# Cleopatra Island, Marmaris > Cleopatra Island is Sedir Island in the Gökova Gulf, on the far side of the peninsula from Marmaris. It has a rare beach of tiny round limestone grains and the ruins of ancient Cedreae. There is an entrance fee plus a short boat ride from Çamlı, or a longer one from Akyaka. The site is open daily from 9:00 to 17:30 (tickets until 17:00); allow two to three hours on the island. Web page: https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/cleopatra-island - City: [Marmaris](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris), Turkey - YesGo score: 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 3 h - Entry: Entrance fee plus boat fare - With kids: Fine with kids - Opening hours: Daily 9:00–17:30, ticket office closes at 17:00 - Entrance fee: Paid; no price on the official site, tour listings say ≈ €10–13 - Boat: From Çamlı (Taşbükü pier) or Akyaka — sea access only - Beach rules: No shoes, no towels, no taking sand - Showers: Rinse the sand off before you leave - Swimming: Only inside the roped-off area - Sunbathing: On the decks behind the beach, not on the sand - From Marmaris: ≈ 17–25 km to Çamlı, about half an hour by car - Coordinates: 36.99306, 28.20611 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Ooids** — the beach is made of tiny round limestone grains — natural, not shipped from Egypt as the legend says (source: English Wikipedia; Wikivoyage; Turkish Wikipedia) - **Protected** — the sand is guarded by the state and must not be taken away (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Wikivoyage) - **Cedreae** — an ancient Carian city whose ruins cover the island (source: English Wikipedia “Cedreae”; Turkish Wikipedia) - **Theatre** — a well-preserved ancient theatre facing north over the gulf (source: Russian and Turkish Wikipedia) - **Temple of Apollo** — a Doric temple near the summit, later replaced by a church (source: English Wikipedia “Cedreae”; Russian Wikipedia) - **Lysander** — the Spartan general captured the city late in the Peloponnesian War, as Xenophon records (source: English Wikipedia “Cedreae”; Russian and Turkish Wikipedia) - **Delian League** — the city paid tribute to Athens in the 5th century BC (source: English Wikipedia “Cedreae”; Turkish Wikipedia) - **Rhodian Peraea** — in Hellenistic times Cedreae belonged to Rhodes’ mainland territory (source: English Wikipedia “Cedreae”; Turkish Wikipedia) - **Gökova Gulf** — the largest of a group of three islands in Kerme Bay (source: Turkish Wikipedia; English Wikipedia) - **Sedir** — the official name; “Cleopatra” is the popular one (source: English, Russian and Turkish Wikipedia) - **Grade 1** — a first-grade archaeological and natural protected area with about 800 m of coastline (source: Turkish Ministry of Culture museums site, “Sedir Adası Ören Yeri”) > **Hands off the sand** Cleopatra Beach is state-protected. You take your shoes off before stepping on it, towels stay off the sand, and taking any sand home — even a pinch in a bottle — is forbidden. Swimming is allowed only inside the roped-off area, and you sunbathe on the wooden decks behind the beach, not on the sand itself. ## How to get to Cleopatra Island from Marmaris 1. From Marmaris old town and the castle, head north on the D400 towards Muğla — by taxi, hire car or on an organised tour. 2. Over the pass, drop down to the Gökova Gulf and turn off for Çamlı village and Taşbükü pier. It is about 17–25 km, roughly half an hour. Without a car, take a dolmuş (minibus) from Marmaris towards Çamlı — check the route and stop at the bus station. 3. Buy a seat on a boat to Sedir Island at the pier. The crossing is short and boats run often in season. Day boats from Akyaka also go there, with a longer ride. 4. Pay the entrance fee on the island (ticket office until 17:00), then leave your shoes and towel before the sand. 5. Rinse the sand off at the showers before you leave. Come back the same way — ask the boatman when the last boat leaves; the site closes at 17:30. ## What is Cleopatra Island? Cleopatra Island is the popular name for **Sedir Island** (Sedir Adası) in the Gökova Gulf. Marmaris sits on the south side of the same peninsula, but there is no sea route around it worth taking — you cross the hills by road and then hop on a boat. The island is small and covered in scrub, olives and pines. People come for two things. One is **Cleopatra Beach**, made of ooids — tiny round grains of limestone that look like seed pearls. The other is the ruins of ancient **Cedreae**: walls, towers, a theatre and the footings of a temple. Most visitors never leave the beach, but the ruins take under an hour and are well worth it. ## Was the sand really brought from Egypt? The story goes that Mark Antony had