Marmaris
“Can you swim?” “Uh, yeah basically”, I said hesitantly. “Doesn’t matter.”, the diving instructor said. “I want you to remember three things when you’re down there. One - breath. If you stop breathing, your lungs will start to tear. Two - as you descend, unplug your ears every time you feel they’re closed. If you don’t, you’ll destroy them. And third - if water gets into your goggles, tilt your head back, press on the top of your goggles, then blow your nose. All clear?” I gave him a blank stare and just nodded my head. “Good. Relax! After your first dive, you’ll have nothing to fear.” One of the crew members helped me suit up and put my scuba gear on. I then waddled over to the diving section. I looked down into the water. This was my first time scuba diving, and I was terrified. “What if I forget to breath? What if I panic? What if I don’t unplug my ears? I’m screwed if I get water in my goggles.” All of these thoughts were swarming in my head. Yet, somehow, I managed to persuade myself that I could do it. We sat on the edge of the boat and then slowly slid into the water. Once over, we were told to put our mouthpieces in. Then, at the signal, we slowly descended into the water, ready to explore what lay beneath.
This was a scene from my visit to Marmaris, a popular resort town located in southwest Turkey along the Turkish Riviera. Scuba diving is one of Marmaris’ most famous activities. But before I reveal the outcome of my diving expedition, let’s learn a little bit of history. It’s not exactly known when or how Marmaris was founded. We do know that in the 6th century BC, Marmaris was known as Physkos (Φύσκος). Alexander the Great and his army laid siege to Physkos in 334 BC. After the siege, he ordered the city’s castle to be repaired, understanding its strategic value. The castle still stands today, albeit rebuilt and renovated many times over the years. During the city’s rule under the Beylik of Menteşe, the name changed from Physkos to Marmaris. Marmaris comes from the Greek word for marble (μάρμαρο), referring to the abundance of marble in the region and the city’s important role in the marble trade. In 1425, Marmaris was taken over by the Ottoman Empire who would later use it as a naval base for their siege of the island of Rhodes. A few centuries later, the city would become part of the Turkish Republic.
Over recent years, Marmaris has become one of Turkey's most popular holiday destinations. It’s very much a resort town with people flocking in from all over the world to enjoy the sun and the crystal-clear waters. The nightlife is also one of the best among all of the Turkish coastal cities. There are plenty of white sand beaches around Marmaris and people often take boat trips to explore the surrounding uninhabited islands. If you’re not a fan of water, you can always explore the famous Marmaris National Park which covers an area of 30 hectares and is home to diverse species of plants and wildlife. Horseback riding is very popular and one of the best ways to explore the landscape. If you have more time on your hands, a tour on the Dalyan River (about an hour and a half east of Marmaris) is really worth doing. On the sides of the mountains near the river, you can find the façades of temples. These are actually the tombs of the Lycians, ancient inhabitants of the area who buried some of their dead on the sides of high cliffs and rock.
Diving is another activity that Marmaris is well-known for. When I dove into the water, it took me a while to get used to this new unfamiliar world. At first I was concerned that I would mess something up, but I managed to calm myself and focused on enjoying the beauty of underwater life. There were fish of all colours swimming around. One of my fellow divers offered to take a picture of me with the fish. He gave me a few pieces of bread and within seconds I was surrounded by those little creatures. We spent some more time exploring the underwater landscape which was covered in rocks of all shapes and sizes. After about 30 minutes, we ascended back to the surface. I pulled myself into the boat, the weight of my air tanks making it difficult to move. I then dropped all of my gear and lay on the boat’s floor. I was ecstatic. I couldn’t believe it. I actually survived. I felt like a god. It was at that moment that I truly felt like I had conquered my fears. I had proven to myself that I could do it.
To those who may be used to scuba diving, all this may sound silly. But as someone who has never done something like this before, it was a pretty big event for me. It was an event that would embolden me to do things that I would never have previously done, as you will see in the next posts. So for this, Marmaris would forever be in my memories.
Things to do -
Take a boat trip to the nearby islands (Sedir Island is the most famous)
Visit Marmaris Castle
Enjoy the beaches (Içmeler region has some of the best beaches)
Go scuba diving (you can find a diving boat in the Marmaris Marina).
Take a tour on the Dalyan River
Visit Marmaris National Park (horseback riding is a very popular activity there)
Enjoy the nightlife at Marmaris Bar Street
