Tours to Bodrum from Chisinau — Last-Minute Deals
Bodrum is the most "European" resort in Turkey, on the Aegean Sea: white houses on the hills, windmills, a Crusader castle above the harbour and marinas full of yachts. In summer Bodrum is a nonstop hop of about two hours from Chisinau, followed by 30–60 minutes by coach to most hotels on the peninsula. People come for the clean, slightly cooler sea, coves with wooden piers, fish restaurants and the nightlife the town is famous for across the country.
Your package bundles flights, a transfer, a room with your choice of meals plus insurance; reaching Chisinau is up to you. No visa is required for Turkey. Free rooms on the peninsula are listed by the tour search; for advice on which village matches your style of holiday, from quiet coves to club streets, ask a manager.
Flying In and Where to Stay on the Peninsula
In season, direct flights reach Milas–Bodrum Airport (BJV) in about two hours. There are only a couple of departures a week, so tours are built around those days; if there is no flight on your dates, you can fly to Dalaman instead, though the drive from there takes about three hours. Getting to Chisinau and airport parking: all about flights to Turkey from Chisinau.
| Village | Transfer | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Torba | about 30 min | A quiet bay closest to the airport, large hotels |
| Bodrum town | about 40 min | The castle, the marina, the bazaar and Bar Street |
| Gümbet | about 45 min | A sandy beach and clubs, with a mostly young crowd |
| Bitez | about 50 min | Calmer than Gümbet, windsurfing, mandarin orchards |
| Yalıkavak, Göltürkbükü | 50–60 min | A luxury marina, boutique hotels and beach clubs on piers |
| Turgutreis | about 1 h | Sunsets over the islands, a Saturday market, family hotels |
Sights and Excursions
- The Castle of St Peter. A 15th-century fortress of the Knights Hospitaller above the harbour; inside is the Museum of Underwater Archaeology with ancient shipwrecks and amphorae.
- Halicarnassus. Bodrum's ancient name: of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, only the foundations and fragments remain, while an ancient theatre survives on the hillside.
- Boat trips. Yachts along the coast with swimming stops, and Kara Ada island with a warm spring in a cave.
- The island of Kos. A Greek island an hour away by ferry, a popular day trip.
- Antiquity on the mainland. Ephesus, the Temple of Apollo at Didyma and the travertines of Pamukkale make full-day excursions.
The Aegean Season
The swimming months in Bodrum run from the end of May to mid-October. The Aegean here is noticeably fresher than off Antalya (by 1–2 degrees), and in summer the northerly meltemi blows, which makes the heat easier to bear. Sea temperature peaks in August.
| Month | By day | In the sea |
|---|---|---|
| May | +25 °C | +19 °C |
| June | +30 °C | +22 °C |
| July | +33 °C | +24 °C |
| August | +33 °C | +25 °C |
| September | +29 °C | +24 °C |
| October | +24 °C | +22 °C |
Typical values for the Bodrum peninsula.
Hotels and Prices
For all-inclusive, look at hotels in Turgutreis, Torba, Bitez and Gümbet, while Yalıkavak and Göltürkbükü have more boutique hotels and beach clubs, which cost more. Wide beaches are scarce on the peninsula, so many hotels build wooden piers and sun decks for swimming. Budget roughly 36,500 UAH or more for a seven-day all-inclusive holiday for two, and more in July and August. Bodrum's finest hotels, among others, feature in Turkey's top VIP hotels.
Entering Turkey and Kos
- International passport with six months of validity to spare; visa-free, you can stay up to 90 days per half-year.
- An ID card is enough to cross into Moldova, but flights to Turkey require an international passport.
- A trip to Kos. Kos is already Schengen: at the island's pier your passport is scanned and fingerprints are taken for the EES, so you need a biometric passport.
- Tour documents will be emailed by the tour operator shortly before the flight.
- Leaving the country. Draft-age men and minors should find out in advance how they are currently allowed to travel abroad.
Bodrum from Chisinau: What People Ask Most
Does any airline fly Chisinau–Bodrum direct?
Yes, in the summer season, a couple of times a week, taking about two hours. On other days you can fly to Dalaman and drive about three hours to the hotel.
Which part of the Bodrum peninsula suits children?
In Turgutreis, Bitez or Torba, with calm coves and family hotels. Gümbet has a sandy beach but is noisy at night.
How is Bodrum different from the Antalya resorts?
The sea is cooler and clearer and there is more wind, and instead of huge complexes you find marinas, boutique hotels and coves with piers. The season is a little shorter.
Is a day trip to Kos possible?
Yes, the ferry takes about an hour. Bring your biometric passport, as Greek border control registers visitors in the EES. Check the ferry timetable in advance.
How much does a Bodrum tour from Chisinau cost?
Plan on 36,500 UAH or more per couple for seven days of all-inclusive; travel to Chisinau is extra. For exact prices by date, check the site search.
Flights from Chisinau to Dalaman open up two more resorts: Marmaris, with mountains by the sea, and Fethiye, with the Ölüdeniz lagoon.
