Excursion to Bodrum from Kos
Excursion to Bodrum in Turkey is almost a must for those who choose a holiday in Kos. At the same time, however, there are different opinions on the experience; whether it’s worth it or not to spend a day in Tukey. We will try with this post to put all the information together; so you can have a clearer idea how to organize yourself and decide whether to include the excursion to Bodrum in your holiday on Kos or leave the visit of Turkiye for a separate trip!
The island of Kos is geographically only 4 km away from the Turkish coast and 11 km from the port of Bodrum. Being one of the Greek islands very close to Turkey makes a visit to Bodrum almost mandatory.
ID card or passport to enter Turkey
Identity card or passport. No visa required for some Eu nationalities. Please check here if you require visa on arrival. The port tax is paid together with the ticket. If you book online on various sites that sell ferry tickets, the port tax from 5€ to 7€ is not included and must be paid at check-in at the port!
Ferries and catamarans between Kos and Bodrum
Kos and Bodrum are connected by numerous ferries throughout the year. The shipping companies are both Turkish and Greek and are distinguished:
- Normal ferries takes 1 hour ( Malena from Kos and Dentur Avrasya and Askim Captain from Bodrum with price starting from €20 for a return trip for daily excursion to Bodrum and €40 if you return on another day
- Fast catamarans takes 30 min (Rodon, Tilos travel Sea Star Makri, Appollon from Kos island and Fahri Captain and Yesil Marmaris from Bodrum with prices starting from 25€ as a day trip or 45-50€ for return on different day)
Book your ferry from Kos to Bodrum and return here
Departures are in the morning from 09am to 10am both from Bodrum and from Kos and returns in the afternoon from 4pm to 6pm. It is possible to book the ticket online and collect it at the port before departure. However, advance booking is not necessary in the low season; just arrive at the port 1 hour before and get the tickets directly at the company’s kiosk.
* Ferries and fast boats to Bodrum – Turkey are located in Kos town opposite to hotel Kosta palace hotel in Averoff street. Here you check in, pass the passport control and board your ferry!
*In Bodrum the port are 2:
- one is Old Castle located in city center just in front of the Castle
- or New Cruise port located at the end of Bodrum seaside promenade and beach and walking distance about 1 km from the old town.
You can buy the ferrry ticket for Bodrum on the spot in one of the agencies in Kos or Bodrum.
Daily excursion from Kos to Bodrum
For those who visit Bodrum as a day trip from Kos city, you can leave every morning from 09 to 10 with return from 4-5pm. The time will be limited bearing in mind that document control is necessary both in Greece and in Turkey; so you will have about 4-5 hours in Turkey at your disposal.
What to do in Bodrum in the day?
- Definitely a tour of the old city behind the walls of the Castle of the Knights full of souvenir and clothing shops. In addition to the busiest streets, Bodrum has many narrow streets between houses decorated with mandarin, lemon trees and bougainvilleas where it is worth simply getting lost.
- Along the Neyzen Caddessi you can take a stroll towards the Marina gallery with more exclusive shops and stop to eat the Liman Kofte – beef and lamb meatballs . You will certainly have time to visit the Castle of the Knights which houses the Archaeological Museum of the Sea, while the remains of the Mausoleum are about 15 minutes walk from the port; the Mausoleum doesn’t exist anymore.
- Tuesday and Friday are market days in Bodrum; on Tuesday you can visit the clothing market, while on Friday the food market.
Useful tips for a daily excursion to Bodrum
- Do you need to change Euros into Turkish Liras? No. You can pay everything in Euros, Pounds or by credit card. Museums; for those who want to visit the Castle they only accept local currency or credit cards.
- Bargaining on the price? Yes, always in the old town and market shops except where you see the prices displayed. (Those are normal shops with fixed prices; anyway you’ll notice the difference!) It is advisable to check the prices on the menu in the restaurants and especially if you decide to go for fish, ask for the price in advance.
- Do they serve alcohol in Bodrum? Absolutely yes! The local beers such as Efes are excellent.
- Is it hot and can you take a bath? Bodrum is a large city and being on the mainland it is not exposed to the wind like the Greek islands. Temperatures can therefore well exceed 40 degrees. Bodrum town has the beach behind the Castle; it is the public beach with sunbeds and umbrellas. But the beautiful sea of Bodrum can be discovered by gulet or boats; so if on a day trip the possibilities are limited!
Custom limits
You can bring purchases up to €430 per person (anyway for clothing and souvenirs the customs don’t ask for receipts if are not objects of particular value). Beware of cigarettes and spirits limits from the Duty Free shop; it is allowed to bring 1l of spirits and only 2 packets od cigarettes if you ar travelling to Kos!!!
Is it worth going on a daily excursion to Bodrum from Kos?
Surely yes, but taking into account the heat, the waiting tim at customs and the limited time that will not give you the opportunity to enjoy the essence of this city. So, if you have the chance to spend a night in Bodrum during your Kos holiday you will surely taste another Bodrum, a glamorous city that never sleeps.
Spend a night in Bodrum
If you spend one night in Bodrum, we recommend booking a hotel in the port area; in one of the internal streets at the right distance from the nightlife (if you want to sleep for a few hours).
Gurup 3* direct at the port (check details and price here)
Marina Vista 4* direct at the port (check details and price here)
Kos is certainly the island that offers many holiday possibilities. Together with excursions to the neighboring Greek islands, Bodrum and its surroundings is certainly an interesting possibility to discover a piece of Turkey on the Aegean Sea.
