Explore Turkey's Southwestern Turquoise Coast on a Gulet

Fethiye is a relaxed port city that caters to fishing, yachting, and scuba diving. It is the gateway to the Turquoise Coast. After arriving from Istanbul by air, settle into your hotel, take a walk on the Fethiye boardwalk, and enjoy a local seafood restaurant.

After breakfast, take a cab to the Fethiye market where you can buy local fruit and Turkish towels needed for the boat.

In the late morning, consider taking a taxi to Kayaköy, the ghost town where the fictional town of Eskibahçe on which Louis de Bernières based his book “Birds Without Wings.”

In the late afternoon, board your gulet. Enjoy a leisurely motor out of Fethiye Bay to find a quiet and protected inlet to anchor in for the first swim of the trip. The water is incredibly clear and warm.

Before breakfast, begin motoring along the mountainous Turkish coastline towards the whitewashed town of Kaş. This charming fishing and yachting village was founded by the Lycians, a pre-Hellenistic culture. Disembark for an afternoon exploring Kaş’ shops, streets, and alleyways.

If you’re up for a little adventure, head up the hill to find the Lycian tomb that is tucked into the cliffside. Afterward, enjoy an ice cream cone along the waterfront before re-boarding the gulet.

Before breakfast, enjoy a sunrise swim, watching the sun rise above the watery horizon.

After breakfast, head to Simena Castle built by the Knights of Rhodes to protect the area from pirates. Your breath will be taken away by the view of the luminous bay from the top of the castle. On your way back to the boat, walk through the Lycian Necropolis for beautifully restored tombs dating back to the 4th century BC.

In the afternoon, enjoy a swim in a secluded bay. If you’re lucky, the ice cream man will come by on his boat.

In the morning, motor to the port of Semre, where you’ll get on a shuttle bus to the ancient ruins of Myra, an ancient Lycian city. There’s not much left of Myra’s town, but an impressive necropolis scales the side of a cliff.

Before returning to the boat, stop in Demre to visit the St. Nicholas Church where you’ll walk over the beautifully restored mosaics of this beautiful 11th Century Greek Orthodox church abandoned during the population displacement in the 20s.

After a few very active days, a “vacation from the vacation” is in order. Spend this “rest” swimming and floating in secluded inlets on two idyllic bays—Hidayet and Firnaz. Not far offshore, you can see the Greek island of Meis, the closest Greek island to mainland Turkey.

In the morning, motor to the magical Butterly Valley, a very popular destination for boaters. Disembark if you want to wander up the valley or simply enjoy the splendor of the bay from the boat.

In the afternoon motor to Gemiler Island, where you can walk up to the archaeological site of five Greek churches built between the 4th and 5th Century AD and get a stunning 360 degree view of the bay. Modern archaeologists believe that the island may be the location of St. Nicholas’ original tomb.

Motor back to Fethiye Bay where you’ll anchor in a protected cove with a view of the bay. The voyage was filled with adventures, reflective moments, and memories that you will never forget. As you spend your final night aboard the gulet think about what you’ve experienced and start planning your next Turkey adventure.