Turkey:Bodrum
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General
Bodrum, known in ancient times as Halicarnassus
The city occupies the coast opposite the Greek island of Kos, on a great peninsula in the Southern Aegean. This is the city of Bodrum, or Halicarnassus as it was known in ancient times, the Carian capital and native city of the historian Herodotus. Bodrum is similar in air and color to parts of Southern Italy with oddly-shaped whitewashed houses filled with flowers, mostly purple and fuchsia-colored bougainvilleas, oleanders and prickly pears. The city has plenty of shops, selling almost everything and there are numerous restaurants, hotels, nightclubs and cafes along the shore. Street vendors ply marine sponges, oranges and mandarins. Bodrum has been called the St. Tropez of Turkey, for its translucent sea, numerous bays and small ports. The city has barely 25.000 inhabitants who during the winter live off fishing, sponge collecting, boat building and agriculture. The famous wooden boats called caiques are made here.
The Bodrum Peninsula
- Bitez
- Yalikavak
- Gumbet
- Turgut Reis
- Torba
- Ortakent Village, Yahsi Beach and Camel Beach
- Turkbuku and Golkoy - Golturkbuku
- Akyarlar
- Gumusluk (Myndos)
Activities
Bodrum is very good for water sports with diving, wind-surfing, water-skiing, sailing, jet-skiing, paragliding, beach sports, swimming and thrilling slides in aqua parks. The surrounding hills are excellent for walks.
Bodrum is also the site of King Mausolus's Tomb, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The city is a charming holiday destination with a wide variety of hotels, warding house and rental houses.
History of Halicarnassus
In ancient times, Bodrum was first under Persian rule, and later Greek. The city was conquered by Alexander the Great and destroyed. Later the Romans controlled Bodrum and they were followed by Selcuks and the Turks. In 1492 the city fell to the Knights of St. John, sovereigns of Rhodes (the Knights of Malta) who built the massive castle of St. Peter. The castle was constructed using stones from the Mausoleum and dominates the town. It was equipped with early powerful cannon, at the time a novel instrument of warfare.
Several museums now occupy the large rooms in the castle. In the Chapel of the Knights Hospitaller, for example, is the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, where relics from Greek, Roman and Phoenician ships found on the sea bed are displayed. There are a number of finds from the Mycenaean period in the French Tower and a collection of amphorae in the Serpent's Tower.
Bodrum is also the the site of King Mausolus's Tomb, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. And the city is a charming holiday destination with a wide variety of hotels, boarding house and rental houses.
Weather in Bodrum
Bodrum has a typical Mediterranean climate with its low humidity, although it is really hot in the summers. In winters it is mild and rainy, and in summers it is pretty hot and dry.
When travel to Bodrum
The warmest time is in the summer season. However, the tourist season gets longer year by year and Bodrum is still awake to welcome you in spring, autumn and even in winter.
The Mausoleum
Please read: Bordum Mausoleum
Yachting in Bodrum
With everything from manufacturing to repair, from operation to maintenance; Bodrum is the hearth of yachting in Turkey. The tradition of building schooners continues in the Icmeler Shipyard, whose name has become almost synonymous with Bodrum itself. As big as many modern shipyards, luxury sailboats up to 30 meters can be built here using the latest available technology.
It is difficult to find cleaner, clearer water than that on the Turkish coast. No matter where you go, visibility is always excellent. This combined with an absence of heavy seas or strong tides and currents make the Bodrum area a swimmer's and snorkeler's paradise. For those interested in spending more time underwater than one breath there are several scuba diving centers in the area offering instruction and equipment hire, for the beginner or expert.
Recently declared one of the world's best windsurfing areas by a popular windsurfing magazine, you are never far from a board anywhere on the peninsula.
Windsurf schools and rental facilities abound, particularly in Gümbet and Bitez. If you're after speed and thrills of a different kind, water-skiing, jetskiing and parasailing are also available on several beaches.
As a major boat building and yachting center it is only fitting that you can enjoy boating from almost anywhere on the peninsula. From canoes and pedaloes to luxury motorsailers, all types of craft are available. Perhaps the most inexpensive aquatic excursions are the numerous dayboat trips. Locally captained and crewed these boats make a day of it; stopping at the best swimming areas on the way and usually calling at a seaside restaurant for lunch. One popular stop on such excursions is "Karaada" or Black Island, where warm springs flow from a shoreline cave into a walled-in pool jutting into the sea. In addition, daily or weekly charters may be enjoyed on literally dozens of yachts, be they the traditional Turkish gulet, for motor sailing comfort, or modern sailing yachts, for those interested in serious sailing.
Bodrum Cup
The yacht races in Bodrum are probably the only ones in the world that completely inexperienced people can participate in, even children have participated. The Bodrum Cup is an annual yacht regatta organized by ERA Bodrum Sailing Club. The main purpose is to assist interest and skill in sailing among the captains and crews of Bodrum's charter fleet. It is also a festival of the ending of each year's cruising season, a means to bring together in a friendly encounter charter yachts that normally cruise on their own. This is a fun event organized since 1989, held every third week in October.
Sailing Clubs
Bodrum Offshore Sailing Club - +90.252 316 33 55 Bodrum International Yacht Club - +90.252 316 22 36 Bodrum Yelken Ihtisas Club - +90.252 316 98 70 Era Bodrum Yacht Club - +90.252 316 23 10
Marinas and Anchorages
Bodrum Milta Karada Marina
Neyzen Tevfik Caddesi No: 5 48400 Bodrum, Mugla - Türkiye Tel.: (252)-316 18 60 - 66 Fax.:(252)-316 14 06. VHF Channel 73, 16
Facilities
- Moorings 400
- Hard standing for 80 boats
- Boat hoist 60 tons max
Navigation
- Geographic Coordinates: 37° 02' 00 N - 27° 25' 50 E
- Karada Ligh House: Gp Fl (2), 5 sec. 15m 7M
Turgutreis D-Marin
Abide Caddesi, 48960 Turgutreis, Mugla - Türkiye Tel +90 (252) 382 92 00 Fax +90 (252) 382 62 00 VHF Channel and Callsign 72, 73, 16 "D Marin"
Facilities
- Moorings 550
- Hard Standing 150
- Boat hoist 100 tons
- Max beam 7,80 m
