Visiting Icmeler in Southern Turkey
A Popular Tourist Resort on Turkey's South Coast, Near Marmaris
Jul 18, 2008
Içmeler, pronounced EECH-meler, is a “little sister” to the larger and better-known resort of Marmaris which lies only a ten minute drive up the coast. It is set in a large, gently curving bay facing “Paradise Island”. Içmeler is served by Dalaman airport (about 2 hours by bus) and Bodrum airport (3-4 hours by bus).
There was originally a Turkish village called Içmeler, of which parts remain, but the bulk of modern-day Içmeler is a tourist resort made up of hotels, restaurants, bars and shops. The only supermarket is found near the old village, and facilities like clinics and post offices are not readily available. This is a place which exists almost entirely for the needs of tourists, a fact that is reflected in the signs in English and the prices quoted in pounds Sterling.
The Atmosphere
Içmeler is quieter than Marmaris, but not by much. The town has a huge number of bars where visitors can drink and dance or watch performances, which range from traditional belly dancing and folk dancing to break dance and fire shows. There are “anti-bouncers” at the entrance to each bar trying to entice people in, and there are also salesmen on every corner selling excursions, goods or services, which can be very irritating. At midnight the volume of the music in the bars is turned down, but there are still a small number of nightclubs with soundproofed doors where you can dance until four in the morning.
What to Do in Içmeler
In the village itself during the day the main activities are sunbathing and swimming, either on the beach or at the hotel pool, or shopping in the small local markets (where haggling is highly recommended). The beach charges 2.5 Lire ($2) for a sun lounger for the day, is very clean, and most parts offer shower and toilet facilities. There are also a number of water sports and boat hire available, although these can be expensive: the use of a jet ski for 15 minutes costs 60 lire ($45).
There are also many excursions for sale, and wherever you go someone will try to sell you a boat trip, horse riding, river rafting, a quad bike safari and so on. It is important to shop around, because often these outlets are selling the same experiences at different prices. Insu Tours is one of the cheapest and most reliable providers. It is situated near the beach end of the main road to the beach, opposite the Heaven bar (insutour@mynet.com).
When in Turkey it is fun to try a Turkish bath. There are Turkish baths in Içmeler itself, but as prices vary from 15 Lire to 50 Lire ($12 - $38) it can work out cheaper to book a bath in Marmaris instead, through one of the excursion providers. At the bath itself you will usually be offered extras such as a face mask, which are usually not good value. If you are not interested just refuse firmly.
What to Take
You will need money for the entry visa. The currency will depend on your country of origin, for example $20 from the USA or £10 from the UK. Pounds Sterling are a good currency to take as they are widely accepted, but always take ENGLISH money, not Scottish or Northern Irish. The currency in Turkey is Lire (written as YTL), which are currently 1.3 to the dollar. Içmeler is an expensive town – food and drink in particular cost as much as in Britain and more than in the USA – so take enough money. Apart from that you will just need your swimming costume and plenty of sunscreen!
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