It is hard to imagine a more relaxing holiday than one aboard a traditional
Turkish gulet as it sails or motors along the magnificent Turquoise coast. Days are spent
in unashamed indolence and indulgence as the crew take care of everything and present you
with three delicious meals and as many drinks as you care to order from the reasonably
priced bar. The major daily decisions are whether to swim, snorkel or windsurf, go ashore
and visit an inviting archaeological site or pretty beachside village or just drift and
dream on your comfortable deck mattress.
We have teamed up with Alesta Yachting, whose fleet of gulets offers superior levels of
comfort and space, and experienced crews dedicated to ensuring that you and your party
will have the holiday of a lifetime.
The cruises are for one or two weeks, starting and finishing at Fethiye. On the following
page, you will find four suggested sample itineraries to give an indication of the
possibilities, but part of the fun of the gulet cruising experience is the flexibility
to change your plans as and when you feel like it, subject of course to practical and
safety concerns (such as weather conditions, currents and prevailing winds), over which
your captain will have the final say.
In order to allow this flexibility, and because we believe that gulet cruising is an
intimate experience that should best be enjoyed in the company of good friends and close
family, we only arrange gulet cruises as whole-boat charters. With the exception of the
crew – who are there for your comfort, safety and culinary requirements – your boat will
therefore be yours and yours alone for the week or fortnight you have booked.
With vessels ranging from 3 to 10 cabins (all with en-suite showers and WCs), we can cater
for groups of between 4 and 20 people and for floor plans and technical data of the
individual gulets, please refer to our Information insert. Each gulet has a communal
lounge with TV, a dining area and a galley where your crew prepare the meals, using
fresh fish and seafood amongst other local produce (if you have any special dietary
requirements, please advise us at the time of booking).
Naturally, most guests choose to spend their time on deck, relaxing on mattresses and
watching the beautiful coastline slowly drifting past. When anchored in one of the countless
bays, you can make use of the boat’s fishing equipment, enjoy a spot of wind-surfing,
or be ferried to the shore by dinghy. Those wishing to up the pace a little can choose
to incorporate one of the larger ports in their itinerary for some serious shopping,
a spot of sightseeing or maybe even to sample the local nightlife. Whatever your interests,
a cruise on a traditional gulet allows you to enjoy them at the most leisurely and relaxing of paces.
What to expect and what to bring?
Life on board a gulet is relaxed to the extreme. The crew are there to look after
both the boat and its passengers, leaving you free to enjoy the experience. The
routes we have planned may vary slightly according to the time of year that you
wish to travel and those booking early will have a better choice of route. Wherever
possible we will vary the routes to comply with any special wishes but the captain
will have the final discretion, depending on weather conditions. All your meals are
prepared and served by the crew, with the exception of one dinner per week on
their night off (the final night of the week). The crew also operate a well stocked
and reasonably priced bar on board and it is usual for guests to use this facility
rather than rely totally on their own limited duty frees. Please remember to advise
us of both your dietary and liquid requirements well in advance and we will do our
best to ensure that you are properly catered for. As storage space on board is
limited it is advisable to bring as little luggage as possible, packed in soft bags. Dress
is casual in the extreme and swimwear and shorts are generally the order of the
day, although in the cooler months you may wish to pack a sweater for the
evenings. If you are spending part of your holiday on land we suggest that you pack
two bags and we will store one safely for you whilst you are cruising.
Please click here for specifications of Alesta Yachting's Gulets.
Suggested Itineraries:
Itinerary 1: Fethiye - Marmaris - Fethiye (1 week)
Day 1: Transfer from the airport to Fethiye
and board your gulet. Sail to Sarsala for
your first night on board.
Day 2: Cruise past the beautiful coves of the
Bay of Gocek to Yassicalar where you will
drop anchor. Overnight at Aglimani.
Day 3: Cruise to Ekincik. Optional trip to
Dalyan and Caunos where you can take a
river boat to visit the ancient tombs and
take a therapeutic mud-bath. Overnight at
Ekincik.
Day 4: Cruise to Kumlubuk for lunch and a
swim before arriving in Marmaris for dinner
and overnight.
Day 5: After breakfast at Gobun you will
stop for lunch and swim in Hamam Bay
where you can see the ruins of Cleopatra’s
Bath. Overnight at Bedri Rahmi Bay.
Day 6: Breakfast at Oludeniz. Continue to
Gemiler Island where you will explore the
Byzantine ruins, including those of a church
dedicated to St Nicholas. Overnight at
Gemiler.
Day 7: Cruise to Aquarium Bay for breakfast
before visiting other pretty spots in the Gulf
of Fethiye, including lunch and a swim in
Turunc bay. Overnight in Fethiye harbour.
Day 8: Return to Fethiye Harbour, and
transfer back to the airport.
Itinerary 2: Fethiye - Kekova - Fethiye (1 week)
Day 1: Transfer from the airport to Fethiye
harbour where you will board your gulet.
Sail to Yassicalar Island for your first night on
board.
Day 2: Cruise from Yassicalar Bay to Yesilkoy
Island, where you can swim in the clear
waters of the olive tree lined bay.
Overnight at Limanagazi Island.
Day 3: From Limanagazi Island to Gokkaya
Bay, where you will see the underwater
ruins of the homes of ancient civilisations.
Overnight in Gokkaya Bay.
Day 4: From Gokkaya Bay to the Sunken
City of Kekova and Kale. Overnight at
Cankurtaran Island.
Day 5: From Cankurtaran Island to
Salyangoz Bay. Overnight at Almankoyu
Island.
Day 6: From Almankoyu Island to Kas, and
onwards to Kalkan. Overnight at Yesilkoy
Island.
Day 7: From Yesilkoy to Oludeniz. Sail after
lunch to Gemiler Island. Overnight at
Ruzgarli Island.
Day 8: Return to Fethiye Harbour, and
transfer back to the airport.