Turquoise Coast and Gulets

The Turquoise Coast is more than aptly named. The Mediterranean Coast of Turkey is where the rugged Taurus Mountains caress the vast expanses of long white-sand beaches and crystal-clear turquoise (yes, really turquoise) waters.

Yet, this is not your ordinary mountain-meets-ocean landscape found in many other countries. This is a deep, complex, and historically rich place. After all, you’re in Turkey.

You might be walking down the street of one of the many bustling harbor-side towns and stumble across a relic of a 2,000-year-old civilization. Or you might look up from your lunch of freshly-grilled fish and homemade salads to see 3,000-year-old monumental tombs carved into the face of a cliff.

Like everywhere else in Turkey, the Turquoise Coast was the stomping ground of ancient kings – and a few queens – who ruled kingdoms whose names we barely know. Among them were Carians, Lycians, and Lydians, all of which left their monuments and tombs behind.

Most are above-ground like Xanthos, Letoon, and Patara. The underwater town of Kekova was submerged in an earthquake centuries ago. Still visible through the translucent waters are half-immersed houses with staircases descending into the water. You can also see the foundations of buildings and the outline of the ancient harbor, all below sea level.

If you would rather stay above the surface, you can glide in a boat among the reeds of the Dalyan Delta and photograph the beautifully situated Tombs of Kaunos, high up on the cliffside.

We can also arrange hot springs, mud baths, scuba diving, snorkeling, waterskiing, and windsurfing. If you are more audacious, hang-glide over the turquoise waters of Oludeniz.

If you dare, visit the ghost town of Kaya Koyu, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk among some 400 empty homes, many eerily open to the sky.

There is no shortage of beaches along the coast. Oludeniz is world-famous. The long beach at Patara is a protected marine turtle breeding ground. But don’t worry, there is plenty of room for your towel (Turkish cotton, of course), and a cooler full of ice-cold Turkish beer.

The Gulet Experience

If the Turquoise Coast and the Aegean are magnificent by land, they are even more stunning by sea; seen from aboard your private gulet.

A gulet is a hand-crafted wooden sailing vessel based on a traditional design, with either one or two masts. It can take up to two years to finish crafting a gulet.

We don’t sell them for the luxury, though they do offer a sense of spaciousness, plus all the conveniences and comforts you could desire, with a sense of refinement and opulence of materials: exotic hardwoods like mahogany and teak, polished chrome fittings, and fine linens.

We suggest a gulet for the experience of seeing the stunning coast of Turkey on your own terms.

Perhaps it is the centuries-old design or the way its elegant shape looks and feels so natural amid the landscapes of the region, but to us, the gulet experience offers a closeness with the country, the history, and the people of this area that is uniquely Turkish.

If you dare, visit the ghost town of Kaya Koyu, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk among some 400 empty homes, many eerily open to the sky.

Aboard a gulet, everything is up-close and personal. You dock in a different cove every night; you have the opportunity to swim in the dark silence of midnight, to sleep out on the deck where you feel you can reach up and touch the stars, or to go out snorkeling, alone, in the early morning.

You can sea-kayak, water-ski, wakeboard, paddleboard, and fish. You can visit picture-perfect coastal towns, tiny islands, a couple of archaeological sites, and perhaps a Greek island or two.

You generally move at a leisurely pace, with a small crew entirely at your disposal.

Not to mention you’ll have your own private chef. Our food is based on seasonal ingredients sourced in local village markets and this morning’s catch. The menu is designed around your preferences and is accompanied by wines from some of Turkey’s finest up-and-coming producers.

Your experience aboard a gulet becomes entirely about you. It offers you the great luxury of time and a sense of intimacy and indulgence. We think it is one of the finest ways to experience Turkey.

Our gulet experience can be a crowning, romantic touch on your honeymoon or anniversary.

Gulets are also extremely popular with families for the quality bonding time they offer, as well as all the activities available to keep kids busy and happy.

We love to suggest a gulet for a group of friends or an extended family in Turkey who want to celebrate a special occasion, or just celebrate their friendship.

By the end of the week, the biggest decision of your day may just be whether to take your dinner of freshly-caught (and we mean really freshly-caught) fish in the front or the back of your lovely boat or as you may start saying, the bow or the stern.