Tours and Excursions
Tours and Excursions
Bodrum-Gökova-Bodrum
Bodrum-Güllük-Bodrum
Marmaris-Fethiye-Marmaris
Marmaris-Datça-Marmaris
Marmaris-Bodrum
Göcek-Kekova-Göcek
BODRUM-GÖKOVA-BODRUM
Day 1: Getting settled in the boat and visiting the coves around Bodrum.
Day 2: After completing the port paperwork in the morning, the voyage starts, with the first swimming break at Karaada, where you can have your lunch break. After three to four hours sailing you get to the southern part of the Gulf of Gökova and the green pine trees and safe port of Çatı where you stay for the night.
Day 3: After the breakfast you sail for 1.5 hours to the inner parts of the gulf, which is rich in the number of coves, and get to the island of Yediadalar. You spend the night in Küfer, maybe finishing the day with a nice evening stroll.
Day 4: Breakfast in Küfre. After a lunch break and swimming stop at Löngöz, you head to the night stopover port of Karacasöğüt.
Day 5: A visit to the island of Sedir (Kedrae). Another name given to this island, which has small but great beach and incredible clear water that you can find nowhere else, is Cleopatra Island. There is a legend that the sand was especially brought to the beach for Cleopatra and Antony. Later you head to the İngiliz (British) Port for the night. The port’s name was given in The II.World War because of the British warships made use of this cove to hide from German vessels.
Day 6: After breakfast, you sail to the northern part of the gulf, heading to Akbük where the waters are of a turquoise colour. After your lunch and a swimming break here you head to Çökertme, on the way passing the huge chimney of the Gökova power station near Ören (the ancient city of Keramos).
Day 7: After stops in Oraklar and Çiftlik, according to the itinerary you sail for the ports of Bodrum or Bitez.
Day 8: Bodrum.
Karaada (the Black Island): While its name is black, Karaada is in fact a green island. The peak on the island, 400 meters above the sea level, is covered with pine trees. There are no sheltered coves on the northern shores of the island. A cave on the island has a spring of healing hot water and mud and is a popular stop of the Blue Cruises and daily trips. The boats anchor in front of the cave and there is a small restaurant and a motel for serving boats.
The Coves of Büyük and Küçük Çatı:
Büyük Çatı Koyu (The Big Roof Cove): This is two miles to the south east of the lighthouse on Mersincik Point. At the mouth of the cove there is a small island that has a single tree on it. Büyük Çatı is quite impressive with its coves and its main port. In some parts of the coves there are sandy beaches and pine trees everywhere. The sea is clear and clean. In the main port area there is drinking water available. By travelling 1.5 kilometers along a dirt track you can get to the Marmaris-Datça road. It is 35 kilometres to Marmaris and 45 kilometres to Datça. From the same dirt road you can also get to the coves of Ballıcak and Boynuzlu.For the ones who wish to walk on the path between the coves there is another path leading you to the eastern part of the entrance of the coves where there is a small cove that has shallow waters. In this cove, centuries old pine trees and the liquid amber orientalis reach up to the sky. Two springs meet to form a pool and then flow to the sea together as a tiny stream. The small lake is like a private swimming pool.
It is recommended that you wear a long pair of trousers, trekking gear and sports shoes when you wander as the thick vegetation can scratch. The cove has a different beauty in the evenings. There will be no one else than you in the lake like cove, except for maybe another boat or two. And if you have a moon light at night your pleasure will be complete.
Kücük Çatı Koyu (The Small Çatı Cove): To the east of Büyük Çatı, between the larger coves, there is a small cove that has clear water, sand on the bottom and forests surrounding it. Although it is not suitable for anchoring, you may get there by a small boat for swimming.
Both sides of the coves are steep and have maquis. The cove goes inland for 400 meters to the east. On the western side of the cove there is an ideal point for anchoring, though there is only space for two boats here. The sea bottom is sand, the water is clear and is surrounded by pine and liquid amber orientalis trees. There are some other coves at Küçük Çatı. In one of them, behind the gravel stone beach, under the liquid amber orientalis you find a sweet water lake. Its water is there for your refreshment and bathing. The path coming from Büyük Çatı reaches here and then leads all the way to up the Cove of Balıkaşıran. If you follow this path at every turn you would see another cove. It is a wonderful walking area.
Yediadalar (The Seven Islands): On the southern shores of the Gökova Gulf there is an area that has four islands in front and where a gulf of more then two miles is formed between the coastlines. In all weathers between these islands and coves there is a calm site you can anchor. The island of Martılı (Seagull Island) in the west is barren. On its southern part and northern point there are beautiful beaches at which to swim. The other islands are called Uzun (Tall), Zeytinli (Olive) and Küçük (Small). All have steep and rocky coastlines where there are no beaches. The islands are mostly barren but in the cove areas there are pine forests. The most significant anchoring points in the Yediadalar are Çamaltı Cove, the port of Bekar (Gökağaç Inlet), the port of Karaağaç, Babüş Inlet, Küfre Cove and Göllü Island. The Çamaltı Beach and the sea bottom are sandy. The shores are covered with forests. The port of Bekar is like a pool with a diameter of 150 metres. The gulets cannot enter and yachts only go there rarely. The most popular cove for boats in the area is Küfre. All the coves are linked to each other with dirt paths. There is a shabby restaurant called Yedi Adalar that serves boats at the mouth of Küfre. Right opposite Küfre there is the Göllü Island, which is ideal to moor and for swimming.
