7-day Fethiye Return (Classic Plus) Pre-Departure
Thank you!
First of all, thank you for booking your Turkish gulet cruise with us! This document has all the useful pre-departure information you will need including your check-in location, what to bring, what to expect, the rules, excursions and contact details for your local Representatives.
Have a great cruise!
The Go Sail Turkey Team
Visas
Some passport holders require an E-Visa for entry to Turkey. Please check to see the requirements for your
nationality here: https://www.visasturkey.com/
Arrivals and Check-in
The Cruise Voucher that accompanies this pre-departure document contains the specific details for your meeting points, office location and contact details for the local check-in agency. Please print the Cruise Voucher off or save it to your phone. Our ground Representatives may wish to inspect it at check-in.
If coming from DALAMAN airport early in the morning or the day before then you can either take a taxi (quite pricey – around the equivalent of 45-55 Euros) or the shuttle buses, which are waiting very close to the arrivals area and outdoor café. You can choose either a HAVAS or a MUTTAS bus (see pic below) and pay onboard (around 7 Euros). The bus will take you to the main Fethiye bus station, where you can take a taxi to our check-in office marked on the Cruise Voucher (or your accommodation if you are staying the night before).
If you are staying in Fethiye for a night or two then we can recommend the PINARA GUESTHOUSE (budget option) or the YACHT BOUTIQUE HOTEL (more upmarket).
What is a gulet?
A gulet is a traditional wooden cruising vessel, which comes from the southwest coast of Turkey.
Similar boats can be found across the Mediterranean region. Gulets vary in length, height and breadth and it is believed that no two gulets are identical. They range in size from 14 to 35 metres and can sleep between 4 to 30 people. Our boats mostly sleep 16 to 18 people.
Most gulets are not rigged for sailing and use diesel engines instead. Our boats are ideal for cabin cruises as they have large sun decks, comfortable communal areas and a variety of cabin layouts.
Accommodation
Your cabin on our Classic Plus boat will have a private bathroom (shower and WC), and limited space to store your baggage. With the Classic Plus boat, we also include air-conditioning as part of the package. This can slightly vary on the timings but we work on 6/7 hours per day. Usually it is 8pm – midnight to cool the cabins and then 2-3 hours in the afternoon.
As cabin layouts are different on every boat, cabin types (doubles, triples, twins etc) cannot be guaranteed at time of booking. However, we always ensure couples share a private cabin (double or twin).
Double beds: While we do our best to provide double beds where possible, certain booking configurations can result in some couples receiving a cabin with twin beds. Even though we cannot guarantee double beds, we will prioritise those couples who request them in advance. Please email us at info@gosailturkey.com to request a double.
Important: It is important to remember that on these cruises most people favour sleeping on deck under the stars and hardly anybody sleeps in the cabins overnight at all. Bedding in the cabins can be used to sleep on the sunbed mattresses outside on the upper deck.
Covid-19
Please check for Covid entry requirements from your country: https://www.visasturkey.com/travel-and-entry-restrictions/
Many Covid-19 restrictions have been dropped in Turkey, although many remain in place that you should be aware of.
(1) Masks are no longer needed outdoors or in indoor settings with adequate circulation. You DO NOT need to wear a mask when on the boat.
(2) You may have your temperature measured at the airport as there are random checks.
(3) Cleaning. A stricter cleaning regime is in place on the boat and in cafes/bars/restaurants/toilets in Turkey.
The Crew
Our gulets come with 3-4 crew members on board: a captain, 1 or 2 deckhands and a chef. The captain is entirely responsible for the gulet and his passengers while at sea, and it is important you heed his advice at all times.
Our captains are all local to the area and have been cruising this region for most of their lives. They are there to help make your trip a special one!
Food
If you love food, you will love Turkey! Filling our bellies isn’t just a necessity on a Go Sail Turkey cruise – it’s an event! All your meals on board are
made from fresh, locally-grown ingredients.
Breakfasts are traditional Turkish fare, which includes eggs, tomatoes, cucumber, cheeses, fresh bread, olives, spreads, fruit and often Turkish specialities such as sigara borek.
