---

Introduction to Koyunbaba

When the temperatures start to soar in the southern parts of the peninsula, the northern coastline is usually about ten degrees cooler.

Villas, resorts, and local apartment complexes populate the road leading from Gümüşlük bay to Yalıkavak. The hillsides are splattered with a continuous expansion of cookie-cutter homes owned by local residents, metropolitan Turks and international holiday-makers; all competing for uninterrupted coastal views from their balconies and rooftops. Amid this residential explosion, it’s still possible to discover off-the-beaten track treasures like restaurants, cafés and beaches.

Getting to Koyunbaba

• Koyunbaba used to be a neighbourhood of Gümüslük, but now that it’s grown in size it’s been established as a Bodrum nighbourhood. But most people don’t know where it is, so it’s often easier to refer to it as Gümüslük.
• I wrote a longer article on this topic here: Where is Koyunbaba?

Shopping in Koyunbaba

• A weekly farmer’s market it held every Sunday behind Migros. As well as fruit and vegetables, there’s a dairy and cheese stall, and a hot gözleme and börek stall. Plus olive oil, honey, jams, dried fruit, nuts and spices.
• Along this stretch of road between Gümüslük and Yalikavak the only supermarket is the Koyunbaba Migros. During the summer months it can get mobbed with holiday makers, but the rest of the year it’s more bearable. Just be careful coming out of the carpark, it’s a dodgy bit of road.
• At the back of Migros is a little local bakery, and the old couple that run it are friendly, although they don’t speak any English.
• In this shopping hub there’s also a hardware store (but only use it in emergencies – you’re better off going into Gümüslük.

Local Restaurants

Along this stretch of road is the Limon Cafe and Victorias Restaurant and Beach, which are both close enough to Gümüşlük bay to reach on foot.

• Photo Gallery of the Limon Cafe
• Our first visit to the Limon Cafe
• Return to Limon Cafe

After Victorias, are the mature complexes of Gümsan I and Gümsan II, where small, white sugar-cube houses are draped with brightly coloured bougainvillea. The Bölm Halk Plaj (public beach) is at the bottom of the hill, and can be reached from either side of the Gümsan I complex.

Next along this road, are the Migros shop and Koyunbaba Mosque. In the same building complex as Migros is a small bakery, and a hardware shop. There are more units to be occupied, so this location has the potential of being a popular destination. If you didn’t remember your wallet, don’t worry; there’s a collection of cash machines here too.

The Koyunbaba Mosque is a local landmark for getting your bearings. Most notable along this stretch of the road is the Migros (with a stunning view), and popular bus stop location. Right by the turning to the Mosque are usually a couple of cabs. It isn’t an official taxi rank, but you’ll see them parked in the shade waiting for ladened shoppers from Migros.

Doga Cafe

Before you reach Sena Market you’ll go past the Doga Cafe a popular local lokanta. It’s changed hands since we first saw it being built, but the new family have been running it for the past couple of years, and they also do a paket (take-away and delivery service). We love their pide, which is cooked in their brick oven. If you’re staying in this area, pop in or order from here at least once during your stay. Although they’re by a main road, they’ve set up their restaurant so it’s sheltered from the road with mature bougainvillea, and you get a gentle breeze off the sea. A bargain view with tasty food—what’s not to love?

Koyunbaba Rock Quarry

Just after the Crystal hotel is the road leading down to the Koyunbaba Rock Quarry. The stone and green marble was mined from here, to build the ancient cities of Halicarnassus and Myndos for King Mausolus.

Most recently, this area was used as a car park for local beach visitors, but in 2013, the Gümüşlük Annual Classical Music festival was held here for the first time. The sheer rock face became a natural back-drop for the stage, and provided excellent acoustics in this unique and historical setting.

Past the Crystal Hotel entrance are houses and resorts interspersed with the occasional bakkal.

Gümüşkaya Dolmuş station

The next major landmark along this main road is the Gümüşkaya Dolmuş station, which is just past the entrance to the Gümüşkaya complex.

This is where the Koyunbaba Municipality ends and the Geris Municipality begins, and is easy to identify because of the dolmuş station, which is tucked into the corner lay-by near a gentle hair-pin bend. There’s a schedule posted on the nearby bus shelter.

(This used to be the border between Gumusluk and Yalikavak, but now that Koyunababa and Geris have grown in size they’ve been acknowledged as towns in their own right, and no longer just a neighbourhood).

The adjacent Gümüşkaya holiday complex is one of the mature ones in the area, which is probably why there’s a frequent dolmuş service connecting it to Yalıkavak. There’s a restaurant with a huge roof top deck by the Gümüşkaya complex entrance, which is open during the season. There are also a couple of little bakkals, cash machines and a public phone.

From here, it’s another 6km to central Yalıkavak.

For more information about the restaurants mention in this section, visit the Yalikavak Road Restaurants & Bars in the Places to Eat & Drink section

More articles about Koyunbaba