The Cove of Löngöz-Kargılıbük: This is one of the most beautiful coves of Gökova. The right-angled cove consists of tree covered hills sloping to the shores, running inland for 800 metres. As it is sheltered from the wind it is a popular site for boats to stopover for night or for a break. The cove was not much affected by a recent fire. However, even in areas that were badly burned, nature is rapidly coming back to life again. Thankfully it is renewing itself.
There are walking paths from the cove, including the Bördübet forest path that comes from Malderesi Stream goes through Löngöz.
The Değirmen Inlet: The Değirmen Inlet, which has the islands of Kara and Zeytinli at its entrance, is the largest cove of Gökova. It is three kilometers long and more than 800 meters in width. Within the cove there are some of the most popular locations for those taking the Blue Cruise, the British Port (Çanak Koyu), the Cove of Okluk where the Presidential Summerhouse is sited, and coves of Hırsız, Malderesi and Sazanlı.
İngiliz Limanı (the British Port): This is a port where no weather can affect its calm. Until the 1970s it was a cove where there were thick pine trees coming all the way down to the waterside. This played a role in its being named the British Port. In World War Two a few British warships sought refuge here. At night they would leave and attack the German held islands and enemy ships and return to the cove to hide. During the day, the crews would cover the ships with branches so that they were not noticeable. The region was badly affected by fires in 1970 but pines have begun growing again. Thankfully the last fire only slightly touched the region.
Okluk Koyu (Okluk Cove): This region became famous after the late President Turgut Özal built a presidential summerhouse here. The pine quay where the building is located is between the coves of Okluk and Malderesi. The southern part of Okluk Cove is flat with its gardens. The cove has a quay. Those who do not want to tie up at the quay can anchor in a quiet cove and moor their boat to a tree. There are restaurants, markets and facilities to meet all demands. This region is linking to Marmaris by a 25 kilometre long road, two kilometres of which is a dirt track. There are very beautiful walking routes that go all round the cove.
A reminder: The yachts and boats are not allowed to get close to the Presidential Summerhouse and Malderesi Cove.
At the entrance to Okluk Cove you will be surprised to see a statue of a mermaid on the rocks. This monument is a gift from the owner of the boat Kısmet, Sadun Boro, who travelled all over the seas around the world. The statue is his gift to Okluk and Gökova where he comes to anchor after every one of his voyages. The sculptor of the statue is Tanku Öktem and the inscription by Sadun Boro reads: "The mermaid, in order to realize her dream, has travelled over so huge a sea, crossed the horizons. She went through continents, islands and coves until she got to GÖKOVA."
Karacasöğüt: The cove of Söğüt (Willows) is a round port with a diameter of 800 meters. In the middle of the cove there is a T shaped quay. The quay and the restaurant there are run by Setur Travel Agency. Water and power services can be provided to visiting boats. There are also showers, toilets, a laundry and a market.
Other than this quay, there is the wooden quay of the village. Here too all services are available.
There are many restaurants, shops and a bakery. There is also ice for boats that need it. The port of Karacasöğüt is 12 kilometers away from Marmaris. The road is asphalted and there are minibuses running regularly. The Blue Cruise boats organise a tour of Marmaris for customers that want make the visit.
The village of Söğüt is in a fertile valley and there are greenhouses and bee keeping.
You can walk in the forest paths. Those following the path leading to Okluk on the hill on the western point of the cove will see the remains of an old castle. The scenery is impressive.
Şehir Adaları-Sedir Adası: The group of islands of Sedir, Orta and Küçük are known as the Şehir Adaları (City Islands). Information on Sedir Island, which attracts thousands of people every year due to its golden sandy beaches and the ancient city of Kedrai, will be covered in detail in the Marmaris section of this book. Transport to the island is from Çamlı Cove by motor boats. On the island there are restaurants, showers and toilets.
The Port of Gökova-Akyaka: This is at the end point of the gulf, heading towards the east and gradually narrowing. There are two streamlets that run down into the sea, one in the village of Akyaka and the other in opposite (see the Akyaka and Ula pages).
The Port of Akbük: The port is in a wide and deep cove on the northern shores of the gulf. It is in the municipality of Yerkesik, with Muğla 48 kilometres away. By land you travel along a dusty road from Akyaka. However, let us warn you that the road is rough. Those travelling between Akyaka and Akbük by sea would not find a cove to shelter in but the view of the Kıran Mountains that drop into the sea from a height of 1,000 metres, its grey rocky nature and pine trees are worth seeing.
The Akbük Cove is beautiful and wide, with the scene decorated by the Kıran Mountains falling into the sea with pine forests and olive trees on the lower slopes. The region is one of the Special Environment Protected Areas and construction is not allowed. On the waterfront you see restaurants, a quay, a long beach and along the coastline a path to walk through the pine and olive trees. In the southern part of the cove there are smaller and bigger inlets, which have white sand on the bottom and are like pools. You can get to these by boat or on foot.
Ören: Between the points of Kerme and Ören the bay of Çamaltı stretches like an arrow. The shores are lined with beaches. Beyond the coast there are houses with gardens and pensions. The town of Ören is inland. For more information on the remains of the ancient city Keramos see the pages on Milas.
BODRUM-GÜLLÜK-BODRUM
Day 1: Bodrum
Day 2: Aspat, Çatal Ada, Gümüşlük
Day 3: Çukurcuk, (for those who want a tour of Didim, Priene, Miletos by land), Altınkum
Day 4: For those who wish to take a trip to Ephesus, Akbük
Day 5: Kazıklı, Çamlimanı, Iasos
Day 6: Gök Port, Island of Salih
Day 7: Torba, Türkbükü, Yalıkavak
Day 8: Bodrum
The Gökova PowerHouse: Those who travel from Ören to Çökertme by sea will see the hundred meters high chimney of the Gökova Power house.
