Bask In Bodrum

Two years ago the New York Times named Bodrum as one of its top-ranked travel destinations in the world, quoting its stylish hotels, chic new marina, prowling paparazzi and pulsating nightlife as their raison d’etre for this accolade.

Known today as the ‘party capital of Turkey’, Bodrum does indeed score on many levels, but not just the resort town of Bodrum itself. The entire peninsula offers a string of resorts, all with their own distinct character.

While the town of Bodrum is the most cosmopolitan, expensive and busiest place to be based, if it’s watersports and beaches you seek, look at neighbouring Akyarlar.  In contrast, Gundogan is a bit of a concrete jungle and best avoided, and unless you want blaring discos and wall to wall English breakfast cafes, bodyswerve Gumbet.

The most chic resort is Turkbuku – much frequented by celebs and paparazzi. Torba is the quietest resort and has a few up-market hotels and restaurants which I would thoroughly recommend, whilst Turgutreis, with its permanent bazaar, is good for a lively base where Turks still outnumber foreigners throughout the year.

By day Bodrum, with its handsome ranks of white stucco houses and borders of bougainvillea, shimmers on a hill above its two bays; by night it basks in the glow of the illuminated St Peter's Castle, home to the impressive Museum of Underwater Archaeology.

It is worth seeing, as there are amazing riches under Turkey's turquoise coastal waters with over 20,000 wrecks dating back to 1000 BC and earlier. Only a tiny number have been recovered but the very best are here, along with their rescued treasure.

In ancient times, when Bodrum was known as ‘Halicarnassus’  it was home to one of the 'Seven Wonders of the World'  - a Mausoleum which the Knights of Malta later made into the castle. You can still see the base, the amphitheatre and the impressive Myndus Gate, which Alexander the Great tried to batter down when this was the strongest fortified city in Asia Minor.

If you want a cheap tour of the town, hop on a dolmus - a communal taxi with the sign Serhir Ici, meaning inner city. It costs all of £1 and stops at all the major points.

Alternatively just walk down Cevat Street and check out Bodrum Castle on foot. It’s worth a visit as there's quite a bit to see and you can easily pass a couple of hours mosying around its courtyard, towers and dungeons, which are complete with a thoughtful soundtrack of moans and groans.

Nearby is Bodrum's main shopping area, the bazaar. This is an attractively laid-out warren of streets with a mix of shops. Top buys range from designer-style trainers which make good gifts for the kids or grandchildren from around £27, to belly dancing outfits - and yes, I will admit I did blow £15 on one for a forthcoming fancy dress!

Do not travel to Turkey and ski[ an authentic Turkish bath or hammam – it’s one of the highlights. The Six Senses Spa at the Kempinski Hotel in Yaliciftlik is a fabulous and luxurious place to try one (www.kempinski-bodrum.com). 

Go for  the ‘kese massage’ where a masseuse or masseur will exfoliate your skin within an inch of its life, soap you, massage you, rinse you and leave you glowing and with softer skin than you’ve had since you were in nappies. If you want a cheaper version than the £60 this will cost, there are plenty other options, but this is a 5-star experience in a deluxe hotel with all the appropriate trimmings.

Eating & Nightlife

The plethora of fresh food in Turkey never ceases to impress. No matter where you eat pretty much everything is home made and the quality excellent. Following my recent trip I have three ‘musts’ as recommendations of places to eat: all different, but all fabulous and worth getting to.

The first is Kortan restaurant at Cumhuriyet Cad 32 (telephone 316 1300).  With an outdoor terrace overlooking Bodrum Castle and set in a 350-year-old stone building, it’s one of Bodrum’s best eateries, and the seafood is truly excellent. Dinner is around £20 a head for 3 courses.

The second ‘don’t miss’ is Kuytu at Carsi Mh Carki Sk 3 (telephone 313 3957), right beside the vegetable and fruit market. This is the former home of the famous Turkish writer and artist Cevat Sakir who was known as the Halikarnas Fisherman (1890-1973). He was the man responsible for bringing international attention to Bodrum through his writing.

Exiled from Istanbul for his political beliefs, the home of this Oxford-educated son of a Pasha is now one of the most authentic, charming and wonderful garden restaurants in Turkey. With the fish shops right next door, the super-friendly staff will invite you to go and choose your own fillet in the shop, then cook it and serve it with wonderfully fresh vegetables and dips. Superb value at around £15 a head.

The last place to make a bee-line for is in the afore-mentioned resort of Torba, 20 minutes from Bodrum (£10 taxi or a dolmus ride away). There you will find one of the most fabulous award-winning boutique hotels in Europe – the Casa dell’ Arte (telephone 367 1848).

Apart from the wonders of its nouvelle Turkish cuisine which is truly superb, it has a jaw-dropping seafront setting and a stunning art gallery of contemporary Turkish and Russian artists.

If you want somewhere magical to stay, check into one of their 12 individual suites named after the zodiac signs. Costing about £200 a night it is a serious splurge, but this is one of the most exclusive and unique hotels in Europe. See www.casadellartebodrum.com for more information.

Around Bodrum there’s everything from classical concerts through to clubs and discos, to an infamous adults-only evening show performed by the ‘Dreamgirls’ - a group of female impersonators at Gumbet's Revue Spot which costs around £20 for the show, dinner and first drink.

The bar and restaurant at the Bodrum Marina is always a stylish venue where you can rub shoulders with the international yachters, but there are countless options for all budgets. That’s the great things about Bodrum really – it’s a great holiday venue for all ages, wallets, and tastes. And – for once in Turkey – it’s only a 20 minute transfer time from the airport to the vast majority of the resorts.

Getting There

Thomas Cook airlines offers return flights to Bodrum from £242 per person. This price is based on a September 2008 departure date from London Gatwick.

The service operates weekly every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday during summer 2008. Other departure airports include Belfast, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, London Stansted, East Midlands, Newcastle and Glasgow. To book, log on to www.flythomascook.com.

Links

For more information on Bodrum, visit www.bodrum-guide.org.

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