Hidden away at what is named ‘Uçurtma beach’ on google maps (address: Marmaris Adaköy Yolu 1 48700 Marmaris Muğla), Gaias was easy to find but only because we knew where to look. The address currently shown on Instagram produces no google map results, and the pin pointed location on Facebook is not the correct place. To get here you will need to arrive by car/bike as it is not within walking distance of Marmaris centre, however it is 100% worth the journey as it is absolutely gorgeous. There is a large amount of room for parking in the front but you can also get dropped off here if you want to enjoy a drink. We rang ahead to let them know we were coming which we would recommend doing because we could see how it could get very full quite fast.
Upon arrival we were greeted by a large tent with a dream catcher hanging from the top, as we went through we found the the place to be spotless and the decor gave a perfect beach club vibe. We talked with the staff inside, all of whom were wearing masks and they took our temperatures before leading us to our sun-beds outside. We walked down a decked area onto a man made beach where the sun beds were placed a safe distance apart. The staff also put a removable covering onto the beds so that you know you aren’t lying where someone else has just been and hand sanitiser was placed on every table.
The policy here is you have to spend 60TL (currently less than £8) to occupy a sun-bed however if you’re planning on staying a while and buying food and drinks this should not be a problem. Again all the decor outside is a perfect fit and you can tell a lot of time and effort has gone into making this place feel upmarket and relaxing. The canopy above is beautifully designed but does not offer full protection from the sun, the breeze from the sea meant we were sitting in a comfortable temperature but we still had to take extra care that we did not get burnt. We walked down the beach where there is a ledge and stairs down into the sea. The sea was crystal clear, clean and very refreshing in the summer heat. There was also one changing room outside, an open shower for washing off the sea water and a smaller tap for washing your feet. The bathrooms were back inside and I found them to be very clean and fully equipped.
We decided we wanted to order drinks and found that the menu was viewed by scanning a QR code. We weren’t sure what this entailed but a staff member showed us, after putting their WiFi password into our smartphones he opened up the camera and it automatically gave us the menu. No app downloading required. We decided on water and banana and strawberry smoothies. Unfortunately when it arrived it was more like a milkshake and was very frothy, so not the healthy option we had expected. The flavour was okay but I would have enjoyed it much more if there was more fruit in.
Whilst music was playing the whole time we were there, at some point the DJ took over. He played a nice mix of summery English, Turkish and remixed classics that really fit in with the atmosphere of the place. After swimming and relaxing we decided we were hungry and we ordered some food. As our Turkish speaking friend had left, there was a little confusion when we were ordering food in English. After being passed between a few people, the gentleman that had put our WiFi passwords in took our order and understood us first try. We ordered chicken Caesar salads, chips and a Margherita pizza. The food took enough time that we could tell it had been prepared fresh but not so long that we were sitting hungry. When it arrived we were happy with the portion size, the food is a little pricier than you may find elsewhere but understandable for the location. The salad came with a huge amount of grilled chicken in strips on top of lettuce tossed in the perfect amount of dressing. Our chips were steak cut and cooked well and the pizza was thin crust and probably around 10″, there was also ketchup, mayo and mustard for dipping. We thoroughly enjoyed our food.
As the afternoon drew on the place got busier and busier and we were the only non Turkish people there but we believe that to be because of the current global situation. We left around 4:30pm as we had to be elsewhere, however I could have stayed there and relaxed all day, the beds were comfortable, the view was beautiful and it was just the right temperature with the sea breeze.
