Best things to do in Marmaris Içmeler
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I have visited Turkey’s Marmaris twice now and both times have been a sweet experience. So, I have made this list of the 10 best things to do in Marmaris and what not to do, to make your holiday the best it can be. This includes some of the best activities to do in Marmaris and things to see such as the cool Icmeler beach.
Now, Turkey has received a lot of bad rep in the media and warnings have been put out telling tourists not to visit Turkey. But, it’s still a sweet place to visit with things to do for families in Turkey. Also, the weather in Turkey is epic and it gets very warm!
Marmaris is a place of beauty, and is perfect for any Turkey itinerary! Make sure you check out everything on this awesome list 🙂
1. Visit the Marmaris markets
Marmaris offers a great market place where you can pick up some real bargains, I picked up a carrier bag full of grapes for a little next to nothing! The market can get very busy, so expect some hustle and bustle from eager locals looking to pick up their bargains.
There are two markets I visited, which are the food market which I have mentioned and also the major market. This has shops such as clothes, household and random Turkish gifts, they are both worth a visit.
Even if you don’t pick anything up it is still a great market in Marmaris to visit.
Price – free
2. Epic Things to do in Marmaris is the shopping
The shopping, I enjoy the shopping in Marmaris and you can’t walk through any streets without seeing at least one shop selling some sort of bargain.
a good place for some of the better shops in the street running alongside the beachfront, this has some better more established shops.
Remember though, when shopping there is always room for bartering and you can knock the prices down a considerable amount, plus you can always try your luck for things chucked in for free. It’s tried and tested nuclear me and works! God loves a trier…
a lot of the clothes are copies of original gear, such as Lacoste and Nike. But, there is a lot of great buys.
Price – Free
3. Marmaris scooter rental
Pick up a scooter and explore Marmaris in the sunshine through wide roads and narrow back streets, simple as that. You can visit Marmas içmeler on your rented scooter 🙂
the scooter rental is a definite must, as it’s such a fun day out. You can ride along the beach coast taking in the sun, or you can hit the mountain backdrop and find an outback cafe for a cool drink and a pit stop, Just be careful as some roads can quite busy and some of the locals don’t seem the most careful of drivers.
Price for scooter rental – around (200/300) Lira for the day
4. Marmaris Içmeler
What is there to do at Marmaris Içmeler?
There are plenty of things to do in Marmaris Içmeler.
#Market
There plenty of awesome stall on the Marmaris Içmeler market and you can certainly pick up a bargain.
What is sold on the Içmeler market? You can pick up goods such as;
- Clothes
- Electrical
- Gifts
- Food
- Movies
#Beach
I would definitely recommend this beach over the Marmaris Icmeler beach, as it’s probably the best beach around Marmaris.
The beach of Icmeler is a cool, relaxed vibe and it is an amazing spot to spend the day. Also, there are lots of gift shops around the beach and you can have lunch or tea at one of the restaurants overlooking the sea, amazing views while dining.
It’s also a sweet place to relax when the sun is going down and it’s easy to get to from Marmaris. So, it will take you around 15 minutes to get here in a scooter.
#Içmeler Water park
If you’re looking for things to do in Marmaris Içmeler with the kids, you should take them to the Içmeler water park. You can enjoy hours of fun on the slides and cool down from the hot Turkish weather.
5. The boat ride from Marmaris to Içmeler
Price of the boat to Içmeler – around 100 Lira
As I just mentioned Icmeler is a wonderful beach, but it is just a little out of walking distance and this why I recommend the boat ride. alternatively, you can take a bus ride but is nothing compared to the sea taxi. With the boat ride, you get amazing views, real comfy seating with robes to relax on and if you go at the right time you can be on the sea when the suns dropping.
You can hop on the boat at a port in Marmaris a little price and it takes roughly 35 minutes to get to Icmeler beach.
6. The Marmaris Içmeler clubs
If you enjoy going out and getting involved with the nightlife atmosphere, then I would recommend the clubs on the Marmaris beach, as they are lively and a fun place to be around. You can dance the night away to the American chart songs the clubs play or just enjoy good conversation with other internationals from around the world.
