One of the unique features of Bodrum as a holiday resort is that in addition to the active recreational opportunities available by day and the unequaled Bodrum nightlife, so many more tranquil bays, beaches and villages are available to enjoy on the Bodrum Peninsula. No other area on the Turkish Aegean provides the visitor the opportunity to experience traditional Turkish life only a few minutes away from the hustle and bustle of a modern resort.

There are several ways to explore the peninsula, the most enjoyable of which are to visit several of the bays and seaside villages mentioned via one of the daily boat trips available from Bodrum harbor or from any of the local beaches or harbors. The other is to take the Dolmus, the local mini busses. Dolmus await the passenger for every destination at the bus station on the main road out of town. Destinations are clearly displayed on each vehicle and all one does is go and take a seat and wait for the bus to fill.

HISTORY
As a place where people have lived continuously for thousands of years Bodrum has an incredibly rich past. Its position in or near so many of the great civilization and events of ancient history also makes Halicarnassus (Bodrum's ancient name) an important site for historians. Finding one source of complete historical information on Bodrum is apparently impossible, so the account that follows is a distillation from several sources.

The first settlement in this area which left structural evidence behind was on the rocky little island where the Castle of St. Peter now stands (the castle was once completely surrounded by water). When the Knights of St. John arrived to build their fortress, they found the ruins of an older castle, now known to have been built by the Dorians around 1100 BC.