The Coves of Çökertme and Mazı: See the Bodrum pages for information.
The Island of Orak: On the coastline between the Yalı Çiftliği and Karagıcık Cove, on the sheltered coves there are many high quality hotels and holiday resorts. The yachts and the Blue Cruise boats cannot anchor in these coves anymore. Opposite Kargıcık Cove stretches the island of Orak from end to the end. This island, which has become popular with divers and boat owners alike, has sloped hills covered with olive trees. There is no settlement on the island. The east and west ports of the island are suitable for anchoring according to the direction of the wind. The sea is extremely clean, just right for those who like to swim or dive.
On these routes for details on Akyarlar, Turgut Reis, Gümüşlük, Torba, Türkbükü and Yalıkavak see the section on Bodrum, for Akbük, Iasos (Kıyıkışlacık) see the Mials chapter, for Altınkum see the Didim section of the book.
Çatal (Fork) Island: This island is right opposite of Turgut Reis. It is one of the Sporat Islands group. It has two high hills and low ridge in the middle. Boats anchor in this region. There is no settlement or facilities on the island.
Port Çukurcuk: The port is at the northwest end of the Güllük Gulf. There are sections of the coves that are shut off from the winds. The cove in east is shallow and in the end of the cove there is a summerhouses complex. The small cove in the west has been closed by a fish farm. Boats anchor in the centre of the cove. The environment is peaceful and beautiful. Those who take a walk to the lighthouse on the point will be able to see ancient mosaics that are partly covered by soil. After five kilometers the road from the cove meets the main road. From there onwards a tour to Didim, Milet and the ancient city of Priene is an option.
Altınkum: The Didim shores are beaches from one end to the other. There are hotels, restaurants and a small concrete quay where ferryboats and daily touring boats are mooring. Between Didim and Akbük there are smaller and larger coves that have beautiful beaches. The largest one is three kilometers to the east of Altınkum and is called Cennet Koyu (Heaven Cove). Daily touring boats also come to these coves.
Port Akbük: This is a large cove that stretches inland for eight kilometres. The sea near of the coast is fairly shallow. As there is a fair bit of breeze it is not easy for Blue Cruise boats or daily tour vessels to anchor. Those who moor at the quay where the larger hotels are located,can take a tour by land to Didim, Herakleia, Priene, Milet, Kuşadası and Ephesus).
Kazıklı Port: It is a large cove that goes inland for six and a half kilometers. Its eastern part is rocky and open to the winds. Its western end has a beautiful coastline with a pattern of small coves and is surrounded by pine forests. However, almost all have fish farms established in them. It has also been exploited by summerhouse complexes. In the past, dozens of boats used to stay for the night in these coves, but today their number has been decreased.
The real Kazıklı Port is in a wide and closed cove to the north. It is a corner of shelter in every type of weather. However, unfortunately the port, now surrounded with fish farms, has lost its former appeal.
Port Çam (Pine): Suiting its name the land surrounding this cove is covered with pine and olive trees. Its western end is suitable for anchoring. There are also coves at the eastern side but these are open to the winds and are surrounded with summerhouse complexes.
Gök (Sky) Port: Gök Port is large and at its entrance has a small island linked to the coast by a partly collapsed wall. Some of the coves are closed in by fish farms. The port is suitable for boats to stay in any weather.
Kıyıkışlacık (Iasos): At the end of the Kıyıkışlacık Cove, where you can see the remains of the ancient city of Iasos on the eastern peninsula, there is the village of Kıyıkışlacık. Those who moor at the quay will find restaurants and shops.
Bargylia-Varvil Coves: At the entrance of the Cove of Varvil there are fish farms. The cove inside forms a huge quagmire lake with shallow waters after half of its length. Boats anchor after they pass the fish farms. On the waterfront there are fish restaurants that always have fresh and quite reasonably priced meals of fish. You can see the remains of the ancient city of Bargylia from the hillside and the mountain that overlooks the cove. (For Bargylia see Bodrum-Milas pages)
MARMARIS-FETHİYE-MARMARİS
Day 1: Marmaris
Day 2: Port paperwork in the morning and then sailing, arriving at Ekincik midday. After lunch you head to the reed-covered delta of Dalyan Stream, pay a visit to the ancient city of Kaunos, see tombs cut into the rocks, take a mud bath, and swim at İztuzu Beach. The night is spent at Ekincik.
Day 3: In the morning, by taking a turn at Kurdoğlu Point, you follow a route that takes in the monastery of the Cove of Cleopatra and Hamam (Bath) Cove.
Day 4: This days involves a visit to Tersane(Shipyard) Island, a stop near the Yassıca Islands for a swim, then spending the night in Göcek or Fethiye. In Fethiye you have the chance to visit the ancient city of Telmessos where the new Fethiye is now located on and the rock tombs up the hills.
Day 5: After a short trip in the morning you get to Ölüdeniz (Dead Sea). (Yachts are banned from entering the lagoon part of Ölüdeniz). Here you have a break for swimming and the afternoon and night is spent either on Gemile Island or Beştaş Cove.
Day 6: After a trip of three or four hours in the morning, passing through the Dişibilmez and Baba Islands, you get to one of the coves around Ekincik for the night stopover.
Day 7: After a two hours trip in the morning you arrive at İnceada-Gebekilise. After breaks in Kadırga and Kumlubük in the afternoon you arrive at Turunç for the night stay.
