The village is at the foot of the tall and glorious Karadag mountain. The cluster of white houses with splashes of bougainvillaea nestles in a valley of olive, citrus and fig trees. This area is loved by the Istanbul Turks for its temperate climate, exquisite light and clean air infused by orange blossom or wild thyme. The turquoise sea is warm enough for people to swim from April till December.
At one end of the village there are shady tea-gardens, sun-bathing jetties, bars and restaurants. Here people spend the day sunning, socializing, swimming and playing backgammon. The beach stretches half a mile along the bay, sometimes sandy, sometimes pebbly, always safe. It is dotted with small family hotels, shady palms and fir trees.
The Yoga centre lies on the hillside amongst dusty-green olive and shady carob trees. The sun-dappled garden is splashed with vivid colours of the tumbling bougainvillea and geraniums. It is on the edge of the pine forest, looking out across the valley to the central hills of the peninsula. Paradise Bay - Cennet Koyu - is only 10 minutes walk. The village with its half mile of beach is 20 minutes walk away. To reach the centre from the village hotel you will walk along a meandering road below the hills up to the garden, behind a long stone wall with an iron gate. (A lift can be arranged!)
Paradise Bay
You can step out from the house into the woods which stretch to secret bays and over the surrounding hills. One of our favourite walks takes us over a steep, forested pass where nomadic goatherds set up their tents, across the untouched hillsides, down to the edge of Bodrum. In the past this was the main route into town taken by camel-drivers and villagers on the way to market.