Söğüt: Saranda, Cherry Blossom, and a Harbour with the View

Bozburun Peninsula is indeed a place full of untapped hidden gems of scenic corners, marvellous seaviews, and peaceful fishing villages picturesque enough to be the backdrop of any romantic love films. After the amazingly beautiful ruins of Amos and the stunning seas of Hisaronu, Orhaniye and Bozburun, I arrived at another unknown little paradise by the name of Söğüt.
 

Tucked away right at the very end of the Bozburun Peninsula, Söğüt is just a mere 6km away east of Bozburun, but due to the absence of public transportation between these two villages, those who want to visit these two places on the same day have to do it either with their own car, or use a taxi or even hitch a hike. Otherise, be prepared to head all the way back to Marmaris and change onto another minibus, as the route used by minibuses from Marmaris to Bozburun is completely different from the one used by minibus from Marmaris to Söğüt. Both routes do not intersect with each other at any point at all.

Amos: Scenic Ruins on the Bozburun Peninsula

The name of Amos first came to my notice during one of my cross-border trips from Rhodes to Marmaris by ferry, when I saw this huge poster on the wall of the otherwise boring arrivals hall of the port of Marmaris depicting a very scenic ancient ruin on a headlane overlooking the beautiful Gulf of Marmaris. It turns out this is the promotional campaign by local authorities to attract visitors to Amos, an ancient city founded in the 2nd century BC about 2km from the modern town of Turunc.

The ruins of Amos are on top of a hill overlooking the village of Kumlubuk on one side, and the pictureque bays of the Gulf of Marmaris on the other side. Inside the runis one can find a relatively intact amphitheatre, remains of some ramparts and some temples. 

From Turunc to Amos: One of the Most Photogenic Stretch of Sea in Turkey

A while ago, while I was waiting to clear the Turkish immigration and passport control at Marmaris's cruise port after travelling by catamaran from Rhodes, I saw a large poster on the wall of the harbour terminal, with a caption in Turkish that reads 'Amos: Antik Kent'. As the views of this little-known ancient ruins appear to be very attractive, I decided to take one afternoon off and visit this site from Marmaris.

In order to reach the site of Amos, it is necessary to first take a bus from Marmaris to Turunc, and either walk the 2km between Amos and Turunc, or to wait for the minibus that connects Turunc with the next village, Kumlumbuk. 

Bozburun: Unspectacular Seaside Village with Amazing Seaviews

The name 'Bozburun' first came to my attention a few years ago, when I was reading a Turkish interior design magazine at a upmarket cafe in Antalya. Inside that particular issue was a special report of a beautiful Greek-style stone house with a seaview to die for that has been painstakingly restored by its new owners. The house, which used to belong to a Greek family living in western Anatolia, was abandoned since the population exchange of 1923 and had been left in a state of decay until the new owners came and resurrect the house, bringing it back to its former grandeur.

Turunc: Charming Little Place outside of Marmaris

Just 40 minutes away by bus from downtown Marmaris is the resort of Turunc, nestled along a beautiful bay with crystal clear blue waters and lush hills planted with olive grove and pine trees. Although several large hotels are already present in this town, due to the relative distance outside of Marmaris, the town remains by and large much more subdued compared to the resort district of Icmeler right on the outskirt of Marmaris. 

The reason I went to Turunc is because I wanted to visit the ruins of the ancient settlement of Amos. Located about 3km outside of Turunc, it takes approximately 45 to walk to Amos from Turunc. On a nice day it is a very pleasant walk along a slightly winding hillside road which affords some of the most stunning views of the sea around Marmaris.