If you run your finger down the west coast of Turkey you will come eventually to Marmaris, and, beyond it, to a two-pronged spit of land that juts out into the Aegean Sea and resembles an open mouth all ready to swallow up the tiny Greek island of Simi (Symi, Sömbeki).
The upper jaw of the spit is the Reşadiye Peninsula, named after the tiny town of Reşadiye at the far western end. Today it’s perhaps more commonly called the Datça Peninsula after its largest town although historically it was called the Rhodian Peninsula since its handful of settlements were in political partnership with Rhodes.
The lower jaw is the Hisarönü Peninsula, named after the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it resort of Hisarönü, but sometimes known as the Loryma Peninsula after the scant remains of the ancient city of Loryma right down at the southern tip.
Heading out of Marmaris the road comes first to Değirmenyanı (Next to the Mill) where a narrow road heads north to the exclusive hotels of Bördübet. Shortly afterwards the road splits; the northern branch heads for Datça and the Reşadiye Peninsula, the southern to Bozburun and the Hisarönü Peninsula.
Buses ply up and down the Reşadiye peninsula carrying visitors from Marmaris to Datça and the handful of hotels on the outskirts and in lovely little Eski Datça. It’s a windy road, not great for those prone to motion sickness, but the sea and mountain views are spectacular and almost entirely unspoilt by thoughtless development.
Near the Palmiye Hotel on the inland side of the road are the scant remains of a temple of Apollo. After that, as you come into Datça, you will see a line of six old stone windmills, one still with its sails intact, as well as a cluster of wind turbines, all of them testimony to the powerful winds that buffet the peninsula.
The main attraction of the northern prong of the peninsula is the site of ancient Knidos, most easily accessible by excursion boat from Datça. There is also a road that travels there via the small beachside settlement of Palamutbükü.
Interestingly, many of the place names in this corner of the country are associated with the Ottomans. Reşadiye is named after one of the last Ottoman sultans, Mehmed V Reşad (1844-1918), for example.
These butterflies can also be seen on the peninsula. Anyone know what they are?
