Boarding starts at 15.30pm from Fethiye Harbour. While you settle in, dinner will be served on the yacht and we will stay overnight on board at Fethiye Port. Fethiye, which was known as Telmessos in the ancient times, was the most important city situated on Lycia’s western border with Caria. It is believed that the city derived its name from Apollo’s son, Telmessos. The city became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1924. The name changed many times over the years and was eventually named Fethiye in 1914 after the first Turkish Air Force Officer who was called Fethi Bey, crashed his plane and died here whilst on duty. In the south of the town you will see many famous tombs and graves from ancient times and one of the most famous and most beautiful stone tombs is the tomb of King Amyntas. The ruins belonging to a theatre, which were recovered during the excavation carried out by the museum recently is located at the city center.
After breakfast, depart from Fethiye Harbor for Gocek Island. Gocek is a starting point for the local 12 Islands Tour and an island of the same name is closest to the harbour, perhaps 10 minutes sailing. Those not wanting to sail can visit its beach where many will stop during their tour of the islands.
After moving through uniquely beautiful islands, we will finally anchor at Yassica Islands. The Yassica Islands in the Gulf of Gocek are visited on a daily basis by trippers as well as yachts that move up and down this coastline. They are uninhabited with no buildings on any of them but they provide great opportunities to anchor and swim. Many have small beaches as well. The vegetation is pine and olive and the shallow waters are ideal for a number of water sports. Some of the islands are very close together and it is easy to swim between some of them. If you want to explore it is advisable to have strong footwear with you because the ground is fairly stony. You will get some great photos while you are among these islands and if you stay as the sun goes down, the sunset shot may be the best of the lot. Lunch will be taken in this beautiful chain of little islands. Dinner and overnight will be in a bay amongst the islands of Gocek.
Bedri Rahmi Bay has a Lycian name of Tasyaka or Dark Bay, a reflection of both its natural beauty and historical significance. Bedri Rahmi Eyuboglu was a famous Turkish literary man who also loved art and painting. Back in 1973 when he was cruising with friends, he drew a fish on a huge rock at the entrance to the bay. It is now known as ”Fish Rock” which has become known as the name of the whole region. The Bay is well sheltered from any winds and as a result yachts often anchor there. The colour on the slopes is created by the pine trees, olive groves and especially the oleanders. Add to that the blue waters and the beach and the image is amazing.
Sarsala Bay is a popular bay with yachtsmen because it is a natural bay good for swimming or for staying overnight. The attractive bay has a long stony beach, a valley running inland which is covered with trees and is overlooked by Forestry Mountain. A restaurant and pontoon are found in Sarsala Bay where yachts regularly moor.
The twin bays of Aga Limani are a tempting place to drop anchor. They are close to the tip of Kurtoglu Bay within the Gulf of Fethiye and as a network port, you are able simply to relax, swim, try your luck at fishing or take even a long walk along the beach. The sea is extremely clean it and water is cooler than elsewhere as a result of the underwater source near the beach. If you follow the path to the bay for around an hour you will arrive at the ancient Lycian city of Lyda. Overnight stay will be in this lovely bay.
Cruise starts early in the morning and the breakfast will be served in the bay of Kumlubuk which lies within the sight of Marmaris but is cut off from it by a forbidding set of Limestone Mountains. Kumlubuku is a place where you can enjoy the lovely beaches, warm waters and of course the sun. It is quieter than the towns further north so it is a great place to swim, away from the crowds.
You will have lunch in a nice bay of Cennet Island. Paradise (Cennet) Island which is situated at the entry to Marmaris Bay is not really an island. It is a peninsula but it is certainly better accessed from the sea than the land. A naturally beautiful place, the Island is a great place to spend a time.
Overnight stay will be at Marmaris Harbor.
Marmaris is a world renowned Turkish holiday resort and coastal town. The name means “Turquoise Coast” and it’s aptly named. Marmaris is a natural harbor and contains a major port, it can hold up to 800 boats and is considered to be one of the main starting points for any yacht charter. The city of Marmaris is rich in history and steeped in ancient culture. This is a wonderful and exciting starting point for all tourists that want to sail the Mediterranean, Aegean and Adriatic seas. Apart from the incredibly inviting waters, you get to enjoy all the modern amenities of a major tourist town with local cuisine, day and night attractions as well as access to the amenities of the harbor and port.
After breakfast, you will be informed about the cruise itinerary and boat. The cruise will move towards Ekincik Gulf and overnight stay will be in this beautiful gulf. You may join an optional Dalyan excursion. The participants will be taken from the yacht with a smaller boat called ‘Piyade’ which will bring you into the green delta of Dalyan through the Lycian Rock Tombs. You will have a swimming stop at a unique place called Caretta-Caretta beach. There will also be a mud bath occasion.
Because of the wavy seas of Disibilmez and Kurtoglu capes that we have to cross, we will cruise earlier than the other days and reach the world-famous Gocek Gulf. We will anchor at Sunken Bath for breakfast and swimming break. This place is also known as Cleopatra Bay due to the beautiful underwater ruins of an old bath.
Then we will cruise to Tersane Island. This naturally protected harbor was used as a shipyard in Byzantine and Ottoman times. The biggest island in the Gulf of Fethiye is Tersane Island, known also as Shipyard Island. This bay has a 100-meter deep channel that was used by the Ottoman navy, hence the name shipyard island. The bay area has a lot of coves and towards the east lies the Summer harbor. The west side of the bay is not used much due to the strong winds that prevail most of the year. There is an ancient ruined town nearby called Telandria, and if you want to stretch your legs, this is a great place to do so.
Kizil island is considered to be a magical place at sunset. The islands name means red and the ground’s color is red. However, it is at sunset when the whole island transforms, all the stones turn crimson red, providing you with an amazing photographic shoot. The island is uninhabited, apart from a lighthouse that is located on the southern tip. The Deliktas isles relocated to the northwest and are considered to be another great place to anchor, but for swimming and fishing. Dinner and overnight stay will be at Kizil Island.
We will leave the boat by 10:30 after breakfast.