Your Guide to Yalikavak on the Bodrum Peninsula of Turkey

Welcome to this helpful guide about Yalikavak on the Bodrum peninsula of Turkey. We have been selling homes there for many years, and collectively, our team agree that Yalikavak promotes beauty within Turkey with style and finesse. Starting as a small fishing village, Yalikavak has grown to become a popular holiday destination and place for foreigners to buy property, whether this is just a holiday home or for permanent living. This proves that the popularity stems globally and not just within Turkey. For some, Yalikavak's prestigious status revolves around mega yachts sailing the Turkish riviera. In contrast, others prefer traditional parts of Yalikavak, portraying Turkish culture and bygone eras. Regardless, together they form one destination within Bodrum worth getting to know. So let's look more in-depth at stylish Yalikavak.

Guide to Yalikavak in Bodrum

1: Where is it?

Yalikavak sits on Turkey's Aegean coast, within the large Bodrum peninsula facing the Greek islands. The town sits one hour's drive away from Bodrum airport and 30 minutes’ drive from Bodrum town centre. For anyone arriving by car, get onto the D330 highway of Turkey, and follow the signs.

2: Why is Yalikavak Famous?

Ah, delightful Yalikavak is surprisingly famous for windmills. Yes, not something you would associate with a Turkish town, yet the constant breeze around the bay made the use of windmills perfect. In addition, locals used to make their main trades from growing mandarins and sponge diving. These days, that has been replaced by tourism, holiday homes, millionaire mansions and that famous marina attracting yachts from all over the world.

3: About the Marina

The marina, called the new part of Yalikavak, is what boosted the reputation to international status. Awarded five golden anchors by The British Yacht Harbour Association, other awards are the "2022 World's Best Superyacht Marina", "2020-2021 Best International Marina", and "2018-2019 World's Best Superyacht Marina. Within the sailing industry, Yalikavak marina is Turkey's best. Accommodating 620 yachts at a time, the marina caters for vessels reaching 140 metres, which only rich or famous people can afford to buy. Famous mega boats to regularly dock in include the Eclipse, Madame Gu, Voice, Arrow, Vertige, Chakra, Galactica Super Nova, Saluzi, Okto and O'Matilde.

4: Shopping in Yalikavak

Visit Yalikavak marina to splash the cash in style, hosting world-class luxury brands. Over 100 stores sell everything; brands include Dior, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Valentino, Bvlgari, Chopard, Gucci, Audemars Piguet, Hublot, Balmain, Loro Piana, Moncler, Missoni, Rolex and Beymen. For more mainstream shopping malls, visit Mid Town in Ortakent, a 15-minute drive away. Otherwise, visit traditional Turkish markets to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, souvenirs, and textiles, and enjoy the traditional Turkish shopping experience. Yalikavak's food market is on a Tuesday, while the textiles market is on a Thursday. Both are held on Plaj Caddesi.

5: Best Restaurants and Bars for Nightlife

For luxury dining, visit Yalikavak marina, where world-class chefs perfect their cooking skills in five-star restaurants, including Zuma, Nusr-et steak house, Club Bagatelle Bodrum, Novikov, Sakhalin by White Rabbit Group, and Birds by Vasilchuk Bros. During summer though, we dine at the harbour side restaurants. These promote old-style Aegean dining, hence starter platters of mezes, followed by fresh fish. To be typically Turkish, accompany the meal with a glass of raki. Otherwise, high-profile restaurants known for their excellent Trip Advisor reviews include Reis, Kitchen Bodrum, and J Joe's. Bars to party at include Mojitos, Zorro, Anchor, and Bej Beach Club.

6: Accommodation and Hotels

We like to rent a private, luxury villa when we stay in Yalikavak. The fantastic décor and design sit alongside stunning swimming pools. Otherwise, luxury hotels include Yalikavak Marina Beach Hotel, Yalikavak Marina Boutique Hotel, Elementa Boutique Hotel, Sirene Luxury Hotel and Spektr Boutique Hotel.

