You can preview the cruise itineraries and pick up your selection as you wish before booking. Usually the daily duration of cruising is not longer than 3-4 hours. 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 that you will visit like Kaş, Kekova, Kalkan and Caunos rock tombs, “the private beach of Cleopatra” and the archeological remains of ancient civilizations (even under sea) have the wealth of civilizations and the culture is overwhelming. But besides this, only Blue Cruise will give you the second chance to let you realize that there is so much to discover about yourself.
The popular “Blue Voyage” itinerary extends from Bodrum to Fethiye. Yachts depart from Bodrum, Marmaris, Göcek and Fethiye. The “Blue Voyages” are arranged for up to 36 pax. 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 you are. Starting from Bodrum, a cruise could take you into the Gulf of Gökova for a week or more with complete relaxation. Pine covered slopes drop down to quiet bays and small sandy beaches where the only inhabitants are honey bees, goats and the old fishermen.
At the head of the Gulf, in Söğüt and İngiliz Limanı, there are a few rustic bars and restaurants in the small villages ashore but even here, the pace of life is slow and the atmosphere is 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 will come across unexpected ruins dating from B.C. 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 Hisarönu and here you’ll find more evidences 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 Datça can become quite lively at night in bars along the waterfront. From Datca, you can explore more bays in the Gulf of Hisarönu or finish your cruise in Marmaris.
From Marmaris, a week’s cruise may take you to Bodrum or down to Fethiye. One of the first stops eastwards is the Dalyan river delta and a trip by a river boat to ancient Caunos 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 among the largely uninhabited bays and islands of the Gulf of Fethiye and onwards to Ölüdeniz, 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 bougainvillea 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.
We can send you sample itineraries for a cruise of 7 days and more starting in Bodrum, Marmaris, Göcek, or Fethiye. All have airports nearby serviced by regular charter flights and scheduled services via İstanbul by Turkish Airlines.
AIRPORT DISTANCES
Bodrum Airport to Bodrum 30 mins
Dalaman Airport to Gocek 20 mins
Dalaman Airport to Marmaris 1 hr 30 mins
Dalaman Airport to Fethiye 1 hr
Bodrum Airport to Marmaris 2 hrs
Imagine exploring the South Western coast of Turkey aboard a wooden yacht traditionally used to transport cargo between ancient ports yet equipped with modern facilities and comfortable cabins.
Now picture a morning stroll among the ruins of past civilizations while back on board, the crew prepare lunch. The table, under the shade of an awning, is laden with Turkish specialities; fresh vegetables, and fish that you and the children caught yourselves. The bread arrived by rowing boat from a village ashore, freshly baked in a stone oven.
After lunch, the crew up anchor, it’s a couple of hours cruising to the next destination. Some people doze in the shade, others lounge in the sun taking in the beauty of the coastline, idly chatting over cold drinks. Parents relax up front while the cook teaches the kids to play backgammon.
A breeze gets up so the crew hoist the sails. With the engine off peace descends and all sense of time is forgotten. You think about the next stop and browse through a guide book for clues about the old fortress you can see on the hillside. The evening’s anchorage is at a pine studded bay with a beach to investigate. The water looks so inviting, everyone jumps in and splashes about swimming, snorkeling and canoeing, someone braves the windsurfer. The only other sound apart from people having fun is the incessant chattering of the crickets.
During dinner, long and leisurely, scents of jasmine and wild herbs drift by. The sky is inky black, stars clearer than you’ve ever known, you can even see the Milky Way. Mellowed by good food, good company and your first taste of Turkish ‘rakı’ you muse over tomorrow’s plan; more relaxation, more exploring and maybe a trip to a small coastal town to hunt for bargains followed by a drink or two in a lively waterfront bar.
This is the essence of a gulet holiday in Turkey and Moris Tourism Inc. provides comfortable, well equipped, crewed gulets or varying sizes to suit the preferences of large or small groups of any age.
