"MAVI YOLCULUK" - BLUE VOYAGE

The Blue Cruise or Blue Voyage is a unique cruising and yachting experience in the Aegean waters of Turkey, an adventure that takes you to the magic of myths three millennia old, a relaxing vacation under the sun and swim in the Turquoise blue of the crystal clear waters, and an opportunity to taste Turkish cuisine..

You can single out your cruise by previewing the itineraries as you wish before booking. Usually the daily duration of cruising is not longer than 3-4 hours, and the rest of the day can be spent in one of the most gorgeous coves enjoying the sun and the sea, sunbathing on the deck, swimming in clear waters, snorkeling, windsurfing or just fishing...

During the Blue Cruise, most of the places you will visit has the wealth of civilizations and the culture is overwhelming: Ephesus, Didim, Iassos, Myra and Caunos rock tombs,"the private beach of Cleopatra", the archeological remains of ancient civilizations (even under sea). But besides this, only Blue Cruise will give you the second chance to make you realize there is so much to discover that you forget about yourself.

The popular "Blue Voyage" itinerary extends from Cesme (Aegean Coast) to Antalya (Mediterranean Coast). Yachts depart from Izmir, Cesme Sigacik, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Datca, Marmaris, Gocek, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kas Kerner and Antalya. The "Blue Voyages" are arranged idividual base up to 12 persons. These tours can be arranged between April and October.

The Turkish coastline, in all its diversity has something to offer everyone, no matter what age. Starting from Bodrum a cruise could take you into the Gulf of Gokova for a week or more of complete relaxation. Pine covered slopes drop down to quiet bays and small sandy beaches where the only inhabitants are honey bees, goats and the odd fisherman.

At the head of the Gulf, in Sogut and Ingiliz Limani, there are a few rustic bars and restaurants in the small villages ashore but even here the pace of life is slow, the atmosphere tranquil. The ancients must have felt the same; Anthony and Cleopatra supposedly fell in love on Sedir Island where the sand was shipped especially from North Africa.

There are no obvious historical sites in this gulf but if you stroll ashore you come across unexpected ruins dating from before Christ to the Byzantine Empire. The water is perfect for swimming and all stress melts away after a week in these surroundings.

Across the mouth of the Gulf of Gokova from Bodrum is Knidos, the Gulf of Hisaronu and more evidence of ancient settlements. In Knidos you actually anchor in the original harbour with a view of the ruins of temples and theatres scattered about the slopes. Further into the gulf the landscape becomes mountainous and in many bays there is evidence of Roman, Hellenistic, Byzantine and medieval habitation. You can find villages where time seems to have stood still and fertile valleys fed by mountain streams. In contrast the pretty and sleepy harbour of Datca can become quite lively at night in bars along the waterfront. From Datca you could explore more bays in the Gulf of Hisaronu or finish your cruise in Marmaris.

From Marmaris a week's cruise may take you to Bodrum or down to Fethiye, two weeks as far as Antalya. One of the first stops eastwards is the Dalyan river delta and a trip through reed beds by shallow bottom river boat to ancient Caunus and spectacular 4th Century Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliff face. Here the long sandy beach is protected as a breeding ground for the endangered Loggerhead turtle.

The charming former fishing village of Gocek is another starting point for cruising the largely uninhabited bays and islands of the Gulf of Fethiye and onwards to Oludeniz, a natural lagoon surrounded by high mountains. The ancient site of Patara is swept by the sands of rolling dunes and miles of white beach. Further east, Kalkan and Kas have their own quaint ambience with steep narrow streets, balconies overhung with bougainvillaea and bohemian rooftop bars. All against the backdrop of the magnificent Taurus Mountains.

Sarcophagi, underwater ruins, a medieval castle and a myriad of bays and inlets are what make Kekova so special. You can lose yourself here amongst local village houses built against Roman walls and good humoured ladies selling brightly coloured scarves Nearing Antalya at Porto Ceneviz sheer cliffs drop to the sea and the bay is completely deserted. The ruins of Olympos lie hidden, overgrown and hardly touched. You almost feel like you're the first to discover them. On the shores of ancient Phaselis the remains of the aqueduct, Roman theatre and market place are clearly visible. Antalya is the furthest we cruise on Turkey's South Western coast anchoring in the old harbour surrounded by restored Ottoman buildings.

We can send you sample itineraries for a cruise of 7 to 14 days and more starting in Bodrum, Marmaris, Gocek, Fethiye or Antalya. All have airports nearby serviced by regular charter flights and scheduled services via Istanbul from Turkish Airlines.