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Yalıkavak is one
of the Bodrum Peninsula's (map) best
resort towns. It's bigger than most
others (except for Bodrum and Turgutreis),
but also better-organized and, it appears,
better taken care of.
It has its own collection of excellent hotels
and inns,
in general more tranquil than
the hotels
in Bodrum proper.
The landmark at the center of town
is the pristine white mosque with
two tallk minarets, visible from most
anywhere in town.
Across the main road from the mosque
is an ancient cistern now
converted to be the municipal
art gallery (open free of
charge). Near it are the PTT (post
office), Zabıta (commercial
police), and the Çarşı,
or historic bazaar area of the town.
Yalıkavak's Çarşı is particularly
pleasant, with its white-and-black
pebble patterns in the streets, little
cafés, restaurants, and shops.
The Çarşı extends from the mosque
to the waterfront, where the Şehit
Engin Büyüksöylemez Parkı provides
a welcome swath of green grass, palm
trees, and waterfront restaurants with
tables right by the sea.
Look for the historic windmill in
the park: a reminder that this was
once a small, simple seaside village
that made its living from the earth
and the sea.
But the main reason sun-seekers come
to Yalıkavak is for
its l-o-n-g beach of
coarse sand and its big bay that always
seems to provide a cooling onshore
breeze.
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