Göcek Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Göcek to Bedri Rahmi Bay and Tersane Island

Board your yacht at D-Marin Göcek by mid-morning. Cruise south to Bedri Rahmi Bay – a quiet, pine-fringed anchorage named after the artist’s fish painting on a rock. Swim in the calm water, snorkel along the rocky shore and look for the famous fish (eastern side, just above the waterline). After a seafood lunch on the aft deck, cruise to Tersane Island’s natural harbour. Walk among the Roman ruins and the ancient shipyard that gives the island its name. Your crew prepares dinner on the aft deck: grilled sea bass, Turkish meze, warm bread from the galley and a local Anatolian red wine. Anchor overnight in the sheltered harbour.

Yassıca Islands and Sarsala Bay

Morning cruise to the Yassıca Islands – a 20-minute hop. Spend the morning paddleboarding and snorkelling in the turquoise shallows between the islets, with the forested mainland rising behind. Your crew sets up a beach picnic on the small sandy stretch of the southernmost islet. After lunch, cruise to Sarsala Bay – a group of three inlets fed by a freshwater spring, surrounded by dense pine forest. The water is warm, calm and crystal-clear, with a sandy seabed that slopes gently. An idyllic afternoon of swimming and relaxation. Anchor overnight in Sarsala’s innermost inlet, where the only sounds are birdsong and the gentle slap of water against the hull.

Hamam Bay, Domuz Island and Return

Cruise to Hamam Bay (Cleopatra’s Bath) for a morning swim in the warm, mineral-rich water. The springs here are noticeably warmer than the surrounding sea, and the setting – enclosed by steep, pine-covered hills – feels almost tropical. After a late breakfast, cruise to Domuz Island for a final swim and a short hike to the island’s viewpoint, which offers a panoramic vista across the entire Twelve Islands group. Your chef prepares a farewell lunch as you cruise the short distance back to Göcek harbour, arriving by early afternoon.

Göcek to Tomb Bay and Wall Bay

Board at D-Marin Göcek and cruise south into Skopea Limani. Anchor in Tomb Bay by late morning – the Lycian sarcophagi on the hillside are even more atmospheric when lit by the morning sun. Swim, snorkel and explore the tombs on a short uphill hike. After lunch, cruise deeper into Skopea Limani to Wall Bay, one of the most secluded anchorages on the coast. The ruined stone wall on the hillside is possibly Lycian; the snorkelling along the bay’s rocky edges is excellent, with visibility exceeding 15 metres on a calm day. Anchor overnight in perfect silence.

Deep Bay, Boynuzbükü and Fethiye

A morning swim in Deep Bay – aptly named, with over 30 metres of water beneath your hull and the surrounding hills creating an amphitheatre of green. Continue to Boynuzbükü, a narrow inlet where the pine trees almost touch overhead and the water is an impossible shade of jade. After lunch on the aft deck, set course for Fethiye – 12 nautical miles north, a 40-minute run. Berth at Ece Saray Marina (460 berths) or anchor in the harbour. Spend the afternoon exploring Fethiye: the ancient Lycian rock tombs of Telmessos (including the monumental Tomb of Amyntas, dating to the 4th century BC, carved into the cliff face high above the town), the lively Paşapatı fish market, and the town’s colourful bazaar. Dinner ashore – choose your fish from the market stalls and have it grilled while you order meze and Turkish wine.

Butterfly Valley and Gemiler Island

Cruise south from Fethiye to Butterfly Valley – roughly 15 nautical miles, an hour. Anchor in the turquoise bay at the mouth of a dramatic gorge, flanked by 350-metre cliffs. Take the tender ashore and hike into the valley past a waterfall – the endemic Jersey Tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) breeds here in summer, and the lush vegetation includes fig trees, oleander and wild mint. Return to the yacht for lunch, then continue south to Gemiler Island (St Nicholas Island) – a small island covered in Byzantine church ruins (5th–7th century), mosaic floors and a remarkable covered walkway along the ridge. Archaeologists believe this may have been one of the original sites associated with St Nicholas (the historical Santa Claus), who was Bishop of Myra in the 4th century. Anchor off the island’s southern shore for an afternoon swim and a sunset that lights up the ruins in gold.

Ölüdeniz and Return to Göcek

A short cruise south brings you to Ölüdeniz – perhaps Turkey’s most photographed natural wonder. The turquoise lagoon, enclosed by a sand spit and backed by the forested slopes of Mount Babadağ (1,969 metres), has water so calm and vivid it looks computer-generated. Anchor in the bay outside the lagoon (yacht access to the inner lagoon is restricted) and swim, paddleboard or simply admire the view. If your group is adventurous, tandem paragliding flights from the summit of Babadağ – landing on the beach below, with your yacht visible from 2,000 metres up – can be arranged through your crew. After a farewell lunch on the aft deck, cruise north back to Göcek – roughly 22 nautical miles, 90 minutes – arriving by mid-afternoon.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Twelve Islands route with the 4-day Skopea Limani–Fethiye route for a full 7-day charter covering Göcek’s entire cruising ground plus the headline destinations of the Lycian coast, without repeating a single anchorage.