4-DAY WEST TO EAST PRE-DEPARTURE
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THANK YOU!
Thank you for booking your Turkey cruise with us!
This document has all the useful pre-departure information you will need including how to find your boat, what to bring, what to expect, the boat rules, excursions and contact details for your Onboard Representative.
We look forward to sharing our love for Turkey with you and making your trip a real adventure that combines culture, fun and relaxation!
VISA FOR TURKEY
Some passport holders (such as Australian and US citizens) require an E-Visa for entry to Turkey. Please check to see the requirements for your nationality here: https://www.evisa.gov.tr/en/
If you require an E-Visa, the process only takes 5 mins online.
ARRIVALS
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 60-65 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 photo) and pay onboard (around 8 Euros). The bus will take you to the main Fethiye bus station, where you can take a taxi to our check-in office (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).
Check in at the Fethiye Office
Please check in with our local representatives at the Alaturka Office – you will see a large GO SAIL TURKEY sign outside (see the photo). Our office is directly opposite the YACHT BOUTIQUE HOTEL (see the map below). The exact address is: Go Sail Turkey/Alaturka, Karagozler Mahallesi, Fevzi Cakmak Caddesi, No:49 (see location here: https://goo.gl/maps/kXayK56JUusT9TYY9)
Check-in time:
Please check in at the office at 9.00am. Our representatives will meet you at the office then take you down the street to the marina (sometimes known as Fethiye harbour or ECE Marina) where your gulet will be waiting and you will have your welcome speech and introduction to Captain and crew. Boat departure from Fethiye marina is usually around 10 to 10.30am.
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, depth 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 32 people. Our boats mostly sleep 16 to 20 people.
Nowadays, 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.
THE SCHEDULE
Cruising the Turkish coast is by far the best way to explore this country – it’s fun, convenient and very sociable! However, sometimes we may need to alter the schedule depending on sea/weather conditions. This will be at the Captain’s discretion. We cannot issue any form of refund if the schedule has to be altered to due to such safety considerations.
ON THE BOAT
ACCOMMODATION
Your cabin will have a private bathroom (shower and WC), and space to store your baggage. With both the Classic Plus and Premier boats, we also include limited 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 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), and are prioritised for double cabins.
IMPORTANT: It is important to remember that on these cruises most people prefer sleeping on deck on the deck mattresses under the stars and often nobody sleeps in the cabins overnight at all as the cabins warm up from midnight onwards after the air-con and generator is switched off to respect night peace. Bed linen in the cabins can be used to sleep on these deck mattresses outside on the upper deck.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
The following is not included on your cruise:
◉ Drinks from the onboard bar.
◉ No towels are included (beach or bath towels, please bring your own).
◉ 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 200 Turkish Lira for all 3 sites (around 10 Euros).
◉ Optional excursions such as scuba diving.
◉ Visitor tax of 10 Euros per person (can be paid in Euros or Turkish Lira along with bar tab on last day)
◉ Tips (Tipping is not compulsory but very welcome if you feel you have received good service). Tip amounts are totally up to you but as a guide approx. 10% of the cost of your cruise is a decent tip.
When laying on our sunbeds, we ask that you use a sarong or beach towel to protect them.
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 need to survive 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 large 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.
DRINKS
Some drinks are included: tea/coffee/juice at breakfast, afternoon tea/coffee and unlimited bottled drinking water is all included. All other soft drinks and alcoholic 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 on the boat! We try to keep prices the same as a typical bar on the mainland, which means prices are the equivalent of around 4.5 Euros for an Efes beer (500ml) or glass of wine.
WHAT TO BRING?
Please try to pack as light as you can! Space is limited on a gulet so where possible it is better to have backpacks and smaller cases, not 30kg suitcases. The rule is simple: the bigger the suitcase you bring, the less space there will be in your cabin. You will not need much on the cruise, here is a list of essentials:
◉ A pair of comfortable walking shoes (highly recommended) for the sites you will visit and pair of thongs/jandals/flip-flops
◉ A couple of pairs of shorts, skirts, dresses
◉ A couple of t-shirts, singlets, vests
◉ A jumper/fleece for cooler nights in May/June/Sep/Oct
◉ Swimsuit, hat and sunscreen
◉ Please pack your own towels (bath and beach towels)
◉ Toiletries, aspirin/paracetamol and seasickness tablets
◉ Conversion plug
If you are planning to visit any religious sites or mosques please bring something to cover your knees and shoulders.
