Cunda Island Island

Address: Cunda Island (Alibey Adası), Ayvalık district, Balıkesir Province, Turkey

Admission: Free (island).

Cunda Island, also known as Alibey Island, is the largest of the Ayvalık islands off the Aegean coast of Turkey in Balıkesir Province. The island hosts a compact town with traditional stone houses, narrow streets and a port front facing the Aegean Sea.

The island is popular for coastal promenades, seafood restaurants and historic architecture that reflects the island’s Greek Orthodox heritage and later Turkish settlement. Visitors commonly explore the seafront, small harbours and local churches and mosques that form the town centre.

Historically the island had a significant Greek population before the early 20th century population exchanges and later demographic changes; many buildings show the architectural legacy of that period and some former churches have been repurposed.

Geographically Cunda Island lies off the western Turkish coast near the town of Ayvalık in Balıkesir Province and is connected to the mainland by a short causeway and bridge.

• Connection to mainland: Connected to the mainland by a causeway and bridge, the island is accessible by road from the coastal town of Ayvalık.
• Historic architecture: The settlement retains many stone houses and narrow streets that reflect a mixed Greek and Turkish architectural heritage.

Cunda Island (Alibey Adası) in the Ayvalık district is connected to the mainland by a short causeway/bridge from Ayvalık. From Ayvalık town center it’s a very short drive or walk across the causeway; regular intercity buses serve Ayvalık from İzmir and Balıkesir, and from Ayvalık you can take a local taxi or walk onto the island.

• Cross from Ayvalık via the Cunda (Alibey) causeway/bridge rather than waiting for a ferry - road access makes it easy to reach the island by car or dolmuş from Ayvalık.
• Plan to be there for late afternoon and sunset when the seafront and old stone houses are at their most atmospheric; mornings also tend to be quieter than mid-afternoon in summer.
• Explore away from the main waterfront: narrow lanes, small chapels and inland olive groves on the island give a much quieter glimpse of local life that many day-trippers miss.