Holiday spot 'better than Cancun' just 4 hours from UK and sea is like 'warm bath'

It has beautiful beaches, long history and market places that capture both the past and modernity of this fascinating area.

It's been compared to both Monaco and Cancun, but you can get there for £300 in October, when the sea is still going to be very warm and temperatures should still reach the mid-20Cs, making it delightfully warm but not oppressively hot.

Bodrum, in Turkey, is just a four-hour flight from the UK. It has developed from a little-known destination more than 20 years ago to a place with a busy restaurant and nightlife scene as well as upmarket shops.

But it's probably still less well-known than some more popular Turkish holiday destinations like Marmaris or Kusadasi (it's located halfway between the two).

You'll find it on a peninsula in the south-west of the country jutting out into the beautiful Aegean Sea. It's slightly further west of Marmaris, and in the same region as Kos and Rhodes.

One travel writer compared it to Monaco, while travellers said it was "better than Cancun". Giving advice to one person thinking of Bodrum as their next holiday destination, a Reddit user said: "Bodrum is better than Cancun. Has a pleasant slightly upscale Mediterranean vibe. More domestic tourism than Marmaris or Kusadasi. If you know Mexico think of Bodrum more like Puerto Vallarta to Kusadasi/Marmaris's Cancun."

They added: "Bodrum is best used as a base for travelling around the region, taking boat tours, going to places in the area like Gumusluk."

Holiday firm Tui, which provides packages to Bodrum peninsula, says the town of Bodrum itself, as well as Gumbet, Turgutreis and Bitez combine sunshine and beaches with a lively nightlife, shops and restaurant scene. In Torba and Turkbuku, meanwhile, Tui says "you’ll find stretches of sand with fewer footprints and plenty of traditional tavernas".  

Bodrum also has an impressive history and all the peninsula’s resorts are within a day trip of Ephesus, one of the best preserved classical cities in the world.

Things to do in Bodrum

Sunbathe on the beach

There are several impressive "top-grade" beaches in and around Bodrum, most within easy access by bus. Gumbet Beach is one of the main stars, with clean water and couple-sized daybeds available. If you're looking for something more active, you can find pedalos, kayaks and banana boats at Bardakci Bay.

The bazaars Turkey has bustling bazaars, and Bodrum town’s is impressive. Every Tuesday, you'll find jewellery stands and spice stores, as well as food stalls where you can tuck in to kebabs and Turkish delight.

The old town Bodrum’s old town has maze-like cobbled lanes filled with tiny shops and restaurants, as well as the ruins of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, which dates back to 350 BC. It was once considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — it was destroyed by earthquakes in the 12th and 15th centuries.

Holiday packages to Bodrum

Seven-night self-catering: Tui is currently providing seven-night holidays to Bodrum for as little as £275pp, which is down from £656pp. Stay at Zera Bodrum in Gumbet for this price, flying from Birmingham.

All-inclusive: Tui is offering a seven-night all-inclusive holiday to Duja Didim in Altinkum, Bodrum for £436pp. Or you can get four nights bed and breakfast at the Bodrum Beach Resort for £288pp. Both of these fly from London Gatwick.