Our trip to Datça was in the summer of 2023, as getting there is a bit more challenging and the distance is farther than other Muğla holiday destinations. However, once we arrived, we regretted not having discovered it sooner. Datça is a charming town with both operated and unoperated coves (bays) and various dining options to suit different budgets. I highly recommend visiting at least once during a summer holiday. 

We visited in the last week of August. The heat wasn’t overwhelming, but the town was crowded. Summer months are generally busy in all holiday resorts. They say it’s even nicer in spring and autumn. 

We stayed for five nights. Honestly, anything less might not be enough. If you wish to stay longer, that's up to your preference. 

We stayed at a charming boutique hotel in the center of Datça because we preferred to be within walking distance of dining options. Alternatively, you can stay in Eski Datça, which has boutique hotels and guesthouses, Kargı, which is a 10-minute drive from Datça, or in the more distant bays of Ovabükü and Palamutbükü. Palamutbükü, in particular, is a bay with ample social amenities and a wide selection of cafes and restaurants. On the days we chose this bay for swimming, we had the chance to try some cafes and enjoyed them. 

On our first day, we chose to explore Palamutbükü bay due to its long beach and variety of options. Along the shore, there are restaurants, cafes, and bars, nearly all of which have umbrellas and sunbeds. These come with a spending limit rather than an extra fee. We opted for Sarıhoş Restaurant, a casual spot with just three umbrellas on a platform over the water. The beach at Palamutbükü, and in Datça generally, is pebbly at the entrance, so we wore water shoes. We were lucky to find a spot with two sunbeds at Sarıhoş and spent the day there, enjoying the restaurant as well. I can say that I tasted the best stuffed zucchini flowers I’ve ever had there. We had a wonderful day by the sea, enjoying delicious mezes at a seaside table. The prices were very reasonable.

On another day, we used the beach at Aylin Ahşap Evler & Restaurant in Palamutbükü, which has its own parking area. The sea here also has a pebbly entrance. Although we weren’t impressed with the lunch, we were generally satisfied with the experience.

Mesudiye Village in Datça consists of three bays: Kızılbük, Hayıtbükü, and Ovabükü. We preferred swimming in Kızılbük as it was our favorite. You pass through Hayıtbükü on the way to this bay. Kızılbük is a peaceful spot where green and blue blend beautifully. The only establishment/accommodation here is called Gabaklar, so it’s also known as Gabaklar Bay. We're not sure if it was due to the end of August or if it's typical, but while the sea was calm in the morning, it became incredibly wavy and windy in the afternoon, with waves even reaching the front sunbeds. At Gabaklar Restaurant, the use of sunbeds and umbrellas is free with a spending limit. The mezes and drinks we had were generally good, with a rich menu. Prices were neither too high nor low. We were overall satisfied. If you use the platform over the water, you won’t encounter stones, as you avoid entering from the shore. 

Eski Datça has a charming atmosphere with its stone houses, stone streets, boutique hotels, and cafes. We chose to explore it in the late afternoon. There were numerous stalls in the streets selling souvenirs, jewelry, hair accessories, and handmade items. Music could be heard from nearby cafes and bars. For dinner, we chose Zada Meyhane, swayed by online reviews, but we were not satisfied and wouldn’t recommend it. Overall, Eski Datça’s streets are enjoyable and ideal for photos. However, it gets very crowded in the evening, so walking through the streets can be challenging. 

If you enjoy exploring ancient cities like we do, adding an ancient city tour to your beach vacation can be a pleasant break. However, the road to this ancient city is in poor condition, with narrow sections and sharp turns that sometimes only allow space for one vehicle, despite being a two-way road. Additionally, touring an ancient city in the summer heat can be exhausting. There weren’t many ruins to see, so we didn’t particularly enjoy this ancient site. 

Day-trip boat tours in Datça generally start around 10 a.m. The starting point for these tours is near the Datça Port Authority. At each boat, there are staff members who can assist with reservations and provide pricing information. The lunch fee is included in the tour price, with options for either meatballs or fish, accompanied by pasta and salad. Drinks, however, are charged separately. Each boat may visit different coves, though there are common ones most tours include. Datça day-trip tours typically visit 4 or 5 coves. If you wish to explore more coves, you would need to opt for an overnight boat tour. Popular stops include Kargı Bay, Akvaryum Bay, and Domuzbükü, which are accessible by sea. 

In Datça center, there are many restaurants along the sandy part of the beach that set up tables directly on the sand. You can find general reviews for all of them online. While almost all have price lists on their signs, some items are missing prices. Unfortunately, if you’re a party of two, you won’t be seated at the tables closest to the sea—those are reserved for larger groups. Generally, the food and mezes aren’t very tasty, and prices are significantly higher than at restaurants not on the sandy area. We tried Maradona Restaurant but were not very satisfied.

Around the sandy area, there are stalls selling souvenirs, jewelry/accessories, and other items from street vendors.

For us, the best restaurant in the center was Meyhane Datça. We even considered returning to Datça just to dine there again. I recommend making a reservation before going. The menu focuses on red meat dishes, and while it might seem geographically unusual, I had the best stuffed meatballs I’ve ever tried here. Additionally, there’s a reasonably priced mezze plate with five unique daily mezes that are unlike the standard mezes found elsewhere. The restaurant has a lovely garden with bougainvillea, white tables and chairs, and very polite staff. Highly recommended.

We also wanted to experience a vineyard, so we visited Datça Vineyard. It’s a charming, windmill-style venue located along the road, just a short drive from the center. We tried red wine and sweet white wine, along with a pizza and cheese plate, though it wasn’t very filling. Perhaps because it was late August, it was very windy, and without an indoor area, sitting outside wasn’t ideal. The red wine was bitter, not smooth, and overly acidic. In the vineyards around Tekirdağ, we’ve enjoyed much better wines, so we felt that this region’s popularity is more about its tourist appeal than the quality of the wine. If you plan to go, we recommend booking ahead and visiting in the evening during July.

For a dessert after dinner, you can try Tekin Usta, Datça’s most famous ice cream shop, often with lines outside. It wasn’t crowded when we went. If you’re looking for live music, a few bars in the center offer entertainment. Based on cocktails, music, staff, and pricing, we recommend Coop Live and Yalıgıyı.

When leaving Datça, there are several places where you can purchase local products, such as different herbs (including thyme), dried strawberries, the famous Datça almonds, almond cookies, honey, olive oil, and colognes. We did a large shopping run at Datça Köy Ürünleri, which also offers online sales. We were pleased with the taste and quality of the products, though the staff were quite indifferent, as if they had no interest in selling anything.