Gundogan

Here is covered with colourful flowers all year round. Gundogan means in english `the Sunrise`. Famous for its rock formations and ancient rock cemeteries, it is very small town on the Bodrum Peninsula. Some imaginative local people believe that these rock formations are, in fact, the remains of an ancient zoo built of stone. Gundogan is located very near to the ancient Lelegian city of Madnasa. These historians of antiquity say that the Lelegians were very skilled in stone works. If you look at these rock formations carefully, with a little imagination thrown in then you may see the wild animals of the ancient zoo carved in stone.

It is an important town for sponge diving, fishing, olive and tangerine growing. The old and also new settlers have protected the character of the place. They have not touched the houses surrounded with trees of mandarins, olive, pomegranates, bananas and oak. The scent of orange trees welcoming visitors along all seaside still remains. Gundogan has roughly 4000 inhabitants. Boat trips leave from here to secluded Bays along the seashore. You can catch a ferry to Didim on the other side of the Bay and watch seals and dolphins swim alongside the boat.

Restaurants and cafes among tangerine, olive and pine trees situated and built on jetties circle the Bay offering traditional Turkish cuisine. Gundogan is also less expensive than other parts of the peninsula. Relax and take it easy with the local delicacies or a chilled glass of wine. There are large colourful cushions provided to sit on, on the many jetties circulating the Bay where you can chill out, people watch, sip a refreshing drink children playing in the crystal blue waters and watch the waves breaking on the rocks. 

This is a lovely place for snorkeling where you enter the sea from the jetties. Take a sit at the beach bar and watch the sun go down and witness the spectacular sunsets. There is a small harbour with yachts, gullets, fishing boatsand a sailing school offering dingy sailing, windsurfing , waterskiing and jetskis.

Across the Bay is `Rabbit Island` which has an old Greek church and standing remains of a Byzantine monastic settlement and it dates to the 9th Century A.D. If you wish to be active during your stay here, you will have plenty to do such as archeological trips in the area, under water photography, horse riding, windsurfing, diving lessons, walking and trekking. History, a natural sun spoilt Bay, dramatic landscape and friendly people await you! As they say `Nothing less than history, seaside, nature, sun and friendly people can be found`.