Bonjuk Bay and community is founded by Mehmet Mahruki (Memo), who spent most of his life traveling and living around the world exploring different places, enjoying variety of cultures, and seeking new experiences. His first experience at Burning Man in 2008 inspired him to question if the open-hearted, non-judgmental and collaborative mindset in this temporary city in the middle of the desert can be experienced in our daily lives.

On a rainy October day in 2014, Memo started exploring the surroundings of the beach where he goes for kitesurfing in south of Turkey, following a curvy road that eventually led him to a beautiful secluded bay off the beaten path. Looking at the breathtaking view of the bay from the top, here is how he explains what he felt that moment in his own words: 

“When I saw this place instantly I had a vision and felt that this was the place where I could plant the seeds of a utopian community I was dreaming of. After many years of input, collecting variety of experiences and beautiful souls as friends in my life, I knew that the time has come to give my real output to this world. My intention was to live a more meaningful life with a purpose, as well as helping others to open their hearts, connect with their authentic selves and transform themselves.” 

Boncuk, which means “bead” in Turkish, is the official name of this beautiful bay surrounded by lush green forest opening to turquoise waters of the Aegean sea in Gokova (southwest of Turkey). The bay gets its name from the colorful pebbles on its shores. By adding a little twist into this name, the name of our community “Bonjuk” was born.