We invite you to explore the Turquoise Coast of Turkey and its lovely bays and inlets on an exciting and relaxing boat charter tour. Turkey has historically been a country uniquely suited for travel by boat... Turkey is a great place for a sailing, cruising and yachting holiday today. It was by boat that the Homeric hero, Odysseus, began his sea voyage from Troy through the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. The western coast of Turkey, particularly the Turkish Aegean, is dotted with famous port towns that have existed since antiquity, from whence scientific knowledge, religious beliefs and rare goods from the orient were spread throughout the ancient world. It is still by daily ferries that people move between the Turkish mainland and the Greek islands that lie close to it. Turkey is surrounded by water on three sides, making it a very large peninsula. On its southern border lies the Mediterranean Sea, to the west lie the Marmara and Aegean Seas, and to the north lies the Black Sea. The four seas form a continuous waterway around the coast with the help of the Bosphorus, which connects the Marmara and the Black Sea.
Turkey possesses over 8,333 kilometers (5,208 miles) of coastline and is a treasure-trove of coves, inlets, bays and beaches. With this geography and a long history of boats and boat-building, Turkey is a sailing, cruising and yachting paradise. Turkey and its waterways have become the home of the "Blue Cruise" or the "Blue Voyage". Groups of people get together on gulets, small schooners that were used by Turkish fishermen on longer fishing trips, now renovated to comfortably accommodate passengers on chartered cruises of up to two weeks.The Blue Cruise enables passengers to experience life from the perspective of the sea.
The tempered winds that blow from the west make the long summers ideal for a yachting tour. From the Turquoise Coast's unspoilt and sheltered bays, see mountain peaks covered with pines rising almost 3,000 meters above sea level or the remains of ancient Lykian tombs, nestled in the mountain face.When you are not eating freshly caught fish prepared by the captain of the gulet and his crew or doing a little fishing yourself, sunbathing on the yacht's deck, or swimming in the absolutely transparent clear blue, green waters of the waters of a small cove or inlet, you have the opportunity to stroll on land along the private beach of Cleopatra, or explore the myriad of archaeological sites that dot the coastline.For lovers of the active life, sailing on a Blue Cruise means swimming, fishing, snorkeling, wind-surfing and scuba diving. For lovers of a more relaxing holiday, the Blue Cruise is an excellent way of seeing a beautiful part of Turkey from a lounge chair as one cruises lovely bays and inlets... The slower pace of life and the hospitable and gracious people of the Aegean's coastal villages and towns make a Blue Cruise on a gulet sailing schooner the perfect escape to a world of simplicity and beauty. The Blue Cruise will tempt you back again and again, to explore another stretch of the coast and relive the luxurious ease that only a boat charter in Turkey can provide.
A day on board...
Following breakfast, your captain will sail a couple of hours and anchor in quiet bay where swimmers can plunge into turquoise water of unbelievable clarity - the kind of perfection which people dream about. Alternatively, you may anchor at some ancient site to savor the history of one of the most bitterly fought over civilizations of Asia minor. Snorkel around the underwater ruins, go searching the reefs for octopus or you can hike up to the ruins to build up you appetite.After the lunch, spread out on the yacht's roof and deck to soak up the sun or just relax with a game, a book, some music, a drink, catch your own fish from the side of boat, have a go on the windsurf. Do what you want, try everything or nothing. Such is the slow peace of life that seems to stand still.
Move on some more and pick a secluded cove for the night or perhaps dock in one of the coastal resorts for a night out and a chance to stock up on supplies and souvenirs or a chance to discover the warm Turkish hospitality of your hosts, or none of you will have a desperate urge to move on somewhere ... Why move when you are already in Paradise!
Seven of even more, of the most relaxing days of your life. Surely, only dreams are made of this.
Private Yacht Charter
All the yachts are chartered with crew. As you will have rented the whole yacht for yourself, regardless of the number of people who join the group, you will be charged on a daily rental basis. This will allow you to decide on the route and the date yourselves (in agreement with us). For your planning of the cruise route, you can use the itineraries of our regular yacht tours as a reference. These itineraries are based on a certain geographical logic and they have been formed with years of experience behind them. But we can discuss with you other possible combinations. Upon receipt of these details, together with the down payment, your boat will be reserved. This boat will not be changed, unless exceptional circumstances arise. Should a change of boat become necessary, we will provide a boat of similar or superior standard. If this is not acceptable, a full refund of any monies put forward will be offered, with no further course for appeal. Daily charter rates include the yacht's crew and the following services: Diesel for up to 4-hours cruising per day, water, all port dues and taxes in Turkish waters, the yacht's insurance and preparation/cooking of the meals. All meals on board are prepared by a cook. In this way, you will also have the opportunity to taste the excellent examples of Turkish cuisine, as well as the basic staples such as fresh seafood, grilled meats, large salads, and daily baked bread from villages. Necessary arrangements for full board or half board meal plans will be done in advance of your arrival. Food and drinks will be quoted separately; they are not included in the price of the boat. If required, meals can be provided by us also. If the client chooses to provide their own food then they must provide food also for the crew. Incentives Your long-deserving colleagues and clients have a right to be rewarded with a successful trip. An incentive does not necessarily have to be expensive. An unforgettable, satisfying tour combining the possibilities of a yacht tour and classical land arrangements can also be organized within a realistic price. We would work out a special tour program for you according to your expectations and in consideration of your budget.
