MARMARIS-FETHIYE-MARMARIS CRUISE
Gay friendly boat cruises by gay owned travel agency of Turkey

MARMARIS WEEKLY GULET CRUISES

BLUE CRUISE #1 - ITINERARY & ROUTE

Day 1: Marmaris

Departure Days:  Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays only.

Marmaris-Fethiye-Marmaris cruise route is one of the most popular of regular cabin charter boat cruises which are organized in paradise Southwestern cost of Turkey.

Embarking: Check in to boats after 15:30. Early arriving guests may leave their luggage at the office of our local partners. The cruise boats stay in the marina of Marmaris on the first day of the cruise program, therefore the guests can check-in  to the boats from early afternoon till late evening, which gives you flexibility with arrival time of your flights or buses, especially useful if you are not staying in a hotel in Marmaris the previous night. Thus, you will also have a chance to discover lovely Marmaris town on the first day.

1st days program:
Dinner on board and overnight at your private cabin at the cruise boat. You will have free time in Marmaris until you go to sleep.

Arrival info: There are regular bus connection to Marmaris from all major cities and towns of Turkey. Dalaman is the nearest airport to Marmaris (90 km) and there are frequent flights from Istanbul Ataturk Airport. There is airport shuttle service of HAVAS for each domestic flight from Dalaman Airport to Marmaris inner city bus terminal, which takes 90 minutes and costs around 15 Euro pp. Click here for the shuttle schedule of HAVAS for Dalaman airport.
 

Ottoman castle in Marmaris	Waterfront at the town center	Marmaris has an international port

Marmaris: Marmaris bay resembles a calm lake and offers ideal mooring for yachts. The Marmaris Netsel Marina, one of the largest and best-equipped in Turkey, and the Marmaris Albatross Marina, one of the best for wintering and maintaining yachts, make Marmaris an excellent starting point for the Blue Voyage tour of the Aegean Coast. Marmaris is an important port city and a tourist destination on the Mediterranean coast, located in southwest Turkey, in the Mugla Province.

It is a popular wintering location for hundreds of cruising boaters. There are regular ferry services to the Greek island of Rhodes, and large cruise ships call at the port. Although it is not certain when Marmaris was founded, in the 6th century BC the city was known as Physkos, and considered part of Caria.
 

Day 2: Ekincik Gulf - Dalyan

Whilst you have breakfast, you will be informed about the cruise itinerary and the boat. The cruise will start at Ekincik Gulf. You may join our optional Dalyan Tour from here. You will be taken from your yacht by a small boat called “piyade”. Firstly arrive at Caretta-Caretta (turtle) beach and a take a swim stop here. You will enjoy the natural beauty of the delta as you sail along in the river boat. You will see the ancient Rock Tombs and finally arrive at mud baths to relax and be rejuvenated. A fishing village called Dalyan will be our final destinations after we return to our yacht by piyade boat. Dinner and overnight stay will be in the Gulf of Ekincik

Dalyan: Dalyan achieved international fame in 1986 when developers wanted to build a luxury hotel on the nearby Iztuzu Beach , a breeding ground for the endangered loggerhead sea turtle species. The development project was stopped and the beach is now a protected area. Iztuzu is also a popular area for sunbathing and swimming. There are regular boat and minibus services to the beach. Dalyan's turtle beach, was voted the best beach in the world in 1995. Life in Dalyan revolves around the Dalyan River which flows past the town. The boats that ply up and down the river, navigating the maze of reeds, are the preferred means of transport to all the local sites. Above the river's sheer cliffs are the weathered facades of Lycian tombs cut from rock, circa 400 AC. The ruins of the ancient trading city of Kaunos are a short boat trip across the river.
 

Day 3: Adali Bay - Manastir - Tersane Island

Because of wavy seas of Dişibilmez and Kurtoglu, that we have to cross, we will cruise earlier than the other days and reach the famous Fethiye Gulf. We will anchor at Adali Bay for breakfast. For lunch and a swimming break, we will go to Manastır Bay. This place is also known as Cleopatra Bay or Sunken Bath Bay due to the beautiful underwater ruins of a bath. We will anchor near Tersane Island for dinner. This naturally protected bay, which is used as a harbour at present, was used as shipyards in Byzantine and Ottoman times.