We serve vegetarian dishes for lunch with a mix of salads, vegetables, rice and pasta dishes.
For dinner there is a buffet spread with lots of salad and Turkish dishes. Each night a different type of meat is also served up including chicken, fish and kofte. Afternoon tea and biscuits are also provided.
IMPORTANT: if you have a diet that requires vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, lactose-free food, we can cater for you! However, we MUST know in advance so please email Go Sail Turkey regarding your dietary requirements (if you haven’t already).
Please see our Magazine article on our site about food onboard here.
Drinks
Drinks (apart from afternoon tea/breakfast beverages) are not included. It is not allowed to bring your own drinks on board and you won’t need to as there is a stocked bar.
We try to keep prices the same as a typical bar on the mainland, which means prices are around 45-50 Turkish Lira (around 3 Euros) for an Efes beer (500ml) or glass of wine. IMPORTANT: Your cruise includes unlimited bottled drinking water so help yourself!
The Schedule
Cruising the Turkish coast is a fun way to explore this country. However, we should remind you that this is NOT a fully guided tour. There will be check-in information when you board your gulet and daily information presented on
board to give you an outline of what you will see. Please feel free to read up on the destinations prior to your cruise.
Sometimes we may need to alter the schedule depending on sea/weather conditions. This will be at the Captain’s discretion. We cannot refund any monies if the schedule has to be altered due to such safety considerations.
What is included?
The following is included on your cruise:
– 6 nights’ accommodation on a traditional Turkish gulet
– Full-board (6 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 6 dinners)
– Afternoon tea/coffee
– Crew service, port fees and charges
– Unlimited bottled drinking water
– Use of onboard equipment such as snorkels and masks, board games, cards and floating devices.
What is not included?
The following is not included on your cruise:
– Drinks are not included – see above.
– No towels are included (beach or bath towels).
When laying on our sunbeds, we ask that you use a sarong or beach towel to protect them.
– Entrance fees to sites including Butterfly Valley, St Nicholas Island and Simena Castle. These can be paid in cash when you enter each site and will total around 40-50 Turkish Lira for all 3 sites (around 15 Euros).
– Optional activities such as paragliding and scuba diving.
– There is no wifi or internet access on board
– Visitor tax of 10 Euros per person (can be paid in Euros or Turkish Lira on day 1 check-in)
– Tips (Tipping is not compulsory but very welcome if you feel you have received good service. Tip amounts are totally up to you – as a guide approx. 40 Lira per crew member per day is fair for good service).
Optional Activities
On our cruises there are extra activities that we think will enhance your travel experience in Turkey. It is totally up to you whether you decide to participate in these activities.
The 2 main optional activities are paragliding (135 EURO) and scuba diving (50 EURO).
In high season it is advisable to book these activities in advance to secure your place.
You can book by emailing: info@gosailturkey.com
Full descriptions of excursions are here:
https://www.gosailturkey.com/excursions
What to Bring
As a general rule, please try to pack light! Space is limited on a gulet so where possible it is better to have backpacks and small cases, not 30kg suitcases. You will not need much on the cruise, here is a list of essentials:
-A pair of comfortable walking shoes and pair of thongs/jandals/flip-flops
-A couple of pairs of shorts, skirts, dresses
-A couple of t-shirts, singlets, vests
-A jumper for cooler nights in low season
-Swimsuit, hat and sunscreen
– Please pack your own towels (bath and beach towels)
– Toiletries, aspirin/paracetamol and seasickness tablets
– Conversion plug (Turkey uses European sockets)
If you are planning to visit any religious sites or mosques please bring something to cover your knees and shoulders.
Other things you could bring along are an mp3 player full of music to play through the boat’s sound system and a good book. Even though most of our gulets have a few snorkel/mask sets onboard, it might be a good idea to bring/buy your own if you are a keen snorkeller!
Electricity
Turkey uses the same plug as most European countries which is a two-pronged round pinned plug. On the boats, you are able to charge your belongings when the generator is on. This is at breakfast time, and around both afternoon tea and dinner time. There are plenty of sockets in the boat so everyone can be charging at the same time.
