The Turkish coastline, in all its diversity has something to offer everyone, no matter what age. Starting from Bodrum a cruise could take you into the Gulf of Gokova for a week or more of complete relaxation. Pine covered slopes drop down to quiet bays and small sandy beaches where the only inhabitants are honey bees, goats and the odd fisherman.

At the head of the Gulf, in Sogut and Ingiliz Limani, there are a few rustic bars and restaurants in the small villages ashore but even here the pace of life is slow, the atmosphere tranquil. The ancients must have felt the same; Anthony and Cleopatra supposedly fell in love on Sedir Island where the sand was shipped especially from North Africa. Your gulet captain will buy fresh fish from local fishing boats.

There are no obvious historical sites in this gulf but if you stroll ashore you come across unexpected ruins dating from before Christ to the Byzantine Empire. The water is perfect for swimming and all stress melts away after a week in these surroundings.

Across the mouth of the Gulf of Gokova from Bodrum is Knidos , the Gulf of Hisaronu and more evidence of ancient settlements. In Knidos you actually anchor in the original harbour with a view of the ruins of temples and theatres scattered about the slopes. Further into the gulf the landscape becomes mountainous and in many bays there is evidence of Roman, Hellenistic, Byzantine and medieval habitation. You can find villages where time seems to have stood still and fertile valleys fed by mountain streams. In contrast the pretty and sleepy harbour of Datca can become quite lively at night in bars along the waterfront. From Datca you could explore more bays in the Gulf of Hisaronu or finish your cruise in Marmaris.

From Marmaris a week's cruise may take you to Bodrum or down to Fethiye, two weeks as far as Antalya. One of the first stops eastwards is the Dalyan river delta and a trip through reed beds by shallow bottom river boat to ancient Caunus and spectacular 4th Century Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliff face. Here the long sandy beach is protected as a breeding ground for the endangered Loggerhead turtle.

The charming former fishing village of Gocek is another starting point for cruising the largely uninhabited bays and islands of the Gulf of Fethiye and onwards to Oludeniz , a natural lagoon surrounded by high mountains. The ancient site of Patara is swept by the sands of rolling dunes and miles of white beach. Further east, Kalkan and Kas have their own quaint ambience with steep narrow streets, balconies overhung with bougainvillaea and bohemian rooftop bars. All against the backdrop of the magnificent Taurus Mountains.

Sarcophagi, underwater ruins, a medieval castle and myriad bays and inlets are what make Kekova so special. You can lose yourself here amongst local village houses built against Roman walls and good humoured ladies selling brightly coloured scarves.

Nearing Antalya at Porto Ceneviz sheer cliffs drop to the sea and the bay is completely deserted.
The ruins of Olympos lie hidden, overgrown and hardly touched. You almost feel like you're the first to discover them. On the shores of ancient Phaselis the remains of the aqueduct, Roman theatre and market place are clearly visible. Antalya is the furthest we cruise on Turkey's South Western coast anchoring in the old harbour surrounded by restored Ottoman buildings.

We can send you sample itineraries for a cruise of 7 to 14 days and more starting in Bodrum, Marmaris, Gocek, Fethiye or Antalya. All have airports nearby serviced by regular charter flights and scheduled services via Istanbul from Turkish Airlines.