13 places worth visiting near İçmeler

Beach · ~1 km on foot or by dolmuş

For reference purposes only.

The beach most guests have in mind when they book. A 600-metre arc of sand in a sheltered bay with calm, clear water. The bottom is sand and small pebbles — tolerable without shoes, but most people bring them. Sun loungers and umbrellas run almost the entire length.

İçmeler beach is not quiet. In July and August it fills by 10am. The sea reaches around 28°C in August. The promenade behind it has restaurants, bars, and shops the full length. Water sports hire — jet skis, kayaks, pedalos — runs from the beach in season.

The dolmuş stop is 200 metres from the property on the main road. The dolmuş runs every few minutes in peak season and goes until midnight. The beach is also an easy walk — flat, shaded in the mornings on the way there.

Beach · ~12 km by road, 20 min drive

A smaller bay about 12 km south of İçmeler along the coast road. Turunç has a beach roughly 300 metres long, backed by a village that has not grown into a resort. A few restaurants, a small market, a handful of pensions. That is about it.

It is the better option if you want calm water and fewer people than İçmeler beach. The drive takes about 20 minutes. There is no direct dolmuş, but taxis run easily. Water taxis also go from İçmeler in summer when the weather holds — around 30 minutes, with good views along the coast.

Turunç beach and Amos Antik Kenti make a natural half-day: swim in the morning, hike the ruins after.

Ancient ruins · ~15 km by road, then 40 min hike

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Ancient Amos sits on a hill above Turunç at around 250 metres. A Rhodian settlement active from roughly the 4th century BC until the Byzantine period. What remains: a theatre, defensive walls, a few column bases, and a lot of overgrown stone.

The walk up takes about 40 minutes from Turunç and it is steep. The view from the top looks directly down over the bay and out to the Greek islands on clear days. That view is the main reason to go. The ruins themselves are modest by the standards of western Turkey — Ephesus this is not — but the hike and the quiet make it worth the effort.

Go in May or October. In August it is a 250-metre climb in 35°C heat with no shade. Take water. Start before 9am if you go in summer.

Bay · ~30 km by road or by boat

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A small bay further south along the Bozburun Peninsula. The beach is short — perhaps 150 metres — and the settlement behind it is genuinely small: a few pansiyons, a fish restaurant or two, one small market. The water is notably clear.

Most people reach Kumlubük by boat from İçmeler or Marmaris as a stop on a daily tour. If you want to stay a night or two with almost nothing else happening, it works well. If you want more than one restaurant, it does not.

The road down is usable in a standard car, but it is narrow and winding for the last few kilometres. Allow extra time and be cautious when meeting oncoming traffic.

Beach · ~8 km by road, Marmaris National Park

A sandy beach in the Marmaris National Park area, about 8 km from İçmeler on the road toward Marmaris. Pine trees run close to the waterline and the national park designation limits development — which is why it has stayed in better condition than many more accessible beaches.

There is a small car park at the turnoff. In peak season it gets busy but not to the level of the main İçmeler beach. It is a reasonable option if you want something quieter without driving far. The shade from the pines makes the walk from the car park more bearable in the heat.

Village · ~45 km by road, Bozburun Peninsula

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A village on the Bozburun Peninsula with a small harbour, waterfront restaurants, and pine hills behind it. Selimiye has been known to the sailing community for decades — boats stop here on the route down to Bozburun. It has stayed small. There is not much to do beyond eating, walking, and looking at the water, which is what most people go there for.

The drive down the peninsula is worth doing regardless of the destination. The road runs along the ridge with views to the Greek islands on one side and the inland bays on the other. Selimiye works as a lunch stop or, if you want quiet and a change of pace, a one-night detour.

Island beach · ~55 km by car + boat from Çamköy

Kleopatra beach is on Sedir Island, reached only by boat. The sand is white and fine, the water is calm and enclosed, and the beach is small — perhaps 100 metres. The story that the sand was imported from Egypt for Cleopatra's visit is not confirmed by archaeology, but it circulates on every tour.

Getting there from İçmeler involves driving to Çamköy or Taşbükü (~55 km) and then taking a boat to the island. Several day-tour operators include Sedir Island as a stop on longer bay circuits. If the goal is specifically Kleopatra Plajı, verify before booking that the tour actually lands on the island — some pass by without stopping.

