Traveling Turkey - the Blue Journey - lovely alternative
A really interesting adventure is a trip they call the Blue Journey. At some harbours you can book a journey as a member of a small team for a weeks cruise along the coast. In this way you learn about life on a boat aswell as a lot about people and the sights. Offers like this are also available in the internet.
It depends on the harbour you start from as to whether you see lots of ancient places, go swimming and diving, or take a more relaxing trip just visiting some villages along the waterfront. Some trips go to the islands along the coast as well. The boats offer enough space for up to five families, so it is a good way of getting to know other families of similar interests.
BODRUM - Blue Journey
1st Day (Thursday): After arriving at the airport, you will be taken to the port of Bodrum. Then you will be accommodated on the boat. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
2nd Day (Friday): After having breakfast, you will sail to the island of Orak which is just like an endless aquarium. After a swimming and lunch break, you will carry on sailing to a fishing village called Çökertme. You will have dinner and stay on the boat in Çökertme.
3rd Day (Saturday): You will set out after having breakfast. You will anchor in a beautiful small port called Çatı. You will be able to swim here, or go into the countryside for a walking tour among the pine trees. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
4th Day (Sunday): A new day will see you set out on a tour to the "Seven Islands". Diving, swimming, eating, sleeping… You will have a cup of tea at the small port of Kürfe. You will have dinner and stay on the boat in the port of Kürfe.
5th Day (Monday): You will sail to the island of Sedir in the morning. According to the legend, this was the place where Mark Anthony and Cleopatra fell in love with each other. You will be able to see the ancient amphitheatre built by the Romans. You will carry on sailing to Karacasöğüt in the afternoon. If you wish, you would visit Marmaris town. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
6th Day (Tuesday): After having breakfast, you will sail to the beautiful bays of the Bodrum region. You will anchor in the 'British Port' which had been used as a shelter for the British navy during the Second World War. You will have lunch in Löngöz. You will have dinner and stay on the boat in Ballısu.
7th Day (Wednesday): After having breakfast, you will sail to ancient Keramos in the Bay of Kerme. Here, you will be able to visit the Temple of Zeus, the churches remaining from the Byzantium period, the aqueduct, and the rock graves. You will go to Kara Island to have a mud bath. Then you will go on sailing in the direction of Bodrum. You will have dinner and stay on the boat in the port of Bodrum.
8th Day (Thursday): After having breakfast, you will disembark from the boat and be transferred to the airport or your hotel to carry on your holiday in Turkey.
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FETHIYE - Blue Journey
1st Day (Monday or Saturday): When you arrive in Dalaman, you will be taken to the port of Marmaris. Then you will be taken to your accommodation on the boat. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
2nd Day (Tuesday or Sunday): After having breakfast on the boat, you will sail towards Ekincik. Then, you will pass through the natural beauty of the Dalyan river delta on small boats in order to visit Dalyan which was founded by the son of Felos. Here, you will be able to visit the rock graves, the Castle of Acropolis, the Antique Theatre and the blocks of the Basilica. Dalyan is well-known all over the world for its natural beauty as well as its 'Caretta Caretta' turtles. You will even be able to have a mud bath here. You will spend your first day in the Bay of Ikincik. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
3rd Day (Wednesday or Monday): You will set out very early in the morning because you will travel past the rocks and the cape. You will anchor in the Bay of Danastır for breakfast and spend your day doing water sports or just relaxing. Then the boat will anchor in another bay nearby where you will have dinner and stay on the boat.
4th Day (Thursday or Tuesday): Fethiye. Here, you will be able to visit the ancient city of Telemessos which was once renowned for its fortune-tellers and fruits, or go to Ölüdeniz (the Dead Sea) by mini-bus to visit the marvellous beach and its environs. You will sail until the evening again and anchor to have dinner on the boat. Your overnight stay will be on the boat.
5th Day (Friday or Wednesday): Today, you will be able to swim among the incredibl beautiful ruins in the Bay of Göcek or visit the beach of Göcek and have afternoon tea. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
6th Day (Saturday or Thursday): You will sail to Baba Island early in the morning. You will have breakfast in a suitable bay. You will arrive at Baba Island before noon. Today's program includes lunch, swimming, sport and entertainment. You will have dinner and stay on the boat.
7th Day (Sunday or Friday): The last day of your tour will see you set out towards Marmaris passing Kümbülük and Turunç. After a short swimming and windsurfing break, you will arrive in Marmaris before sunset. You will be able to do some shopping here. You will have dinner on the boat at the end of your beautiful and relaxing week’s travel. You will stay for the last time on the boat in the port of Marmaris.
8th Day (Monday or Saturday): You will be transferred to the airport or your hotel to carry on your holiday in Turkey.
Blue Cruise Gulet Tours in Turkey - The Best Way Vacationers Can Tour Turkey's Coastline / By Ashley Boykin
Blue Cruises are a wonderful and inexpensive way to see the Aegean and Mediterranean Coastlines while visiting Turkey. With tourism to Turkey exploding, more and more people are discovering blue tours. Blue tours use gulets to sail along the south western coasts of Turkey (known as the Turquoise Coast and the Turkish Riviera) and Greece. Vacationers can choose from 3-day itineraries to 8-day itineraries in addition to chartering a gulet for a small group.
Life On Board a Gulet
Vacationers that opt to sail on a gulet will immediately realize that it is a more intimate sailing experience than cruising with a cruise line. Most blue tour companies have ships ranging from five cabins to a little more than 10 cabins. Therefore a gulet can hold approximately 20 guests.
The tourists become acquainted with each other over breakfast, lunch and dinner, although they are not required to eat every meal on board. The gulets allow their guests to maximize their free time because the ships' ports are close together. Guests will not always be in port, the ships frequently drop their anchors in order to allow their vacationers to enjoy a varied amount of water sports (such as jet skiing, snorkelling, swimming, fishing and more).
Gulet Ports-of-Call
Popular destinations for blue cruises are Bodrum, Fethiye and Marmaris, but the ships visit many more resorts. While in port, cruisers can visit the Tomb of Halicarnassus, (a Seventh Wonder of the Ancient World) enjoy gorgeous beaches, dine at outdoor restaurants, shop or people watch for celebrities.
Many of the ports the gulets call to are the same resort towns that Turkish citizens visit for their holidays. Even though the gulets visit popular resort areas, they also sail to more remote destinations such as hidden beaches and bays so their guests can take a dip in complete seclusion.
Private Yacht Charter
Larger groups do not need to worry about being excluded from the gulet experience. Family and friends can charter a private gulet. Private yacht charters have an added bonus because it allows the guests to plan their own itinerary.
Price of a Blue Journey
Blue journey is less expensive than vacationing with the large ocean liners. Prices typically changec according to the season and upon the length of the tour and the destinations the gulet will visit. Groups interested in chartering a private gulet should contact a Yacht Charter company for a price quote.