About the Datça Peninsula

Bördübet

This tranquil coastal retreat is named after the array of birds that make their home here. Situated at the junction of the Bozburun and Datça peninsulas, a track leads through the forest to this beautiful valley and bay where our extraordinary featured property, Bördübet, is to be found – complete with its own private island-like beach.

Although relatively remote, the attractions of both peninsulas are easily explored, with Datça a forty five-minute drive away and, if you feel the need to re-join the twenty-first century, Marmaris is only thirty minutes in the other direction.

The Datça Peninsula

The Datça Peninsula is a long, narrow, mountainous finger of land that stretches west of Marmaris for about 100 kilometres. It extends into the sea like a long green dagger, a slice of green creating a natural division where the Mediterranean and Aegean seas meet. 

It's an area that offers simplicity, unspoilt natural beauty and a countless string of secluded bays to explore.

As you drive along the narrow twisty road from Hisarönü and Bördübet towards Datça, the road climbs steeply through dramatic mountain scenery, filled with the aromas of thyme, rosemary and sage. You’ll catch glimpses of turquoise sea through pine-clad ravines which are flanked on both sides, and you will pass nothing but a couple of tiny villages before arriving in Datça. Datça town itself is seventy-nine kilometres from Marmaris. It’s a sleepy little town with a charming and unspoilt atmosphere.

A drive through the peninsula brings you through pine forests and on roads that zig-zag down to sea level until you come to Knidos, on the tip of the peninsula. Knidos is a site which dates back to 400BC and it’s famed for its statue of Aphrodite, the first naked female statue in history.

Beaches in the Region

Datça has three small beaches right in the town and many more in the nearby surrounding bays. The three town beaches are: Kumluk, Hastanealti and Taslik. There are numerous bays and beaches around the Datça Peninsula, some sandy, some pebbly but all with crystal clear water. Surrounded by pine trees and other lush vegetation, these coves are beautiful natural beaches. The sea reaches waist level only hundreds of metres offshore, making the bays around Datça an ideal place for families with children.

Domuzbükü
Domuzbükü means ‘Pig Inlet’. There’s no road link to this cove – instead, you get there from Datça by boat. The trip takes one-and- a-half hours. Once there, you can relax and swim, but you can also explore the area on foot. There’s a cave and some interesting stone formations within easy walking distance.
Palamut Bükü
This stunning cove is twenty-five kilometres from Datça and home to some lovely fish restaurants.
Bördübet Private Beach Club
The exclusive ‘island-like’ Beach Club is a luxurious spot for relaxation and is available to Exclusive Escapes Guests in the region. The active will enjoy the fabulous swimming, the water sports (some complimentary) or maybe just indulge in a stroll around the peninsula. When you have worked up an appetite, the excellent island restaurant is ready to cater for your every whim.
Nirva Beach Club, Datça
Exclusive Escapes Guests are welcome to use the Nirva Beach Club on a complimentary basis. The Beach Club is located in the next bay on from Datça (a ten-minute drive from Mehmet Ali Ağa Mansionl), and has great facilities including shaded kabanas, day beds and sun loungers, oversize cushions, changing facilities, a bar and restaurant. The water in this bay remains exceptionally clear since it is fed by mountain tributaries.
Also in the area

The Cove of Kargı

This super cove is just three kilometres from the centre of Datça. It has a smattering of restaurants and a few small pensions. Despite its proximity to the town it’s rarely crowded.

Kumluk

This is a small, gently sloping sandy beach, in the centre of Datça. It’s suitable for children, and has a few modest cafes and restaurants.

Taslik

This beach is in the centre of Datça, just 200 metres further on from Kumluk beach. It’s a pebble beach (taslik means ‘pebbles’). The unique feature of this beach is its natural hot water spring, which is fed by water which comes out from the bottom of the mountains. The spring is in a beautiful Mediterranean setting, and it’s about 100 metres in diameter and 1.5–2 metres deep. The water itself is around 40C (104F) and contains dissolved minerals which are claimed to cure many ailments.

Dining in the Region

The choice of restaurants in Datça is varied, and you’ll find a good standard of both authentic Turkish cuisine and a wider Mediterranean menu.

Among the traditional dishes of Datça are keşkek (a type of wheat and mince meat dish), yaprak dolma (stuffed vine leaves) and kısır (tabuoli). These three dishes are always served at weddings. Herbal teas are also made in this area, using many different local herbs, such as nettles. One dessert you must try is the famous incir badem (figs stuffed with almonds). Another very popular local dish is karavilla (snails), but this is only cooked a few times a year and it’s used for healing purposes. The snail season starts in March, when the snails come out of the soil and move up to eat the leaves of plants, until the rainy season starts. The dish is believed to be good for many ailments.

Local Festivals

Every year there are a number of festivals in the Datça area. August is the time for the Almond Festival and September sees a festival dedicated to the life and works of the famous local poet, Can Yucel, with readings and conferences. Each year there’s also a Kite Festival in Reşadiye.

The Datça and Bozburun Peninsulas provide the ideal location for those looking to escape completely from modern-day tourism as we know it. There’s plenty for the active to experience, but it’s also a great place to just relax.