5 days in Marmaris with @lian_ireri

Let me tell you all about Marmaris. This town in Turkey’s Dalaman area was so pretty and I got to spend five days there with my sister. It’s such a buzzing place but also just so serene and beautiful – you’ve got lots of bar options, waterfront spots and just wait to hear about our hotel… we could have spent the whole time there. If you’ve been to Greece before and loved it, and mix cocktails by the pool with outdoor adventure, you’ll love what we got up to…

Day 1 – arrival

It only took us just over four hours to reach Dalaman International Airport and we headed straight to our hotel, Cook’s Club Adaköy to check in. We hopped in a taxi and were there within 30 minutes. It’s such a stylish adults-only hotel on the beautiful Adaköy peninsula. The pictures on First Choice’s website were enough to sell it to me and it did not disappoint in real life. It’s pure boho chic – huge rattan lanterns, seagrass parasols and natural tones. It’s also set in a pine forest for a super secluded feel and you’re right on the water, opposite Bedir Island.

First up, we just had to explore the place. The pool is so aesthetic, surrounded by wooden decking, white sunloungers and palm trees, of course. There’s plenty of shade for those that don’t like to sunbathe or you can head to the private beach. There are so many other nice places to sit and chill, too. There are sofas outside the lobby, right on the water, where you can watch the boats come and go from the small dock and the restaurant also has seats with a view. You best believe our first day was spent swimming, chilling and sipping a few drinks from the bar – we had the rest of the trip to explore, so fancied a lazy one to start.

For dinner, we ate at the hotel’s ‘Cantina’ restaurant, where there’s a mix of local and international cuisines. There’s everything from Vietnamese to Turkish but the menu changes daily, so there was always something new and there were six live cooking stations, as well as the à la carte. Then, we caught sunset with a cocktail from the pool bar – the views were amazing – and it was time for bed.

Day 2 – Marmaris Old Town

Day two started back at the Cantina for breakfast, which had a yummy continental spread. Afterwards, we caught the water taxi from the hotel which takes you straight to the marina in the heart of Marmaris Old Town. It felt so boujie to be travelling by boat and was such a nice way to approach the town for the first time. Marmaris Castle and Museum are a top site here, so we headed there first to learn about the area’s history. The museum is inside the castle, so you get to do both in one and from the top, you get the best views back over the town and out to sea.

The streets are made for wandering here. They’re so narrow and pretty with whitewashed houses and colourful bougainvillea – my camera was out constantly. The Grand Bazaar is your shopping go-to. It’s in the same traditional style as all of Turkey’s traditional bazaars, as well as the ones in the surrounding countries, too. You can browse and buy rugs, handicrafts and sweets here – haggling is all part of the experience. It’s open from around 8am to 7pm, so there’s plenty of time to pop in. We had lunch in the Old Town to try some local food and stayed in the area for sunset. Walking along the marina was lovely to catch the sunlight on the water, watch the luxury yachts bobbing about, and the waterfront cafés were calling out for a drink before we headed back to the hotel via the water taxi again.

Day 3 – 4×4 sunset safari

Another day, another Cantina brekkie. This morning, I went for a selection from the hot stations, a couple of pastries and a glass of fresh juice. We took it slow and had some more chill time by the pool, as we were heading out on our tour today, booked with First Choice Experiences. There was a DJ playing which was such a vibe and I took a little walk along the beach.

In the afternoon, it was time for our 4×4 sunset safari trip. We did an off-road driving experience in an open-top 4×4, through pine forests and traditional villages. Then, we got to stop at hidden beaches and coves in Bördübet and Hisarönü for a refreshing swim. While we had a little dip in the sea, the team prepared us a barbecue on the beach! Because this area can’t be reached by normal cars, it was so peaceful. And, as the sun set over the Aegean, we tucked into our food and there was live music – once it got dark, the stars were also amazing. You could order drinks from the bar if you fancied, too, but they were a bit expensive – take cash if you want to buy anything. We had a little dance around the bonfire before heading back.

Day 4 – shopping

This morning, we got a little canoe tour around the hotel – how cool?! We got to stop off at the nearby island and take a refreshing dip, all before breakfast. If you’re a bit of a yogi, there’s also a yoga platform next to the sundeck pier, where you can practice overlooking the bay. And, if you’re more of a workaway person, they have a co-working space and gym so you can keep up your routine while you’re away.

Back on the water taxi and back to Marmaris, we explored some of the quieter parts. The streets really reminded me of Greece, with blue and white features and all the flowers. We stopped at a café for some coffee and local Turkish delight – it’s so much better fresh than the packeted stuff back home. Dinner was all about the seafood tonight. You can’t go wrong with the places along the waterfront – some of the spots are so stylish and you can eat today’s catch looking over the water.

Day 5 – home time

I really wasn’t ready to leave but there was still some time for a final sea swim before our transfer came to take us back to the airport. Marmaris exceeded my expectations and became my perfect muse this week – early in the morning and late in the afternoon, the light was just gorgeous for taking pictures.

If @lian_ireri’s trip sounds like a bit of you, have a look at our Turkey holidays and you can find all his picks on our Insiders Hub.    
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