marmaris
14-18 september
post by scott
Marmaris gets a pretty bad rap in the Lonely Planet as being a miserable tourist town full of louts –basically says it’s not worth your time. However the LP is generally pretty garbage these days so we went for it anyway. We had booked a room for only $25 per night including breakfast so our expectations coming in were pretty low, but Marmaris is an absolute charmer. Sure there are more overweight and pasty (yet always shirtless) Poms than you could poke a stick at, but it’s still nice.
Firstly our bargain basement hotel is a winner. It’s a little ma and pa operation – literally the whole family is involved with the young ones translating, mum keeping the place ship-shape while grandpa sits around outside and pours you a beer whenever you feel inclined. Walking down to the harbour and you are surrounded by towering green hills which surround the bay entrance. The beach is not that nice (just gravel really), but for a pittance you can go out on one of the many boats for diving or just a day trip.
Firstly our bargain basement hotel is a winner. It’s a little ma and pa operation – literally the whole family is involved with the young ones translating, mum keeping the place ship-shape while grandpa sits around outside and pours you a beer whenever you feel inclined. Walking down to the harbour and you are surrounded by towering green hills which surround the bay entrance. The beach is not that nice (just gravel really), but for a pittance you can go out on one of the many boats for diving or just a day trip.
On our first night we were looking for dive shops but none were to be found –all the companies operated solely off the boat, coming back in the afternoon from a day out and then taking business for the next day. Our choice was again a ma and pa operation – grandparents were sitting out the front and directed us to one of the English speaking sons. When we got on the next day mum was busy preparing breakfast on board for their young kids who were also running around the boat. Anyway it turned out to cost us only $25 each for a day out including two dives, all equipment rental and lunch! That’s about a fifth of what you’d pay in Cairns. We’re beginning to think everything in this town costs $25.
The diving itself was not the same quality as you would expect on the Great Barrier Reef, but we still had a great time and it was nice just to be back in the water. We descended along rocky slopes with lots of sponges and tube worms everywhere but no real coral. In terms of fish there were colourful parrotfish and wrasse in the shallows but not that many past 10m or so. On our first dive I found both ancient and modern treasure – the top half of an old amphora as well as a (still functional) swatch watch! Unfortunately the amphora was too big to fit in my hand luggage so I thought I better leave it. On our second dive we finished up around a big shipwreck where you could actually open the doors and swim through it. The passage was super narrow though so we opted out and watched our divemaster and the other diver Sam (who also happened to be a British instructor) squeeze their way through.
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At this point I was starting to run low on air (50bar) and the boat was right above us so Allana and I did the necessary 3 minute safety stop and I signalled to ascend. For some reason our Turkish divemaster was still fluffing about deeper and was trying to signal me back down, even though he knew I was about to run out of air (because I had signalled it to him already). When he joined us on the surface he was saying bizarre things like – “Why did you come up? I still have 120 bar!”
“Yes well that doesn’t help me. I have less than 40” “But we can buddy share my air!” “Why would I want to do that?” This guy didn’t seem right in the head and for some reason seemed to want me to drown. Thankfully we had been diving enough lately to know how to spot a moron and not listen to him. |
scooter trip
Marmaris – Icmeler – Turunc – Bayir – Bozburun
Today we hired out a scooter for (you guessed it) $25 and went for a ride down the lovely Bozburun peninsula. Taking the esplanade along the coast from Marmaris we first arrived (and got lost) in the backstreets of Icmeler before finding the winding road up through pine forests to a breathtaking headland with views back down to the bay and Marmaris. All the roads around the coast here have amazing views and it feels great to zoom along with the wind in your face and the sun on your back. From here we hairpinned down to another small harbour town, Turunc, where daytrippers were unloading from their water taxis to enjoy the laid back vibe. On the coast road again we were stopped by police, who seemed to approve of the Queensland drivers licence and waved us on. Then it was up the hill again to a restaurant perched right on a cliff overlooking Turunc. The view was top notch and the meatballs were even better!
The road then cut inland through pine forest which was bee country. There were hives everywhere and we were constantly getting hit in the face with bees as we rode through them. I was glad to be wearing sunglasses because otherwise I would have been blinded by bees! Only one poor bugger made the fatal mistake of stinging me when he got caught in my collar. In the middle of nowhere on a deserted road we stopped at a “Honey-World” type place with a big bee out the front to welcome visitors. We were the only ones there but the guy was happy to show us around his bee museum and taste all the different types of honey. He even had a jar of pollen which is apparently super good for you – “the only food with all essential amino acids”. Despite the health benefits it probably won’t catch on like honey because it tastes like pine trees.
After stopping in Bayir and Bozburun for icecreams we zoomed back along some beautiful coastal roads and into Marmaris with sore butts from all the riding.
To finish here is my favourite photo of the trip so far - trying to take a selfie into the sun. Who would have thought it's possible to look this good? Maybe Turkey's tourism board can use it for their next advertising campaign.