Poyraz Bay

Poyraz Bay sits on the north-eastern side of Karaada, the island just off Bodrum that most charter routes already pass on their way toward Gökova. Its name comes from poyraz, the Turkish word for the north-east wind, and reflects the bay's position relative to the prevailing airflow around the island rather than any local legend — it is simply named for the wind it faces.

Away from the surface, the bay is better known among regular visitors as a dive site than as a swimming beach. A rocky slope descends from the shoreline to a reef several metres down, and the clear water typical of this part of the Aegean makes it a reasonable spot for a mid-route dive or snorkel stop rather than a long beach stay. Because the wind that gives the bay its name keeps blowing across the water even in the height of summer, it also stays noticeably cooler here than in the more sheltered coves elsewhere on Karaada.

Because it sits on the far side of Karaada from the island's more visited coves, Poyraz Bay tends to be quieter, and it's best reached during a Bodrum gulet cruise that plans to circle the island rather than stop only at its usual anchorage, rather than one that treats Karaada as a single quick stop.