Day 8: Marmaris
The Port of Kuyucak: This is a beautiful cove surrounded by pine trees. It has fish farms on both sides of its entrance. The cove is divided into two parts, with one side being so marshy that it cannot be entered. There is a large hotel on the other side of the cove. One can anchor in the middle of the waterway and it is possible to find shelter in every type of weather.
The Cove of Güvercinlik and Salih Island: Güvercinlik is a large cove where the hamlet of the same name is located. The Bodrum road crosses through here. There are facilities available for accommodation, food and drink.
Salih Island opposite the cove covers a large area. Its high grounds are covered with pines and lower reaches with olive trees. On the south east part of the island the cove where there is a white house is the best for visiting boats. Although the water might have lost its former clearity due to the fish farms, it is still suitable for shelter and swimming.
You can anchor by the shore of the cove in southern inlet where there is a summerhouse complex of seven or eight villas. The ancient Karianda civilisation was founded on this island, with the people later migrating to Türkbükü-Gölköy and founding New Karianda. You can see the old houses and walls.
Those that sailed for Ekincik from Marmaris will see the Karaağaç Port on their left. The port and the island in the front are a military zone and entrance is prohibited. The Karaağaç port area is full of beautiful coves covered with liquid amber and pine trees.
The Port of Köyceğiz: It is a port that has the port of Ekincik as well within its lots of coves.On its western part, among the popular stopping or over-nighting coves there are Semizce, Kargı, and Karaçay. There are two anchoring points in the port of Ekincik. One of them is Köy Önü (in front of the village), the other is the Maden quay - My Marina Club. The quay in front of the village belongs to the village autonomy. On the quay there is a line of dolmuş (shared) boats that run to the beaches of Dalyan-İztuzu. In Ekincik there are hotels, pensions, shops, buffets, showers-toilets and telephone booths. The beach is hundreds of meters long. From the port you can get to Köyceğiz and the Muğla-Fethiye main road.
The port on the south east of the Maden (Mine) port used to serve ships carrying mined chromium and that was converted to provide services to yachts and is owned by My Marina Club. The restaurant under the trees within the facilities has a well-earned reputation for its range of fish.
Delikada: In front of the Dalyan entrance there is the Delikada opposite of the İztuzu Beach. This is the place where large cruising boats and Blue Cruising boats are mooring. With small dolmuş (shared) boats you can get to İztuzu Beach and into the Dalyan channels and from there to the ancient city of Kaunos and the mud baths.
Between İztuzu and Sarıgerme there are almost no coves you can shelter in, the only one being Aşı Cove. You can get to Aşı Cove from Dalyan or Ortaca by driving 25 kilometres. Those who come to Aşı by sea get into the cove through rocky cliffs on two hills either side of the cove’s mouth. There is a small island of dark or pointed stones in the mouth of the cove. It is available for swimming and shelter. There is a small and clean restaurant on the waterfront.
Once you have passed Karaburun, the height of the mountains fall and you get to the Dalaman Plateau. This is Dalaman Inlet. Just further up is Baba Island, the guardian of the Dalaman Inlet and right after that is Sarıgerme Beach.
Sarıgerme has become a popular tourism resort in the recent years, with its five star hotels, holiday resorts and a beach that is kilometers long. Visiting boats anchor in the rocky small cove on the north east of Baba Island. The sea is clean and shiny. A cave close to the northern end of the island crosses the island from one side to the other. On the top of the hill there is the ruin of a tower.
The flat Dalaman Plateau begins to increase in height as you get to the Kapıdağ Peninsula, reaching an altitude of 500 meters before Kurtoğlu Point. By now you are in the calm waters of the Gulf of Fethiye. The 13.5 kilometers opening between Kurtoğlu and İblis (Dökükbaşı) is the mouth of the gulf. This gulf has the most popular coves and islands for the Blue Cruise boats and yachts.
From the Gulf of Fethiye, when you get towards the Göcek Gulf, the most popular destinations are Ağa Port and Kocabük. The Ağa Port consists of one small and one large harbour. Both end in a beach area. Those who follow the path upwards from Büyük (Large) Ağa port can get to Roman and Byzantine ruins in the Köyiçi region. Another leads you up the hill to the west and to the point of the Kapıdağ Peninsula that has a lake on the peak. There are three or five houses around the lake, and a terrific view from above.
After Ağa Port you get to Kocabük, Göbün Island and then to the Gulf of Göcek. The coves and the islands in the gulf have been declared a Special Environment Protected Region since 1988.
The centre of yachting tourism is the Gulf of Göcek. The port of Göcek and the hamlet is at the end of the gulf itself. There are four different marinas serving yachts. These are the Belediye (Municipality) Marina, the Skopea Marina, Club Marina and the newest one, Port Göcek. (The contact numbers and technical specification are available in the Göcek section.)
Boats that depart from one of the Göcek marinas can stop at the cove of Eğri Çam, the Osmanağa Çeşmesi, Atbükü (Karagılık-Karanlık coves), Günlüklü Cove, Boynuzbükü and Killebükü. Boats can moor at all of them. Günlüklü Cove hosts hoards of people coming for picnics and its beach and surroundings are beautiful. In Günlüklü, for those who want to moor away from the crowds, there are also small and sheltered coves. In Killebükü, behind the beach area amongst the forest you can find the ruins of a church if you go ashore.
