Turkey's Turquoise Coast earned its name honestly. Cast off from Fethiye's sheltered harbor and the water beneath your hull shifts through every shade of blue and green the Med has to offer. This 200-kilometer stretch between Fethiye and Antalya, known locally as the Mavi Yolculuk (Blue Voyage) corridor, is where the modern leisure sailing cruise was born. A Turkish writer named Cevat Sakir Kabaagacli, the 'Fisherman of Halicarnassus,' organized the first literary sailing expeditions along these shores in the 1940s.
What sets this coast apart for sailors is how much it packs into a short distance. Within a single week, you anchor over submerged Lycian cities, walk through 2,400-year-old amphitheaters, swim in bays backed by 2,000-meter mountains plunging directly into the sea, and eat freshly grilled fish at waterside restaurants where the bill for four rarely tops €40. The Lycian civilization that flourished here from the 5th century BC carved rock tombs into cliff faces at water level. You sail past them daily, and after a week you stop being surprised by 2,500-year-old architecture appearing at the waterline.
The sailing conditions are about as good as the Mediterranean gets. Prevailing summer winds blow from the west-northwest at 10-20 knots, building predictably through the afternoon and dying at sunset. The coastline is deeply indented with natural harbors, so a protected anchorage is never more than a few miles away. Tidal range is negligible, currents are minimal, and water temperature from June through October sits between 24°C and 28°C.
Fethiye is the natural starting point. The town sits at the head of a wide, island-studded gulf that gives sheltered sailing for the first day while your crew finds their sea legs. Ece Saray Marina (36°37'N, 29°07'E) is the primary charter base, with 420 berths and full services: fuel, water, electricity, showers, laundry, and a chandlery. Walking distance from Fethiye's Tuesday market, the largest in the region. Spice vendors, produce stalls, textile merchants filling an entire district. Provision here before departure. Prices are 30-40% lower than marina shops, and the fresh fruit, vegetables, cheese, olives, and Turkish bread are excellent.
The first day's sail takes you 12 nautical miles southwest across the gulf to Ölüdeniz and the famous Blue Lagoon. You cannot miss the approach. Babadağ mountain (1,969 meters) rises directly behind the beach, and on any summer afternoon you will see dozens of paragliders spiraling down from the summit against the blue sky. The Blue Lagoon itself is a shallow, enclosed bay of impossibly turquoise water. It is a national park with an entry fee of ₥200 (approximately €6) per boat. Anchoring inside is prohibited, but the bay to the east has good holding in 5-8 meters of sand. Swim into the lagoon from the anchorage, and the visibility exceeds 25 meters.
Day two, sail 3 nautical miles south around the headland to Butterfly Valley (Kelebekler Vadisi), a steep-walled gorge opening to the sea through a narrow beach. Over 100 butterfly species live in the valley, including the Jersey Tiger moth. Anchor bow-to with a stern line ashore (deep close in, dropping from 3 to 15 meters within 50 meters of the beach) and hike 30 minutes up a marked trail to a waterfall in the forest. Or divert inland from Ölüdeniz to the ghost village of Kayaköy, 3 kilometers uphill. An abandoned Greek settlement of over 500 stone houses and two churches, emptied since the 1923 Greek-Turkish population exchange. Roofless houses and crumbling churches on a hillside. Genuinely eerie, and one of the most powerful historical sites on this coast.
Göcek lies 15 nautical miles east of Fethiye at the head of a long, sheltered inlet backed by pine-forested mountains. The town is a purpose-built sailing hub with six marinas. The largest and best-equipped is D-Marin Göcek (36°45'N, 28°56'E), a first-rate facility with 395 berths, a 300-ton travel lift, technical services, restaurants, and a swimming pool. Göcek's waterfront promenade has restaurants, cafes, and nautical supply shops, but the town keeps a real village feel. No high-rise development is allowed under Turkish coastal protection law, and the permanent population is only 4,000.
The real draw is not the town but the bay system to the south: the Twelve Islands (On İki Adalar). A cluster of pine-covered islands and deeply indented bays that form what I think is the most beautiful anchorage complex in the Mediterranean. Each bay has its own character. Most are accessible only by boat, which keeps them unspoiled. Yassıca Islands are a group of flat, tree-covered islets with protected anchorages between them. Drop the hook in 4-6 meters of turquoise water surrounded by pine trees growing to the water's edge. The snorkeling around the rocky shoreline turns up grouper, octopus, and moray eels.
