Ovacik Beach, Cesme
The verdict
- Best for: Sunset lovers and value minded beachgoers who want a long west facing beach where the free evening show is the main event, with the choice of a paid club daybed or a free patch of open sand.
- Best spot: The northern white sand for the gentlest swim, or any free stretch away from the clubs for the sunset, with Before Sunset Beach the splurge if you want a serviced daybed for the evening.
- Know this: Ovacik is long, so the famous sunset costs nothing from the open sand, while the clubs charge for the front row. The south end turns to pebble and rock and the afternoon breeze can pick up, so pick your spot to match.
Published 1 February 2026. Last reviewed 1 May 2026
Ovacik, often called Sunset Beach, is the long west facing strand a short drive south of Cesme town, and its headline act is free. The beach faces the evening sun, so the sunset here is genuinely special, and the best news for anyone watching the budget is that the open public sand gives you the same view as the daybeds for nothing. Over a kilometre of beach means there is room to find your own patch.
The value play is simple. Spread a towel on the free open sand, bring your own water and shade, and you have a long beach and a famous sunset for the price of the drive. If you want comfort, two upscale beach clubs, Before Sunset Beach in the Azmak bay and Boheme Beach beside it, sell serviced daybeds, food and the evening party, which is the splurge rather than the necessity. Knowing both options sit on the same sand is the whole trick.
The honest caveats are the shore and the wind. The lovely soft sand is at the northern end, while the south turns to shale, pebble and rock, so choose where you settle and pack water shoes if you wander down. Being west and south west facing, the beach can catch an afternoon breeze and a little swell, so mornings are calmest for a swim and evenings are for the light. For a calmer family swim, the sheltered bays at Boyalik and Ilica are the gentler choice.
Clubs on this beach
Ovacik has a free public beach alongside two upscale beach clubs, so you can pay for a serviced daybed or settle on open sand for nothing. We describe each option honestly and route enquiries through our directory.
Before Sunset Beach
An upscale club in the Azmak bay of Ovacik with a large run of sunbeds, a restaurant and a name built on its sunset sessions, with a few bungalows on site to be confirmed. Verdict: the splurge for a serviced evening on the sand, worth it if the sunset party is the point, skippable if you only want the view, which is free from the open beach.
Boheme Beach
A neighbouring club known for its decor, sandy frontage and happy hour, sitting right beside Before Sunset on the same stretch. Verdict: a pleasant serviced day with a livelier evening lean, and like its neighbour a paid comfort rather than a must, since the same sand and sunset are free a short walk along the beach.
Ovacik lies about eight and a half kilometres south of Cesme town, roughly a fifteen minute drive on the fast road through the tunnel, so a taxi or hire car is the simplest way to arrive, and the cheaper dolmus minibuses also serve the route in season. Parking is easier than at the town beaches, though the club sections can fill on peak evenings.
If you are keeping costs down, bring water, snacks and your own shade for the free sand, and treat the clubs as an optional evening splurge rather than the only way in. It is roughly an hour and a quarter from Izmir Adnan Menderes airport. Arrive in the late afternoon for the sunset, but note the strong Aegean sun earlier means a hat and water still matter.
Reserve a day at Ovacik Beach
Tell us your date and party and we will point you to the right beach and club options across Cesme, whether you want a serviced sunset daybed at Ovacik or a quiet free patch of open sand. No charge to enquire.
Common questions
Why is Ovacik called Sunset Beach in Cesme?
Because it faces west and south west, so the evening sun drops right over the sea in front of the beach, which makes the sunset the headline draw. The best part for a budget is that the same sunset is free from the open public sand, not just from the paid club daybeds.
Is Ovacik beach free or do you pay?
Both options exist on the same beach. There is free open public sand alongside two paid beach clubs, so you can spread a towel for nothing or hire a serviced daybed at Before Sunset Beach or Boheme Beach. The view and the sunset are the same either way.
Which beach clubs are at Ovacik?
Two upscale clubs anchor the bay, Before Sunset Beach in the Azmak bay, known for its sunset sessions and restaurant, and Boheme Beach beside it, known for its decor and happy hour. Daybed rates and any minimum spend change by season and are to be confirmed.
Is Ovacik beach good for swimming and families?
The northern end has soft white sand and is the gentler choice, while the south turns to pebble and rock and the open beach can catch an afternoon breeze. For a calmer family swim the sheltered bays at Boyalik and Ilica are easier. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed.
How do you get to Ovacik from Cesme town?
It is about eight and a half kilometres south, roughly a fifteen minute drive on the fast road through the tunnel, with cheaper dolmus minibuses also serving the route in season. Parking is easier than at the town beaches, and it is about an hour and a quarter from Izmir airport.
