SATURDAY : BODRUM

Bodrum-Gokova-Bodrum route is the birth place and the most popular route for blue cruising with gullet yachts exceptionally being organized in Southwestern cost of Turkey.

Departure: This cruise is available once a week starting on every Saturday, from the beginning of April till the end of October. Please ask for availability in April and October closer to departure time.

Embarking: The cruise boats stay in the marina of Bodrum 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 Bodrum the previous night. Thus, you will also have a chance to discover exciting Bodrum town on the first day.  Since you will be on quiet bays and beaches for about one week ahead of you, you can start your vacation by joining crazy night-life of Bodrum on this busy Saturday night.

After all guests gathers, you will get detailed briefing about the daily life on board and cruising program while sipping your welcome drink.

Dinner on board and overnight at your private cabin at the cruise boat.

Arrival: Transfers from central Bodrum hotels are included and we can also offer you airport transfer with reasonable prices, if requested. There are regular bus connection to Bodrum from all major cities and towns of Turkey. Bodrum-Milas airport is 35 km away from Bodrum and many flight companies operate scheduled and charter flights to Bodrum in Summer season. From the airport there are also Havas Shuttle services in accordance with each planes' arriving to the domestic lines of Bodrum Milas Airport. (approximately 10 Euro pp). Click here for the shuttle schedule of HAVAS for Bodrum airport. In high season, Bodrum is reached by the sea from Greek Islands of Cos and Rhodes. Daily ferryboat services from/to Cos and Rhodes to Bodrum are available during the summer season.

Recommended hotels in Bodrum: Hotel Delfi,  Hotel Atrium

Typical Bodrum houses	St Peters Castle of Bodrum	Bodrum marina is always busy

Bodrum: A town at the junction of the Aegean and the Mediterranean is Bodrum, occupying a small but beautiful peninsula. It is one of the prettiest holiday resorts of Turkey, popular and famous for its vivacious, friendly and bohemian atmosphere. Bodrum has also become the central hub for travel between Turkey and the Mediterranean Islands whether it be via sea, land or air. You can spend your days walking the streets of Bodrum, experiencing the sights and smells of the markets or walk the shopping malls searching for your top designer labels. Enjoy the picturesque views of Bodrum's harbor and St Peters Castle whilst tantalizing your taste buds over Turkish cuisine in variety of waterfront cafe's, restaurants and bars.

Bodrum is the site of the ancient city of Halikarnassus, the location of the famous Mausoleum of Halikarnassus (built after 353 BCE) - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Unfortunately, the ancient monument was destroyed by earthquakes in the Middle Ages and nothing left to see, though some of the remnants can be seen at British Museum in London. According to Herodotus, born B.C. 484 in Halikarnassus (Bodrum), the city was founded by the Dor's. Megerans enlarged the city B.C. 650 and changed its name to Halikarnassus, and then Persians started to rule the city. Halikarnassus had its glorious days, when it was the capital of the Karia B.C. 353. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Mausoleum, was built there by Artemisia for the memory of King Mausolos.
 

SUNDAY : ORAK ISLAND - COKERTME

Get ready for an incredible journey. Right after breakfast your boat will depart from Bodrum Marina for Orak Island famous with its sparkling turquoise waters.  You will have considerable time for swimming in crystal-clear waters and have your lunch in Orak Island. Before the evening you will sail on to Cokertme for dinner and overnight, where cheerful and friendly local people live. Cokertme is a charming fishing village famous for its hand-made carpets.
 

The cruise boats at Orak Island	Cokertme Village	A beach near Cokertme

Orak Island is about 9 miles east of Bodrum, an islet of bare rock and thorny shrubs that seem to float in the clear morning light. It is a popular point where yachts and boats on Gokova tours do not pass without stopping. The island stretches opposite of Kargicik Inlet and has indented shores covered with olive trees in the lower slopes of the hills. There is no settlement on the island but there are sheltered coves that you can anchor at in the north and in the east the sea that is like an aquarium.

Cokertme: This small hamlet, mentioned in the local folk songs, is an important stopover before or after crossing the Gokova Gulf. Cokertme Bay takes its name from a small village. Cokertme Bay is a sheltered place for spending the night. It is well known by the boatmen mainly because its secluded bays well protected from the wind. Cokertme has a long coastline with forests of pine and olive trees starting right from the coastline. Local restaurants with reasonable prices offer fine food to boat people. At night time, there are even belly dancers entertaining the visitors.
 

MONDAY : CATI HARBOR

After breakfast, depart from Cokertme for Cati Harbor arriving at noon, where your will spend the rest of the day and the evening. Most of the bays near Cati harbor has sandy beaches and there is a pine forests covering all around it. After having your lunch you can either swim in the warm waters of the blue sea or walk though the untouched pine forest to fill up your lungs with pure oxygen. Dinner and overnight on board.
 

TUESDAY : SEVEN ISLANDS-KUFRE

Today you’ll be having another wonderful day in Yedi Adalar (Seven Islands) famous with the coral reefs. You’ll have ample time for swimming, snorkeling, and windsurfing. Arrival to Kufre which has a natural harbor. You may walk through Gunluk Forest if you wish. Dinner will be ready to be served on your return. We will spend the night on board in Kufre.
 

