Bodrum · Turkey · Sand slope
Tavşan Adası
Submerged fragments of ancient Myndus in snorkel-depth water
Photo: M. PINARCI · CC BY-SA 3.0
Tavşan Adası, Rabbit Island, lies off Gümüşlük on the western side of the Bodrum peninsula, close enough to shore that a slippery causeway submerged about a metre deep runs out to it. The bay holds submerged fragments of the ancient city of Myndus at shallow depths within snorkel range, and that is the reason to get in. The island itself has been fenced off for years while excavation continues.
Also known as Rabbit Island.
Where it is and how deep
37.0525° N, 27.2330° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
This is shallow water rather than a dive in the ordinary sense. The island stands just off the Gümüşlük shoreline, linked to it by a slippery causeway submerged about a metre deep that visitors simply wade across, and the ground around it stays within snorkelling range. There is no profile to plan and no depth to manage; the whole interest is what is lying on the bottom.
That interest is archaeological. Excavations of the ancient city of Myndus continue here, and the bay holds submerged fragments of it at shallow depths within snorkel range, so you are finning over worked stone rather than reef. How and when the ruins were inundated is not known. The island itself has been fenced off for years for the ongoing work, so plan the day around the water rather than a landing.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Bodrum: Apr–Oct is the operating season with Jun–Sep warmest; the meltemi can blow hard through midsummer afternoons.
Know before you go
- The causeway out to the island is slippery and only about a metre deep, so wade it carefully rather than trying to swim across it.
- The island is fenced off for ongoing archaeological work and the submerged remains are protected: stay off the structures, take nothing, and check locally before getting in.
Questions divers ask
Can you dive at Tavşan Adası?+
It is snorkel-depth water rather than a deep dive. A slippery causeway submerged about a metre deep links the island to the Gümüşlük shore, and submerged fragments of ancient Myndus lie in the bay within snorkel range. The island itself is fenced off for excavation.
Sources
- Gümüşlük — Wikivoyage
Photo credits
- Clear turquoise water over a pebble shoreline with the small islet of Tavşan Adası visible on the horizon by M. PINARCI, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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