Introduction to Torba Bay
If the Summer madness of Bodrum town centre is overwhelming, and you need a quick escape to a local beach, (but are looking for an alternative to Gumbet), head for Torba. It’s close enough for a half-day jaunt, and will feed your adventurous spirit.
Off-season, Torba is a sleepy hamlet, but during the summer months, it transforms into a bustling destination. It’s home to the Voyage Torba resort, but there are also some smaller pensiyon hotels along the bay and beach.
History
- If you’re a culture-vulture, Torba will be an interesting destination for you. It has a long history, going back to the Leleg era, and you can still see the remains of an old Lelegian tomb on a hill overlooking the village, as well as the ruins of an old monastery to the eastern end of the bay.
Location
- Torba is only ~6km away from Bodrum, and takes about 10-20 minutes to reach, depending on whether take the Dolmus, or drive.
- Approximate distances to Torba:
- 30km from Milas-Bodrum Airport
- 26km from Turgutreis
- 21km from Yalikavak
- 6km from Bodrum
Getting There
- Torba has a regular Dolmus service, which runs every 10 minutes during the summer months, and about every 1/2 hour in Winter. (2012: approximate cost 2.5-3 TL).
Things To Do
- Spend the day sunbathing and chilling on one of the wooden jetties overlooking the bay along Ataturk Caddesi.
- Keep walking north along the western side of the bay, and you’ll pass t
he Fishing Boat Harbour, where the Fishing Excursion day boat is moored (and here’s a photo gallery of our fishing trip) - Just past the Fishing Boat Harbour, is the Day Boat Jetty, where a selection of boats offer different tours to visit islands and coves
- Visit the Beach (even though the beach is lined with resorts and their jetties are provided for their guests, you can still wander along the beach, and find a spot of sand to settle on — the beach is public property. But if you use any of the resort’s chairs or loungers, you’ll be expected to purchase refreshments.)
- Hike along the western edge of the bay and follow the easy coastal walk to the neighbouring bay.
Sightseeing
- Climb the hill to visit the 2500 year old Lelegian Tomb on a hill overlooking the village
- Venture to the eastern end of the bay for a sneak peak at the ruins of an old church.
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Torba is still nice at the western end, although all that sand shown in the second picture has been covered with wooden sun bathing platforms and one has to run the gauntlet on a small path through Voyage and Izer hotel grounds complete with uniformed attendants. Also the monastery ruins are behind a rusty sheet metal fence and inaccessible. We couldn’t find the Lelegian tomb.
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