Many of Bodrum's most beautiful bays are hard to reach by land, so a day boat trip is the most enjoyable way to get to know the area.
Black Island (Kara Ada)
Opposite Bodrum harbour, Kara Ada is known for its cave with a warm spring. Visitors bathe in the warm water and spread its mud on their skin. The bays around the island are ideal for swimming stops.
Aquarium Bay and Orak Island
Aquarium Bay takes its name from its clear water, where you can see fish from the surface. Orak Island, west of the peninsula, is a favourite stop thanks to its shallow turquoise water.
The Blue Voyage
Bodrum is the birthplace of the Blue Voyage tradition. In the mid-20th century the writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, known as the 'Fisherman of Halicarnassus', explored the bays of the Gulf of Gökova with friends on sponge-diving boats and wrote about these journeys. Today's multi-day cruises on wooden boats called gulets grew out of this tradition.
Boat trip tips
Trips usually leave in the morning and return in the late afternoon, with lunch on board. On windy days the captain may choose more sheltered bays. Bring sun cream, a towel and a snorkel mask.
