Just outside Bodrum harbor lies the small bay of Bardakci, the local Turkish expression for water seller. Perhaps the modern name for this small bay derives from Bardakci's claim as the site of the Ancient fountain of Salmacis. Legend has it that here, in a clear pool; Hermaphrodites became so enamoured of his own reflection that the nymph of the pool joined their bodies in one forever, the Hermaphrodite.

Today Bardakci features luxury hotels, small pensions and varied seaside restaurants surrounding a sandy beach. A popular stop for the local daily boats Bardakci is only a few minutes walk over the hill between the marina and Gumbet.