There is a hair-dryer in each cabin too!
IMPORTANT: Please do not use hair straighteners, blow dryers or any other appliance that cannot take less than 220V. Your appliance may get damaged if you do so.
Other things
A few extra things that you need to know:
– Please do NOT bring your own drinks on board.
– Please ensure you visit an ATM prior to boarding the boat. You will need to have enough money for entrance fees, ice creams, drinks in towns and any optional activities. You will also need to pay the bar tab at the end of your cruise in cash (Lira or Euro or mixture of both is fine).
– There is one ATM stop during your cruise in Kas (pronounced CASH, which makes it easy to remember!)
– We will email you 2 weeks prior to your cruise to get your passport details for the boat transit log as well as your pickup and drop off locations (only for 4-day cruises that start or finish in Olympos/Demre).
– Wi-Fi: Although there is no wi-fi onboard the boat, you can obtain Turkish sim cards or dongles from kiosks/tech shops in Turkey to get local coverage, which is usually decent.
Resolving Any Issues
We only wish to have happy customers on our cruises. Most problems can be resolved quickly and there is no reason to endure ongoing issues. However, unless we know about a problem, we cannot resolve it. We encourage you to communicate problems immediately and we have found most issues are often language or cultural issues. We have put together this step-by-step guide to the resolution process:
Step 1: Please communicate problems to the Captain and/or crew immediately so they are able to address them.
Step 2: If you feel the issue has not been resolved, you must inform the local Representatives in Turkey. They are responsible for resolving problems and will assist however they can.
Step 3: Sometimes it may not be possible to resolve a problem. However, we should be given every opportunity during your trip to do this for you. If you still wish to make a formal complaint this can be emailed to info@gosailturkey.com with information on the issue and the steps you took to resolve it.
In any critical situations please contact local Representatives (Alaturka) 24hr line or Go Sail Turkey UK emergency line listed below.
Step 3: Sometimes it may not be possible to resolve a problem. However, we should be given every opportunity during your trip to do this for you. If you still wish to make a formal complaint this can be emailed to info@gosailturkey.com with information on the issue and the steps you took to resolve it.
In any critical situations please contact local Representatives (Alaturka) 24hr line or Go Sail Turkey UK emergency line listed below.
Contact Lists
Local Representatives (Alaturka) Office: +90 252 612 5423
Local (Alaturka) 24hr line: +90 532 773 0916
UK Sales Office: +44 20 3290 3209
Go Sail Turkey UK Emergency line: +44 (0) 781 5164552
Trip Itinerary – West to East
The following is a guide to your itinerary for the 4 days. It is by no means definitive as it is dependent on weather conditions, although your Captain will strive to follow it as closely as possible:
Day 1: Fethiye to St Nicholas Island
We arrive at the check-in office at 9.00am and board our gulet afterwards for welcome speeches and an introduction to Captain and crew.
We depart Fethiye harbour around 10.30am and cruise to Butterfly Valley for swimming, lunch and an optional hike up to the waterfall. Butterfly Valley is famous for being the home of over 100 different types of butterflies but they only appear in large numbers at certain times of the year so let’s hope we get lucky!
Afterwards, we head over to Oludinez – Europe’s most photographed beach and one of the best sites in the world to paraglide. In the evening, we anchor at St. Nicholas Island in time for a short hike up through the ruins to witness the amazing sunset. We recommend buying a bottle of wine from the boat’s bar to share as the sun goes down!
Optional excursion: Paragliding – 135 Euros (book in advance! info@gosailturkey.com)
Day 2: St Nicholas Island to Kas
Today we are off to Kalkan (Aquarium Bay) for breakfast in a breathtaking spot for swimming and snorkelling in crystal-clear water.
We then cruise to Kas, a fishing village with a charming little harbour where we enjoy lunch on the boat before disembarking to explore the local boutique shops, which specialise in handmade jewellery and clothes. We either spend the night in Kas town or overnight in one of the secluded bays between Kas and Kekova.
