Marmaris is a natural deep water harbour. Ferries link the Turkish mainland at Marmaris with the Greek Island of Rhodes. This is also an excellent starting point for a cruise east to Fethiye.
Marmaris is now a very lively tourist town with many bars, restaurants and hotels. Perhaps you might spend a couple of days there before boarding? The change in atmosphere and environment will be striking!
Marmaris
Marmaris may have lost some of its natural beauty because of its rapid development but there are still a few things to see as you start your Marmaris Fethiye Gulet Cruise.
- Cleopatra Island in the Gulf of Gokova has both Greek and Roman ruins. Its real name is Sedir but it gets its nickname because it is said that Mark Anthony had fine sand delivered to create a lovely beach for his Egyptian lover.
- Cennet (Turkish for ‘’paradise’’) Island is in fact a peninsula but not really accessible by land so your cruise gives you the chance to see it.
Cruises are full board with fresh local produce at every meal. You may try to catch dinner one day because there are plenty of fish in the sea.
If you are unlucky you will not go hungry with the captain likely to BBQ lamb, chicken or both instead.
As you head east you will immediately be struck by the natural beauty of the coastline. There are many coves and certainly two points of real interest very quickly.
- Ekincik is a popular place to anchor. There is a small beach, hotel, restaurant and bar. You may decide it is a nice spot to spend the night.
- Only a short distance further there is the famous Iztuzu Beach. It is a protected area because it is a nesting site for the endangered loggerhead turtle. By day it is a stretch of 5 kilometres of sand. Behind the beach is the delta of the Dalyan River which has come from the inland lake of Koycegiz, past the famous Lycian rock tombs and the ruins of the ancient port of Kaunos.
Sarigerme a little way on has a nice beach but with the independence of your own boat you can drop anchor in any of the small coves en route.- As you sailturkey.com you can also enjoy the small islands that form a very popular day trip for those staying on the mainland. The 12 Islands Tour begins either in Gocek, a small town with an impressive marina or in Fethiye which is your final destination on this cruise.
While you are still on board there are a few places to see before exploring Fethiye on land later. One of those places is Tersane Island which was home to Greeks before the formation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. It has been uninhabited ever since though there are some tourist facilities manned during the summer. It is a chance to explore and have a final swim during your cruise.
Incidentally a more famous Greek settlement is nearby; Kayakoy was abandoned at the same time. It is a popular tourist destination and restaurants cater for visitors from Fethiye which is perhaps 20 minutes’ away. That is a place to see at the end of your memorable cruise.
Once you have taken a cruise like this you are likely to want to do another in the future. There are several popular routes just waiting for you to book.
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