This small town on the Bodrum peninsula, lays on the Aegean seashore of Turkey in the Mugla province. A small and quiet and ancient and lovely resort in southern Aegean region, Yalikavak is renowned for its friendly and laidback atmosphere.
General Info
18km from Bodrum, at the southern tip of the homonymous peninsula, the town of Yalikavak is an old settlement, dating back to the end of the second millennium BC. It also used to be the main fishing port for Bodrum, but today it’s just a tourist resort, and a top one at that since it’s considered to be the most elite on the peninsula.
Travel & Arrival
The closest airport is naturally the one in Bodrum which is roughly 52km away which makes a trip to the resort of around 30 minutes but it could also take over an hour depending on the traffic on the Turkish roads.
The best idea for a transfer from the airport is the minibus from Bodrum which is cheap and, most importantly, available almost around the clock, except between 5 and 7 in the morning. This should get your group into the resort quickly and cheaply.
Other means of arrival include by road, using your car or a rental and for this you need to follow the roads to Bodrum or at least the general direction and then follow the D330 out of Bodrum and make the right, taking the Bodrum-Yalikavak Yolu road.
By water, you can always arrive in a personal yacht a there are no ferries coming in. However, the local marina is a famous sailor’s gathering spot and will welcome you and your crew.
Avant & Apres Sail
The first thing you’ll notice when coming to Yalikavak is the fact that the countryside is simply littered with old windmills, a testament to older and simpler times. Sadly, this is about all the history you can see and if you’re interested in such endeavors during your trip, than you’re better off in Bodrum.
Instead, Yalikavak temps you with a more laid back atmosphere induced by the hot weather, the many bars and restaurants, most of which are crowded around the harbor which acts as a focal point, much to the delight of the sailing enthusiasts who visit here.
In fact, it can be said that the Yalikavak Marina is an attraction in itself, with its 450 berths for yachts of up to 100m and with something else that any marina in world does not poses – a 2,500 seat Amphitheatre.
The local shopping scene is heavily influenced by the weekly market which is somewhat of an event in the region and manages to gather decent crowds every Thursday. People come to buy local weavings, kilims, souvenirs, miniature windmills which are a symbol of Yakikavak, Turkish rugs, handmade clothes, jewelry and watches.
The local cuisine is something you’d expect from a coastal village, full of establishments that serve fresh seafood but also typical Turkish dishes at very high standards which is why the village is famous for the services it provides.
Events & Actions
Among the best and most popular activity is sunbathing as Yalikavak excels in the beach department. There are many stretches of sand around here, most of which are very clean and bordered by crystal clear waters.
The other popular activity in the region is and as a testament to that fact there are many companies from Bodrum that have offices here and offer boats for hire.