Gumbet, holiday resort near Bodrum

Gumbet (in Turkish written as Gümbet) is located on the Southwest coast of Turkey and is a 31 miles (50 km) transfer from Milas airport. It is named after the domed water-cisterns that speckle the countryside near-by. The place is fast becoming a self-contained resort with a long sandy beach, a real mecca for sun warshippers, which attract many young people and watersports enthusiasts with some large windsurfing schools and diving courses. Everything is within easy walking distance of the town and most hotels, making Gumbet a favourite spot for families with children.

This purpose-built resort is geared towards younger holidaymakers, couples and families and is best suited to those who prefer beaches by day and bars and clubs by night. It is very popular with British holidaymakers as it’s night life is second to none, there are literally hundreds of air-conditioned and sound proofed disco bars, clubs and restaurants – there’s something for everyone. Flashing colourful neon lights everywhere trying to lure the passing tourists, and several pubs and bars boasting they have the cheapest beer to be found on the peninsula. The disco bars in town thrash out recently and old populair sounds, mingling all together in a cacophony of sounds in the narrow streets, while several restaurants tempt the unwary with promises of Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai and even sometimes Turkish food, all from the same kitchen !

The common accommodation consists of middle grade hotels and budget apartments, but also some of the most popular hotels in the region are to be found in and around Gumbet Bay. There are a large number of fast food outlets, snack bars and souvenir shops in the resort centre. During the day watersports are available on the light sand beach including water skiing, parasailing and windsurfing. Gumbet has very good connections to Bodrum by minibus (dolmus in Turkish), where there is a much wider choice of shops.

Some things you must do at your stay in Gumbet

• Visit the windmills for a nice panorama view, so you can see both Gumbet and Bodrum at once !
• Buy souvenirs at one of the cheapest and best shops, situated under the Miradon Restaurant, opposite from the Sami beach hotel.
• Make a day trip with a boat, awesome, and well worth a day out. DO NOT BOOK THRU YOUR TOUR OPERATOR they will rip you off. Instead use one of the nice little tourist trip places along the main drag, all are good, and reputable.
• Visit Aquapark Dedeman, a huge water park with masses of slides and flumes at Ortakent.
• If you are adventurous and love watersports you can try water skiing, windsurfing or jet skiing, and ofcourse parasailing. There are also aqua sports facilities on the waterside.
• Visit the nice long curving beach of Gumbet (there is an official topless beach a short distance out of town, one of the few ones in Turkey !)

Recommended restaurants in Gumbet

• Miradon – situated opposite the Sami hotel, and upstairs. Fantastic food from a chef that used to run a five star hotel restaurant, offering both Turkish and international cuisine
• Mistral – one of the 1st restaurants you hit when walking from the Siesta, fantastic food and a friendly staff
• Shirley Valentine’s – here you can eat roast beef and jam roly poly
• AVOID all the multi international restaurants (you know, the ones serving everything, the English, German, Dutch, Chinese, Mexican, Indian etc. ‘food’ places)

Recommended bars and cafes in Gumbet

• Aloha – a top floor bar near the bottom end of the well known bar street, it has free pool and an entertaining bar staff, cheap cocktails
• Samba Disco – at the Club M Hotel, on the windmills headland, good dancing place
• Shamrock Bar – nice bar, the staff are all nice and they make nice cocktails
• Chico’s – proper cheesey dance pub but amazing
• Shakers – very nice bar & friendly staff
• Beach bar – down at the bottom of the Street is a good one to start off

More pictures from Gumbet, Bodrum