# Yalıkavak, Bodrum > Yalıkavak is a former sponge-diving village on the north-west of the Bodrum peninsula, 18 km from town. Now it’s a superyacht marina with a promenade, boutiques and restaurants, plus windmills on the hill and markets on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Free to wander, open 24/7. Allow 2 hours, or an evening with dinner and sunset. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/yalikavak - City: [Bodrum](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum), Turkey - YesGo score: 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 2 h - Opening hours: The village and waterfront are open 24/7; marina shops and restaurants keep their own hours - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — the village, waterfront and marina promenade are open to walk - Time needed: ≈ 2 hours for the marina and village; an evening with dinner and sunset - Where: North-west of the Bodrum peninsula, 18 km from Bodrum town - Market days: Tue — fruit and veg; Thu — clothes; Sat — second-hand - Getting there: Dolmuş line 2-6 (also numbered 2-41) “Yalıkavak” from Bodrum’s central bus station, ≈ 40–60 min - How often: Every 20–30 min from 7:00; the last bus is around 22:00 or after midnight — sources disagree - Paying on the bus: Contactless bank card or Muğla Kent Kart; cash may not be accepted - By car or taxi: ≈ 30–35 min from Bodrum town - Marina: ≈ 620 berths, yachts up to 135 or 140 m — sources disagree - Coordinates: 37.10886, 27.28214 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **18 km** — from Bodrum town, in its own bay on the north-west of the peninsula (source: English, Russian and Turkish Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”)) - **Free** — no tickets or gates: Yalıkavak is an ordinary village and the marina promenade is open to all (source: Wikivoyage “Yalıkavak”; English Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”)) - **3 markets** — a week: Tuesday fruit and veg, Thursday clothes, Saturday second-hand (source: Bodrum Municipality (“Bodrum Pazarları”); Tuesday and Thursday also in English Wikipedia and Wikivoyage “Yalıkavak”) - **Sponge divers** — Yalıkavak was once the main sponge-diving port of the Bodrum area (source: English Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”, “Bodrum”)) - **1982** — local sponge diver Mehmet Çakır found the Bronze Age Uluburun shipwreck (source: English Wikipedia (“Uluburun shipwreck”); Institute of Nautical Archaeology — the year and the sponge diver’s find) - **Emre Arolat** — the Turkish architect behind the marina complex (Palmarina) (source: English Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”, “Emre Arolat”)) - **2014** — the marina won the shopping category at the World Architecture Festival (source: English Wikipedia (“Emre Arolat”); English Wikipedia (“Bodrum”): “award-winning marina”) - **3 big marinas** — around Bodrum: Milta in town, Turgutreis and Yalıkavak (source: English and Turkish Wikipedia (“Bodrum”)) - **Windmills** — old windmills on the hills, one of them restored (source: English Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”); Wikivoyage “Yalıkavak”) - **2nd millennium BC** — people have lived on this spot since then (source: English and Russian Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”)) - **Mahalle** — now a neighbourhood of Bodrum; a separate town (belde) until the 2012 reform (source: Turkish and English Wikipedia (“Yalıkavak”)) ## Yalıkavak Marina: what it is and is it worth it **Yalıkavak Marina** — still called Palmarina in older guides — is one of Bodrum’s three big marinas, alongside Milta in town and Turgutreis. Turkish architect **Emre Arolat** designed the complex, which won the shopping category at the World Architecture Festival in 2014. Both English Wikipedia and The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA) put it at around 620 berths; for the longest yacht it can take, Wikipedia says 135 metres and TYHA says 140. For visitors it is mainly a **promenade along the pontoons**: palms, superyachts moored right beside the path, terrace restaurants and designer boutiques. There’s no ticket and no gate. Is it worth it? Yes, if you want to see some of the biggest yachts in the Aegean and eat by the water. If you came for ancient history, spend the time on the [Mausoleum at Halicarnassus](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/mausoleum-at-halicarnassus) and the castle instead. > **Go on market day** Thursday is the clothes and textiles market, Saturday is second-hand, Tuesday is fruit and veg. The market sits a couple of blocks inland from the marina on Tahsildar İbrahim Efendi Caddesi. Market in the morning, a cove at midday, the waterfront at sunset — that’s Yalıkavak in a day. ## How to get to Yalıkavak from Bodrum 1. From the castle and harbour, walk up Cevat Şakir Caddesi to the town bus station (otogar) next to the bazaar — about 10 minutes. 2. Take the town bus (dolmuş, a shared minibus) on line **2-6**, signed “Yalıkavak”; timetables also list it as **2-41** — same route, different operator. Only some trips detour via Gökçebel. Wikivoyage and the unofficial Bodrum Otogar guide agree on a bus roughly every 20–30 minutes, the first around 7:00. The last one is around 22:00 according to Wikivoyage, but after midnight on the guide’s timetable. Some town lines start at the new intercity terminal in Torba and pass through the centre. 