Blue Journey

It is hard to imagine anything more relaxing then being aboard a traditional gullet as it sails along the magnificent turquoise coast. Encapsulating its stunning coastline, you meander lazily along whilst listening to the sea waves that echo around you, sailing with the winds & letting nature take you into another world. The Blue Voyage lets nothing come between you & the best that the Mediterranean has to offer whilst you embark on an experience to explore hidden Turkey & the infinite treasure chest of coves & bays........

Life on board a gullet is relaxed to the extreme & a style that embodies the Blue Voyage. The closeness of the crew brings an atmosphere of friendship & sharing & it is encouraged to do nothing but be taken care of, enjoy yourself & your experience.

Whilst you relax onboard, you can spend endless amounts of time being enticed by the beautiful coastline & watching the deep blue seas mingle into the green of the forests & for those who enjoy the more adventurous things in life, you can submerse yourself deep into a world beneath the water, watching life of the sea dance before your eyes whilst feeling the coolness of the water against your skin.

Not only will you experience this ultimate feeling of relaxation but you will also be taken on a journey of exploration that will carry you to the private beach of Cleopatra, the eternal fires of Mount Olympos & Myra, which holds the archaeological remains of an ancient civilisation. Many of these were in close contact with the sea & built their cities on the Aegean or Mediterranean coasts, many of which have fallen but remain undiscovered jewels so this is an opportunity to see many remnants of Turkey's rich heritage, with glimpses of the past in a manner that few people are able to do so.

You begin your adventure at Fethiye, once known as Telmessos in the ancient times & is believed that the city’s name came from Apollons son. This was the most important city situated on Lycias western border with Caria & joined the Ottoman Empire in 1924. There has been many name changes over the years but was eventually named Fethiye in 1914 after the first Turkish Air Force Officer, named Fethi Bey, crashed his plane & died whilst on duty. The southern region of Fetiye, is full of many famous tombs & graves from the Antique Era including one of the most famous, beautiful stone tomb's of King Amyntas.

You will then set sail & cruise along the serene Mediterranean for Oludeniz, one of the most beautiful places in Turkey. A place where the incomparable, calm sea will enchant you with its sandy bottom & bright turquoise tones, where the reflection of the pine trees on the water enriches the impression of the colours. The blue Lagoon has the most crystal clear waters which make it ideal for a variety of water sports & possibly the most relaxed swim you will ever have

Then on to Gemiler Island, although this is only a small island, you will be astonished by the remains of an historic monastic retreat containing among other things, the original resting place of St Nicholas. Gemiler offers the perfect opportunity to explore these medieval remains, some of which include Byzantine dwellings, a graveyard & a ceremonial passageway. A must is a walk to the top of the island, the views across the Mediterranean & back inland are absolutely spectacular & an opportunity to take some of the most stunning photographs.

The next part of the journey is made in the very early morning due to passing the high capes of Yedi Burunlar & Patara, as during the day this part of the coastline receives a strong contrary wind & has rough seas, which makes daytime cruising quite uncomfortable. Although the early start isn't suited for all, sleepily from the deck you can watch the sun, a large glowing sphere slowly rising up into the morning sky, watch as it cast's its sunbeams in every direction, the colours growing more vivid & making the sky radiant as it climbs higher & higher, something so magical to watch. This then brings you to Yesilkoy bay, such a beautiful place making the ideal anchorage spot for breakfast & also a popular spot for fishing.

Then further along from here is Kas, it is a sheltered harbour that is set at the foot of a wall of mountains facing the sparkling Mediterranean, with plenty of unspoilt charm it also has an historical & natural ambience. It is one of the most important towns of Lycia & gained importance in Roman Times when it eventually became the centre of Episcopacy in Byzantine times. Kas is also home to the biggest dive centre as well, with 30 dives sites around this area you will be spoilt for choice to discover all that belongs to the sea, the mixture of wrecks, rock terrains, tunnels, canyons & caves.

After departing Kas, you will first pass Uluburun, which is opposite Meis (Kastellerizo) Island & the Sicak Peninsula where the ancient city of Aperlae was found & you will come to Kekova, it is one of the best-loved anchorages of blue voyagers, where history and nature come together. The name of Kekova is taken from the Island, which is covered with ancient ruins & Tersane Bay is located at the southwest of the Island where you find the remains of an ancient dockyard from the Roman Period & a church from the Byzantine times. Following shore, you can see many houses submerged in the water as the result of various earthquakes, which gives another name to the area, the sunken city.

Further on, you will anchor at the ancient city of Simena & a further opportunity arises to take some of the most mesmerising photographs of Antique Lycia. Also found here is the village Kale & is full of medieval and ancient structures, which are historical emblems of the village's natural beauty. At top of the village a well-preserved castle stands which was reconstructed by crusaders upon a Lycian & inside the castle, there is a very small theatre, which is definitely worth seeing.

Then you will sail along to Demre & on reaching the city, the first thing you will notice is the acropolis on the top of the hill, which is covered with Lycian rock tombs & the city walls dating to the Hellenistic & Roman periods can also be seen. Most of pigeon hole type tombs, called simple niches & the house type tombs are damaged, but some inscriptions & reliefs are still visible. There is also a theatre, the cavea of which is half Greek & half Roman in style, this is situated near the necropolis & is in better condition than the other theatres in Lycia. From Demre, you are able to join the tour from Cayagzi bay, which will take you to the ruins of Myra. This is a Lycia city but also the city of the Bishop St. Nicholas who was known as the protector of the children, the poor & the sailors in Byzantine time.

Your gullet will cruise along to Kalkan, which is a perfect Mediterranean village that boasts a pretty yacht harbour, along with the winding cobbled streets lined with well preserved Greek houses & an abundance of red & pink bougainvillea, this all makes Kalkan a storehouse of beautiful photographs as well as living evidence of the continuity of life & the colourful fusion of different cultures. From here optional excursions to the Lycian cities of Xhantos, which is the capital of Lycia, Patara the city of trade harbour & of course, Letoon, which is the most important religious centre of Lycia region can also be included in your tour can be organised for you.

After a night of being in Kalkan, a place that truly captures everything about Turkey & it's culture, another early start is had & you will sail along to the peaceful but enchanting Turunc Pinari bay. Hopefully you will be luckily enough to make an additional stop to what's known as the Butterfly Valley, which took its name from the Jersey Tiger butterflies & these can be seen between June & September. It will be a time when you will be surrounded by a sea containing thousands of colours & countless verities of this unique butterfly. On arrival to this valley, you will notice Aits untouched nature but with its wide coast, shimmering waters & glittering pebbles, this is one of earths paradises. From here you will make your final top at Samanli bay for cooling dip in the turquoise waters before sailing back to Fethiye to bring your Blue Voyage to an end.

One things that the Blue Voyage can be certain of is that there are few destinations as aptly titled as Turkey’s turquoise coast & they will bring this to life. The will let you experience something so memorable that it will tempt you back again & again to relive the luxurious ease of life on the sea.