Tersane Island is the largest island in Fethiye Gulf. Entrance of the harbor-like bay of the island is via a deep narrow channel. The Eastern side of the bay is very suitable for anchor because it is quite shallow and protected from the wind. According to ancient sources, the island was inhabited and named Telandria in the past and was also used as a dockyard for the ships during the Ottoman period. Many houses from past ages can be still seen on the island, which give an idea of the population of the island during the Byzantium and Ottoman periods. As with Kaya Köyü in Fethiye, inhabitants of Tersane Island migrated to Greece in 1922 as a result of an agreement between Turkey and Greece to exchange the foreign populations in the two countries. North of the Island is another anchorage called Summer Port, another nice spot for swimming.

Manastir Bay: The people also call this beautiful bay Cleopatra's Bath because of the ruined Roman bath lying in the water southeast of the bay. It is certain that there is no relation between the bath and Cleopatra but local people like to say so. The volcanic structure of the natural hillside of the bay also confirms the existence of a crater lake, which gave warm waters to the bath house in ancient times. The pine trees in the bay cover the slopes from the seaside to the top of the hill, where you also see carob trees as well. A long ancient wall stretches west of the bay, seemingly the defense wall of the Lycian city Lydae that is located behind the hill. South of the bay, where the remains of the bath are, is an ideal anchorage spot closed to wind.
 

Day 4: Kizil Island - Fethiye

After breakfast, we cruise to Kızıl Island for lunch and a swimming break. On the fourth day of our cruise we will arrive in Fethiye Harbour at about 16:00 p.m. The guests who joined for ‘Mini Cruise’ may leave the boat here if they wish or stay overnight until next morning. 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's name came from Apollon's son Telmessos. As the name suggests the city was the city of light and was famous for its prophets. Fethiye stretches out in a half circle along the bay protected by 12 Islands. You can visit the city centre. Dinner and overnight stay will be in Fethiye harbour.
 

Fethiye and Blue Lagoon	Market street in old Fethiye	Fethiye from Rock Tombs

Fethiye is one of the most popular resorts of Turkey located on a wide bay, strewn with many islands. Fethiye is 135 kms southwest of Marmaris and has an outstanding and busy marina. The ancient name of the city is Telmessos and you will see a fortress on the hill overlooking the city which was built by Knights of Rhodes Island. Fethiye is also known for its rock tombs carved into the faces of the high cliffs by the Lycians. Among these tombs especially remarkable one is the tomb of Amnytas dating from the 4th century BC, elaborately carved in Doric architectural style. It is worth well visiting. Other historical places around the town are the Sarcopaghi and the Fethiye Tower.
 

Day 5: Fethiye - Gocek Island - Yassica Islands

Fethiye-Marmaris mini cruise check in days coincides to Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday (by 10:30 a.m)

The Mini Cruise guests joined from Marmaris should leave the boat by 9:30 a.m. The new guests for Mini Cruise must join the boat by 10:30 a.m from Fethiye Harbour. After the breakfast, we will be visiting uniquely beautiful islands and finally hoist near Gocek island. Following lunch and a swimming break we will cruise to Yassica (Flat) islands to spend the night and cherish the wonderful scenery.

Gocek is located 22 km from Dalaman International Airport and 35 km from Fethiye. Positioned at the furthest north end of Fethiye bay. Göcek hosts four significant marinas that serve the yacht tourism in the region. A prominent characteristic of the town is the fact that it harbors islands and coves located in a large and secluded bay. Due to its location, it naturally enjoys a high potential for yacht tourism.

Gocek was relatively small village until 1990's and is known as Turkey's greatest chromium reserve. The recent development of several yacht marinas in Göcek bay and the town's proximity to the pretty islands and bays in the Fethiye Gulf, has made it a popular harbor town offering every kinds of service to yachtsmen, a laid-back nightlife and quaint streets lined with pretty buildings. Göcek Bay makes an excellent overnight stop on any cruise.

