About The Gulf of Göcek

The journey from Dalaman airport to the Gulf of Gocek is superb. Coming through the tunnel the road climbs into the mountains before revealing the most breathtaking views. The forest-clad mountain range reaches as far as the eye can see, providing the dramatic backdrop to the plains, coastal towns, villages and beaches that are scattered throughout the region.

The Gulf is the gateway to a range of wonderfully unspoilt islands, and these are where many of the region’s best beaches are to be found, most of which are accessible by water-taxi from the harbour at Gocek.

Only twenty minutes from the airport the road winds down to the attractive port of Göcek. Göcek is set at the deepest point of the Gulf and nestles at the foot of pine-clad mountains, and looks out over the twelve islands of the bay. Göcek’s natural harbour makes it a favourite stop for the yachting fraternity who are attracted by its mix of sophistication and simplicity. Visitors come either from the yachts and boats in the harbour or from the handful of boutique hotels and villas in the region. Göcek is a fabulous place to explore, and the streets behind the harbour are home to a selection of shops which sell all manner of produce. Pleasingly, it retains an authentic Turkish feel, despite being a relatively sophisticated port.

Our property in the region is to be found in Gökçeovacik which is a rural village set in the mountains only a twenty-minute drive from Göcek – but it could be a million miles away in terms of ambience. The mountain vistas are incredible, as are the walking possibilities.

It’s possible to trek for miles, in the cleanest of mountain air, through the forest and mountain paths, past the terraces full of olive trees (which are harvested for the cultivation of olive oil), and the fields full of herbs (for which the region is also renowned). The trails and roads lead you through mountain villages where it feels as if time itself has stood still.

Küçük Ev allows you to relax in beautiful surroundings with the nearby harbour of Göcek easily accessible. Also, importantly, it provides the opportunity for you to experience the natural beauty of this wondrous region in a way that many other visitors never can.

Dining in the Region

Göcek has a good selection of restaurants, cafés and bars, and you’ll find a wide choice of restaurants and menu types down by the water front and the new marina. In fact, you’re sure to find a perfect spot in which to relax and watch the world go by.

Beaches in the Region

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  Iztuzu beach, the Dalyan Delta

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  Wonderful island beaches in the Gulf 

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  The lagoon at Ölü Deniz

Göcek is the gateway to the wonderful unspoilt islands in the Gulf. The main island beach is accessible by water taxi from the harbour, or long lazy days may be spent exploring the Gulf on an Island Cruise. All manner of vessels are available for private charter, from simple fishing boats to wonderful yachts – something to suit every budget! 

It’s possible to swim directly from Göcek, at the Swiss Hotel’s private beach club where Exclusive Escapes Guests are welcome to spend the day (for a fee payable locally). Other beaches are easily accessible by car or taxi. Amongst these is Sarigerme which is a long sandy beach. Beyond Sarigerme is the fabulous protected sandy beach of Iztuzu in the Dalyan Delta. In the opposite direction the famous beach at Ölü Deniz is only a forty-minute drive away.

History

Both the small harbour town of Göcek, and the mountain village of Gökçeovacik have a rich history.

Göcek

Göcek (named ‘Kalimche’ in ancient times) was conveniently located between Telmessos (today Fethiye) and Kaunos (today Dalyan).

Göcek would have remained a sleepy Anatolian town if a group of artists and poets (led by Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu and some fisherman from Bodrum) had not decided to cruise along the Turkish Turquoise Coast, in what was later called the ‘Blue Voyage’. It was during this trip in the early 1970s that the village of Göcek was discovered. At Bedri Rahmi Bay, a cove very close to Göcek, you can bear witness to their creativity – there’s a white-painted picture of a fish drawn by Bedri Rahmi himself.

Göcek was used during the Ottoman period as a harbour for the ships loading chrome ore. This was collected from the mines in the mountains nearby. The ugly, post-industrial buildings of that time have disappeared and have been replaced with a modern and beautiful marina, offering the highest standards to yachts and their owners, but also totally preserving the environment. 

Göcek has been built with floating pontoons, thus ensuring perfect water circulation and a minimum impact on the shoreline. In 1988 this region was declared a Special Environmental Protection Area, and it has strict building controls in place.

Göcek bears traces of ancient civilizations. Batıkhamam (meaning ‘sunken hamam’) is a partly submerged ruin nearby, and like many other hamams in the area, locals refer to it as ‘Cleopatra’s Bath’.

Gökçeovacik

The original dwellers were the nomads who came from the Antalya mountains via Göcek at the end of the nineteenth century. Having found Göcek too hot and rife with mosquitoes, they moved up into the mountains and thus formed the tiny village of Gökçeovacik.

Gökçeovacik is at the centre of one of the most important areas for the cultivation of aromatic herbs and olives. A newly-built olive press in the centre of the tiny village is reviving the old tradition and it produces excellent quality oil.

Traditional produce that comes from the village (aside from olives and olive oil) are goats’ milk and yoghurt, village bread, cheese, red pepper paste and tarhana – a yoghurt, barley and chickpea-based soup which is dried out into clumps and then cooked with tomatoes and water. Pomegranate sauce and molasses made from pomegranates or grapes can also be found. There are plenty of almonds, pomegranates and figs too, as the soil is very rich.