7: Beaches and Beach Clubs

Right in Yalikavak town centre, running along Plaj Caddesi, a beautiful stretch of sand attracts crowds. Rent a sunbed umbrella and enjoy fantastic days of sunbathing and swimming with stunning Aegean Sea views. When you get hungry or need refreshments, visit nearby restaurants and bars. The other choices are Dodo beach and Tilkicik. Xuma village is the most popular beach club, hosting people from all over the peninsula. The thing to remember here is that Yalikavak sits on a peninsula of the Mugla region, with Turkey's highest percentage of blue flag status beaches. Hence, nothing is better than jumping in the car or on a bus and heading out to discover more beautiful Bodrum peninsula beaches. (Best beaches in the Mugla region of Turkey.)

8: Activities and Things to Do

Visit Neighbouring Gumusluk: We love heading out from Yalikavak to nearby Gumusluk, a traditional village stuck in time. The rustic vibes are a solid reminder to switch from modern world problems and enjoy the moment. We visit fish restaurants at the end for early evening dining, giving us front-row Aegean seats and delicious fresh fish and seafood.

Visit Bodrum Centre: Head to the heart of the Bodrum peninsula for a great insight into where the fame and tourism stronghold began. Within the town centre, explore the Castle, the Underwater Museum of Archaeology and the old town part. The centre also features the mausoleum, one of the ancient world's seven wonders, and an impressive amphitheatre on the highway overlooking the bay.

Daily Boat Trips: One reason we love summer in Bodrum is that daily boat cruises head out from the harbour every morning to cruise the coastline in a relaxing and chilling way. Lunch is served onboard, and the cruise stops at various bays and points for swimming breaks. Families enjoy this activity.

Havva Breakfast House: All around Turkey, summer times and weekends are when families and expats head out for a traditional Turkish breakfast village style. In Yalikavak, the place to visit is Havva in the hills. Expect nothing short of excellent as various dishes are served alongside freshly baked bread and Turkish cups of tea. All ingredients are organic and grown by the family.

Rent a Car: As mentioned before, Yalikavak belongs to the Bodrum peninsula. We often rent a car for four days and visit other resorts like Turgutreis, Torba, water sporty Gumbet and Turkbuku, which the New York Times called Turkey's version of Saint Tropez. Read more about road-tripping the Bodrum peninsula. 

All Things Turkish: For the perfect introduction to Turkey, go for a Turkish bath at the beginning of your holiday. Following a session in a steam room, a masseur will scrub you down to leave you feeling fresh and relaxed. Men can also go for a traditional Turkish shave. It is the closest you will ever get. Some tour agencies also sell tickets to formal Turkish nights featuring the village and belly dances—more about traditional Turkish baths.

Tour Agencies: Stop by tour agencies in Yalikavak that sell tickets to various excursions and activities nearby. Suggestions include the ancient ruins of Ephesus, Dalyan mud baths and Pamukkale white calcium pools. In addition, they go on jeep safaris and quad biking and sell lessons to learn scuba diving.

9: Owning a Holiday Home in Yalikavak

Many people buy property in Yalikavak as a holiday home, and some eventually come to live in Turkey. The resort also features many high-profile millionaire mansions for sale thanks to the Yalikavak marina. See examples in our portfolio here. Each listing contains everything to know, including price, location, home features and how to arrange viewings. Alternatively, to learn more about how to purchase property, call us today and chat with our local agents about Yalikavak in Bodrum.

About Us

 We are Property Turkey, a real estate agent with offices in many towns and cities including Bodrum, Fethiye, Antalya and Istanbul. Over the years, we have helped many people buy property in Turkey, whether this was for an investment or place to call home from home. We have taken all our teams knowledge and experience to form one blog, that will be of interest to anyone holidaying or living in Turkey.