The Taşkaya Cove (The Cove of Bedri Rahmi) is one of the most beautiful coves of the region. There are always numbers of yacht moored there. There is a fountain with sweet water, a gravel stone beach lined with oleander, a picture of a fish by famous Turkish artist Bedri Rahmi who was one of the early sailors of the Blue Cruise and the picture of a kite made from gravel by another artist, Azra Erhat. All these features add interest to the region. To the north of the fountain there are the tombs cut into the rock and, in the flat area, there is a restaurant serving to the boats and a spring of cold spring water. The spring is surrounded with a concrete wall and has been turned into a small pool. On hot summer days the pool attracts many people. Those who follow the path leading up the hills, by walking for half an hour, can get to the small village of Kilisebelen. The view, which takes in the Dalaman Plateau, the airport, Kocagöl and Baba Island, is very beautiful. Since Taşkaya is crowded, some boats choose to moor in Aşılık Cove to the west.
There is also the port of Sıralıbük, which includes the smaller and larger coves of Hurmalı. Boats and yachts can moor there.
Sarsala Cove is one of the most popular coves in the region. The long gravel beach, with tree covered plains behind mountains makes Sarsala very attractive. In the Küçük (Small) Sarsala Cove, the most popular mooring point, there is a restaurant and a quay. (You can come to Sarsala Cove from Dalaman. For details see the Dalaman section.) There are beautiful walking routes around the cove. You can try them when it gets cooler during the day, mornings and evenings.
On the Kapıdağ Peninsula there is a 300 meters long neck of land. On the Göcek side of it there are the Manastır-Akbük Coves. This is the region where the Kapı (Door) and the Hamam (The Bath of Cleopatra) Coves are to be found, very popular points on the Göcek tour. Both the Hamam and the Kapı Coves are like swimming pools. In Kapı Cove both the old and new restaurants have their own quays. Those who take a stroll among the olive trees come across a wall of four or five meters high. The wall, although some parts are falling down, is still fairly well preserved and was built to protect the ancient cities above Kapıdağ and runs all the way across the neck. Those who get on top and follow the route parallel to the wall can get a view of the port of Gökgemile and the open sea. Another path leads wanderers to Hamam Cove.
Boats mooring in the port of Hamam can see the ruins of a bath. These ruins are believed to be the ones Cleopatra has once bathed in so this is why this cove is also known as the Cove of Cleopatra.
The coves of Kuyucak, Kurşunlu, Yavansu and Merdivenli come in a row as you move along the coast. In Yavansu there are some village cottages and a barn. At this cove the hill of Küçük Kapıdağ rises.
In the entrance of the Kuyucak Cove there is a small island that is suitable for a few boats to stop and for swimming too.
The extraordinary mooring location for small boats is Göbün Cove. You can easily miss the entrance to this cove. You cannot see it from outside. Only after you get through the narrow neck between the cliffs of the hill dropping to the sea, the cove slowly opens up in front of you. There are many restaurants on the waterfront. The first restaurant in the region was opened by a diver called Tahir from Kayaköy. He hosted his customers very well and who came once kept coming back. After the numbers of restaurants increased in the area he has left the running of his restaurant to his nephews and returned to his hometown of Kayaköy and opened a restaurant there. You should climb up the hill behind the Dalgıç (Diver) Tahir restaurant and you should let yourself be carried by the view of the open sea and the gulfs of Fethiye and Göcek before you. Choose to have the stroll around sunset so that you both avoid the heat and also enter into a dream world by watching the sunset with its extraordinary colour. Those who take another path can get to the Roman ruins that can also be reached from Ağa Port. Other stopping points on the Gulf of Göcek tour are Domuz Adası (Pig Island), which is covered with pine and olive trees, the Cove of Uzun Ali on the north of this island and the Cove of Hacıdede Stream, which is right opposite of the small island between the Domuz and Tersane Islands. There is a shallow area of 30 to 40 metres in diameter in the middle of the cove where there are ruins from the Lycian and Roman ages. The highest of the ruins are a meter below the surface of the water. It is very pleasant to swim over the ruins, especially when wearing the goggles.
Tersane Adası (Shipyard Island) is the largest island in the Gulf of Göcek and Tersane Cove is the largest on the gulf.After the population exchange between Greece and Turkey in 1922 the area was mainly inhabited by Greeks. In the flat lands behind the cove are the ruins of a few houses and a church. With a walk of ten minutes you can get to another cove, Yaz (Summer) Port. Between Tersane and Göcek Islands lies the group of small and large islands of Yassıca Adalar. The olive tree covered island to the south is the largest. The narrow and long island is called Büyük Yassıca (The Big Yassıca). The area between Büyük Yassıca and Kızıl (Red) Island just further on, is the best region for mooring. The Yassıca Islands are a must stop point for swimming breaks for daily tours starting either from Göcek or Fethiye. This is why the area is so crowded during the day. However, towards sunset it gets quieter and this is the best time, especially if it is the full moon time. The largest island near Göcek is Göcek Island. It offers shelter in all weather conditions and has large coves and fig trees.
The Gulf of Fethiye
The northern shores of Fethiye usually attract picnickers coming by land. The coves of İnlice, Çığlık, Küçük Kargı, Katrancı and islands of Katrancı, Kızıl and Deliktaş follow one another in a row.
From Fethiye to Ölüdeniz
When you sail from Fethiye towards Ölüdeniz, before İblis Point you go past Samanlı, Kuleli, and Kalemya (the cove where the Hillside Holiday Village is located) and then comes Turunç Pınarı and Sömbeki Coves. The beach of Turunç Pınarı is sandy and the sea is clearly beautiful. There is a small restaurant to meet the needs of boats and picnickers alike. Sömbeki is also among the most popular destinations for the boat tours. On the way to Ölüdeniz the really beautiful coves and islands follow each other, after you pass İblis Point.
