Gumbet

Gumbet is situated on the Aegean coast in south west Turkey. Some people consider Gumbet as part of Bodrum due to its close proximity, but this would be a disservice to it. Gumbet has a different feel to Bodrum, more relaxed during the day and more vibrant during the evening and unlike Bodrum it has a lovely beach!

Gumbet is sort of a purpose built resort. I say sort of because at one time Gumbet was a small sleepy seaside village, and if you look hard enough you’ll still see evidence of it today. However, apart from that, it is for all intense purposes a new resort built with the holidaymaker in mind. This means it has a great selection of good quality restaurants cafes, bars, nightclubs and hotels.

Gumbet is not only a popular resort for families but also with couples and groups of friends and it is this diversity which makes Gumbet so popular. Perhaps the best time to go for families is out of season as the resort can sometimes be too popular with party goers with the resultant increase in “vibrancy” and noise levels.

Even in the height of season Gumbet during the day is relaxed and peaceful. All activities are centred on the beach which is a mixture of sand and very small stones. There are plenty of sunbeds on the beach which are “free to use” provided that you keep buying coffee etc from the cafes who own them. The beach is also family friendly in that the sea water is warm, clean and shallow and there also are plenty of toilets.

A lot of family activities are centred on the beach but if your tribe are getting a wee bit restless then head off to Aquapark Dedeman which is an amazing water park filled with a variety of slides and flumes suitable for all ages. Also the Crusader Castle of St Peter in Bodrum now a Museum of Underwater Archaeology is also worth a visit. Or why not take the family on a gulet and cruise the surrounding coastline and islands, stopping off for a swim.

The standard of shops in Gumbet is not really that high although they do sell the usual souvenirs and gifts and stay open all night for those who feel the need to buy a belly dancers costume at 3am! If you are serious about getting something decent to take home, you have a few options. Firstly, the shops in Bodrum are really quite good selling a variety at stuff including designer clothes (genuine) and good quality rugs which can be sent home. If you are interested in buying a good quality carpet or rug straight off the loom then head to Milas, the carpet town, which is 30 miles outside of Dobrum.

If you like to haggle/pazarlik head to the daily market of Turgutreïs which is just the round the coast from Gumbet. As always keep your eye out for counterfeit goods as sometimes some unscrupulous shopkeepers will try and pass off items as genuine!