The atmosphere can be loud so if you’re looking for a quiet drink, I would recommend staying a little further up the beach in some of the quieter but great bars.
The bars also play a lot of sports for visitors, such as live football from around the world, which is good for visitors.
7. The best thing to eat Marmaris’s kebabs
Turkey is famous for the kebabs, so you shouldn’t leave Marmaris without trying one of the delicious chicken kebabs as they are amazing! The best one I had been on the beachfront at night, they seemed to be the busiest and the freshest.
It is my recommendation to get a kebab covered in a salad, chilli and mayonnaise. Not the healthiest thing, but you can spend the next morning walking it off in the sunshine!
Price – around 20 Lira
You should check out this awesome Turkey itinerary for 10 days for more epic places to see in Turkey (don’t forget to check out Turkey holiday mistakes).
8. Learn to scuba dive is my best things to do in Marmaris
Learning to scuba dive in Marmaris is a fantastic day out and it is a full-day event that you can do to get your level 1 Padi divers certificate.
You set off from the port around 9 am on a quite surprisingly big boat, with others on the course. Throughout the day you have two stops in the clear waters and you probably spend a total of one hour below the sea surface learning the diver basics, but it is such a surreal feeling. The rest of the day you spend on the boat sunbathing and having a drink if you like, oh and dinner is also included with snacks.
Overall this is an amazing day and worth every penny, what I would say is shop around as you can find this cheaper than what some of the shops are offering.
Price of diving in Marmaris – 350 Lira
See the scuba diving excursions
9. Take the Dalyan river cruise and spa
Another top thing to do in Turkey’s Marmaris and again this is a full-day event for you to enjoy. The day starts by with taking a coach ride for around an hour into the Turkish mountains, from here you stop at as what I can explain as a centre and there are lots of others around ready to enjoy the day. The large group gets broke into smaller a groups where you are then taken to one of the quirky riverboats, then you are taken on a guided tour through the rivers to look at some amazing scenery until finally, you reach the unforgettable turtle beach (yes there is a chance you might see turtles).
After sunbathing on the amazing turtle beach, you take the rivers back to the spa and this is the cool bit, you get in a mud bath where you cover yourself in mud, yes mud. Then, you all stand in the sun to dry (looking like something of lord of the rings), when dry you are hosed down until your clean and then you get in a hot hydro pool to cleanse and relax. Sounds all a bit crazy but believe me you feel like a new person after it.
Also, dinner is included within the price, expect chicken nugget and chips or pasta. The food on the trip is not the tastiest of meals, after a long day though it is a satisfying meal and the cold drink tastes even better. You can choose from either pop, wine, coffee, tea or a beer.
Price of the Dalyan River Cruise – 350 Lira
10. Marmaris Turkish bath
Turkish baths are famous in Turkey and also the familiarity is found in some countries around the world. Turkish baths are a great way to relax, cleanse and have a massage. In Marmaris, the Turkish baths can be found everywhere from dedicated Turkish bath centres and have them in every hotel.
Price – 150 Lira
Things not to do in Marmaris Içmeler
- Girls, if you don’t like being hassled off lads, don’t walk through the streets at night alone, I’m not saying something bad will happen, but the persistent shouting can be overwhelming.
- when you come out of your hotel on the first day it’s more than likely there will be an excursion stand trying to sell you activities, DON’T buys from these, shop around first and get to know the prices.
- Restaurant workers stand outside the restaurants at night trying to pull holidaymakers in, they have a trick if you say no to say tomorrow night then. Don’t tell them yes if you don’t plan on going in the next night. If they see you the next night they will not leave you alone!
- Go looking in the shops if you’re not expecting to get hassled, shopping comes with the added hassle of the shop owners hassling you for a sale.
Other than that holidays to Turkey’s Marmaris is a mega and cheap choice, with lots of things to do in Marmaris in 2018
Is there anything else you have done in Marmaris not mentioned in the things to do in Marmaris list?
Where to stay in Marmaris?
Due to this being one of the most visited destinations in Turkey, there is plenty of hotels in Marmaris. And, to be fair they’re usually fairly priced. However, I have heard of people having a nightmare with some hotels with things like customer service! But don’t worry, their hotels I recommend are of good quality;
Other favourite places to visit of mine