We had arranged a private transfer with Boomerang from the airport and decided we would see how it went without a car and hire one later if need be. We thought we would see how it was getting around in Yalikavak without a car.
We had preplanned some of what we were going to do and that we were going to use the bus from Hillview Gardens and get around like the locals. We found out from reception that there was not only a bus to Yalikavak but also one to Gumusluk – now don’t be mistaken although Hillview Gardens is in between Gumusluk and Yalikavak it is closer to Yalikavak. Gumusluk is another place completely. There is a great beach in Gumusluk worth a visit. The bus also stops at Migro’s supermarket, which is handy.
The Hillview -Yalikavak dolmus has a pick up point at the indoor pool on the resort. Beware the bus does get busy in the early evening but they run regularly from 9am till late at night. The cost is a few Liras each way. The dolmus is perfect for going to the village for dinner or a few drinks as it runs till about 1am; big saves on a taxi fare!
Although there is a small shop on site for essentials there are plenty of supermarkets in Yalikavak where we picked up shopping. This is when a car would be handy, although you can often arrange a supermarket trip for a small charge.
If you want to go into Bodrum the dolmus from Yalikavak bus station leave about every 20 minutes. The journey takes approx. 25mins to Bodrum Bus station which is situated right in the centre so it’s easy to explore, day or night. In high season the dolmus returns well into the early hours – 4/5am so its handy for those who want to go clubbing (try the Catamaran boat disco). A taxi back to Hillview is around 30tl.
We used the dolmus regularly both into the village then into Bodrum, it all went fine and it was easy. From Bodrum you can get on numerous other dolmus to explore nearby towns or further afield. Travelling by dolmus is a cheap and easy way to get around and discover more resorts.
We went to Marmaris for a night as we had friends there. We took the dolmus Hillview – Yalikavak – Bodrum then went onto a main bus to Marmaris. It took 4 hours that passed quickly as the scenery was beautiful. I should add here that the bus hostess served regular tea, coffee and snacks for free!
For the bus journey we had taken some excursions leaflets to think about what we wanted to do when we got back to Yalikavak. We decided to do the boat trip (included transfers). This is a MUST DO we had a fabulous time swimming, snorkeling in the sea, lunch on board and a visit to Camel Beach – Yes! there was a camel and also water sports – we tried Parasailing, it’s not for the faint hearted who don’t like heights like me! The other trip we did was to Kos, one of the Greek islands again it included the transfers. A great day out the boat leaves from Turgetries or Bodrum and takes about 45 minutes.
Kos is a lovely town, very different to Turkey and we are glad we went – don’t forget they use Euro’s which you can get at the numerous cash machines once there. You can also buy duty free!
With the first week almost over we felt we wanted to explore more so we hired a car that thankfully had air conditioning! We set about exploring nearby beaches and towns and it gave us the freedom to come and go and at our own pace. We visited Bitez, Turgetries and Gumbet and dare I say the shopping mall which is near the Aqua Park and picked up some super bargains. The Aegean Coast is full of small villages worthy of a visit and there is practically a beach at the end of every road!
On another morning we set off early and went to Didim, Miletoes, and finally Ephesus where we joined a tour group. It was very interesting and amazing to see. We had spoken to the tour leader who told us that Pammukale was only a short drive so you guessed… we went there too! Again this is an amazing site to see . We didn’t join a tour we set off on our own and then had a relaxing swim in Cleopatra’s pool. En-route home we stopped off and had a wonderful Turkish dinner. It was a long day out but we both enjoyed it. Next day we slept late then headed to Dodo beach to chill.
Hillview Gardens is a beautiful resort with fabulous facilities to enjoy whether it be lazing round the pool, work-outs in the gym , a game of tennis or chilling with a beer at the bar then popping in the village at night for dinner then its perfect to use just the dolmus to get around.