Karacaören Cove is the first of these, opposite of the Karacaören Island. The bottom of the sea is sandy and the sea crystal clear. There is also a restaurant on the cove, owned by the brother of Tahir from Kayaköy, Muzaffer. If he is in the mood and pulls out his violin you will have a wonderful time.
Both Gemiler Adası (The Island of Ships) and the cove of the same name are another of the popular mooring points for touring boats. (Detailed information on this region is in the Fethiye section.)
After you pass the popular stop-over ports of Soğuksu, Mersin and Beştaş you get to Ölüdeniz. Yachts are banned from entering Ölüdeniz lagoon itself but you can moor at the point of the cove and go by small boats to Ölüdeniz, the golden sandy beach of Kumburnu or Belceğiz. At the end of the long Belceğiz Beach the coastline curves inward, becoming Kıdrak Cove.
Among the coves after you leave Marmaris are beaches of Turunç and Kumlubük and Çiftlik Cove. There is detailed information on these coves in the Marmaris section of the book. By mooring at the side of the point between Turunç and Kumlubük you can see the ruins of Amos.
The Kadırga Cove, which is right before Kadırga Point and on which there is a white lighthouse and the house of the keeper, is another stopping place. Boats coming from Marmaris take a swimming break in here.
The Çiftlik Cove can be distinguished by the island in front of it. Çiftlik is a large cove that you can get to by land. It is almost the only cove that has a sandy beach in this region. There is a big hotel, a holiday resort and many restaurants.
At the entrance of the cove there is a private island with a mansion on it. When you make a turn from the island, there is another opening to a long and narrow cove. This is Gebekse Cove. The rocky shores are good for those interested in diving. The end of the cove is like a pool with its white sand on the bottom. Those who go ashore may want to see the ruins of a nearby church. The boats heading from Çiftlik to Bozburun stop at Serçe as a place for lunch or swimming. It is also suitable for mooring for the night. There is a small market and a restaurant on the shore. The path that leads through the flat terrain and then climbs up the hill leads you to the village of Fenaket. The glassware that was salvaged from the 11th century merchant ship that crashed onto the rocky coast here forms one of the most important exhibitions on display in the Bodrum Museum.
On the way to Bozukkale you get to another inlet, Korsan (Pirate) Cove, which has water as clear as that in a swimming pool.
Now you are in Bozukkale. To the left of the entrance of the 1.6 kilometer long cove, there are the long and wide walls of the ancient city of Loryma. In the cove area there are restaurants and a quay and buoys to moor. The restaurant owners get customers to the shore and their places by boat.
Another port when you travel towards Bozburun is Söğüt Port. The Saranda district of the village of Söğüt is in this cove. The fish restaurants on the waterfront are good and cheap. The distance to Söğüt is four kilometres.
You are now slowly coming to the Gulf of Sömbeki (Yeşilova). In order to be able to watch the sunset over the island of Sömbeki you should anchor in one of the coves of Kiseli Island. While you walk through the undergrowth of the island you come across lots of ruins of old houses and a church. Right opposite there is the Ada Boğazı (Strait Island). Just like the coral waters of the tropical seas, the waters here turn into turquoise from dark blue. Bozburun then opens up in front of you.It is a place where all of your needs after three or four days sailing since you left Marmaris can be met. From here on the most pleasant coves follow each other. Next is the Gulf of Hisarönü. It has coves that are at least as beautiful as those of Gökova.
Turning right to Selimiye after Bozburun, those who wish to anchor in the last coves of the Bozburun Peninsula and the Gulf of Sömbeki can make use of Mercimek, Tavşan Cove, Ayaca and Çanak Port. After that you run down to Atabol Point and enter the Gulf of Hisarönü. You can take a break in the Ağıl Cove. After that you arrive at the cove and the village of Selimiye. You can stay here for the night. (For details on Selimiye see the Marmaris section.)
Leaving Selimiye, you get to the Orhaniye Cove. Both are wide and very long. To the left of the entrance to Orhaniye there is the Martı Marina with a capacity of 175 yachts.
Orhaniye Cove is ideal to spend the night, with the sunset beginning early in the evening. Orhaniye is a region that you can spare a day to, with its Kızkumu Beach, its island that has the ruins of a castle on it, the Waterfall on the Bayır road and carpet sellers in the village of Turgut.
You can easily get to Marmaris and Datça by road from this area. There are many fish restaurants and pensions. The waterfall is in an area used for picnicking. (More detailed information available in the Marmaris section.) If you climb the hills near Orhaniye there is a beautiful panoramic view.
After this comes Hisarönü Port, in a wide and large cove. The small coves in Hisarönü along the shores of Marmaris-Datça road are good picnic areas with their thick forests and camping areas such İnbükü and Çubucak. It is always crowded on the weekends and every day in summer. Those who came here by boat usually swim a bit in the open.
We are now in Datça Peninsula. In the bosom of the Peninsula lie all the beauties having the gulfs of Hisarönü in one hand and Gökova in the other.
Tavşan (Rabbit) Cove, where the Robinson Club Maris is based, opposite Tavşan Island, is the most beautiful port of the region, with Bencik coming right after it along the coast. Bencik is a location much loved by the Blue Cruise boats or yachts, with its small coves that make them feel very special. Even though there is a state-owned camping area on the shore, there has been no construction allowed to disturb you. Those who go as far as the port and go ashore can walk along paths that will lead them to the shores of Gökova. You should choose the cooler morning or evening hours for the stroll. Those who take the trip in the evening can catch the incomparable colours of the sunsets in Gökova.
