Turkey is surrounded by sea to Three sides, and has a coastline of over 8000 kilometers in length. One of the best ways to see Turkey is from the deck of a boat, where you can lie back and watch the beautiful scenery, stopping off as the fancy takes you to explore a historic site or visit a charming village. Turkey has a wealth of world class marinas, providing excellent facilities.

    Turkey is perhaps best known for the Mavi Yolculuk or ‘Blue Cruise’, the coastal voyage on board a traditional Turkish wooden boat known as a gulet (goo-let).

    Over the years, Gulets have evolved from traditional fishing and cargo vessels into their present profile with a broad beam and wide deck. They usually have a large sunbathing deck to the fore, a sitting/ dining area at the back, and cabins below.

    The number of passengers a gulet carries depends on the boat’s size, although most of them accommodate between eight and twelve people in double or twin cabins. Gulets can be fully chartered by a group or are sold on a cabin basis.

    Usually, there are three or four crew members on board, including the captain and the cook, and the atmosphere is one of relaxed communal living.

    Gulets usually travel a specified route, starting from resorts along the South Aegean and Mediterranean. Turkey is full of isolated bays, inlets and tiny islands, some of which can only be explored from the sea so it is a great way to see the best of the coast and get away from the crowds.

Here we have some of the highlights of the coast from Bodrum to Antalya.