The island is a protected natural monument; the sand cannot be removed. There are no facilities on the island beyond a small ticket booth. Take everything you need for the day.

Beach · ~50 km by road, near Akyaka

A long sandy beach near Akyaka, about 50 km west of İçmeler. İncekum is less crowded than the Marmaris coast beaches, and the water here is affected by Aegean currents — slightly cooler than the more sheltered bays, noticeable in May and October.

Akyaka town is worth a stop. It is a protected architectural settlement — the buildings follow a specific Ottoman-influenced design — and the waterfront is different from most resort towns in the area. İncekum beach, Akyaka waterfront, and the Azmak river make a natural full-day combination.

Nature · ~55 km by road

The Azmak is a short river fed by underground springs, running about 2 km before it meets the sea at Akyaka. The water stays around 20°C even in August — cold by the standards of a Turkish August, and clear enough to see the bottom. Canoes and pedalos run along the river. Swimming is possible at the mouth where it opens to the sea.

It is one of the more unusual things in the region. Cold, fast-moving clear water in the middle of a hot Turkish summer — it stays with you. Crowded in July and August. Go earlier in the morning, and on a weekday if possible, as it draws day-trippers from Marmaris.

Beach · ~75 km by road, Datça Peninsula

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A beach on the Datça Peninsula, about 75 km from İçmeler. Karaincir is long and largely undeveloped — the roads in are rough in places, which is part of why it has stayed that way. The water is clean and the Aegean current keeps it cooler than the more sheltered bays.

The Datça Peninsula as a whole is worth the drive if you have a car and time. The road runs through pine hills before dropping to the sea at several points. Karaincir is the best of the beaches on the Datça side. The town of Datça itself, 8 km further on, has a harbour and more options for lunch.

Allow a full day. The distance is manageable but the roads slow you down, and it is worth not feeling rushed when you get there.

Sea cave · ~5 km by boat from İçmeler pier

Nimara Cave sits on a small island known locally as Cennet Adası — Heaven Island. The cave is a limestone opening that faces the sea. Boats pull up to the entrance and passengers swim inside. The water is calm, clear, and shallow enough to stand in near the edges.

This is a standard stop on most İçmeler boat tours, and it is worth checking your tour itinerary for it. The island itself has no facilities — it is a swimming stop, not a beach. The cave is the draw. Snorkelling gear is useful; the limestone walls and seabed are worth looking at underwater.

Boat tours from İçmeler pier depart daily in season. Most include Nimara alongside other bays. A few operators run dedicated trips to the cave and nearby islands. Ask at the pier or contact us and we can point you to reliable operators.

Bay · ~6 km by car or water taxi

A small bay about 6 km from İçmeler, accessible by car or water taxi in season. Çiftlik is one of the less visited bays in the immediate area — it does not appear on most tour itineraries, which is its main advantage. The beach is pebble rather than sand. The water is clearer than the main İçmeler bay, in part because the current moves more freely here.

There are a few small fish restaurants on the bay. Lunch here after a morning in the water is a reasonable use of a half-day. The walk back toward İçmeler along the coast path, if conditions allow, passes through pine forest.

If you want the same coast without the İçmeler beach crowds, Çiftlik is the nearest alternative that still has somewhere to eat.

History · ~10 km by dolmuş

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Marmaris Castle is a 16th-century Ottoman fortress built on the orders of Suleiman the Magnificent before the Rhodes campaign. It sits above the old harbour and now houses an archaeology and ethnography museum. The walls and towers are largely intact and the views over the marina from the battlements are good. The museum collection covers finds from the surrounding area.

Directly below the castle is the covered bazaar — a warren of narrow lanes with textile shops, leather goods, spice stalls, and the usual assortment of tourist items. It is busy in peak season. If the bazaar is not your environment, the old town streets immediately around the castle are quieter and have a few decent restaurants.

The dolmuş from İçmeler goes directly to central Marmaris and runs every few minutes in peak season until midnight. It is the easiest day trip from the property — no car needed. Combine the castle with a walk along the Marmaris seafront for a half-day out.