In the entrance of the port of Bencik there is Dişlice (Teeth) Island, so named because it is covered with rocks that stick out like teeth. The daily boat tours frequently stop here. It is great to wander through the rocks shaped by the sea, playing hide and seek in the caves or diving to see underwater beauties!
Now you progress towards Datça. By now you can see the summerhouse complexes on the shores. The oldest and most beautiful summerhouse complex of the region is Aktur on Kurucabük Cove. The cove before this is Günlücek Cove. Both have beautiful beaches and forest camp areas. You can come by road and stay in these camping grounds for a holiday. It is easy to reach the Datça-Marmaris road nearby.
The ports of Çiftlik, Sarı and Karaincir are the last on the western end of the Gulf of Hisarönü. The Perili Köşk (Haunted Mansion) Cove, where the Perili Köşk Hotel is located, has a beach that is very pleasant for swimming. The restaurant of the hotel is recommended. There is also windsurfing opportunities.
Now we are in Datça. It is a beautiful town where the evenings are greeted in a bar in the port and where many Turkish people dream of settling after retirement. There are many dolmuş (shared) minibuses and buses to the town. By land you can get up to the end of the peninsula where the ancient city of Knidos is. Between Datça and Knidos there many small coves and bays. Some of them are only reachable by sea and some both from sea and land.
Right after Datça, comes Kargı Cove. Next to it is the small Armutlu Cove, which is just like a pool for those who want a swim. Then you pass İnce Point and Domuzçukuru and enter the Kızıl Inlet and Hayıt Inlet.
Now you are getting closer to Knidos. However, prior to visit the ancient city, you should have a feast of seafood and fish. For that you should enter Palamut Cove. Palamut is beautiful, with barren hills smoothly meeting the sea, very long beach, village houses surrounded with trees by the waterside, lines of small pensions and summerhouses and where fisherman boats and yachts moored at the port. You should try the fish restaurants right above the port.
You should get to Knidos before the sunset.
You anchor İç (Interior-Big) Port, get ashore, wander through very impressive ruins scattered around a wide area and then you should go up to the Temple of Aphrodite and watch the sunset over the open sea and outer port. The island you see in the distance is Simi.
For the coves of Göcek and the area between Fethiye and Ölüdeniz see the route to Marmaris-Fethiye. In that section you will find information on the stopping points on the Ölüdeniz-Kekova route.
MARMARİS-DATÇA-MARMARİS
Day 1: Marmaris
Day 2: After sailing for an hour you arrive at Kadırga. Having had a break for a meal and a swim you have a three hours long trip to Bozukkale (Loryma), your place to spend the night.
Day 3: You sail for the Gulf of Yeşilova in the morning. After meal and swimming stops you head to Bozburun Port for the night. (Yeşilova is an option).
Day 4: After a trip for two hours you get to Çiftlik (Aktur) Port. In the afternoon you travel for one and half hours you get to the turning point of the trip, Datça. (For those who want they can have land trip to Knidos).
Day 5: Following breakfast there is a two and a half hour trip passing Dişlice Island before arrival at Bencik. You will spend the night in the narrowest cove of the peninsula that curls inland like a river.
Day 6: After visiting Bencik there is a short trip to the region where the villages of Orhaniye and Selimiye are. In this region there are also many coves awaiting you to visit or stop for the night.
Day 7: This day we start returning to Marmaris. After you pass Karaburun you head to the Serçe Port. This is where the 11th Century Byzantine shipwreck that is on display in the Bodrum Museum was found and recovered. The night is spent either in Çiftlik Cove or Marmaris according to the wishes of the passengers.
Day 8: Marmaris
MARMARİS-BODRUM
Day 1: Marmaris, Çiftlik
Day 2: Arab Island, Söğüt Port, Bozukkale (Loryma)
Day 3: Bozburun, Selimiye, Orahniaye
Day 4: İnbükü, Bencik
Day 5: Dişlice Island, Akbük, Emecik, Datça
Day 6: Kargı Cove, Domuz Cove, Palamut Cove and Knidos
Day 7: Karaada, Poyraz Port, Bodrum
(You can extend the trip to ten days by adding Gökova)
GÖCEK-KEKOVA-GÖCEK
Day 1: Getting on board in the afternoon from port of Göcek. Have a welcoming drink, briefing about the tour and meet the others on board.
Day 2: In the morning after breakfast and the port paperwork, you head towards Ölüdeniz. Yachts are banned from going into the lagoon in Ölüdeniz. After getting to the beach by small boats enjoy the sea and sand until the evening. Dinner and the night break are on Gemiler Island.
Day 3: Leave early in the morning and, after sailing for 3.5 hours you arrive at the port of Kaş. According to your wishes you can spend some free time for yourselves or going to a nearby cove. The night stopping point and dinner is at Karaloz.
Day 4: After breakfast you get to Kekova, where there is a food and swimming break before leaving for Demre. Here there is the opportunity to get ashore by small boats and visiting the ancient city of Myra, Church St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) and other ancient ruins. The night stopping point is at Gökkaya.
Day 5: You head back for Kalkan in the morning after breakfast, and then have a tour of Patara, Letoon and Xanthos followed by a return to Kalkan in the evening. The night stop over is either at the ports of Kalkan or Yeşilköy.
Day 6: After breakfast you sail off to Beştas Cove. After a food and swimming break you leave for Fethiye. Those who wish can visit Hamam Cove before returning to Göcek in the evening.
Day 7: Leaving the boat after breakfast.
Kelebekler Vadisi-Kötürümsü: These are among the most visited sites for boats that conduct daily tours from Fethiye or Ölüdeniz. It is best known for its beach and the Kelebekler Vadisi (Butterfly Valley). There are areas where you can put up a tent. There is also an open air restaurant with a covered area that provides services. The beach and the sand are beautiful. See the Fethiye pages for Butterfly Valley.
