Gokagac Bay

Gokagac Bay sits on the Hisarönü peninsula, part of the Marmaris district in Turkey's Muğla Province, reached either by a winding, partly unpaved road or, more comfortably, by boat. The cove borders a protected wetland system of streams and reed beds that drains into the bay and supports local birdlife, and unlike the built-up resorts closer to Marmaris town, its shoreline has no permanent buildings, restaurants, or jetties.

The bay's beach runs for about 500 metres, shelving gradually over a pebbled, rocky seabed into clear water framed by pine-covered hills; sea shoes are worth packing, since the bottom is not sandy. Because there is nothing on shore to draw day-trippers by road, the bay stays notably quiet even during the busy July and August season, functioning mainly as a lunch or swim stop for boats passing along the coast. It is best reached during a Marmaris gulet cruise, since sailing in avoids the rough final stretch of the access road that puts off casual visitors.

Visitors should bring their own food, water, and shade, as none is available on site, and the rocky entry makes the bay less suited to families with very young children than the sandier beaches nearer Marmaris.