Last Updated on: 3rd September 2023, 07:51 am
The most unusual things to do in Bodrum are the ones you won’t find in any Turkey travel guides or in my other Turkey articles.
Booking a beach holiday at in one of the five-star resorts around Bodrum isn’t one of these one of a kind experiences, even though that’s not too bad, either. Just read my Samara Hotel Bodrum review to see what I’m talking about here.
Anyway, let’s see what you can do in Bodrum to chase boredom away. If that’s not enough, you can always go for a one month Turkey itinerary to cover all major things to see and do in this amazing country.
Main Topics of Unusual Things To Do in Bodrum
- 1. Relax in the Black Island Hot Springs
- 2. Visit the Windmills of Bodrum
- 3. Walk to Oasis Beach
- 4. Visit the Underwater Archeology Museum Bodrum
- 5. Swim in the Rabbit Bay
- 6. Find the Hidden Beaches in the Center of Bodrum
- 7. Visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
- 8. Go to a Night Club in Downtown Bodrum
- 9. Visit the Bodrum Farmer’s Market
- 10. Stroll through the Residential Neighborhoods of Bodrum
- 11. Not in Bodrum, but Visit Ephesus!
- How To Best Exchange Your Money for Turkish Lira
1. Relax in the Black Island Hot Springs
A nice bath in the Black Island thermal springs can take you a long way when it comes to health.
The thermal water coming from volcanic rocks has a temperature of 32°C. It helps to improve some medical conditions such as rheumatism and psoriasis, thanks to the minerals inside such as sodium chloride, magnesium and sulfur. The sulfur-rich mud helps to remove toxins and to refresh the body.
There are boat trips from Bodrum to the Black Island. Click here to see the price and the details of a full day boat trip to Black Island.
2. Visit the Windmills of Bodrum
Located just a short walk from Gumbet, near Bodrum, these windmills in ruins will make an awesome subject for your photos.
Make sure to vising the Middle-Age ruined windmills by sunset, in order to take advantage of the golden hour, when the light is warm and everything looks more photogenic.
3. Walk to Oasis Beach
Oasis Beach is a nice hiking area in Bitez, 297J+72, 48470 Bodrum/Muğla, Türkiye.
The trail leads to a hidden gem, a beach that’s probably going to be all yours (or almost so).
You can find its location on the map here.
4. Visit the Underwater Archeology Museum Bodrum
Those who want to know more about Crusaders, Ottoman and Roman history will love a visit to the Underwater Archeology Museum Bodrum. Shipwrecks such as the Marmaris-Serce shipwreck, the Finike-Gelidonia shipwreck and Bodrum-Yassiada Roman merchant vessel shipwreck are only a few of the things you can see in this museum.
This is one of the unusual things to do in Bodrum, but it is also one of the top attractions in the area, with hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
The museum of underwater archeology is located inside the Bodrum Castle. By the way, Bodrum Castle is also worth visiting, so add it to your list for your stay.
This is a fun things to do in Bodrum with children or teens.
5. Swim in the Rabbit Bay
Rabbit Bay is only one of the lovely coves around Bodrum peninsula. Its clear water makes it awesome for swimming and snorkeling.
You can reach Rabbit Bay by public transport or as part of a bigger Orak Island boat tour like this one, here.
6. Find the Hidden Beaches in the Center of Bodrum
I had no idea you could go for a swim right in the center of Bodrum.
Just look at these wonderful sandy beaches hidden beneath the central pedestrian area:
Lots of free sunbeds on these beaches, don’t you think so? Can you believe I’ve taken these photos in August, in the highest season for Bodrum?
It’s a very unusual thing to find a public beach inside a bazaar. I didn’t expect it, so I wasn’t able to stop for a swim that day.
Look, the sea can be all yours, too!
7. Visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
This archeological site is located in the town of Bodrum, so you won’t need to travel too far to visit it. Don’t expect an erect monument, though. All that you can see nowadays are fragments of construction scattered all over the place. The mausoleum was built in the 4th Century BC.
8. Go to a Night Club in Downtown Bodrum
Night clubs in Bodrum are full of young local people in search for entertainment and fun. By 10pm most of these night clubs seem empty and deserted. Until 11pm, we were the only guests. Later on, towards midnight, people started to come, slowly but surely, until the place became a lively place.
Around one a clock, the DJ turned the music so loud that my ears started to hurt. There was Turkish music, there were lights, people dancing everywhere around us. They were locals. You could easily tell that, as they were signing together with the music. They knew the lyrics of all of those songs.
There’s nightlife in Bodrum and you can be part of it!
9. Visit the Bodrum Farmer’s Market
The farmer’s market in Bodrum is the place to go to buy pistachios, nuts, olives, fresh fruit and vegetables. The market is bustling with life, locals and tourists alike come here to buy fresh produce straight from the farmers.
You can also find some lovely Turkish souvenirs such as chai glasses, coffee pots and kitchenware at a fraction of their prices in tourist souvenirs shops.
10. Stroll through the Residential Neighborhoods of Bodrum
Take a stroll through some of the residential areas of Bodrum to see how locals live in these neighborhoods.
Enjoy the calm of these narrow streets, listen to the songs of birds and say hello to people passing by.
I loved these walks a lot. One time, I offered to help an old lady carry her sopping cart on the stairs of the house. She declined, but kindly invited me to stop by her home another time to have a coffee.
The narrowest street I’ve ever seen is this one in Bodrum
Bodrum is the town where pomegranate trees grow everywhere
Romeo and Juliet, feline version
Little things like these make me love Turkyie.
11. Not in Bodrum, but Visit Ephesus!
Ancient Ephesus is amazing. This ancient citadel is extremely well preserved. Even the original road is there, with its huge stone slabs.
You must put Ephesus high on your Turkyie visit list. Keep in mind, though, that it requires a full day. The visit alone can easily take three hours. Then there’s the road and perhaps the House of Virgin Mary, which is just nearby Ephesus and worth a short visit.
Click here to find a day tour from Bodrum to Ephesus and to book your spot at the price of today, [todaysdate].
How To Best Exchange Your Money for Turkish Lira
You may use your credit cards to pay almost everywhere in Turkey, but you’d need to put up with high currency exchange fees. Even if you bring your US dollars to exchange them in Turkey, you’ll still have fees and commissions to pay. Thanks to modern technology, there are better ways to make the most out of your hard earned dollars. Wise is one of them.
One of the best things you can do before going to Turkey is to get a Wise account with debit card. Wise is a financial service that allows you to hold 50 currencies in one single account. It enables you to spend your money abroad without hidden fees. Sending money with Wise is cheaper than old-school banks. Also, you can use your Wise debit card to spend your money directly in local currency, at a very good exchange rate.
I already had my Wise account, so I made sure I loaded it with dollars. Then I opened a Turkish Lira account and exchanged my dollars at a very good rate, much better than bank rates. I withdrew YTL from ATM machines in Turkyie using my Wise debit card. Click here to see if you are eligible for a Wise account and to get it right away.
Do you know of any other unusual things to do in Bodrum? Have you visited the ones on my list?
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