After Kelebekler Vadisi, there is an area where high mountains drop at a right angle into the sea until you get to the Patara Beach. This part is named Yediburunlar (Seven Points). As you pass one point the next one comes up to meet you.
Patara Beach: It is a seven kilometres long beach. Both the beach and the bottom of the sea are of very white sand. Around the centre of the beach the Eşen Steam flows into the sea. The beach is an egg-laying ground for the Carreta Carreta sea turtles. This area is covered by an environmental protection order. You can visit the ancient cities of Letoon and Patara right behind the beach. It is pleasant to have a horse-ride on the beach. Four kilometers inland there is the village of Gelemiş where you would have plenty of options of pensions, restaurants and shops.
Kalkan: In the entrance of the wide Kalkan Cove there are the islands of Yılan (Snake) and Sıçan (Rat) forming the Islands of Çatal (Fork). Yılan Island drops into the sea with great steep rocks, while Sıçan is more suitable for anchoring and swimming. The daily boat tours from Kalkan stop here either on the way from Kalkan or on the return to Patara. For details check the Kalkan pages.
Before you enter Kaş, the Bucak Inlet getting inland towards Kaş, on the west of the Çukurbağ Peninsula is suitable for the mooring of the boats. The shores are rocky and deep. Those who go ashore can get to the town centre by a ten minutes walk.
The port of Kaş is wide and it stretches between the Çukurbağ Peninsula to the west and the port of Bayındır to the east. At its entrance there is the Greek island of Meis.
On the Çukurbağ Peninsula Hidayet Cove facing Kaş and the port of Bayındır to the east, are suitable for swimming and boats to moor.
The area between Kaş and Kekova is one of the beautiful routes of the Blue Cruise.
On the way to Kekova, you first get to the port of Asar (Aperlai). The ruins of the ancient city of Aperlai are both on land and in the sea. The bottom of the sea is full of amphorae. It is forbidden to dive here to bring them out of the sea.
You can get to Aperlai by land on Kaş-Üçağız road and by passing the ancient city of Apollonia. The road gets a bit worse after Apollonia.
You pass through the strait of Akar to get to Kekova. Afterwards you might get to a popular stopping point for the daily boat tours, Yağlıca Koyu (Cove). It is a small cove but is good for swimming.
The Gulf of Kekova covers a large area. Settlement areas such as Kekova Island, Kaleköy and Üçağız are all within this region. It has some of the best diving and yachting spots in Turkey.
Kekova Island gave its name to the region. Even in rough weather this is a calm spot as it is cut off from open sea by Kekova Island. Its name in ancient times was Simena, the ruins of which are scattered from the port up to the hills and even in the sea. Those who walk up the hill to the theatre on top of the hill are met with a picturesque scene. There is no better spot to take a photo. Opposite to you there is Kekova Island and on your right Üçağız. There are Lycian rock tombs everywhere on the hill.
In Kaleköy nearby, you will find small pensions and restaurants.
A visit around the shores of Kekova Island by boat will give you a chance to see the ruins of a sunken city. The ruins of the ancient city that has sunken after an earthquake,can be seen with bare eyes as they lie at one to four meters deep. This is a very impressive site. On the narrowest part of the island is the Tersane Koyu (Cove of the Shipyard), with the ruins of a church on the shore. Here the sea is like a swimming pool. The surface of the sea is as if embroided with different tones of blues.
Sıcak (Hot) Cove is the sheltered anchoring point on the Sıçak Peninsula on the western end of the gulf. From this cove you can get ashore and walk to Aperlai in half an hour. Those who stay here for the night, if they catch a chance of an evening lit by moon light, can have a perfect night. Here you can try to swim in the moonlight.
When you leave the cove you pass the island of Toprak and then on your left will be the Kisle Strait or Değirmenlik Cove. Those who wish can go ashore here. Both have the stillness of a swimming pool. However, there is a more famous bay nearby called the Akvaryum (Aquarium). This cove is between Toprak and Kara Islands.
Eight hundred meters to the east of Kaleköy, the shore forms a sheltered cove towards the north. In front of its western point lie a small island and its quay. This is the Hamidiye Cove. During the Balkan Wars (1912-14), Captain Rauf Orbay, commander of the famous Turkish warship Hamidiye, sheltered here from the attacks of the Greek navy. The Turkish flag painted on the rocks are a reminder of those days.
The village and port of Üçağız are the most significant settlements in the region. The village was built on top of the ruins of the ancient city of Theimussa. It is possible to moor at the quay. The fish restaurants on shore serve the freshest fish and also other sea-food. There are pensions in the village. You can easily get to Üçağız by land from Kaş or Demre. The road is in a good state of repair.
On the south east end of the Kekova Gulf there is only one protected cove, Karalos Cove, as all the others face the open sea. The entrance of the cove is not very noticeable. The last port on the eastern side of Kekova is Gökkaya. In the port area there are lots of smaller or larger islands and small coves that will make you feel special. You can anchor anywhere you like, anywhere that looks calm. In some coves there are restaurants. Aşırlı Island at the entrance of the cove is a popular stopping point for daily boat tours from Demre or Kaş. The island has a large cove and you can moor here. There is also a restaurant on the island.
If you want you can get to the port of Çayağzı (Andriake) in Demre. In ancient times Andriake was the port of the ancient city of Myra. From here you can get ashore and visit the historical sites of Myra and the Church of Saint Nicholas.
