KatieePalmerr wrote:

do they let you go off though and do your own thing or do you have to stay with a guide?

I think you are confused and are imagining it as a day trip organised by a tour operator. It isn't, it's a public ferry going back and forth, just a method of transport, that's why if you read back earlier in the thread people are moaning about how packed it was.

also how long do you get in marmaris?

depends what boat you get each way,as said above,again,they're public ferries with multiple crossing times depending what one you go with,you can go for the day,all day,overnight,a week,one-way only,same as going to france from dover,whatever you like,the only way you'll get the times etc is to contact one of the agents or boat companies though as it's impossible to say. If you book with a tour operator all they're doing is arranging your tickets etc,not providing the boat.

Here's quite a good example of one of the Rhodes/Marmaris ferry timetables, with days, times and fares:

HERE

or

HERE

We went on one of the "flying dolphins" from Rhodes to Marmaris one August around 20yrs or so ago from Mandraki harbour and had a really great day wandering around the town and clocking all the wooden gulets.

We went back a few years later for a weeks holiday and often took the dolmus into Icmeler and returned by the small water taxi. I bet it's changed a bit now but I remember shopping for "Gucci" watches and they were a fab price

Shell
Limassol, Cyprus

A couple of people have mentioned going to Datca instead of Marmaris. Datca is the other end of the spectrum, it is a traditional Turkish harbour resort and tiny in comparison to Marmaris. It has a very good Saturday market, a few nice shops and some fab restaurants with very little or no hassle. If you want to take time out from your visit there are some nearby beaches to relax on. Or you could get a taxi to take you to the ancient remains of Knidos. It takes just under an hour over spectacular mountains and small villages with the most amazing sea views. The taxi will wait about 2 hours for you and then bring you back to the town for around 100 lira (just less than 40 pounds). For me it is so much nicer than Marmaris. I'm not sure how often the ferry visits from Rhodes but there is a Saturday ferry from Symi during the high season. There are no carpet or Turkish delight factories to worry about.

Yes, I expect that even after all these years your Gucci watch still shows the right time twice a day

Yes, I expect that even after all these years your Gucci watch still shows the right time twice a day

My "Gucci" watch ran for many years and had numerous battery replacements.

In fact it was the strap that went before the watch. Then it was more expensive to get a new watchstrap! It's now buried at the bottom of the drawer with all my other dead watches. I'm a bit of a "holic" when it comes to watches

Shell
Limassol, Cyprus

We always head for the trainer shops and trawl through them all looking for the 'better' copies,the shelf prices are about the same as the real thing in the UK so you'd be a mug to pay it but if you do the customary haggle you'll get them right down to under a tenner for pretty decent ones,some of them are actually rejects from the genuine factories,or are simply made in the same factories as 'side' orders off the books that then get bought in bulk by the Turks,mostly in Romania. Still can't get the elusive nike air rifts though,so it's ebay all the way for them.

If you come out of the main covered bazaar at the entrance that has the attended public toilets and walk past the phone booths near the fountain on the pedestrianised square,there's some really good clothes shops,more your 'boutique' stores than the pile-em-high style of the bazaar,they always have 'indirim' (sale) written in the windows,and i tell you what,if their designer gear is fake then i've yet to come across anyone that can tell the difference,whereas the fakes in the bazaar usually fade or go out of shape pretty soon.

There's a good perfume shop in the bazaar,next to 'del boys' jeans(i kid you not),haggle as always,i bought some 212MEN the other day for 10 euros that is 35 euros in rhodes town and i'm convinced it's 100% real,even down to the bottle and magnetic lid etc,smells identical aswell.