Tersane Bay, 2 nautical miles south, is a deep fjord-like inlet with the atmospheric ruins of a Byzantine-era shipyard and church at its head. Anchor stern-to with a line ashore to the ruins. The holding is excellent in mud at 8-12 meters. The stone walls of the shipyard slip are still visible beneath the surface, and swimming over them in late afternoon light is surreal. Hamam Bay (Cleopatra's Bath), through a narrow entrance between the islands, is a tiny circular cove barely 100 meters across, ringed by pine forest. The legend says Cleopatra bathed here during a visit with Mark Antony. True or not, the bay is something special. Anchor in the center in 5 meters, swim to shore, and find the remains of a small Roman-era bathhouse among the trees. Spend two full days in the Twelve Islands. Rushing through them is a common mistake. The whole point of this place is the quiet.
The passage from Göcek to Kekova covers approximately 35 nautical miles along the coast, passing the entrance to Kalkan Bay and rounding the steep headlands of the Lycian shore. Leave early to arrive by early afternoon because the final approach through the Kekova Roads, the narrow strait between Kekova Island and the mainland, deserves unhurried attention.
Kekova Island (36°11'N, 29°52'E) shelters a long, narrow channel on its northern side where the partially submerged ruins of the ancient Lycian city of Simena lie beneath your hull. An earthquake in the 2nd century AD dropped the coastline by several meters, sinking the city's waterfront buildings, harbor walls, staircases, and sarcophagi into the sea. The ruins are clearly visible through the water at 1-4 meters: stone walls, doorways, and the distinctive pointed lids of Lycian rock tombs sticking up from the seabed. Swimming and snorkeling over the ruins is officially restricted (Kekova is a protected area under Turkish law), but slow motoring through the channel while looking down is permitted. The first time you see a 2,000-year-old staircase descending into the seabed beneath your keel, it stops you cold.
At the eastern end of the channel, the village of Kaleköy (ancient Simena) clings to a steep hillside crowned by a medieval crusader castle. No road reaches Kaleköy. Access is only by boat. Anchor in the small bay and dinghy to the waterfront, where a handful of family-run restaurants serve grilled fish, meze, and Turkish tea on terraces overlooking the sunken city. Climb the 150 stone steps to the castle for a panoramic view of the entire Kekova Roads. Inside the castle walls sits a tiny Lycian theater carved from bedrock, seating roughly 300, and almost certainly the smallest ancient theater in Turkey.
Anchor overnight in Üçağız harbor, the small fishing village at the western end of the Kekova Roads. Well-protected, with town quay berths at €10-15 per night or free anchoring in 5-8 meters outside the harbor wall. Walk the village after dinner. Lycian sarcophagi sit in people's front gardens and alongside the street, their carved reliefs worn smooth by two thousand years of weather.
Kaş (36°12'N, 29°38'E) lies 12 nautical miles west of Kekova. A coastal town built on a steep hillside above a small harbor, and the most cosmopolitan stop on the Lycian coast. The approach from the east passes the Cukurbag peninsula, and the town reveals itself gradually: whitewashed houses spilling down the slope, bougainvillea on every terrace, and a monumental Lycian tomb standing alone on the main street as if nobody thought to move it. Thriving restaurant scene, boutique hotels, art galleries, and a Friday market drawing vendors from across the region.
The ancient Lycian theater sits on the western hillside, carved into bedrock overlooking the sea. Twenty-six rows seating roughly 4,000 spectators, remarkably well-preserved and still used for summer concerts. Admission is free. Watching sunset from the top row with the Med stretching to the horizon and the Greek island of Kastellorizo (Meis) visible 7 kilometers offshore is worth rearranging your day around.
Kaş is the diving capital of the Turkish Riviera. The Canyon dive site off the Cukurbag peninsula drops from 15 meters to sand at 30 meters through an underwater ravine. Grouper, amberjack, and the occasional Mediterranean monk seal. Several professional dive operators in the harbor run guided dives for certified divers (€40-60 per dive including equipment) and PADI discover scuba for beginners. Visibility typically exceeds 25 meters.
