Muskebi (Ortakent)

Ortakent literally means “The Middle Town” and it is located right in the middle of Bodrum. In the past years, Ortakent's name was changed to Muskebi. Yahsi, on the other hand, kept its name and became a separate neighborhood.

The road to Turgutreis passes through Muskebi, and if you go towards the beach, the first neighborhood you come across will be Yahsi. If you want, you can go to the beach through Muskebi also. In the region, the parts of a settlement that extend towards the sea are called “Yali”. While Muskebi Yali and Yahsi Yali areas were easily distinguishable in the past, they are now intertwined.

Muskebi and Yahsi are among the most beautiful and lush districts of Bodrum. The most important feature of this bay, which has a golden sand and a clean, blue flag beach, is that the winds coming from the sea have little effect on the shore and it boasts a calm sea almost all summer long.

If you want to keep lounging on the beach, cafes and restaurants spread along the beach are happy to serve you. This is a peaceful and quiet place where you can relax for hours on end.

In this region, which was settled around 3500 years ago during the Mycenaean civilization, agricultural life continues. The green fertile valley stretching from the town to the coast is full of fig, olive, and tangerine trees and regularly planted vegetable gardens.

In addition to many beautiful “Beach Clubs” on the beach, restaurants that provide service to the beaches also serve during the day and night. When you leave the beach in the evening, you can have your meal on the seaside or even put your feet in the sea and have a pleasant time.

Traditional Stone Houses and Tower Houses with Mezzanine

Traditional stone houses of Bodrum come to life especially in Ortakent region today. A large number of newly built stone houses interspersed with old local houses in the region would catch your eye. Yarbasan Stone Houses, one of the best examples of these, is a residential complex built like an old organic neighborhood, consisting of unique stone houses, designed separately. This site seems to provide an ingenious answer to the question of “how can the new be made beautiful?”.
 

Mustafa Paşa Tower House with Mezzanine

The houses with “musandra” (mezzanine) is one of the important traditional house types in Bodrum. One of the best examples of these houses is the Mustafa Pasha Tower, which was built in Ortakent in 1601 as a watchtower. This is the oldest building in Bodrum that has survived apart from the Castle. Although the purpose of its construction was a watchtower, in the following years, it functioned as the residence of Mustafa Pasha, the governor of the region in Ottoman era. The building, which was used for the same purpose until the 1960s, can be viewed from the outside even though it cannot be visited since it is now a private property.

Ortakent Beach Walkway

A pleasant walking path, and a promenade worth seeing

The coastal walking path, starting from Ortakent Marina and extending to Kargi Beach, is full of restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues. If you want to feel some fresh sea breeze on the beach and experience the liveliness of the town, we recommend a walk here. The parts of the walking path facing the sea are generally beaches belonging to the venues. Although sun loungers and umbrellas are free, they expect you to spend an amount on food and beverages as you stay.

Kargi Bay (Camel Beach)

Kargi Bay, located in the westernmost part of the bay, has a natural beach that stretches as if it were endless. The bay is called “Camel Beach”, and it took its name from the camels that have been lying and grazing around the beach since ancient times.

Kargi Bay is known as the largest beach of Bodrum, and you can see the endangered sand lilies among the sands if you are lucky.

Festivals, Events, Bazaars
Local festivals, events and bazaars are held throughout the year in all the towns of Bodrum. Ortakent is one of the towns where such events take place the most. These activities, which are carried out by foundations and private organizations, are also supported by official administrations. You can come across events such as Bitter Herb Festival, Tangerine Festival, and New Year's Bazaar at various times of the year. Events such as Camel Wrestling, which is popular among Ortakent residents, and Ortakent Festival make this beautiful town of Bodrum more attractive.

Daily Boat Tour

Boats depart from the pier on Ortakent Yahsi coast between 10-11 am and visit the beautiful islands and coves in the surrounding area. On these tours, you can visit and swim in beautiful bays such as the Aquarium, Celebi Island, Wishing Cave, Bagla and Aspat. The boats usually are not very big and ideal for small groups.

Transportation
Ortakent is one of the easiest towns to reach. You will arrive in Ortakent right after passing Gumbet, Konacik, Bitez, and Yalikavak Junctions on the main road.

To arrive at the center of Ortakent, simply follow the highway and turn left at the roundabout and follow the road signs. You can reach the beach from here, as well as continuing the Turgutreis road without deviating to Ortakent, and when you arrive at Yahsi exit, you can also turn left to Yahsi Yali (seaside). There is also a connecting road from Bitez Yali to Ortakent Yali.

Ortakent Yahsi Taxi: 0252 358 5544

Places to see
Tower houses.

Tangerine gardens.

Stone houses in gardens.

Market on Wednesdays.

Things to do
A boat tour.
Water sports.

Visiting Dibekli Han

Places to Swim
Yahsi Yali.

Kargi Beach (Camel Beach)

Every part of Ortakent beach.

Municipality Beaches