Beaches · 6 min read
Best Beaches in Marmaris: Long Beach to Cleopatra Island
From the lively ten-kilometre Long Beach to hidden coves you can only reach by boat, here is how to pick the perfect Marmaris beach for your holiday.
Read more →
Just twenty winding minutes from the lively bustle of Marmaris centre, the road drops into another world: Turunç. In this small bay, where the mountains fall straight into the sea, life still runs at village pace — fishing boats nudge the jetty in the morning, tea is drunk in the shade of olive trees in the afternoon, and dinner is eaten at waterside tables to the sound of small waves. Turunç and its neighbour Kumlubük are Marmaris's best-kept answer for anyone who wants to escape the crowds.
Turunç takes its name from the bitter orange trees that once covered its slopes. Instead of big hotel chains you'll find family-run guesthouses, apart-hotels and small boutique places; the streets are narrow and the nightlife barely registers above a murmur. On Saturdays a village market sets up where local producers sell jam, olive oil and handicrafts. In the evenings the fish restaurants along the front grill the day's catch, and menus are often gentler on the wallet than in the centre. If you want to survey the wider dining scene first, our Marmaris restaurant guide is a good starting point.
Turunç Beach is a roughly half-kilometre strip of fine shingle and sand that has flown the Blue Flag for years. Sheltered by high hills on both sides, the bay is mirror-calm on most days, and the water is so clear you can count pebbles several metres out. Sunbeds and umbrellas are available to rent, but there are public stretches where you can simply lay a towel and swim for free all day. Early morning is the quietest, most photogenic hour. To compare the other coves along this coast, see our round-up of the best beaches in Marmaris.
A few kilometres south of Turunç the road reaches Kumlubük: a wider, deeper and far less developed bay. Part of the beach belongs to laid-back beach clubs, but quiet corners are easy to find at either end. Kumlubük's real surprise sits on the headland above it: the ruins of Amos, an ancient city of the Rhodian Peraea, with a small theatre, temple foundations and stretches of wall perched on a slope high over the sea. The footpath up takes about twenty minutes, and the reward is a breathtaking bird's-eye view over the whole bay. There is little shade at the site, so bring water and a hat.
Further south still lies Çiftlik, a cove so awkward to reach by road that it welcomes most of its guests from the sea. With a long sandy beach, shallow warm water and a handful of unhurried restaurants, Çiftlik is a classic lunch stop for day cruises out of Marmaris — and joining one is by far the easiest way to see it. When planning your route, compare the itineraries on our boat trips page.
You have more options than you might expect:
Tempted to stay a night or two? Turunç sits at a sweet spot between the buzz of İçmeler and the silence of the empty coves — compare it with our İçmeler guide and pick your own balance. However you arrive, one sunset watched from the Turunç jetty and you'll already be planning your return to Marmaris's quiet side.
AdvertisementThis ad space is availableShow your business to thousands of holidaymakers — hello@marmariscity.comFrom the lively ten-kilometre Long Beach to hidden coves you can only reach by boat, here is how to pick the perfect Marmaris beach for your holiday.
Read more →