My route
Sign in
WorldTurkeyMarmarisKızkumu BeachMy routeRoute

Kızkumu Beach (Jesus Beach), Marmaris

The Kızkumu sandbar in Orhaniye bay: shallows running into turquoise water, yachts at anchor and pine hills
Photo: BSRF, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — public shoreline
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Open beach, no set hours; sunbeds and cafés in the warm season, daytime
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h 30 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Sunbeds and umbrellas
Paid at the beach clubs at the root of the bar
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Sandbar
550–600 m of shallows (sources differ), about 3 m wide
From Marmaris
26–30 km on the Bozburun road (sources differ), 35–45 min by car
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Dolmuş
From Marmaris Otogar towards Selimiye via Orhaniye, ask for Kızkumu
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Season
Tours from April; swimming late spring to autumn
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Where
Orhaniye bay, Marmaris district, Muğla province
Coordinates
36.75746, 28.13003YesGo MapGoogleApple

Key facts

550–600 mlength of the sandbar you can wade along
2 sourcesWikipedia and the Liman Çepte guide — about 600 mHürriyet — 550 m
Jesus Beachthe name used on English-language tours, for the walk-on-water effect
2 sourcesmarmarisinfo.comMarmaris tour listings
Naturalfloodwater carries sand and gravel from the eroded rocks around Orhaniye into the bay
SourceTurkish Wikipedia
Maiden’s Sandwhat Kızkumu means — after the legend of a girl pouring sand from her skirt
SourceEnglish and Turkish Wikipedia
Statueof the girl from the legend stands by the bar — people make a wish there
3 sourcesEnglish WikipediaWikimedia CommonsLiman Çepte guide
≈ 3 mwidth of the underwater sand path
2 sourcesTurkish WikipediaHürriyet
Two legendsa ruler’s daughter fleeing to her fisherman lover, or escaping after a lost war
2 sourcesTurkish WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia
Kızkumu Castleremains of a fort on an islet in the bay, listed in Turkey’s heritage inventory
3 sourcesWikidata Q131902262Turkish WikipediaLiman Çepte guide
Bybassosthe ancient Carian town linked with the ruins in the bay and the legend
2 sourcesTurkish WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia “Bybassus”
Bozburunthe peninsula south of Marmaris; Orhaniye sits on its northern shore
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia “Bozburun”Wikivoyage

How to get to Kızkumu Beach from Marmaris

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

Loading the map…

destinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. Get to the Marmaris bus station (Otogar) — by town dolmuş from the seafront or by taxi.
  2. At the Otogar, find the dolmuş for Selimiye, which runs via Orhaniye. Tell the driver “Kızkumu” and you’ll be dropped at the turn for the beach. No timetable is published online, so ask at the Otogar how often they run.
  3. From the stop it is a few minutes’ walk down to the water.
  4. By car or taxi: 26–30 km on the Bozburun road, 35–45 minutes. The beach clubs have parking, which fills by midday in summer.
  5. Coming back, flag down the same dolmuş on the Marmaris side of the road. Ask the driver on the way out when the last one returns.
  6. No car? Bozburun peninsula jeep safaris, village tours and boat trips usually stop at Kızkumu. Blue-cruise yachts anchor in the bay and guests come ashore by dinghy or swim.

Is there an entry fee at Kızkumu?

No — Kızkumu is free. The Turkish shoreline is public, and the sandbar is a natural feature with no gate or ticket office. You pay only for what you use: a sunbed, a drink, parking.

Beach clubs and cafés line the start of the bar. Their sunbeds are usually paid or come with a minimum spend; terms change every season, so we don’t quote figures. A towel on an open stretch of shore costs nothing.

The real cost is getting there. The dolmuş is cheap; a taxi from Marmaris is much more. For three or four people a hire car for the day pays off — and lets you add Selimiye and Bozburun village.

Bring Turkish lira in cash: dolmuş drivers take cash only, and small cafés prefer it.

Jesus Beach tours from Marmaris

Most English-speaking visitors reach Kızkumu on an organised day out rather than by bus. The sandbar is a regular stop on Bozburun peninsula jeep safaris and village tours — often combined with a waterfall, a village lunch and, on the jeep trips, water fights between the cars.

On a tour you get a fixed slot at the beach, often not long, and the bus or jeep arrives when the bay is busiest. If walking out along the bar is the reason you’re going, a car or the dolmuş lets you come early, before the wind and the tour groups. Pack a change of clothes either way: you will get wet.

What is Kızkumu, and why “Jesus Beach”?

