Natural High

The Bodrum community is addressing the effects of over-tourism by taking a kinder, gentler approach.

- Feride Yalav-Heckeroth

THERE ARE VERY FEW places inside Six Senses Kaplankaya (doubles from $906) where the Aegean Sea isn't visible. The view of glistening blue water accompanied me from my airy room down the wide corridors and the open stairway that connects the main building's five floors. Along the hotel's waterfront, stone paths extended in both directions, winding past olive, pine, and cypress trees and secluded beaches. I could stop to gaze at the sunset in peaceful solitude, completely surrounded by nature-a rarity along the Bodrum coast.

Sustainability is integral to the philosophy of Six Senses, and its sprawling Bodrum property is an ideal showcase. Everything is designed to decrease the impact on the landscape: the buildings have green roofs; the property has its own composting machine and strict rules about recycling; treated wastewater is used to irrigate the garden. The resort also hosts regular sustainability workshops for guests, which might focus on creating beauty products using ingredients from the hotel's organic garden or making reusable food wraps from beeswax and fabric.

Kaplankaya has six restaurants, all of which use ingredients that come from nearby farms and markets. At Anhinga by OD, chef Osman Sezener uses this bounty in dishes like octopus carpaccio salad or shrimp couscous with leek sauce, pairing them with small-batch wines from throughout Turkey, from Trakya in the southeast to Anatolia in the west. In a resort area known for its glitzy beach clubs and superyachts, I found this commitment to sustainability refreshing.