sand shipped from Egypt for Cleopatra, and the two of them swam here. Treat it as a legend — there is no reliable historical record behind it. Research points to a local, natural origin: the grains form from the island’s own limestone. Beaches like this are very rare in the Aegean and the Mediterranean, which is why the sand is protected. For years visitors carried it off by the handful — hence today’s strict rules. ## Entrance fee and opening times There is an **entrance fee**, paid on the island. The official Turkish museums site does not publish the price; Marmaris tour listings quote it separately at around €10–13 per person. Prices change, so confirm at the pier or with your tour operator. The boat from the mainland is a separate fare, return. For Turkish citizens the Müzekart gives a discount rather than free entry. According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture, the site is **open daily from 9:00 to 17:30**, and the ticket office closes at 17:00. There is no closing day and one timetable for the whole year, but off-season boat times are not published anywhere, so in winter arrange a crossing in advance. On most boat trips from Marmaris the island fee is not included — ask before you pay. Bring Turkish lira in cash for the boat. ## What to see on Sedir Island - **Cleopatra Beach** on the north-west shore: pale sand, shallow turquoise water, swimming inside the ropes. - The **ancient theatre** of Cedreae, facing north over the gulf — one of the best views on the island. - Stretches of **city walls and towers** along the shore. - The foundations of the **Temple of Apollo** near the top, later the site of a church. - A boardwalk through the ruins, past two Byzantine-era churches. - Views of the Gökova mountains and the smaller islands next door. ## Is Cleopatra Island worth it? Yes, if you want something different from a resort beach: a strange, almost pearly sand and real Greek ruins in one half-day. It is not worth it if you just want to lie on the sand for hours — you cannot, and the beach gets crowded when the tour boats arrive around midday. A boat trip from Marmaris, İçmeler or Turunç is the easy option without a car: a coach to the Gökova side, a boat with swim stops in the bays and about two hours on the island. Most trips take the whole day. The downside is little time for the ruins. With a car, go early on your own — the first boats are quieter. ## Before you go - [ ] Cash in Turkish lira for the boat and the fee - [ ] Flip-flops you can slip off before the sand; towels are not allowed on it - [ ] Water and a snack — there is little choice on the island - [ ] Sunscreen and a hat: the ruins have hardly any shade - [ ] Proper shoes for the rocky path through the ruins - [ ] The time of the last boat back ## Cleopatra Island, Kızkumu or İztuzu? | | Cleopatra Island | Kızkumu | İztuzu | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Island with a protected beach and ruins | Sand spit running into the sea | Long turtle beach near Dalyan | | Entry | Paid | Free | Free | | From Marmaris | Car + boat, ≈ 1 h | Car via the Bozburun road, ≈ 45 min | ≈ 1.5 h by car | | Rules | No shoes, no taking sand | Ordinary beach | Turtle nesting site | | Ruins | Yes, ancient Cedreae | No | Kaunos nearby | Cleopatra Island is for a rare beach plus history in one day. If you just want sand and sea with no rules, [Kızkumu](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/kizkumu) is closer and free. ## Beaches and water near Marmaris Every waterside spot near Marmaris that YesGo has rated. - [Marmaris seafront promenade](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/marmaris-promenade) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, open 24 hours - [İçmeler](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/icmeler) — YesGo score 33/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Beach free, sunbeds extra - [Turunç Bay](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/turunc-bay) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free; café sunbeds extra - [Kızkumu Beach](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/kizkumu) — YesGo score 28/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free entry, sunbeds paid - [İztuzu Beach](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/iztuzu-beach) — YesGo score 26/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Free entry, sunbeds extra - [Cleopatra Island](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/cleopatra-island) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Entrance fee plus boat fare - [Dalyan and the Kaunos rock tombs](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/dalyan-kaunos) — YesGo score 16/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Kaunos €3, under 8 free ## Island morning, Marmaris evening Swim and ruins in the morning, back to town after lunch, the castle at sunset and a night out on Bar Street. YesGo fills in the times and walks. 