Kızkumu is a natural sandbar in Orhaniye bay. Tour companies call it Jesus Beach, because people wading along it look as if they are walking on water. It runs 550–600 metres out from the shore — sources give both figures — and is only about three metres wide. The water on either side is deeper, so from a distance anyone on it seems to be striding across the sea — that is the whole point of coming.

Nobody built it. The rocks above Orhaniye crack with heat and cold, and floods wash sand and gravel into the bay, where the current lays them in a narrow line. The sand has a reddish tint from the local rock.

The name means “Maiden’s Sand”. One legend says a daughter of the ruler of ancient Bybassos ran into the sea towards her fisherman lover, and every step turned to sand. Another says she fled after a lost war, pouring sand from her skirt to make a path, and drowned when it ran out. Her statue stands by the bar, and making a wish there is a local habit.

Is Kızkumu worth visiting?

Yes, if you have children or want an unusual photo. Warm, shallow water far from the shore is rare around Marmaris, where the sea usually gets deep fast. Walking hundreds of metres out into the bay is a genuinely odd and memorable feeling.

Not on its own if you want a full beach day. The shore itself is small and most people sit at the cafés at the root of the bar. Make it one stop on a peninsula day — Selimiye, Bozburun, lunch by the water — or pick a beach nearer town such as Turunç or İçmeler for a lazy day.

Things to do at Kızkumu

  • Wade to the end of the bar — slowly, stopping to look around. This is where most of your time goes.
  • Photograph the statue of the maiden by the bar, with the bay behind.
  • Stay on the bar if you’re not a strong swimmer. A step or two to the side and the water is several metres deep.
  • See it from above. From the road over the bay the bar shows as a pale stripe in turquoise water. Pull over only where it’s safe.
  • Spot the islet with the ruins of Kızkumu Castle from the shore or a boat.
  • Watch the yachts anchored in sheltered Orhaniye bay — calmest early in the day.
  • Let the kids splash in knee-deep water well away from the shore.

What to bring

Ready: 0 of 6

Tick what’s ready — your ticks stay in this browser.

Kızkumu vs Cleopatra Island (and İztuzu)

Kızkumuyou are hereSandbar out into the seaFreeCar or dolmuş, ≈ 45 minShallows for hundreds of metresBest of the three1.5–2 h
Cleopatra IslandIsland with a protected beach and ruinsPaidCar + boat, ≈ 1 hSwimming inside the buoysFine, but lots of rules≈ 3 h
İztuzuLong turtle beach near DalyanFree≈ 1.5 h by carOpen sea, wavesFine, with careHalf a day with Dalyan

Kızkumu is for kids and the walk-on-water moment. For ancient ruins go to Cleopatra Island; for a big beach and turtles, İztuzu.

Marmaris beaches and bays compared

Every waterside place in Marmaris rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Marmaris seafront promenade441 hFree16.5 km
İçmeler332 hFree9.9 km
Kızkumu Beachyou are here281 h 30 minFree—
Turunç Bay283 hFree10.5 km
İztuzu Beach262 hFree43.8 km
Cleopatra Island193 hEntrance fee plus boat fare27.1 km
Dalyan and the Kaunos rock tombs164 hKaunos €3, under 8 free44.8 km

Kızkumu in the morning, Marmaris at night

The sandbar while the bay is calm, then the seafront and the castle, and Bar Street after dark. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Kızkumu Beachyou are here1 h 30 min · Free entry, sunbeds paid
  2. 286 min walk from the previous stopMarmaris seafront promenade1 h · Free, open 24 hours
  3. 5 min walk from the previous stopMarmaris Castle1 h · €6 for foreign visitors, under-8s free
  4. 6 min walk from the previous stopBar Street1 h 30 min · Street free; some clubs charge entry

4 places · about 9 h 57 min with walks · 297 min on foot in total

Go · my route

How to do it right

  • Arrive before noon: flat water, a clear view of the bar and free parking.
  • Stop on the road above the bay for the classic shot of the pale stripe in the sea.
  • With small children this beats most Marmaris beaches — shallow and warm far from shore.
  • Without a car, a Bozburun peninsula tour is easier than the dolmuş — Kızkumu is a standard stop.
  • Don’t try to combine it with Cleopatra Island in one go — they lie in opposite directions from Marmaris.
  • Back in town, stroll the Marmaris seafront and catch sunset by the castle.

Questions

How do I get to Kızkumu Beach from Marmaris?

By car it’s 26–30 km on the Bozburun road, 35–45 minutes. Without one, take the Selimiye dolmuş from Marmaris Otogar, which runs via Orhaniye, and ask for Kızkumu — or join a jeep safari, village tour or boat trip around the peninsula.