Day 6: Bedri Rahmi Bay - Domuz Island - Aga Limani

After the breakfast we will cruise to Bedri Rahmi Bay. Bedri Rahmi is a famous Turkish artist who made one of the first ‘Blue Cruises’ in Turkey. Following his visit the bay was named after him. We will go to Domuz Island for a swim and anchor in Ağa Limanı for dinner and overnight stay..

Bedri Rahmi Bay is one of the most popular bays in the Fethiye Gulf, which is located opposite from Tersane (Dockyard) Island . Bedri Rahmi was a great writer and painter of Turkey. He and his close friends were the first blue voyagers of the country who discovered the beautiful Lycian coast and informed people about these beauties. On one of his cruises, he painted a fish on a rock (left) behind a fountain of the bay in 1973, and ever since the bay has been called by his name.

The bay is well protected against the wind and suitable for anchoring. Pine, olive trees and oleander flowers on the surrounding slopes, small beach and crystal - clear water complement the historical remains on the hill and create an idyllic setting.

There are many Lycian rock tombs hidden behind the trees, as well as ones shaped like pigeonholes on a great rock. You can also see a rock tomb with an ornamented door and a triple tomb on the slope. According to the ancient historians, the city that is located behind of the hill was the Lycian town Crya.
 

Day 7: Kumlubuk - Cennet Island - Marmaris

Today, we will cruise to Kumlubuk Bay early in the morning. Breakfast will be served in Kumlubük Bay. We anchor at Cennet Island for our last swimming break and lunch. We will enter to Marmaris Harbour by 16:00 p.m. Overnight stay will be in Marmaris. Guests wishing to see more of Marmaris are recommended to go to the city centre and experience the lively night life. If you need to depart earlier, you may leave the boat tonight.

Overnight in Marmaris.
 

Day 8: Goodbye

PRICE LIST

2011 Summer Prices (Full Board- Per Week)

Departure Days:  Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays only.

Prices include:
* All services, harbor taxes and yacht insurance*
* 5 o'clock tea break with, cookie, biscuits, cake offer *
* Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner during the cruise period*
* Basic snorkeling and fishing equipments and board games*
* 7 nights accommodation in private cabins with en-suite bath/WC*
* Towels and bed sheets, but still bring personal towels and swimming materials*

Prices do not include.
* Personal travel insurance.
* Airport and hotel transfers from/to boats.
* Optional excursions/tours which may be recommended by boat staffs along the way.
* Drinks are not included but available at the boat with very reasonable prices.
* Various surcharges in case of credit card payments ( Visa and Master, and American Express)
 

PAYMENT AND RESERVATION

Depending on season we will request 20-30% of the total price for guaranteed reservations. We will send you a detailed reservation contract by e-mail after all details are confirmed mutually.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

This is not an exclusively gay cruise. We organize this cruise in cooperation with other non-gay boat operators or boat owners, but we choose the gay friendly ones as much as possible. Therefore it is a coincidence if there will be other gay or lesbian clients joining the same cruise, same day with you.
This blue cruise starts regularly only on mentioned days only. Private charter version of the same or similar route can be organized starting any day for private groups if requested. Private charter cruises can also be shorter or longer than 7 nights, if required.
This cruise is classified as cabin charter and the boats are standard quality. Private charter version of the same or similar route can be organized with standard, deluxe or superior quality boats if requested by private groups.  We have direct contacts with the boat owners and boat operators in Marmaris but there will be a considerable price difference depending on the number of participants, the size and the quality of the boat.
There may be small changes with the cruise route. This is the most common route for this destination but the captain can make some minor changes with the route due to weather conditions and technical reasons. We may reserve you and alternative cruise form another boat operator with similar route if there is no vacancy.
What you should bring: Bed sheets and some towels are provided for guests. But still we recommend you to bring your own extra towels as well as swimming and sun bathing materials,  a couple of slippers and walking shoes, a pullover and may be a wind-breaker for windy nights.

Click here to have an idea about blue cruises and gullet boats

Click here for more the map of the blue cruise destinations in southwestern Turkey.