One of the ideal stops during a blue voyage is Seven Islands, a secluded bay in the south of Tulsa. It is ideal spot for swimming, snorkeling, fishing or sponge diving. Holiday maker can harpoon fish and collect sponges there.
 

WEDNESDAY : SEDIR ISLAND-KARACASOGUT

Today we will first sail to Sedir Island (Cleopatra's Island) where you’ll encounter an antique city with its theater and other ruins. From there your boat will shortly sail on to Karacasogut for dinner and overnight.
 

Sedir Island: A rumor has it that, this was the meeting point of Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. You can still visit the ruins of a horse shoe shaped antic theatre and other things from Hellenistic and Roman periods. This island boasts an incredible beach with fine sand composed of fossils and a magnificent view of the Kiran Mountains across the bay. Cleopatra's beach of Sedir Island is one of the most beautiful and crowded beach in Turkey. It is also suggested that the fine sand of the beach was brought all the way from Nile river of Egypt. The Sedir (Cedrea) Islands was also a resort area at Roman times, now crowded by people coming mainly from Marmaris.

Karacasogut is the most suitable and logical place for anchorage in the area, located 40 kms from Marmaris town. It is one of the spectacular places of south western Anatolian coastline. The area already attracted land developers who built fancy summer villas around the bay.

 

THURSDAY : ENGLISH HARBOR-BALLISU BAY

After breakfast and a short sailing, your boat will anchor in English Harbor where Rosemaries and a pine forest frame a lake where English war ships sank. After lunch, a 1,5 hour cruise will bring us to Longoz harbor. For the night, we will drop the anchor at Ballisu.

According to locals, British naval vessels hid at the English Harbor (Degirmen Buku) during German Occupation of Greek Islands at World War II. In fact, two British military aircrafts including the skeletons of the pilots were discovered by Turkish divers at the English Harbor. It is suggested that these two airplanes were hit by German anti-craft guns form the nearby Greek Islands in 1942.

There are six anchorage spots at Degirmen Buku area. At a distance about 5 km's west of Degirmen Buku, there is Ballisu Bay, which is also a perfect spot for god anchorage.
 

FRIDAY: KERME BAY-KARAADA-BODRUM

After breakfast you will sail on to Kerme (Gokova) Bay. There are many historical ruins, antique water channels, memorial tombs and Byzantine walls to be visited around here. Then, we will stop at Karaada (Black island) just outside of mainland near Bodrum, which is famous with its mud baths and finally continue to Bodrum marina for dinner and overnight. Tonight, you will have a last chance to join the colorful night life of Bodrum.

It is possible to check out from the boat in Bodrum this evening for those who need to depart earlier.
 

The Gulf of Gokova (Kerme), is a narrow gulf of the Aegean Sea which separates the Bodrum peninsula from the Resadiye peninsula in southwest Turkey.

Bodrum (ancient Halicarnassus), located in its northwest reaches, is the only large city on the gulf today, but the gulf was originally named for the ancient city of Ceramus, on the north shore. The Greek island of Kos closes off the gulf from the Aegean.

Administratively, Gulf of Gökova coastline includes portions of the districts of Bodrum, Milas, Mugla, Ula, Marmaris and Datca.

The alluvial plain at the Gulf's end is the location of the townships of Akyaka and Gokova which are much prized by visitors with especially Akyaka becoming a rising center of tourism.

 

SATURDAY: BODRUM

Disembarking after having your last breakfast all together on board at Bodrum marina.
You will be transferred to your hotel in Bodrum, if required. (please let us know your hotel information)
Please let us know if you need any hotels, airport transfers, domestic flight or bus tickets after check-out

Recommended hotels in Bodrum: Hotel Delfi,  Hotel Atrium
 

PRICE LIST

* October & April 310 Euro per person in double cabin, 415 Euro private cabin for 1 person*
* May & June  330 Euro per person in double cabin, 455 Euro private cabin for 1 person*
* July & August & September 370 Euro per person in double cabin, 560 Euro private cabin for 1 person*

Above prices are per week and include:

* All Taxes*
* Transfers from/to central Bodrum hotels if requested*
(Airport transfers are not included, but we can arrange upon request)
*7 nights accommodation in private cabins with en-suite baths on board*
* Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner *
(Drinks are not included but available at the boat with very reasonable prices)
* Basic snorkeling equipments and board games*
*Please bring your own towels, swimming and sun bathing materials*
 

PAYMENT AND RESERVATION

Payment and reservation: We will request 30% of the total tour price for guaranteed reservations. We will send you a detailed reservation contract by e-mail after all details are confirmed mutually.

For payments we accept Maestro, Visa and Master credit cards besides bank transfers. We also accept American express, but request 7% extra payment, for the commission we have to pay ourselves.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

This blue cruise starts regularly only on Saturday. 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 Bodrum, 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 wind/weather conditions.

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.