Weather lowdown
Just like September was already cooling down a bit, October sees temperatures begin to decrease further as the tourist season starts to wind down. Daytime temperatures still reach a very pleasant high of 26°C, though, and fall to around 13°C in the evenings. The average daily temperature in October is 20°C, significantly cooler than the 24°C average of September and the 28°C average of July, the hottest month of the year. In the course of the month, daily high temperatures drop from 26°C on October 1 to 23°C on October 31. Average daily lows also decrease, from 17°C in the beginning of the month to 13°C near the end. High peaks and low drops of 30°C and 8°C are possible in October. The temperature of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas averages 23°C, still pretty warm and a full three degrees warmer than the average daily temperature. Temperaturewise, October is comparable to May.
Not only the temperature decreases in Marmaris in October; the amount of daylight does too. With 11.47 hours of daylight, October 1 is the longest day of the month. The shortest October day is the last day of the month, October 31, with 10.41 daylight hours. The total decrease of daylight is 1.07 hours, which means that every October day is 2.1 minutes shorter than the day before.
Another decrease is observed in the amount of sunshine. With 9 hours of sunshine, there is a significant decrease compared with September (11 hours), August (13 hours) and July (14 hours). And the amount of sunshine keeps getting lower in the course of the month, as the cloud cover increases. The month starts off with 32% of cloud cover in October 1 and ends with 52% of cloud cover on October 31, a large increase of 20%.
With an increase of cloud cover comes a bigger chance of rainfall. While October 1 has a fairly low chance of precipitation of 16%, by the end of the month there is a 27% chance that it will rain. The most common type of rainfall are thunderstorms, which on average happen on 68% of the days with precipitation. 26% of rainy days see only light rain, while 5% of the days of rainfall have moderate rain. Snow is very unlikely to fall in Marmaris. October has 12 days of rainfall, which also means that there still are 19 dry days, and receives a total of 81mm of precipitation in October. This makes it the fifth-wettest month of the year, well behind the soaking wet months of December and January, which get 290mm and 231mm of rain respectively
The relatively mild October temperatures mean that you would be fine to be out and about during the day in a short and T-shirt. It is, however, a good idea to pack warmer clothing such as trousers and a light jacket for the evenings. This is an ideal time of year to visit if you dislike intense heat and large crowds you can soak up the last of the summer sun, while the leaves start to turn brown at home!
Where to stay
Fantasia Hotel Marmaris is a four-star hotel located in Icmeler. This seafront hotel has 84 rooms and 6 suites. Close to the beach and restaurants and nightclubs, its location couldn't be any better. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, bar, fitness centre, wellness centre, a beauty salon and a whirlpool.
Another good accommodation option in central Icmeler is Nergis Icmeler Resort. In addition to well-equipped modern rooms, there are also a few bars, a restaurant, laundry services, jewellery shop, outdoor swimming pool, Turkish baths and a boutique.
In the Marmaris city centre you may want to stay at the four-star Mehtap Beach Hotel. This one is located a short distance from all the action and has bicycle and car rental services, water sports equipment rental, a pool, billiards room, restaurant and bar.
Supreme Hotel Marmaris lies in the heart of the resort, near Long Beach and other attractions. This four-star boutique hotel has 60 rooms, all equipped with a mini-bar, private bathroom, TV and internet. You can enjoy a meal seafood and international cuisine in the two restaurants, cocktails in the lobby bar or snacks in the outdoor poolside bar. There is also a children pool, a café, spa and wellness centre, Turkish baths, terrace lounges, a meeting room and a games room with darts, billiards and table tennis.
Hit the beach
Besides the beaches of Cennet Island and Dalyan, there are many more great beaches in the region. Good options are the Blue Flag (ecological) beach in Turunc, the gorgeous eight-kilometer-long beach in Icmeler and both beaches in the centre of the resort itself.
These two beaches are Long Beach and Folk Beach, each equipped with sun beds, snack bars, drink stands and parasols. If the weather doesn't allow for swimming, you could go on a long beachfront walk on the pedestrian promenade. This beautiful walkway is lined with cafés, bars, restaurants and shops and leads all the way from Marmaris to Icmeler.
Where to eat and drink
One big advantage of the shoulder season is that you most likely won't have to make any reservations anymore when going to a restaurant. Most restaurants are located near Netsel Marina and along the beachfront. Nightclubs and bars can be found on aptly named Bar Street.
For authentic Turkish food, you should head to Kircicegi Restaurant. This fine restaurant uses its own recipes and cooking methods and serves a wide variety of kebabs, soups and delicious desserts.
A restaurant that combines both great food and vibrant nightlife is Mad Atilla Mustis. This centrally located and popular place started off as a small café, but has grown into one of the resort's main places for nightly entertainment. In addition to international cuisine, the evening programs often include karaoke, theme nights, belly dancing and folk dancing.
Serious partying can be done at Crazy Daisy Bar & Nightclub, located smack-bang in the middle of the party hub that is Bar Street. This large nightclub there is room for 1,300 people features a terrace with lounges, a lively bar, live DJs, and a new event almost every night of the week. The club is open from 9.00 pm until 4.00 am.
Another popular nighttime destination is Faros Beach Pub. This one is located in the neighborhood of Siteler and, besides pub fare, also has karaoke nights, beach parties and theme nights.
Things to do
One of the greatest places to visit in the region is Dalyan. This resort, an extraordinary combination of natural beauty and historic sites, lies about 80 kilometers southeast of the city centre of Marmaris and is famous for several things. There are great beaches, several stunning lakes and a maze of tree-lined canals and reed-lined rivers. These waterways can be explored by little boats. The Dalyan Delta is an important conservation area and provides a refuge for sea turtles the area is actually world-famous for its Caretta Caretta sea turtles and blue crabs. Both animals can be seen on beautiful Iztuzu Beach, surrounded by saltwater on one side and freshwater on the other. This beach is also appropriately known as Turtle Beach. Tours that run to Dalyan will stop at this beach for a while, so you can go exploring.
Another major highlight in Dalyan is the ancient harbour city of Kaunos. Kaunos was a Carian city in the 4th century BC and has left behind a wealth of ruins and historic sites. Make sure not to miss the spectacular Lycian tombs that are carved into the cliffs at a bend in the Dalyan River. Additionally, the area also has ruins of a terraced temple, theatres, etcetera. It doesn't stop there though. Dalyan has yet another surprise. The resort is also home to famous mud baths, a sulfur pool and thermal springs. These natural spas have attracted visitors for centuries and are said to cure diseases such as rheumatism. There are showers available where you can wash away the mud.
Dalyan and Kaunos are popular destinations on boat trips from Marmaris and strongly recommended. Tours run from May through October, so now is the time to go!
Another place that you should check out is Cennet Island, also known as Paradise Island. This little piece of paradise lies just across Marmaris Bay and is also a much-visited destination on boat trips from the resort. Although it's called an island, it is actually a peninsula, the Nimara Peninsula. The peninsula/island is covered with pine forests and fringed with sandy beaches; a quiet and secluded refuge so close to the hustle and bustle of Marmaris. You can also reach Cennet Island by car it's an eight-kilometer drive. Stop at Fake Straight and continue to the island on foot. There are a few caves on the island, but the most popular activities are walking on the footpaths that lead all across the island, sunbathing, and swimming in the crystal-clear water. Additionally, the area is a popular destination among photographers for its stunning natural beauty.