Why is Kızkumu called Jesus Beach?

Because wading along the sandbar, with deeper water on both sides, looks from a distance like walking on water. Jesus Beach is the tour-company name; Kızkumu, “Maiden’s Sand”, is the Turkish one and comes from a local legend.

Is Kızkumu Beach free?

Yes. Entry is free; you pay only for sunbeds and umbrellas at the beach clubs at the start of the bar, food and parking.

Can you really walk on water at Kızkumu?

Pretty much. A sandbar 550–600 metres long and about three metres wide lies just under the surface, with deeper water either side, so from a distance people look as if they’re walking on the sea.

Where exactly is Kızkumu?

In Orhaniye bay on the northern shore of the Bozburun peninsula, Marmaris district, Muğla province — roughly halfway between Marmaris and Bozburun village.

Is Kızkumu good for kids?

It’s one of the best spots around Marmaris for small children: shallow, warm water a long way out. Bring water shoes and sun protection — there’s no shade on the bar.

What is the legend of Kızkumu?

A daughter of the ruler of ancient Bybassos fled into the sea, and sand formed under her feet — or, in another version, she poured sand from her skirt to make a path and drowned when it ran out. Hence “Maiden’s Sand”.

When is the best time to visit Kızkumu?

Late spring to autumn for swimming, and in the morning. Tours start running in April, and spring and early summer are less hot. The afternoon wind ruffles the bay and makes the bar harder to see.

How long should I spend at Kızkumu?

1.5–2 hours on the beach plus about an hour’s round trip by car. By dolmuş, allow half a day.

Is Kızkumu worth it?

For families and an unusual photo, yes. For a full lazy beach day it’s small — combine it with Selimiye and Bozburun, or choose a beach closer to town.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • English Wikipedia: “Kızkumu”
  • Turkish Wikipedia: “Kızkumu Plajı”
  • Hürriyet: “Kızkumu'na turist akını başladı” (1 May 2017)
  • Liman Çepte guide: “Kızkumu Beach (Orhaniye)”
  • Turkey Travel Planner: “Selimiye” — minibuses from Marmaris Otogar via Orhaniye
  • marmarisinfo.com: minibus fares (updated 26.01.2026) and the Jesus Beach article
  • Wikidata: Q6454772 (Kızkumu), Q131902262 (Kızkumu Castle, Kültür Envanteri heritage inventory)
  • Wikimedia Commons: “Category:Kızkumu” — beach description
  • English Wikipedia: “Bozburun”, “Bybassus”
  • Wikivoyage: “Marmaris” — transport and Dalaman Airport
  • MUTTAŞ, Muğla public transport: line list (no line to Orhaniye)
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe natural origin and legends are checked against English and Turkish Wikipedia. Sources disagree on length: Wikipedia and the Liman Çepte guide say about 600 m, Hürriyet says 550 m, so we give both. The width of about three metres is in Turkish Wikipedia and Hürriyet. Wikipedia puts the statue at the start of the shallows and Liman Çepte at the end, so we only say it stands by the bar. The castle on the islet comes from Wikidata, the Turkish heritage inventory and Liman Çepte. There is no official page for the beach: free entry is stated by Liman Çepte and the Wikimedia Commons description, but neither is official, so entry and sunbeds stay “checking” and we give no prices in figures. Distance: 26 km in a guide cited by Turkish Wikipedia, about 30 km in Hürriyet, Liman Çepte and marmarisinfo.com, so we give 26–30 km; driving times are our estimate. Turkey Travel Planner and the marmarisinfo.com fare table describe a minibus from Marmaris Otogar via Orhaniye, but neither they nor the official MUTTAŞ site publish a line number or timetable, so the dolmuş stays “checking” and we give no last-departure time. No swimming season is officially announced; tours starting in April is from Hürriyet. Checked 30.10.2026.

Top YesGo picks: Marmaris

Bar Street

Marmaris, Turkey

1 h 30 min · Street free; some clubs charge entry

Marmaris Castle

Marmaris, Turkey

1 h · €6 for foreign visitors, under-8s free

İçmeler

Marmaris, Turkey

2 h · Beach free, sunbeds extra

Turunç Bay

Marmaris, Turkey

3 h · Free; café sunbeds extra

İztuzu Beach

Marmaris, Turkey

2 h · Free entry, sunbeds extra

Cleopatra Island

Marmaris, Turkey

3 h · Entrance fee plus boat fare

All places: Marmaris →