Kale Köyü, Bodrum, west coast of Turkey

N37°01.77 E027°25.98
(August 2009)

We anchored here with friends from Finike so that we could anchor watch for each other whilst on a visa run to Kos. Good holding and shelter but otherwise an uncomfortable anchorage. The hideously loud music goes on til 4am every morning and there is constant wash from passing traffic and RIBS flying about. The Coastguard seems to patrol this area rigorously too. It’s quite a dinghy ride from the anchorage around to the marina, which was OK in the morning before the wind got up but a bit of a wet ride if you were going ashore in the afternoon. We left the dinghy safely inside the marina area (past the ferries on the right, bear left and tie to the pontoon walkway straight in front of you). There is a rubbish collection point on the pontoon right where you land the dinghy. The town is pleasant. Maxi Tansaş is behind the otogar (from the pedestrianised area take the main road to the right and the bus station is on the left, the supermarket is up a ramp behind the station making the entrance not immediately obvious). There’s also a mini Carrefore on the marina front amongst the posh shops. We visited St Peter’s Castle, which houses the Underwater Archaeology Museum (TL10 per person). It’s extra to go into the Glass Wreck exhibition (TL5) but we thought that was the best bit. It’s also worth watching the short DVD about the wreck recovery before you go in.

Visa run to Kos –

Easy and straight forward with the added bonus that a visit to Kos is a lovely day out. The ferries are on the right as you round the breakwater into the marina area. Immigration Control is here too. Same day return ferry trip costs TL60. Make your booking and collect your boarding card from the ticket office on the jetty (just before the security gate if you’re coming from the castle direction). Take your boarding card to the Immigration Police and get your exit stamp in your passport. Then go to the window to buy a new visa sticker in readiness for re-entry. The ferry leaves at 9.30 and returns at 4.30 and you need to be there at least 30 minutes before to complete formalities. On arriving back in Bodrum go to the Immigration Police window again to get stamped back in.