A 20-minute ferry from Kaş crosses to Kastellorizo (Meis), one of the smallest inhabited Dodecanese islands and a genuinely charming day trip. The harbor, painted in Venetian pastels, is a compact crescent of waterfront tavernas where grilled octopus and Greek salad cost half the mainland Greek price. The Blue Cave on the island's southeast coast, accessible by small boat tour, rivals the famous Blue Grotto of Capri. Note: this is an international border crossing. Bring your passport and check current visa regulations for re-entry to Turkey. The ferry runs daily in summer, departing Kaş at 10:00, returning at 16:00, approximately €25 round trip.
Kalkan sits 17 nautical miles east of Kaş. A former Greek fishing village that has quietly become one of the best food towns on the Turkish coast. The harbor is tiny, space for maybe a dozen boats stern-to on the town quay, so arrive early or anchor in the bay and dinghy in. What Kalkan lacks in marina infrastructure it makes up for at the table. The rooftop terraces along the harbor serve some of the best food between Fethiye and Antalya. Ottoman-influenced mezes, fresh seafood, slow-cooked lamb, accompanied by wines from the Turkish vineyards of Cappadocia and the Aegean coast. A full dinner for two with wine rarely tops €50.
A 20-minute taxi from Kalkan reaches Patara Beach, at 18 kilometers the longest unbroken sand beach in Turkey and a protected nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). The beach sits within an archaeological zone that includes the extensive ruins of ancient Patara, once the principal port of the Lycian League and, according to tradition, the birthplace of Saint Nicholas (yes, that Santa Claus). A monumental triple-arched Roman gate, a 5,000-seat theater, and a recently restored lighthouse considered the oldest known in the world are all accessible on foot from the beach parking area. The beach closes at sunset during turtle nesting season (May through October).
For the return to Fethiye, plan approximately 45 nautical miles depending on stops. The direct route takes 8-9 hours under sail in typical afternoon westerlies. You can also break it into two days with an overnight at Göcek or in one of the Twelve Islands bays. The outer route, south of the islands rather than the sheltered inner channel, gives better sailing wind and open-water mountain views but adds 5-10 nautical miles. Most charter companies require the boat back by Saturday morning at 09:00, so plan your last night's anchorage within a comfortable 2-hour morning motor of the marina.
You cannot talk about sailing Turkey without talking about the gulet. This traditional wooden vessel, native to the Bodrum and Marmaris boatyards, has been the Blue Cruise platform since the beginning. Chartering a gulet is the definitive Turkish sailing experience. The market ranges from lovingly maintained 60-year-old wooden classics to gleaming modern motor-sailers built to hotel standards. Knowing the difference, and what drives the price gap, will help you pick the right boat.
The classic gulet (tirhandil or ayna kic) is a broad-beamed wooden vessel, typically 18-30 meters (60-100 feet), with a rounded stern, a bowsprit, and two or three masts carrying gaff sails and headsails. These boats are beautiful. Most do not sail well by modern standards. The rig is primarily decorative and the diesel engine does the real work. Classic gulets take 6-16 guests in cabins below deck. Social life centers on the vast aft deck (shaded dining area) and the foredeck (cushioned sun pads). A full crew of 3-5, captain, chef, and one or two deckhands, is standard. Rates for a well-maintained classic run €8,000 to €15,000 per week for a 6-8 guest vessel in high season (July-August), crew included but not food, fuel, port fees, or drinks.
The modern motor-sailer gulet keeps the traditional hull form but adds air-conditioned cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a professional galley, watermaker, generator, and often water toys (kayaks, paddleboards, snorkeling gear, sometimes a tender with outboard). These are built to classification society standards with modern diesels, bow thrusters, and proper fire suppression. Rates run €12,000 to €25,000 per week for 8-12 guests, with premium builds exceeding €30,000.
Book in April or May for a July-September departure. Early booking secures 15-20% discounts from most operators and gets you the best-maintained vessels. June and September-October save 20-30% over peak August rates, with emptier anchorages and cooler hiking temperatures as a bonus. When evaluating gulet companies: inspect recent photos of the specific vessel (not generic fleet shots), ask for build year and last refit date, read crew reviews on forums like GuletCharter.net, and demand a detailed inventory of what is included versus extras. A good gulet charter is one of the finest holidays the Mediterranean offers. A bad one, with a tired boat and a crew that does not care, is an expensive waste of a week.
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