Barbie’s favourite holiday resort? Population: 3,000 (winter), 250,000 (summer)
What to say about Gümbet on the south side of the Bodrum Peninsula?
This brash modern resort due west of Bodrum caters unabashedly for the package-holiday market, and particularly for the British part of it. Provided you don’t come here expecting to find anything authentically Turkish you won’t be disappointed.
The beach is surprisingly narrow and almost completely covered in sun loungers, hammocks and other paraphernalia of the tourism industry. Behind it sit a row of bars and restaurants the attentions of whose touts will charm or annoy you depending on your temperament.
Gümbet is likely to appeal to families and to people who’d like to be up close to Bodrum but with access to more of a beach than is possible in town.
For what it’s worth, the original gümbets were the igloo-shaped stone cisterns that can still be seen littered about the peninsula.
Sleeping
Gümbet is almost entirely made up of hotels but you’re more likely to get a good rate to stay in them if you book through a package-holiday company in your home country.
Transport info
Frequent dolmuşes from Bodrum otogar serve Gümbet which is also accessible via town buses to Bardakcı.
Day trip destinations
