Weather lowdown
September begins to cool down ever so slightly in Marmaris, although it remains rain-free and extremely warm. After having received the enormous July and August crowds, the resort slowly gets quieter in the course of the month. The temperatures still reach highs of 31°C in the afternoon and don't drop below 17°C at night. September 1 is the warmest day of the month with an average daily high of 31°C; by September 30 those daily highs have decreased to a still very pleasant 28°C. Daily lows, nighttime temperatures in other words, start the month at 21°C on September 1 and range around 17°C on the last day of the month. High peaks of 34°C and low drops to 14°C only occur on one day out of ten. The average daily temperature in September is 24°C and the temperature of the sea averages 25°C. September's sea temperatures are the second-warmest of the year; only August is warmer.
The sun still shines for 11 hours a day, so you will still be able to spend a lot of time on the beaches. This is already a lot less than the previous months: July had 14 hours of sunshine, and June and August both had 13. No complaints though, because December, January and February all have only 7 hours of sunshine. The length of the days decreases throughout the month. The longest day is September 1 with 12.56 hours of daylight, while September 30 has a total of 11.50 hours of daylight. This 1.07-hour decrease in the course of the month means that each day is 2.2 minutes shorter than the previous one.
However, with an average of about 11.30 hours of daylight and an average of 11 hour of sunshine, the days in September are still extremely sunny and warm. Cloud cover is 17% in the beginning of the month and increases towards 31% near the end. This doesn't mean that the sky is overcast for, say, 17% of the day though; it just means that, on average, 17% of the sky is filled with clouds, which will be mostly white cotton-ball clouds.
Less cloud cover, of course, means little precipitation. September has eight days of rainfall, significantly more than the previous summer months. The total amount of precipitation is 25mm, which is not that much, but still a large increase since the 8mm-total of August, the driest month of the year. Looking at the other opposite, 290mm of rainfall in December, we can conclude that September still is a comfortably dry month. However, rainfall increases greatly in the course of the month. Precipitation is least likely on September 1, with only a 7% chance. By the end of the month, September 30, that chance has increased to 16%. In September you will most likely experience rainfall in the form of thunderstorms. They occur on 68% of the days of rainfall and are most likely to happen on September 30. The second common type of rainfall is light rain, occurring on 28% of precipitation days. These chances, however, are still relatively low and September is still a comfortably dry, warm and sunny month.
Where to stay
A fantastic place to stay is Casa de Maris. This five-star 'Spa & Resort Hotel' is located in the resort's neighborhood of Siteler, about ten meters from the beach. The hotel has 190 rooms, five restaurants, a lobby bar, beach bar and pool bar, a pastry shop, a beach snack bar and a wellness centre.
The Green Nature Resort & Spa is, as its name suggests, not located next to a beach. Instead, it is surrounded by beautiful pine forest. However, the beach still is only 500 meters away. This huge five-star hotel has no less than 630 rooms and an incredible array of amenities. It even has its own little waterpark, including two swimming pools, two kids' pools, an indoor pool and waterslides. Other amenities are Turkish baths, saunas, Jacuzzis and a spa; a fitness centre; tennis, mini-football, basketball and volley courts; laundry service; internet café; two restaurants; five bars; a gift shop; bowling alley; games room; three meeting rooms; and hairdresser and a doctor on call. During the day, kids (4-12 years old) can enjoy animation programs and a mini-club, while in the evening, the adults are entertained with comedy and sketch shows and belly dancing performances.
Hit the beach
Turunc is not the only place with a great beach in the area. Marmaris itself even has two: the small Folk Beach and the appropriately named 10-kilometer-long Long Beach (or Uzunyali Beach). These beaches lie in the middle of the resort and are lined with a superb pedestrian promenade. During the day you'll find plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops where you can buy refreshments and sunglasses, while in the evening the beachfront turns into a bustling centre of nightlife.
Other excellent beaches in the area can be found in Icmeler, with its perfect golden sand beach and fantastic water sports, and on Paradise Island and Sedir Island.
Where to eat and drink
There are more evening activities on offer in the resort besides Talk of the Town. September still receives fairly large crowds of people and entertainment and food can be found on every corner. Another great night out, also including dinner and drinks, is a Turkish Night. During the day, authentic (street) food can be enjoyed at one of the area's weekly markets. The Grand Bazaar is by far the largest market in the area; for smaller and cozier markets you should check out the Tuesday market in Armutalan, the Wednesday market in Icmeler or the Thursday market right here in Marmaris.
A good option nearby is Chef Restaurant. There are actually two of them, both located in Icmeler. These restaurants were established by two brothers and serve a wide range of food, from Turkish and international cuisine to great seafood and even aphrodisiac meals.
In the resort itself, in front of beautiful Marmaris Castle, you can enjoy traditional Turkish and British meals in Amigos Restaurant. It has a relaxed atmosphere and is aimed at families with kids. Fun extras include free Wi-Fi and a Playstation 3.
Things to do
Since the weather is still this great, it may be a good time to explore some of the surrounding beaches. A strongly recommended area to visit in September is Turunc. This village lies about 20 kilometers from Marmaris, sheltered snuggly in a picturesque bay, and is a popular beach resort as well. Although Turunc has expanded somewhat over the years, it does manage to keep the atmosphere of a charming fishing village. It has a Blue Flag beach, meaning that it's in great ecological shape. The drive from Marmaris to Turunc takes about a half hour and leads through woods, over hills and along the gorgeous Marmaris Gulf. The village is squeezed between beautiful rolling hills covered with pines and fruit trees, such as orange, pomegranate, plum and fig, and a green and azure blue Mediterranean Sea. By the way, Turunc means 'sour orange' in Turkish, referring to the abundance of sour orange trees. Another way to get there is by boat, as Turunc is also a massively popular stop on boat trips.
After an activity- and/or sun-filled day you may want to sit back and relax in the evening. A great suggestion is going to one of Marmaris' most popular and famous entertainment shows: Talk of the Town. Talk of the Town is a cabaret that has been running for years in the resort's centre.
