with noise.
Nightlife in Bodrum
Bodrum is well-known for some of the best nightlife in Turkey. The most famous place when I first visited was Halikarnas, which has since been demolished. It wasn’t open during my stay, but this massive club was considered one of the best in the world. It hosted legendary themed nights and parties for vacationing Turks and foreigners to enjoy late into the night. Even with Halikarnas long dead and buried, there are plenty of other places to enjoy.
On my very first visit to Bodrum I was invited out to Alem Bar by some local friends I made to watch live Turkish music performed by Reşat and Prens Erkan Serce. Personally I enjoyed it because I was with locals who happened to be excellent company.
Prens Erkan was the highlight of the night, entertaining the crowd with his unorthodox style of dancing. He was very gracious and interesting to talk to when he came and sat at our table, but I guarantee this kind of show is not something most foreigners would be into. I saw a few tourists from Germany and the Netherlands peek in and leave. The overwhelming majority of patrons were Turks.
Shopping in Bodrum
Bodrum is great for shopping. The bazaar runs for a long stretch of Cumhuriyet Street (Cumhuriyet Caddesi) and into different corridors. There are all kinds of shops from souvenirs to boutique clothing stores to jewelry.
Beaches
As you gathered from my intro, Bodrum’s beaches are less than desirable and it’s not a beach destination – not just in the town, but the entire peninsula. The water is some of the clearest most beautiful water I’ve ever seen, but I wasn’t impressed by any of the beaches I visited.
First of all, the beaches in the town of Bodrum are located where several boats are moored. This kept me from going in the water or even staying on the beach. I tried some beaches in other villages but they were full of seaweed and weren’t very clean. The best bet is to go on a day cruise that takes you to different coves around the peninsula where you can jump off the boat and swim.
Bodrum Peninsula
There are several villages and resorts towns located on Bodrum Peninsula. Some of them are very exclusive areas frequented by Turkey’s rich and famous. Others are small, modest villages on the sea. All are accessible via the Old Bodrum Bus Terminal. I only had time to visit two (Gümüşlük and Turgutreis) but I plan on getting to some more on my next trip.
Day Trips to Kos
Finally, Bodrum is a great base for day trips to the Greek island of Kos. Various outlets will sell tickets on a ferry to Kos. Shop around and see what you can find because prices vary depending on season. Check out Yeşil Marmaris Lines, who also travel to Rhodes, Symi, Kalymnos, Leros, and Patmos on select days
Ferries leave around 8 or 9am and return at 4 or 5pm depending on the speed (hint: the fast ferry is the way to go – it takes just over 20 minutes). It’s best to get to your designated ferry terminal very early to collect your tickets. Queues are long and it can be hectic.
