The Bodrum peninsula juts into the Aegean Sea from Turkey’s south-western coast, served by Bodrum Milas Airport (BJV) approximately 35 kilometres to the east — a transfer of around 30–45 minutes to Bodrum town. It is one of Turkey’s most celebrated and most visited holiday areas — a peninsula of diverse bays, white-washed villages, clear Aegean water and a cultural and social scene that is considerably more cosmopolitan than anything the Antalya coast offers.
Bodrum town is the centrepiece of the peninsula — a harbour town of genuine beauty, built around a natural bay and dominated by the 15th-century Castle of St Peter, now home to the Museum of Underwater Archaeology and one of the finest castle museums in Turkey. The marina is one of the most impressive in the eastern Mediterranean, lined with superyachts and gulets throughout the summer. The old town — with its narrow streets, bougainvillea, fish restaurants and bars — is a destination in its own right. Thomas considers it one of the most attractive resort towns on the entire Turkish coast.
Beyond Bodrum town, the peninsula divides into several distinct areas that suit quite different types of traveller. Türkbükü, on the northern shore, is the most exclusive and upmarket bay on the peninsula — a sheltered inlet of superyachts, boutique hotels and beach clubs that is Turkey’s closest equivalent to the Greek island luxury experience. Bitez and Ortakent are quieter, more family-oriented bays on the south-western shore, with good beaches, a relaxed local atmosphere and a selection of well-positioned hotels that offer considerably better value than the Bodrum town properties. Gümbet, immediately west of Bodrum town, is the livelier, more resort-oriented area — popular with younger guests and those who want easy walking access to Bodrum’s bars and restaurants.
The all inclusive hotel offer on the Bodrum peninsula includes some of Turkey’s most impressive luxury properties. Titanic Luxury Collection Bodrum, Rixos Premium Bodrum and Maxx Royal Bodrum are among the finest all inclusive resorts in the country — positioned in exceptional bay locations with a level of design and service quality that matches the best in the Mediterranean. For guests who want luxury all inclusive alongside the Aegean character and atmosphere of Bodrum, these properties are difficult to better anywhere in Turkey.
One honest point worth making about the Bodrum peninsula as a whole: the beaches here are generally smaller and more mixed in quality than the long, broad sandy beaches of the Antalya coast. Some of the most beautiful spots on the peninsula are rocky coves with clear water rather than sandy beaches — exceptional for swimming and snorkelling, less suited to guests whose primary holiday requirement is a large, sandy beach. Guests for whom the beach is the central priority of their holiday may find Side, Lara or Alanya more satisfying in that specific respect.
Bodrum Milas Airport is served by direct flights from London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham and other UK regional airports throughout the summer season. Flight times are approximately 3.5–4 hours from London.
For luxury Bodrum holidays, all inclusive Bodrum hotels or Bodrum holidays from the UK — book through GotoBeach with full ATOL protection under licence #11211, low deposits from £30 per person and the honest advice of a team that knows the Bodrum peninsula properly.