You could also prepare a good music playlist to plug into the boat’s sound system (through Bluetooth or a jack) and bring a good book/e-reader. 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!
BOAT RULES AND SAFETY
It is everyone’s responsibility onboard to help protect Turkey’s environment and traditions. All passengers should respect the Captain and crew and have consideration for his boat – it represents the security and livelihood of his family.
The Boat Rules are there to protect everyone on board and we would like all clients to have consideration for other people. If we deem that any passenger is behaving, or has behaved, in a way that caused or is likely to cause danger or distress to any third party we reserve the right to terminate the travel of the person(s) concerned without any refund.
◉ The Captain is responsible for the safety of all passengers and the crew. As such, the Captain has the right to change the itinerary in case of adverse weather or issues in ports to ensure safety on board.
◉ During rough weather, movement should be kept to a minimum. The floors can be wet and slippery. Passengers should take extra care crossing between the boats when they are docked together in port. Do not hesitate to ask a crew member for assistance when crossing. Movement between ships is the individual’s responsibility.
◉ Life-jackets are stored under the beds in the cabins.
◉ Jumping or diving from the ship while it is cruising is strictly forbidden. Climbing on the masts is also forbidden.
◉ Sound travels easily and loudly on the boats and between ships. All passengers are asked to keep noise to a minimum in the late evenings, especially when returning to the boat after a night out. Special attention must be given to the designated quiet time onboard, which usually starts between 10pm to midnight, depending on the port. In National Parks an earlier time is sometimes required and guests will be notified of this.
◉ Passengers must keep valuables and money locked in their cabins. Neither the Captain nor crew can be held responsible for any lost personal belongings. If there is no safe in your cabin then you may ask the Captain to store your valuables in his safe.
◉ Smoking in the salon area and in the cabins is not allowed and when smoking on deck, passengers must not throw cigarette butts into the sea.
◉ Please do not throw anything into the toilets.
◉ Passengers are not permitted to bring food and drink (including alcohol) on the boat. This includes all drinks and food products purchased on shore in ports of call. The only exceptions are: personal care products, liquid medicine, and food products for special diets.
◉ Damage must be compensated to the Captain by the passenger.
◉ It is strictly forbidden to throw rubbish into the sea.
◉ Please do not wear shoes when on board the boat.
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 devices in your cabin when the generator or engine is on. This is at breakfast time, while cruising and around both afternoon tea and dinner time. There are plenty of sockets in the salon/bar area to charge devices when the generator is off.
IMPORTANT: Please do not use hair straighteners, hair dryers or any other appliance that cannot take less than 220V. Your appliance may get damaged if you do so.
RESOLVING PROBLEMS ONBOARD
We only wish to have happy customers onboard our boats and it is in our best interests to ensure you are satisfied. Most problems can be resolved quickly and there is no reason to endure ongoing problems on your trip.
We present this simple step-by-step guide to help you through this problem-solving process:
Step 1: Please communicate problems to the Onboard Representative and Crew immediately so they are able to address any problems you may have.
Step 2: On very rare occasions it may not be possible to resolve a problem on board. 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 the Go Sail Turkey UK emergency line listed below.
CONTACT LIST
Local (Turkish) 24hr line: +90 532 773 0916
UK Sales Office: +44 20 3290 3209 (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm)
Go Sail Turkey Emergency line: +387 (0) 66 670 055 (WhatsApp calls and messages only)
PERSONAL SAFETY
Crime rates are low in Turkey, but you should still take precautions as anywhere else. Previous years have seen spates of petty theft in tourist areas so be alert and ensure your belongings remain secure with these rules:
◉ If you like to sleep at night with the cabin door open then ensure all valuables are stowed away securely.
◉ Do not leave valuables on the beach, on boat tables or decks.
◉ Beware of pickpockets in crowded markets and on buses.