Optional excursion: Scuba diving in Kas – 50 Euros (book in advance: info@gosailturkey.com)
Day 3: Kas to Gokkaya Bay
After breakfast we sail to Kekova. First on today’s list is the fascinating Sunken City, a 2000 year-old ancient town which was destroyed by an earthquake. We actually cruise right next to this protected World Heritage site before crossing to Simena Castle where we can climb to the top to take in the magnificent view over the bay.
Our overnight stop is in Gokkaya Bay or another nearby bay. In the evening there is also sometimes the option of visiting the village of Ucagiz using the gulet’s tender boat.
Day 4: Gokkaya Bay to Cayagzi to Gokkaya
After breakfast we spend some time in Pirates Cave (or another bay) for snorkelling and swimming. We will dock at Ucagiz around 10:30-11:00am for farewells to any shipmates who are doing the 4-day West to East one-way route. We then welcome onboard any East to West one-way passengers and continue with the day with another swim, then lunch. For Fethiye Return guests, there is more time to explore Ucagiz!
We then cross to Kekova for a chance to explore the town (or see Simena if you didn’t have a chance to do so). Our overnight stop is in Gokkaya Bay or another bay nearby.
Day 5: Gokkaya to Kas to Aquarium Bay
A nice, easy start to the day – breakfast in a nearby bay with the chance of a morning swim.
We then cruise to Kas, a fishing village with a charming harbour where we dock and disembark to explore the local boutiques, which specialise in handmade jewellery and clothes.
We finish the day in Aquarium Bay – a breathtaking spot for swimming and snorkelling, followed by dinner. We will either spend the night in Aquarium Bay and sleep under the stars on deck, or overnight in Kalkan town, where you can enjoy the nightlife there.
Day 6: Aquarium Bay to Butterfly Valley to St. Nicholas Island
We head north in the morning and wake up to the sight of Butterfly Valley.
After breakfast we stay here again for swimming and an optional hike up to the waterfall. So if you spent your time on Day 1 here doing one activity (or paragliding) then you can do an alternative activity on this visit.
Afterwards, we head over to Oludinez, Europe’s most photographed beach and one of the best sites in the world to paraglide. In the evening, we anchor at St. Nicholas Island in time for a short hike up through the island’s ruins to witness the amazing sunset.
Another night under the stars at St. Nicholas Island.
Day 7: St. Nicholas Island to Fethiye
On our last day we enjoy breakfast at St.Nicholas Island and then cruise over to Tarzan Bay or Samanlik Bay for a swim and lunch. We dock in Fethiye in the afternoon around lunchtime and disembark (around 1.30-2pm) with time for last-minute pics and farewells to your onboard family.
After disembarking, the day can continue with a few options: if you are flying out from DALAMAN airport that day then you can either book a taxi transfer at our office in Fethiye or take the regular shuttle bus to the airport (costs the equivalent of around 7 Euros one-way).
If you are staying in Fethiye for a night or two then we can recommend the PINARA GUESTHOUSE (budget option) or the YACHT BOUTIQUE HOTEL (more upmarket).
Fethiye has a great dining experience in the centre of town at the Fish Market. Choose your fish from the market stalls and the restaurants that surround the stalls will cook it for you and provide all the side dishes and drinks you need! Or, if you are planning to travel onto Greece then you can take the Catamaran ferry from Fethiye to Rhodes (see pic below). Departures are usually in the mornings (one a day).
Whatever you are doing after your cruise, we wish you bon voyage and thank you for booking with Go Sail Turkey!
The Go Sail Turkey Team
OUR OTHER BRANDS
We also run Croatia sails – both 18-39s and mixed-age. We have 4 different routes, with 8-day, 5-day or 4-day options.
As a Go Sail Turkey customer, you get a 5% discount on any of our Croatia cruises. For more details: www.gocroatiasail.com
We also have skiing trips in Sarajevo’s Olympic mountains in Bosnia, which are only 45mins from Sarajevo.
Experience the slopes that were home to the 1984 Winter Olympics. We offer packages that focus on one mountain or a mixture of mountain and city break.
As a Go Sail Turkey customer, you receive a 5% discount on a ski trip. For more details: www.ski-sarajevo.com