Marmaris holiday guide: marina, İçmeler, Turunç & boat trips

T By Thomas · Updated 20 October 2026 · 2 min read

Airports

Dalaman (DLM)

Best time to go

May-June and September-October

Type

City

Marmaris sits on a deep natural harbour ringed by pine-covered mountains, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. It's one of Turkey's longest-established package resorts with UK visitors: big, lively and good value, with a smart marina, a small castle and a nightlife strip that's busy until dawn in summer.

Just around the bay, İçmeler and Turunç offer a calmer holiday. Flights to Dalaman take about 4 hours from London. Turkey is two hours ahead of the UK in summer and three in winter, plugs are the two round-pin type, and cars drive on the right. See our Turkey guide for more.

Where to stay

• Marmaris town – hotels along the long seafront promenade and near the marina, close to the bars, restaurants and Grand Bazaar.
• Siteler and Armutalan – the eastern end of the bay, with many all-inclusive and mid-range hotels and a quieter feel.
• İçmeler – about 15 minutes along the coast, a tidy family resort with a sand-and-shingle beach and a promenade linked to Marmaris by water taxi.
• Turunç – a small village in a cove further round, popular with couples and returning visitors who want peace.
• Further afield – the Dalaman area and Bodrum offer different styles of holiday.

Things to do

1. Boat trips – full-day trips around the bay stop at swimming coves, Phosphorus Cave and the islands.
2. Dalyan day trip – river boats past the rock tombs, mud baths and İztuzu Turtle Beach.
3. Marmaris old town and castle – lanes of whitewashed houses below a small castle museum with harbour views.
4. Marina and seafront – a long promenade for evening walks and dinner.
5. Bar Street – the heart of Marmaris nightlife, loud and lively in summer.
6. Datça peninsula and Selimiye – quiet bays, fishing villages and scenic drives.
7. Rhodes – a day trip to the Greek island by ferry; bring your passport.

Best time to visit

May, June, September and October are most pleasant. July and August often reach the mid-30s °C, with the busiest nightlife. The season usually runs from April to October, and some hotels close in winter.

Getting there

Fly to Dalaman (DLM), which has direct flights from most UK airports in summer. The drive to Marmaris takes about 1h30, with İçmeler a little longer and Turunç around 1h45. Airport shuttle buses also run to Marmaris bus station. Bodrum (BJV) is not a convenient alternative by road.

British passport holders don't currently need a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180 days, and passports should be valid for at least 150 days from arrival. Rules change, so check GOV.UK foreign travel advice before booking.

Getting around

Dolmuş minibuses run frequently along the bay and to İçmeler, and water taxis connect the resorts. Taxis are easy to find. A hire car is useful for the Datça peninsula and mountain villages.

Top attractions in Marmaris

Landmark

Hagia Sophia

Istanbul's 1,500-year-old former cathedral and imperial mosque, with a vast dome and glittering Byzantine mosaics.

Marmaris on the map

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