Bogazkent
Not to be confused with the village of Bogazkent, located closer to the centre of Turkey, the municipality of Bogazkent is a burgeoning tourist hub not far from Belek, on the southern, Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Bogazkent has been called “Antalya’s New Tourism Centre” by the Antalya Magnificent City blog, which cites the example of Bogazkent’s 13 five-star hotels. Visit our Antalya tour page for some more interesting information about the wonders of this region, including Kas, Kekova and Kemer which are all great coastal destinations.
Bogazkent Climate and Weather A visit to Bogazkent will call for different preparations, depending on the month, though the weather is generally more temperate and balmy than in some other parts of Turkey. While July, the hottest month, has an average temperature of 27.5 C, the coldest month, January, has an average temperature of 10.8 C. Average temperatures hover in the 20s from May to October, and stay in the 10s from November through April. Additionally, while July and August are the driest months, visitors may want to bring a raincoat for the winter months, when much of the year’s precipitation falls.
Things to Do in Bogazkent While Bogazkent may be a small town, there are still ways to get a unique Turkish experience distinct from bustling cities like Istanbul. One attraction unique to Bogazkent is its bird sanctuary. Budding ornithologists may note that Turkey has a diverse array of birds -- 482 species, according to Property Turkey. As Antalya Magnificent City points out, the sanctuary is home to over 200 bird species and even features special observation towers to birdwatch from.
Bogazkent beach, of course, is another highlight of Bogazkent’s tourism sector. The website Beach Inspector raves that Bogazkent Beach is “idyllic” and “largely unspoilt,” adding that it features bars, showers, restaurants, lounges, and even sea turtles that lay their eggs on the beach at night. Of course, if you want to relax, you may want to indulge in a traditional Turkish hammam ritual of massage and cleaning. The gorgeous spa Hamam on the Beach offers a wide range of treatments to Bogazkent travellers, from a variety of a la carte massages to full sauna and scrub packages.
What to Eat in Bogazkent For many travellers, experiencing diverse local food is one of the highlights of their holiday. The Turkish Mediterranean coast provides a wide range of delicious and fresh fruit. Because Turkey enjoys warm temperatures and sunlight, fresh stone fruit like peaches, cherries and apricots are delicious staples at outdoor markets. Visitors may also want to sample local olive oil, honey or cheese. In addition, the proximity of the ocean in this coastal region means that fish and shellfish are abundant. When looking at Turkish restaurant menus, travellers may opt for pide, a pizza-style dish made of a flat dough topped with ingredients like minced meat, egg, cheese or vegetables. At the Bogazkent restaurant Mertcan Pide ve Lahmacun Salonu, visitors can order common Turkish dishes like pide, lahmacun, doner and ciger sis. Most of the dishes on this menu are under 30 lira. In general, travellers may find their currency stretches quite far in Turkey, where restaurant meals are often very cheap compared to those in western European countries.
Travel to Belek Belek, Turkey is another vibrant tourism hub that’s just a 20-minute drive away from Bogazkent. Belek’s many golf courses make it a terrific day trip for golfers hoping to spend a day under the Turkish sun. Belek also hosts many luxurious, five-star resorts for those who may choose to stay in Belek and day trip into Bogazkent instead. The ancient city of Aspendos is another short day trip away, accessible by car from Bogazkent in less than 20 minutes.
How to Reach Bogazkent When it comes to travelling into Bogazkent, visitors will find that the municipality is just about 40 minutes away from the nearest airport, Antalya, by car. The Antalya airport hosts flights from many European countries and an even wider variety of origin airports open up for travellers willing to connect in Istanbul. The flight time from Istanbul to Antalya is just an hour and 20 minutes.