Villa Yildiz

Orhaniye

Orhaniye is the next village along from Hisaronu Koyu, just a 10 minute drive, or a short Dolmus (local bus) hop away and home to the modern Marti Marina. A popular stop on many boat tours of the Peninsula; you might be surprised to sea droves of people appearing to walk on water. They’re not. In fact, Orhaniye is home to a low sand spit which means you can walk through the water up to your ankles. The bay is marked on maps as ‘Keçibükü’ or Goat Bay, but is referred to locally as ‘Kizkumu', meaning Maiden's Sands…Legend has it that a girl who wanted to meet with her lover put some sand in the hem of her skirt and planned to fill the sea with this sand to get to her lover. However, there was not enough sand and she was drowned. In the middle of the cove is an island, home to the ruins of a castle, believed to belong to the ancient city of Baybassos. You can visit the island by hiring a ‘caique’ (small boat) and then following the path to the castle. At the tope you’ll be rewarded for your efforts with a beautiful view.