Beaches · 6 min read
Turunc, Kumlubuk & Hidden Bays: Marmaris's Quiet Side
Twenty minutes over the hill from Marmaris lies another world: Turunc village, Kumlubuk bay and the clifftop ruins of Amos. Your hidden-bays guide.
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Ask anyone who returns to Marmaris year after year what keeps drawing them back and the answer is usually the same: the beaches. Within half an hour of the town centre you can swap a buzzing ten-kilometre strip of sunbeds and watersports for a pine-fringed cove reachable only by boat. This guide compares the best beaches in Marmaris — from Long Beach to Cleopatra Island — so you can pick the right spot for your style of holiday.
Stretching roughly 10 kilometres from Marmaris centre out towards the Siteler district, Long Beach is the town's social hub. A palm-shaded promenade runs behind the sand, lined with cafes, bars and seafront hotels — browse our Marmaris hotels page if you want to wake up steps from the water. Much of the beach flies the Blue Flag, and the seabed shelves gently, which makes it a safe bet for families with small children.
Sunbeds work on a simple system: most beach clubs let you use them free of charge if you order food or drinks, otherwise expect to pay around ₺200-400 (roughly €5-9) per day in 2026. This is also where the watersports are concentrated — parasailing, jet skis and banana boats run all day in season. The trade-off is the crowds, which peak in July and August.
Just 8 kilometres from Marmaris, Icmeler sits at the head of the bay where cold mountain streams meet the sea, so the water is noticeably clearer than in town. A dolmus minibus gets you there in 15-20 minutes, or you can take the summer water taxi for a scenic ride across the bay. The Blue Flag beach, its fine sand-and-shingle shore and a backdrop of pine-covered mountains make it a favourite with couples and anyone after a gentler pace — see our full Icmeler guide for details.
About 20 kilometres from Marmaris, Turunc is a Blue Flag bay that still feels like a village. The drive over the mountain is winding but spectacular, and small family-run restaurants sit right behind the beach.
One cove further on, Kumlubuk is broad, golden and rarely crowded, with a handful of laid-back beach clubs. On the hillside above it stand the ruins of ancient Amos; the short climb to its theatre rewards you with one of the finest views over the gulf. Ciftlik Bay, awkward to reach by road, has kept its serenity — most visitors arrive on a day-trip boat, and its long sandy beach and shallow, calm water are well worth the journey.
Out in the Gulf of Gokova, Sedir Island — better known as Cleopatra Island — is famous for pearl-like sand found in only a couple of places on Earth. Strict rules protect it: swimming is allowed and glorious, but not a single grain of sand may leave the beach. Boats depart from Camli pier near Marmaris; our Cleopatra Island guide covers the legend, the ancient city of Kedrai and the entry rules. And if you would rather sample several bays in one day, a classic Marmaris boat trip strings together Amos, Kumlubuk, Ciftlik and more.
Whichever bay you choose, pack high-factor sunscreen, plenty of water and a little cash for sunbeds — then let the sea where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean do the rest.
AdvertisementThis ad space is availableShow your business to thousands of holidaymakers — hello@marmariscity.comTwenty minutes over the hill from Marmaris lies another world: Turunc village, Kumlubuk bay and the clifftop ruins of Amos. Your hidden-bays guide.
Read more →