Your holiday may last a week, two weeks or more, starting and finishing in any harbour you choose along Turkey’s South Western coast. We can suggest a cruising route to suit the particular interests of your group taking in archaeological sites, quiet bays, small villages or busy towns. Wherever your cruise takes you, Moris Tourism Inc. will make sure you have an unforgettable holiday in this enchanting country.
WHAT TO TAKE WITH YOU
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When do the gulets operate? From May to October, they can also be rented out of season, but we do not recommend it because the water temperature is low and the weather is colder.
What days of the week do they operate? They are always rented from Saturday to Saturday, but in low season (May, June, September and October), exceptionally they can be rented less days.
What is included?
o Crew (minimum 2 persons)
o Bed linen
o Bath and beach towels
o Snorkeling equipment
o Paddle board
o Fuel (for about 4h/day, which is more than enough)
o Berth in Turkish ports (if the client requests to moor in a private marina, then there will be a supplement)
o Cleaning service
o Auxiliary Zodiac
o Wifi
What is not included?
o Meals
o Additional fuel (but 4h/day is usually more than enough)
o Fuel for dinghy or jet ski if used
o Extras like “seabob” or jet ski (only possible on some gulets)
o Scuba diving equipment (can be rented in specialized schools)
What itineraries do you do? There are several possible itineraries. All of them are beautiful and interesting. The choice of one or the other will depend on the client’s interests.
o If departing from Marmaris, Fethiye or Göcek, the airport to fly to is Dalaman (DLM).
o If departing from Bodrum, the airport to fly to is Bodrum (BJV).
o Are the itineraries flexible? Yes, normally the captain will have a meeting with the passengers on the first day where he will explain the program day by day, but it can be modified depending on the interest of the clients, or the weather conditions. The only thing that cannot be modified are the departure and arrival ports.
o Do the gulets go to port every night? No. Clients can choose whether they want to sleep in port or anchor in a cove. Normally it is nicer to sleep in the coves, but if clients want to go out to dinner in a restaurant, then they can go to the port (and mooring is included, as long as it is Turkish territory).
o Do gulets sail at night, or only during the day? Normally they sail during the day.
o How many hours per day do you sail? Approximately 4 h/day.
o Can Greek islands be visited in the program? Yes, some programs include some Greek islands, but mooring in Greek ports is not included in the price (it should be paid separately).
Do the gulets sail under sail or motor? Normally by motor. Sometimes sails are hoisted, but more as an activity.
Is Turkey a good destination for scuba diving? There are no coral reefs in Turkey, but if clients want to go scuba diving, we help them to rent equipment.
How are meals organized?
o Meals are not included in the price of the gulet.
o All gulets include a cook, who cooks for the clients.
o HB or FB options are always offered. Meals and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the price of HB or FB.
o The FB includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and tea/snack at 17h.
o A good option is to choose FB with only 4 dinners (so clients dine on their own in restaurants the other 3 nights).
o Clients can specify in advance if there are things they don’t eat or they don’t like.
o It is also taken into account if there are vegetarian clients, with allergies, intolerances, etc.
Alcoholic beverages are not included, not even in the FB price. But clients can give us a list of drinks, and before boarding the crew will make the purchase and present the ticket to the clients, so that they can make the payment (cash or card).
How many people is the crew?
o Minimum 2 persons (one cook and one captain).
o For 2 cabins (4 customers), 2 persons crew.
o For 4 cabins (8 customers), 3 or 4 crew members.
o For 6 cabins (12 clients), 4 or 5 crew members, etc.
Crew:
o Do they speak English? Yes.
o Do they speak Spanish? No. If we want our clients to be accompanied by someone who speaks Spanish, we must hire the services of a guide (who would occupy one of the cabins on the schooner).
o Where does the crew stay? In separate cabins, with separate bathrooms.
Which is the smallest gulet? The smallest one has 2 cabins and is suitable for 2 or 4 persons. There are also gulets with only 1 cabin, but they are of a lower category.
What is the maximum capacity of the gulets? The biggest gulets have 20 cabins, but by normative the maximum capacity is 36 people, it is not possible to sell it for a group of 40.
