Adventure Sailing in Turkey!

SAMPLE 10 DAY TURKEY SAILING ITINERARY

Exploring the Turquoise Coast of Turkey:
Fethiye to Keci Buku
Sample 1 week itinerary

Please note that this is not a fixed itinerary; one of our greatest advantages on a sailboat is the ability to be flexible; to modify our route according to personal preferences, prevailing wind conditions, etc. There are some extra stops that we may be able to add if the weather is good; some that we will have to miss if it is not. We will for sure be there at the start and finish points—all else is changeable according to the whims of those on board and the wind gods!

Day One

Your yacht will be awaiting you at 11am in Keci Buku - 30mins drive from the main town of Marmaris. A wonderful contrast to the buzzing metropolis, Keci Buku is described as a "gem" in the Turkish Waters Pilot - and it truly is. A wide, sweeping bay surrounded by pine forests, with a fascinating old fortress perched on the top of an island guarding the entrance; a view which is well worth the scramble up!

After having gotten everyone settled in, we'll set off for our first destination of Dirsek - an even quieter, very pretty little bay, with just one taverna nestled in a corner. Wonderful swimming, great chillout spot; and a shortish sail on the first day to get everyone's sealegs working !

Day Two

Enough of the quiet, relaxing evenings to recover from jetlag - tonight, we are heading for a night of belly-dancing ! We'll be heading for Bozburun; usually very leisurely sail around the corner. Bozburun is a small, very traditional Turkish town; full of gulets (wooden motor sailors), but not many yachts, and certainly not many tourists. A great discovery of last year (2000) for us was a family-run pension/restaurant right on the waterfront, just outside the town; their little wooden jetty seemed purpose-built to fit our yachts, and the family delightfully warm and friendly. It is a shady, tranquil little spot to hang out in - and we even get to borrow their fun kayaks plus a windsurfer or two to go explore the bay in! Most importantly of all is the evening's entertainment - for our groups, they will invite along local friends who play traditional Turkish music - and even a belly-dancer to teach us all how it is done !

Day Three

Sail to Boyuk Buku, usually a gentle, relaxing downwind leg of around 2-3hrs. Boyuk Buku is scenically a total contrast to the other places we visit - the softer, pine-forested hills suddenly change into dramatically towering cliffs, arid and desolate as any desert. The ancient city of Lorimer used to be situated here, and the fortress walls which surrounded the entire bay can still be seen. Great for hiking, amazing views.

Day Four

A fairly early am departure, and 4-5 hour sail to Eckincek. This is a beautiful, pine-clad bay, the scenery is just stunning. The restaurant overlooking our anchorage has totally most spectacular views; one of the few somewhat "upmarket" spots we sometimes visit on our travels. It is also the place to anchor whilst visiting the famous Lycian cliff tombs, mud baths, etc of the Dalyan River.

Day Five

For those who would like to do the Dalyan River trip - our Turkish guide, Mesut will pick us up after breakfast, and - we'll motor round to the entrance of the river mouth. This in itself is something travel photographers would hock their best lens for; a tiny sandy islet protecting the mouth of the river, pine trees lining the beaches surrounding the entrance; the river winding inland around tall reed banks. As we pass over the sandbar and into the narrow, reed-clad channels, it feels like the "African Queen" revisted ! This image is quickly dispelled as the river opens up further on, and the Lycian cliff tombs come into view. These amazingly complex carvings date from around 3rd & 4th centuries BC - this is now most definitely a journey into the ancient world.

The ancient city of Caunos is the centrepiece of the river trip (though just the scenery and fun in the mudbaths are a large part of it !). Even people who've claimed little interest in "piles of old rocks" have emerged well and truly impressed with the sense of history that emanates from this place; the extent of the remaining ruins still creates a strong impression of the city that was once a lively and bustling seaport.

Lunch in the little town of Dalyan, followed by a visit to the hot springs and mud baths - a chance to be a total kid and completely cake yourself in mud, just like your Mom always told you not to! Then hang out in the hot springs for a while - and if you feel in need of cooling off, jump into the more refreshing waters of the river running alongside! The boat will then take us up to the freshwater lake at the head of the river - another chance to swim. On the return, we'll also stop at Iztuzu (a protected turtle reserve); a walk along the sandy beach, lie out for a while, or swim more in the ocean.

For the evening, we can either choose a) stay on the little jetty in Eckincek; a) anchor out in a little bay opposite; or an hour's sunset sail to another tiny, tucked away spot around the corner; a more traditional Turkish taverna hidden away ona little beach.