3. Pay as you board with a contactless bank card or a Muğla Kent Kart. The Bodrum Otogar guide says cash is not accepted on this line, so bring a card that works for tap-to-pay. 4. The ride across the peninsula, via Bitez and the Ortakent junction, takes about 30–40 minutes according to Wikivoyage and 45–60 minutes according to the Bodrum Otogar guide — traffic makes the difference. Get off in the village centre by the waterfront — the marina is a few minutes’ walk. 5. From Gümüşlük, coastal line **2-37** (Turgutreis – Gümüşlük – Yalıkavak – Gündoğan) also stops here, but only about every 90 minutes. 6. By taxi or car it’s about 30–35 minutes from Bodrum town. Staying for dinner? Check the last bus back or plan on a taxi. ## Things to do in Yalıkavak - **Walk the marina promenade** — superyachts right by the path, best in the evening when the lights come on. - **Climb to the old windmills** above the village for a view over the bay; a restored windmill on the Bodrum road now houses a restaurant. - **The old fishing centre** around Merkez Camii mosque at the east end of the waterfront — tea gardens, boats and simple cafés. - **Browse the market** — Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, a couple of blocks from the marina. - **Watch the sunset**: the bay faces west, so the sun drops straight into the sea. - **Hike to Sandima**, an abandoned village about 45 minutes uphill on a track, according to Wikivoyage. ## What is Yalıkavak? Yalıkavak is a **former sponge-diving village**, now officially a neighbourhood (mahalle) of Bodrum, set in its own bay on the north-west of the peninsula. Hills rise behind it, and old windmills stand above the road into the village. Sponge diving kept the place going well into the 20th century, until the trade died out. In the summer of 1982 a Yalıkavak sponge diver, **Mehmet Çakır**, spotted “metal biscuits with ears” on the seabed off Kaş — the find that led to the Uluburun wreck, one of the oldest shipwrecks ever discovered. Its cargo is now displayed in [Bodrum Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-castle). These days the old harbour, the mosque and the tea gardens sit right next to pontoons full of superyachts. It isn’t a museum or a big beach resort — it’s somewhere to stroll, eat by the water and watch the sea. ## Shopping and restaurants Shopping here comes in **two very different flavours**. The marina has international designer boutiques and jewellers — great for window shopping, pricey for buying. Its restaurants are firmly at the top end too. For everyday things, head into the village: small shops, the Şok and A101 supermarkets, and souvenirs such as knitwear, kilims and little windmill figurines. The liveliest shopping is the **Thursday market** with clothes, fabrics and household bits. Opening hours of shops and exchange offices change with the season: in summer many stay open late, in winter some restaurants and boutiques close. Check the place you want before you go. ## Is there a beach in Yalıkavak? Not one big one. Wikivoyage says frankly that no beach here stands out — but there are **small sandy coves** with very clear water around the bay, many with restaurants and beach clubs. This side of the peninsula faces the open sea and the wind: it’s noticeably breezier than Bodrum town — there’s a reason the hills are dotted with windmills. With small children, pick a sheltered cove and go in the calmer morning hours. ## When to visit Yalıkavak The best time is **May to October**, when the beach clubs and marina restaurants are open and the buses run their full schedule. July and August are hot and busy, with the waterfront at its liveliest after dark. Spring and autumn are quieter and better for walking up to the windmills. In winter the village goes quiet and some places close, but the marina and the markets carry on all year. It’s windier than Bodrum town, so bring a light layer for the evening. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Picked a day: Thursday clothes, Saturday second-hand, Tuesday fruit and veg - [ ] I know where to catch bus 2-6 “Yalıkavak” - [ ] Checked the time of the last bus back - [ ] A contactless card for the bus, a little cash for the market - [ ] Swimwear, if I want a cove - [ ] A light layer — it gets breezy in the evening ## Yalıkavak vs Gümüşlük (and Bodrum Old Town) | | Yalıkavak | Gümüşlük | Bodrum Old Town | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Superyacht marina and village | Fishing village with the ruins of Myndos | Town centre by the castle, bazaar and waterfront | | From Bodrum town | 18 km, ≈ 40–60 min by bus | West of the peninsula, by bus | It is the town centre | | Vibe | Yachts, boutiques, upmarket dining | Quiet, fish restaurants on the water | Bazaar, crowds, nightlife | | Markets | Tue, Thu, Sat | Wed — fruit and veg | Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun | | Sunset | Over the bay, facing west | Over the sea, one of the best | Behind the castle | | Time needed | 2 h to an evening | 2–3 h with dinner | 2 h to an evening | Come to Yalıkavak for the yachts, the marina and the market. For a quiet sunset dinner pick Gümüşlük; for history, the old town. Yalıkavak and Gümüşlük pair easily in one day. ## Bodrum by the water compared Every waterside place in Bodrum rated by YesGo. - [Yalıkavak](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/yalikavak) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free - [Gümüşlük](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/gumusluk) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free ## The western peninsula in a day Myndos Gate and the windmills above Bodrum in the morning, Yalıkavak’s market and marina at midday, sunset and dinner in Gümüşlük. 