Gumbet, Turkey - 2009
It takes just under four hours to fly from Gatwick to Bodrum and then just 45 minutes to be transferred to ‘The Bagevleri Hotel’ in Gumbet for our 14 night stay. It is small family run bed and breakfast hotel just off the main road of Gumbet with a lovely pool area, bar and restaurant and only five minutes from the sandy beach.
We usually spend the majority of our days in Turkey sunbathing by and swimming in the lovely pool at the hotel. The hotel has a lovely outdoor restaurant and bar right by the pool that serves lovely lunches, gorgeous evening meals and drinks so we never have to go far too far!
As always, we went for a Turkish bath on our first day. This was a great way to start my holiday as after the bath, we had a body scrub and a massage which prepares your skin for a gorgeous tan with out peeling!
We also went on our annual boat trip along the coast on a gulet. This is our favorite day as we get the chance to sunbathe and relax on the boat, eat a gorgeous lunch onboard, swim in the sea and make a stop at ‘Camel Beach’. My friend and I had a go on the ‘flying fish’ from off the boat. This is a flying inflatable pulled along by a speedboat which flies you very high in the sky!
Another day out we had was a jeep safari where we were driven into the countryside, had a swim on a remote beach and lunch in a village. This is lovely as you get to see the ‘real’ turkey. But you do also get very wet as the day seems to be a non-stop waterfight!!
We always spend a day or two on the beach in the neighbouring resort of Bitez. It is quieter, prettier resort than Gumbet with a lovely beach and a lovely little market selling gifts, clothes and gorgeous jewellery. Us girls always come home with a few ‘buys’ from here.
During this visit to Gumbet, my friend ‘Paula’ and I tried something we have never done before. After a trial run in the hotel pool, we had a go at diving. We had a short taster dive from a dive boat and both absolutely loved it! Maybe we will get to try a proper dive one day!
For most of our evenings in Turkey, we usually meet at the hotel bar for a drink and then decide which of the many, lovely restaurants in Gumbet we are going to eat in. We often eat at the restaurant at the hotel and every year we always have a couple of visits to the ‘Café Columbia Steak House’ right across the road from the hotel.
I always have a fantastic time in Turkey. Aswell as what I have mentioned, there is always so much to do in and around Gumbet. There are lots of shops to buy ‘fake’ designer gear and lots of bars and nightclubs. The larger resort of Bodrum is only a five minute bus ride away where this a lovely harbour area, castle and lots more shops and bigger bars and nightclubs including the world famous ‘Halikarnas’.
I love the ‘Bagevleri Hotel, where we always stay. It is a small family run hotel in a great location. We know we will always be looked after by the hotel staff and this is one of the reasons we return year after year.
If you would like to more about Gumbet and Bodrum or about the hotel please just let me know.