You will find the Cesme peninsula about way down the Aegean coast of Turkey at its most western point. It is less than 1 Hours drive from the City of Izmir and Adanan Menderes International Airport.

Cesme is renowned for Thermal Spa's, Blue Seas and Golden Beaches, which range from crowded to remote and secluded. There are about 20 of them spread around the peninsular so transport is necessary to get to any of them. One option is to use one of the many the public "Dolmus" (Mini bus) services or just take Taxi. You could also hire a Car or Motorcycle for the day too and explore the peninsular at your own pace and convenience.

Cesme town itself is a "compact" and "bustling" collection of Souvenir, Leather, Carpet, Clothing, Footwear and Jewelry stores punctuated by Bars, Disco's Bistro's, Restaurants, Coffeehouse's and Ice Cream stalls. There are also a fair number of Pharmacies (Eczani) around so you can take on extra supplies of Sun Tan oils or After Sun Balm in case you happen to "overdo it" in the first few days of your vacation.

The central waterfront of Cesme stretches from the yacht harbor to the south and a public beach to the north with the Castle taking center stage. It is mainly a collection of hostelries and Travel Agencies but you also find there the PTT, the Tourist Information Center, the Ferry Port for day trips to the island of Chios and in case of Emergency a Tourist Police Station.

A casual visitor should have little trouble finding accommodation, Cesme boasts over 10,000 Tourist Hotel beds, ranging from small and friendly Pensions to 5 Star Luxury Hotels or Holiday Villages, something to match every budget. One good starting point for accommodation is the Tourist Information Center another is to surf inside this site and work out your own arrangements. There are plenty of Travel Agencies in Cesme who are ready and willing to help. Another option is of course the ubiquitous Taxi drivers who always "Have a friend." Finally for the really adventurous ones amongst you, the, walk the streets and ask, method works well too.

ALAÇATI

Turkey's Aegean shores are among the most fascinating and beautiful stretches in the country. The magnificent coastline, lapped by the clear water of the Aegean Sea, with landscapes of cultivated fields of aniseed, sesame and artichokes dotted with fig and gum trees, will guide you to discover one of the world's greatest windsurfing destinations in Alaçati bay on the Cesme peninsula.

With its 1.8 kms width, over 5 kms depth, crystal clear waters, azure blue skies, consistent and steady winds, topography and location Alacati is an ideal windsurfing spot in Europe. Both, the very shape of the bay and the thermal water pressures, create steady and consistent winds blowing side-shore from North to South (Poyraz) in summer and from South to North (Lodos) in winter months. First time windsurfers love the place as the waist-deep and sand covered shallow water area extends for 500 meters from shore into the bay creating perfect conditions for beginners of all ages. Easy recovery from falls adds a new dimension to both teaching and learning to windsurf.

Consistent steady winds, combined with the best equipment ready and all rigged up steps away from the water is also an opportunity for speed or wave lovers not to miss. In summer, the North wind creates perfect conditions for flat-water high-speed windsurfing, whereas in winter the South wind creates waves steady enough even to please the big wave-funs. As the coastal plain enjoys an exceptionally mild climate, with soft, verdant springs, hot summers, sunny autumns and warm winters marked by occasional showers. For windsurfing and sun-bathing summer months are ideal, but as the Aegean provides a perfect escapes from rigors of a northern winter even in January and February with mild sunny and pleasant days, wave lovers prefer to visit Alaçati in winter to mix and match their Xmas holidays with windsurfing.

Playing Field of the Wind
As you speed along İzmir-Çeşme expressway your eyes are suddenly struck by a vista of modern windmills with their huge white wings reaching to the sky above.Further along come some ancient time-worn windmills built of stone with their naked wooden appendages,and you sense the cool,salty fragrance of the sea then you can be sure that you have arrived at Alaçatı. At Alaçatı you are confronted with two very trying choices.Either you join the antics of the windsurfs of every imaginable color riding the deep blue waters or you delve into the colorful streets flavored with Anatolian culture under the shade of the time-worn windmills.It is very likely that the decision will be taken from your hands by the sun rising steeply in the sky overhead.And then,all of sudden,you will find you are on the road to Alaçatı cove with its petite boat basin.

Alaçatı cove is one of innumerable coves to be found along the Aegean coastline.However,two very special features of this cove render it a windsurfer's heaven. One of these is the ceaseless wind.The other is the depth of the sea which does not exceed one and a half metres,and extends as such out as far as sixty or seventy metres from the shore. Piri Reis ,known in Turkish history for his cartography and seamanship,writes in his "Kitab-ı Bahriye" (The book of Navigation) that "the sea in the port of Alaçatı is like a wafer"And what he meant by that was that the sea was quite calm.That is,despite all the wind,the height of the waves in the cove does not rise to a level disturbing to the surfers.

The wind at Alaçatı blows in from the north throughout the summer months at a velocity of between 15 - 25 knots. During the windy season from May to October one may encounter windsurfers from every corner of the globe here.There are those who come with their caravans or tents and spend the whole season as well as those who just stop over for the competitions. These aficionados of the wind and sea are accommodated at two schools of surfing on the shore and at the hotel and pensions located both at the cove and in Alaçatı itself. Alaçatı cove with its depth of less than a metre and a half is a fine learning environment for novice surfers.It is because of these qualities that the cove is so desirable both for master and novice surfers.You will encounter the youthful master surfing here with his young novice sibling or with his girlfriend.The shallow waters provide support for the novices,while the blustering summer winds provide sport for the masters. The cove,in which many national and international competitions are held,is at the same time a fine locale just for practice.