1. [Cleopatra Island](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/cleopatra-island) — YesGo score 19/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Entrance fee plus boat fare 2. [Marmaris Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/marmaris-castle) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · €6 for foreign visitors, under-8s free 3. [Marmaris seafront promenade](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/marmaris-promenade) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free, open 24 hours 4. [Bar Street](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/marmaris-bar-street) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Street free; some clubs charge entry ## Don’t mix it up Alanya also has a Cleopatra Beach — a city beach far to the east, with ordinary sand and no boat. On maps the island near Marmaris is labelled Sedir Adası. ## Tips - Catch one of the first boats: the beach is much quieter before the midday tour crowd. - Give the ruins at least 40 minutes — the theatre and walls are better than they look from the beach. - Brush the sand off your feet and bag before the boat back — none of it may leave the island. - Pack flip-flops — shoes come off before the sand and the ruin path is stony. - Back early? Make it to [Marmaris Castle](https://yesgo.io/turkey/marmaris/marmaris-castle) for the sunset. ## Questions ### Where is Cleopatra Island? In the Gökova Gulf, on the north side of the Marmaris peninsula. Its official name is Sedir Island; boats leave from Taşbükü pier near Çamlı village and from Akyaka. ### How do I get to Cleopatra Island from Marmaris? By taxi, car, dolmuş or tour — about 17–25 km north to the pier near Çamlı, then a short boat ride. ### How much is the Cleopatra Island entrance fee? There is a fee on the island plus a separate boat fare. The official site gives no price; tour listings quote around €10–13 — confirm at the pier or with your tour. ### Is the entrance fee included in boat trips from Marmaris? Usually not — most listings show the island ticket as an extra paid on the day. Ask your operator before booking. ### What are the opening hours? Daily from 9:00 to 17:30, with the ticket office closing at 17:00, according to the Turkish Ministry of Culture. ### Are Cleopatra Island and Sedir Island the same place? Yes. Sedir is the official name; Cleopatra Beach is its famous shore. ### Can you sunbathe on Cleopatra Beach? You can swim inside the roped-off area, but lying on the protected sand is not allowed — people use the decks behind the beach. ### Did Cleopatra really bring the sand from Egypt? That is a legend. Research shows the sand is natural and forms from the island’s own limestone. ### How long do you need on Cleopatra Island? Two to three hours for a swim and the ruins, plus roughly an hour each way from Marmaris. A boat trip takes the whole day. ### Is it good for kids? Yes — the crossing is short and the water by the beach is shallow and calm. Bring water and hats; there is little shade. ## How we checked Opening hours (daily 9:00–17:30, ticket office until 17:00) and access (boats from Çamlı and Akyaka only) come from the island’s page on the official Turkish Ministry of Culture museums site, read on 30.10.2026, so they are marked “official”. That page gives no price, so the fee is marked “checking”: the €10–13 range comes from several tour listings, not an official source. Beach rules (no shoes or towels, no taking sand, rinse it off before leaving) are confirmed by Wikipedia and Hürriyet Daily News; the ropes and sunbathing decks appear in one source only, so they are “checking” too. Sources give different distances to Çamlı, from 17 to 25 km, so we show both ends. We found no reliable crossing time or dolmuş route number, so we give no figures for them. History, the ruins and the origin of the sand are checked against at least two sources. Sources disagree on the district: English and Russian Wikipedia say Ula, Turkish Wikipedia says Marmaris. ## Sources - Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, museums site: “Sedir Adası Ören Yeri” — hours and access - English Wikipedia: “Sedir Island” and “Cedreae” - Russian Wikipedia: “Sedir (island)” - Turkish Wikipedia: “Sedir Adası” - Wikivoyage: “Marmaris” — Sedir Island section - Wikidata Q4811576 - Hürriyet Daily News: “Muğla's Sedir Island captivates visitors” — beach rules - Tour listings for Cleopatra Island trips from Marmaris (Sputnik8, Expedia) — entrance fee --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.