◉ Be respectful of other people’s property, feelings and any cultural differences.
If something is stolen, you must report it to the Police and obtain a crime report for your insurance company.
OTHER
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 and any optional activities. You will also need to pay the bar tab at the end of your cruise.
◉ There is one ATM stop during your cruise in Kas (pronounced CASH, which makes it easy to remember!)
◉ We will email you 4 weeks prior to your cruise to get your passport details for the boat transit log as well as your pickup or drop off locations (only for 4-day cruises that start or finish in Olympos/Demre).
Wi-Fi – Although there is limited wi-fi onboard the boat, it can often cut out when the boat is anchored or cruising through areas with no reception.
ITINERARY
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 around 10.30am and cruise to Butterfly Valley for swimming, lunch and an optional hike to the waterfall. Butterfly Valley is famous for being the home of over 100 different types of butterflies, but they only appear in numbers at certain times of the year so let’s hope we get lucky!
Afterwards, we pass by 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!
DAY 2: ST NICHOLAS ISLAND TO KAS
Today we are off to Aquarium Bay for breakfast in a breath-taking spot for swimming/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 finish the day in Limanagzi Bay, followed by dinner. We will spend the night in this bay and sleep under the stars on deck, or arrange transfers to Kas so you can enjoy the nightlife there.
Optional excursion: Scuba diving near Kas, 60 EUROS (pre-book: 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.
DAY 4: GOKKAYA BAY TO OLYMPOS
On our last day we enjoy a lazy start. After breakfast we spend some time in Pirates Cave (or another nearby bay) for snorkelling and swimming. We will dock at Ucagiz village around 10:30-11:00am for farewells and last-minute pics with your onboard family.
After disembarking, the day continues with a couple of options: a free bus transfer to the treehouse of your choice in Olympos (approx. 90 mins from Ucagiz to Demre to Olympos). We recommend Bayrams Treehouses!
If you are planning to travel onto other destinations such as Antalya, you can be dropped off at Demre bus station around 11.30am before the transfer continues to Olympos. Buses to Antalya from Demre bus station depart every 30-45mins, buses to Kas or Fethiye depart every hour.
Whatever you are doing after your cruise, we wish you bon voyage and thank you for booking with Go Sail Turkey!
CRUISE EXCURSIONS
On our cruises there is an optional excursion that we think will enhance your travel experience in Turkey. It is totally up to you whether you decide to participate in this activity. In high season it is advisable to book in advance to secure your place.
You can book by emailing: info@gosailturkey.com
SCUBA-DIVING - 60 EUROS
Kas is one of the best scuba-diving spots along the Turkish coastline between Fethiye and Demre. Depending on the day you will get the chance to dive along some of the reefs, underwater caves or even do a wreck dive.
The diving is open to all levels, even those who have not dived before. There are dives available for both beginners and skilled divers and being a certified diver (PADI, SSI etc) is not necessary.
IMPORTANT: ENSURE YOU HAVE NOT DRUNK ANY ALCOHOL ON THE DAY OF YOUR DIVE
What’s included (60 Euros):
◉ 1 dive
◉ Transfer from your boat
◉ All equipment
◉ Transfer back to Kas harbour or your boat
Tour Schedule:
◉ Transfer from boat to dive boat to change into equipment. Introduction to equipment for first time divers. Dive at a selected dive site off Kas. Transfer back to your gulet or Kas harbour.
OTHER BRANDS
We don’t just do summer cruises in Croatia and Turkey – we also run winter skiing trips in Sarajevo’s Olympic mountains in Bosnia. It is only 45 min to the resort from the centre of Sarajevo. Experience the slopes that were home to the 1984 Winter Olympics!
As a Go Sail Turkey customer, you receive a 5% discount on a ski trip. For more details on our skiing trips, please visit: www.ski-sarajevo.com
We also run cruises in Croatia – both 20-39s and mixed-age departures from May to September.
We have 4 different routes in Croatia, with 8-day, 5-day or 4-day options starting from Dubrovnik or Split.
As a Go Sail Turkey customer, you get a 5% discount on any of the cruises in Croatia. For more details please visit our website at: www.gocroatiasail.com