Individual Yacht Charter
We offer guaranteed departures from Marmaris, throughout the season. Such tours are made with our fleet of traditional Turkish wooden boats known as Gulet.Generally, these boats have 6 cabins for 12 persons, but according to demand, boats with 4 cabins for up to 8 persons, and even 12 cabin boats for up to 24 persons can be employed. The boat's name will not be made available prior to the day of embarkation, as numbers will dictate which boat is best allocated. Our gulets generally motor from place to place, with sails being optional. If sailing is of importance to you, please make this known with your reservation, so that we can try to place you on a sailing boat. The departing and meal times will be decided by the captain according to the composition of the group, the atmosphere on board and the daily activities. Please do not forget that the captain has the right to make changes on the route due to bad weather conditions or other necessities.Our guests on these tours may be from a variety of different countries, but we know from experience, that the common love towards sea, nature and history can make strangers turn into friends quickly. Although our crew on the boats mostly do not know a foreign language except for some important daily language, they will be able to understand all requests.The embarkation is on the evening of the mentioned day, departure on the morning of the following day and disembarkation on the morning of the next embarkation day. (i.e.: Marmaris embarkation on Saturday evening, Sunday morning departure, and disembarkation after one week on Saturday morning.)
A "Blue Cruise" is -first of all - a lovely escape from the drabness of daily life for a period. On the Blue Cruise one sails along the southwestern Turkish coastline, into solitary bays, crystal clear and virgin waters, picturesque small villages and places of antiquity.Wherever you come from and however old you are, after a week or two at sea, you'll become one heart with nature. Both flesh and spirit will be healthy and happy. For the kind of Blue Cruise we offer, you don't necessarily have to have a license for sailing. We provide you traditional wooden yachts, which you can charter with crew. If you cannot form a group of your own, you still have the chance to join our weekly tours with guaranteed departure.You can also choose a "Bareboat." Those are fabricated fiberglass boats. On your request, one of the skippers of our staff can assist you on the boat. We also offer diving tours, through which you can survey the depths of our coasts with experienced supervisors.
How to charter a Gulet ?
For the kind of Blue Cruise we offer, you don't necessarily have to have a license for sailing. We provide you traditional wooden yachts (Gulets), which you can charter with crew. If you cannot form a group of your own, you still have the chance to join our weekly tours with guaranteed departure. You can also choose a "Bareboat." Those are fabricated fiberglass boats. Upon your request, one of the skippers of our staff can assist you on the boat.
Private Yacht Charter (Crewed, Gulet type yacht charter for groups) Individual Yacht Charter (Crewed, Gulet type yacht charter for individuals, guaranteed departure) Sailing Yacht Charter (Bareboat charter for groups) Which season is best ? Between the end of July and the beginning of September, Turkey is extra busy with the height of summer bringing thousands to the coastal regions. July and August days are long and hot and the nights are warm. June, the beginning of July and all of September offer a better combination, with warm days and cool evenings. The water in September can be especially warm in places. The months of May and October offer excellent sailing conditions and the opportunity to go trekking or fishing.
Children? Provided they are accompanied by adults, children of any age are welcome to come along and will positively thrive in the warm waters of the Turkish Aegean and Mediterranean. What to bring with? Don't forget that you will spend most of the time in your bathing suit. For land trips a pair of long and light trousers and a shirt or T-shirt is advisable. You will also need shoes that can stand stony paths. In the evening, especially in the early and late seasons, it may become cooler, so you may also need a pullover. A bath towel, a sun cream against sunburn, snorkels, flippers and goggles and a sleeping bag in case you want to sleep on deck. Bedding is provided by us. Take your belongings in a bag rather than a suitcase, because it is easier to keep it in the cabin. Normally, our boat personnel don't have a through knowledge of foreign languages, so it wouldn't hurt to have a dictionary with you on the cruise. It will be forbidden to go onto the boat with normal street shoes, so it would be advisable to take proper shoes with soft soles with you. The electricity on most of the ships run over 12 Volt. Please consider this if you want to take battery-run or electric shavers, videos etc. And be sure to leave your hair styler back home, as it is better to dry your hair under the sun.
How to spend the time? During the day, we cruise for a few hours and sail if the wind allows. Closer to lunch or dinner, we approach the land and drop anchor in a solitary bay, alongside a small village or off an island. At every stop, and there will be at least two per day, there is the opportunity to swim, fish, snorkel, windsurf, sunbathe, take a trip ashore or just read under the shade of the sun awning. The accent is on relaxation and recreation. Your friendly, attentive crew will consist of a captain, a cook and either one or two seamen. Their job is to ensure that you are comfortable, well fed and entertained.
