Marmaris Itineraries: Day Charters and Multi-Day Routes

Marmaris to Orhaniye and Selimiye

Board your yacht at Netsel Marina by mid-morning. Cruise east to Orhaniye Bay for a morning wade across the Kızbumu sandbar and a swim in the sheltered turquoise water. After lunch, continue south to Selimiye – roughly 15 nautical miles from Orhaniye, an hour at cruising speed. Moor stern-to outside one of the waterside restaurants for the evening. Dinner at Sardunya: meze, grilled fish, octopus, and Turkish wine as the Hisaronü Gulf darkens around your yacht.

Bozburun and the Gulet Workshops

A short cruise south to Bozburun – roughly 8 nautical miles. Visit the open-air gulet workshops along the waterfront: watch master craftsmen shaping pine ribs and mahogany planks into the hulls of Turkey’s most iconic vessels. Lunch at a simple harbourside restaurant on grilled sea bream, village salad and warm bread. In the afternoon, cruise to one of Bozburun’s outer bays for a swim in sheltered, turquoise water surrounded by pine forest. Anchor overnight in the calm bay.

Datça and Return to Marmaris

Rise early and cruise west across the Hisaronü Gulf to Datça – roughly 18 nautical miles, 90 minutes. Stroll the charming harbour town: narrow streets lined with bougainvillea, stone houses and cafes serving strong Turkish coffee and locally pressed almond milk. The Datça Peninsula’s air quality is recognised by the World Health Organisation. After a mid-morning break, cruise east back to Marmaris – roughly 30 nautical miles, two to three hours, stopping at a quiet Gökova Gulf cove for a farewell swim and lunch on the aft deck. Arrive in Marmaris by mid-afternoon.

Marmaris to Datça

Board at Netsel Marina by mid-morning and cruise west across the Gökova Gulf to Datça – roughly 30 nautical miles, two hours at comfortable speed. Stop en route at Sedir Island (Cleopatra Beach) for a mid-morning swim and a walk through the ancient ruins of Cedrae. Continue to Datça harbour for a late lunch ashore – grilled sea bass, rocket salad, local almonds and thick Turkish yoghurt with honey. Explore the old quarter’s narrow streets in the afternoon. Overnight at Datça.

Knidos

Cruise west to Knidos at the tip of the Datça Peninsula – roughly 18 nautical miles, 90 minutes. Anchor in the ancient double harbour and spend the morning exploring the extensive ruins: the agora, the theatre (capacity 8,000), the Temple of Aphrodite on the headland, and the lion tomb. The setting is extraordinary: Aegean currents flowing from the north meet Mediterranean currents from the south in a visible line of blue-green. Lunch on the aft deck in the ancient harbour. Stay for the sunset – the light at the meeting point of two seas turns from gold to copper to violet. Anchor overnight at Knidos.

Bozburun, Selimiye and Ekincik

Cruise east through the Hisaronü Gulf to Bozburun for a morning visit to the gulet workshops, then continue to Selimiye for a long waterside lunch at Sardunya. After lunch, set course east for Ekincik Bay – roughly 25 nautical miles, two hours. Ekincik is a deep, fjord-like inlet surrounded by pine forest, and the gateway to the Dalyan River. Anchor overnight in the calm, green-fringed bay as the forest chirps with cicadas.

Dalyan River Excursion and Return to Marmaris

This morning’s excursion is one of the coast’s great highlights. Take a river boat from Ekincik up the reed-lined Dalyan Channel, past the monumental Lycian cliff tombs of Kaunos – colossal temple-façade tombs carved into the sheer rock, dating to the 4th century BC. Continue through the therapeutic mud baths (strip down, cover yourself in warm grey clay, let it dry, and rinse off in the thermal pools – an unexpectedly fun tradition) to İztuzu Beach (Turtle Beach), where loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) nest between May and October. Return to the yacht for a late lunch, then cruise west back to Marmaris – roughly 30 nautical miles, arriving by late afternoon.

Guests looking for a longer voyage can combine the 3-day Hisaronü Gulf route with the 4-day Datça–Knidos–Ekincik route for a comprehensive 7-day charter covering the full diversity of the Marmaris region – from gulet workshops and gourmet seafood to ancient Greek cities and turtle beaches – without repeating a single stop. For an 8-day extension, continue east from Ekincik to Göcek’s Twelve Islands.