Fethiye Kekova Fethiye

Fethiye

Boarding starts at 15.30pm from Fethiye Harbour. While you settle in, dinner will be served on the yacht and we will stay overnight on board at Fethiye Port.

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 derived its name from Apollo's son, Telmessos. The city became a part of the Ottoman Empire in 1924. The name changed many times over the years and was eventually named Fethiye in 1914 after the first Turkish Air Force Officer who was called Fethi Bey, crashed his plane and died here whilst on duty. In the south of the town you will see many famous tombs and graves from ancient times and one of the most famous and most beautiful stone tombs is the tomb of King Amyntas. The ruins belonging to a theatre, which were recovered during the excavation carried out by the museum recently is located at the city center.

Oludeniz (The Dead Sea)

Our first stop of the day will be Ölüdeniz. Ölüdeniz is Turkish for the Dead Sea, which it derives from the calm waters that seem to shine like a pane of glass all year round. It is one of the most visited and popular tourist spots on the Turquoise Coast of southwestern Turkey. The blue lagoon sits within a pebble beach enclosure, and the waters are crystal clear, aquamarine and differing shade so of blue. Behind the town is Mount Babadağ, that sets the pace for the paragliding community. This is considered to be one of the best and most beautiful paraglide locations in the world. For visitors arriving by yacht, this is a great place for snorkeling and scuba diving, since the lagoon has plenty of small underwater caves and a lot of interesting fauna and sea life.

Gemiler Island

St. Nicholas (Gemiler Island) is considered to be the resting place of St. Nicholas, or what we all know as Santa Claus, who is also the Patron Saint of Sailors. During the early Christian era, this was a very active island with a lot of trade and commerce. It his home to some Byzantine ruins and St. Nicholas’ tomb. The island is now a pilgrimage site, as well as a favored day stop for yachts. Dinner and overnight stay will be in this lovely bay. 

Yesilkoy

In the morning, we will start an early cruise to cross Yedi Burunlar (Seven Capes) smoothly. We will anchor at Yesilkoy Bay, located close to Kalkan, for breakfast and to enjoy the sea. Yeslikov is a small village under the surrounding mountains, its name means green village and its purpose was to provide shelter to farmers. Over time, it grew into a small farming community that species in olives and maquis.

Kas

Our boat will be anchored at the Kas Harbour so that you can get off the board and visit this small charming fishing village. Kas was once a small fishing village, today it is a growing tourist town with a nice marina and perfect conditions for scuba diving. In fact, Kas is considered to be one of Turkey’s main diving centers and it delivers in every sense. 

Quite close to the harbor is an ancient amphitheater, and around the harbor are plenty of small restaurants and tavern providing fresh seafood meals. Dinner and overnight stay will be in Kas. 

Kekova

East of Kas is the island of Kekova. In a bay near Kekova, we stop for swimming and lunch. Kekova is a protected region and is uninhabited. You will most probably anchor off the island, and you can visit the area to enjoy the amazing views, clear turquoise seas and ancient ruins.

Simena (Kalekoy)

We will cruise to the Sunken City of Kekova in Simena. (this Lycian Roman archaeological site is here protected, so only looking!). Simena, a traditional Turkish fishing village with no access by car. There is a Byzantine/Ottoman castle. Simena houses a large necropolis, and together with its location provide a natural beauty of harsh and soft. The turquoise waters that’s lap on the sandy beaches, provide a perfect relaxing swimming experience to all visitors. Dinner and overnight stay will be Simena.

Demre

What makes Demre popular are its Church of St. Nicholas and the Myra Rock Tombs, nestled in the mountain, carved out of the mountainside. The Taurus mountains behind Demre give it a contrasting green and brown against the clear blue sky and the twinkling azure sea. There are many archeological finds dotted around this peninsula, so if you are interested in the ancient legends of Turkey and Greece, this is one area you will want to study closely.

Gokkaya

This amazingly beautiful location sits opposite three islands, Asirli island, Kiseli island and Kasirli island. Entering the harbor of Gokkaya usually happens when coming from Kekova, and is made by sailing between the islands of Asirli and Kiseli. The deep channel provides ample protection from the rocks of Martini Kayagligi. What is amazing about this bay is the cold spring waters that filter down from the mountains and flow int the bay. This cause the waters to have two temperature levels, a cooler upper layer and a warmer lower level. Apart from the sea and the islands, you also get access to the ancient Acropolis found in the ancient city of Istlada, which sits beside the town of Kapakli. There are sarcophagi and stele shaped tombs, some with inscriptions from the 4th century, the most famous tomb is that of Hoyran. 

In Gokkaya Bay optional water sports are available. Dinner and overnight stay will be in Gokkaya Bay.

Kalkan

Just below the Taurus Mountains sits the town of Kalkan. This amazing town is built on the slopes of the mountain, so you get a multi-layered white washed view against a dark mountain backdrop. This town has both a small harbor as well as a thriving olive business, and they make a special olive soap unique to their town. Since this site is so beautiful, many properties are owned by foreign residents that come to stay for a few weeks during the year. The rest of the time the property is either empty or rented out to visitors through sites such as Airbnb. The view of this town is magnificent, with overflowing colors from the multiple storied terraces on one side, and the clear bay waters shining under the sunlight during the day. We will anchor at Yesilkoy for dinner and overnight stay.

Turunc Pinari

An early start will enable us to cruise to Turunc Pinari Bay. Turunç Pınarı is on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Fethiye. It is lined by pine trees and is home to a lovely restaurant. The restaurant has a pier with 15 moorings, and it supplies water provisions as well as a few times for restocking. If you take a short walk up the hillside, you will find a natural water spring under a walnut tree. Yachts usually anchor around 25 meters off the shore, and this is a perfect sport for a short landside respite.

Samanlik Bay

After lunch, we will anchor at Samanli Bay for a swimming stop. Quite close to Fethiye is Samanlik Bay, this small bay is considered to be a great location for anchoring, even when Fethiye is close by. The slopes leading down to the bay are covered with trees and the waters are cool and inviting. This is a regular anchor location for many yachts and is if you want to visit Fethiye, it's just a short sail away. For dinner and overnight stay, we will head back to Fethiye harbor.