1. [Myndos Gate](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/myndos-gate) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 2. [Bodrum Windmills](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-windmills) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 3. [Yalıkavak](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/yalikavak) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free 4. [Gümüşlük](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/gumusluk) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free > **The marina isn’t the place for a cheap meal** The pontoon restaurants cater to yacht owners, and the bill shows it. For a simpler lunch, walk to the old fishing centre by the mosque or into the village lanes — tea gardens, kebab shops and fish cafés. Come back to the marina for the evening stroll and the sunset. ## Good to know Yalıkavak is the village; Yalıkavak Marina is the berths-and-shops complex inside it, called Palmarina in older guides — not to be confused with Milta Marina in Bodrum town. Bodrum’s intercity bus terminal moved to Torba in 2021 — check locally where your peninsula bus leaves from. ## Tips - Pair Yalıkavak with [Gümüşlük](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/gumusluk): the marina and market by day, sunset dinner in the next bay over. - Hit the market early, before the heat — Thursday’s is the biggest. - Eat lunch in the village and save the marina for the evening, when the yachts light up. - Walk up to the windmills on the hill for the view over the whole bay. - Staying for dinner? Check the last bus or budget for a taxi back. - For history, head to [Bodrum Old Town](https://yesgo.io/turkey/bodrum/bodrum-old-town) and the castle — Yalıkavak is about the sea and the stroll. ## Questions ### How far is Yalıkavak from Bodrum? 18 km. About 30–35 minutes by car or taxi, or 40 minutes to an hour on town bus (dolmuş) line 2-6, depending on traffic. ### How do I get from Bodrum to Yalıkavak by bus? Catch line 2-6 (also numbered 2-41), signed “Yalıkavak”, at the town bus station by the bazaar. Buses run roughly every 20–30 minutes from about 7:00; check the last one back locally. ### Can I pay cash on the Yalıkavak dolmuş? Plan on paying by contactless bank card or Muğla Kent Kart. The unofficial Bodrum Otogar guide says cash is not accepted on this line. ### What is Yalıkavak Marina? A superyacht marina with a promenade, restaurants and designer shops, one of Bodrum’s three big marinas. It used to be called Palmarina, and walking around is free. ### What day is Yalıkavak market? According to Bodrum Municipality: Tuesday for fruit and veg, Thursday for clothes, Saturday for second-hand goods. ### What is there to do in Yalıkavak? Stroll the marina, climb to the windmills, wander the old fishing centre by the mosque, catch the market and watch the sunset over the bay. ### Is Yalıkavak worth visiting? Yes, for the yachts, a waterside dinner and the market. For ancient history, Bodrum Old Town and the castle are a better use of your time. ### Does Yalıkavak have a beach? No single big beach, but there are small sandy coves with clear water and beach clubs around the bay. It’s windier than Bodrum town. ### Yalıkavak or Gümüşlük? Yalıkavak is busier and more upmarket, with the marina and shops. Gümüşlük is a quiet fishing village famous for sunset dinners. Many people do both in one day. ### Is Yalıkavak expensive? The marina restaurants and boutiques are. The village itself has ordinary cafés, supermarkets and the weekly markets. ## How we checked Yalıkavak is an open village with no ticket office, so entry and hours need no official source. We re-checked the market days for Yalıkavak, Gümüşlük and Bodrum town on the Bodrum Municipality page “Bodrum Pazarları” on 30.10.2026, hence the “official” label; English Wikipedia and Wikivoyage mention only Tuesday and Thursday — the Saturday second-hand market appears only in the municipal list. Other facts are checked against at least two sources. For the bus we compared Wikivoyage with the unofficial Bodrum Otogar guide; we did not find an official operator timetable. They agree on line 2-6 (also listed as 2-41), departures from central Bodrum and a bus every 20–30 minutes, but differ on journey time (30–40 minutes vs 45–60) and the last bus (around 22:00 vs after midnight), so we show both and mark them “verifying”. The no-cash rule comes from the guide alone — also “verifying”. English Wikipedia and TYHA agree on about 620 berths but give different maximum yacht lengths, 135 and 140 metres, so we quote both; the marina’s own website would not load on 30.10.2026. We leave out the windmill’s build year and the year the villages merged (1988 or 1989): one source only, or sources disagree. We don’t name restaurants: menus and prices change. ## Sources - Bodrum Municipality (Bodrum Belediyesi): Bodrum Pazarları — market days, 30.10.2026 - English Wikipedia: Yalıkavak, Bodrum, Uluburun shipwreck, Emre Arolat - Russian and Turkish Wikipedia: Yalıkavak; Wikidata Q178447 - Wikivoyage: Yalıkavak and Bodrum — buses, market, windmills - Bodrum Otogar (unofficial guide): line 2-6 = 2-41 Bodrum – Yalıkavak, timetable and payment, 30.10.2026 - The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA): Yalıkavak Marina listing — berths and maximum berth length - Institute of Nautical Archaeology: Uluburun shipwreck excavation --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.