Day Six

Sail to Kapi Creek; a beautifully tranquil little anchorage. This is where we found Murat and his family - his wife and sister-in-law weave those amazingly intricate Turkish carpets right there in their tiny village homes. If you are interested in buying a Turkish carpet, it's well worth waiting until you get here. Not only do you get a very personal, first-hand experience of where and how your carpet was made; but you also know that your money is going direct to the family who put so much time and effort into it - not getting lost in several middlemen's pockets !

Day Seven

Sail to Gemiler Adasi - an isolated and wild-looking little island just outside the bay. Tradition says that it was a pirate stronghold in centuries past - certainly the vantage point it offers from up on the high hills, overlooking ships sailing up or down the coast - would make it a perfect spot. There are some good-sized remains of a Byzantine settlement on the island, including still-intact mosaic floors. Look out for the "pancake lady" - she makes the most amazing pancakes, fresh off the hotplate of the little boat she and her husband row out to our anchorage !

Day Eight

Sail to Gocek. It's a friendly, pretty little town, no-one hassles you to buy anything as you walk along the street (unlike the bigger towns!) It is developing a reputation as the "upmarket" place to be, the locals actively discourage all the package-tour operators from moving in. Rumour has it that it is being quietly adopted by some of the rich n' famous as one of their get-away-from-it-all hideaways; this past summer, several shopkeepers were just totally delighted and proud to show us their photos of some very well-known personalities who had patronised their establishments recently! The marina also has a wonderful haman - the traditional Turkish bath, an exfoliating body scrub, full massage, hot towels and marble slabs, apple tea - all for a mere $25 or so !!

Day Nine

Sail to Laundry Bay for swim n' lunch stop. Laundry Bay is supposedly named by some yachties of many years ago who found a hot spring here and passed the word around that this was the place to do one's laundry! Well, so the Pilot book says - we have looked and looked and not found them. Raki is on us for the first person to find them ! In the meantime, this bay is a real gem despite the lack of hot springs - it's a deep, deep hue of green, both the water and surrounding pine trees, and totally tranquil.

Sail that afternoon for Ruin Bay - supposedly the site of "Cleopatra's Baths". Whether this claim-to-fame is true or not is open to question - but snorkelling around the semi-submerged remains of this little bathhouse is quite the time-warp experience anyhow! There is just one tiny taverna in this bay, owned by Regep - a real character! From the modern-day feel of Fethiye, this is quite the contrast; Regep still has to carry all the water his family (and the taverna) needs by little fishing boat from a natural spring source, half an hour away. Regep also bakes the most amazing bread for breakfast!

Day Ten

Sail to Fethiye. This is largest town in the bay, and only an hour from Dalaman airport, which is a big bonus! It's a lively, fun town, with dozens of traditional wooden gulets (motor-sailors) lining the waterfront, numerous bars and tavernas scattered amongst the lanes of the bazaar. If you have an extra day or two, it's well worth spending here. Be sure not to miss the Turkish baths if so… an exfoliating body scrub, full massage, hot towels and marble slabs, apple tea.. a totally Turkish experience - all for a mere $25 or so !!

Disembarkation time from the boat(s) is 4pm. We can arrange transportation from Fethiye to either Marmaris (ferry connections to Greece) or Dalaman airport (domestic connections to Istanbul). For those wishing to stay longer in Fethiye, there are several hotels which we can recommend.

Ongoing connection info: We can help arrange transportation from Keci Buku to Marmaris that afternoon/evening, or directly to the airport at Dalaman, for those who need to catch a flight right away. Alternatively, we can highly recommend a little family pension in Keci Buku for an extra night to chill out; or a hotel in Marmaris for those in need of a more lively evening / a shopping fix! Ferries run from Marmaris-Rhodes (Greece) twice a day; approx 9am and 3.30pm.

Turkey - Turquoise Coast

ONE WEEK TRIPS:
No problem! Though our sailing dates are mostly arranged into two week routes, it’s easy to join for either the first or second week of most trips. Contact us for more itinerary info. Most Turkey trips above are part of a two week Greece/Turkey itinerary.

WHOLE BOAT CHARTERS: Have your own group of friends/family you’d like to sail with? Our whole boat charter rates do offer a significant saving when booking as a group. Please see our “Bring Your Own Group” page for details.

SINGLES:
Our prices are based on a shared double cabin, and this is what the majority of our clients opt for. However, for those who would prefer their own cabin, it is sometimes possible to book a double cabin for one person; cost is 1.5 times regular price. This option is not available on all trips, so please check with us.

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