Turkish Sailing

Welcome aboard our gulet, a traditional Turkish sailing boat straight out of your dreams and into reality! We can already picture ourselves jumping from its decks into the sparkling sea during our swim stops...but right now, this show kicks off in the coastal town of Bodrum. After you’ve unloaded your luggage and met up with your new crew, there’s time to explore Bodrum’s narrow streets, restaurants and local nightlife. Just be sure to make it back before we set sail tomorrow morning.

Wave goodbye to the Turkish harbourside, it's time to get salty! Our first voyage at sea this morning will take us from the arms of Bodrum and into the pristine Gulf of Gokova.The journey to Cokertme will be almost as good as the destination, with time to chill on the sun loungers onboard the boat giving us all the holiday vibes. We’ll be moored for dinner tonight close to this cute fishing village, with a chance to stretch your sea-legs on the beach afterwards.The journey to Cokertme will be almost as good as the destination, with time to chill on the sun loungers onboard the boat giving us all the holiday vibes. We’ll be moored for dinner tonight close to this cute fishing village, with a chance to stretch your sea-legs on the beach afterwards.

When the sun comes up this morning we’ll be the first on the water, cruising before breakfast to the picture-perfect Seven Islands.Here at the Seven Islands, our first stop will be pretty Kufre Bay, where you’ll be free to float in the azure sea or roam the lush pine forests along the shore and discover the hidden houses there. We’ll enjoy lunch on board our boat, then drop anchor at equally blissful Uzun Liman (Long Harbour) for more R&R.Tonight we’ll moor in Ayinda Bay, where we’ll grab some dinner & hike up a hill to see the sunset. And once the sun goes down, night time is always the right time for a party back on board...

Enjoy your breakfast at leisure this morning as we set sail for Sedir (Cleopatra) Island, famous for its golden sandy beach.Legend has it that the sand was imported from North Africa by Cleopatra’s lover Marc Anthony and that this type of sand is only otherwise seen in Egypt! Check out those golden grains for yourself, then maybe take a stroll around the ruins of the ancient city of Cedrae. These Roman remnants, including the city walls and amphitheater, are spread throughout the island like an open air museum full of photo ops.This afternoon we’ll anchor in the shimmering blue bay of Karacasogut, where we’ll enjoy dinner and an evening on board before more exploring tomorrow.

After breakfast you’re free to start the day with a swim, backdropped by forests of pine and rhododendrons, before we cruise onwards to Longoz Bay.Is it possible to find an even more perfect paradise? Here at Longoz Bay surrounded by more pine forests, we’ll pause for lunch and remind ourselves how lucky we are.From Longoz Bay we’ll sail on towards Tuzla Bay, where you can swim and snorkel in beautiful turquoise waters. This area is famous for its wildlife and renowned for fresh seafood, so this is your chance to try some of the local delicacies when we drop anchor for dinner in the bay.

The magic of sailing is that you can let the boat rock you to sleep as we magically cruise while you slumber, arriving at Kargili Bay (Molla Ibrahim Bay) in the early hours.We’ll enjoy breakfast in the bay and time to relax on board this morning before continuing our journey to Kisebuku.Here in Kisebuku (Alakisla Buku), groves of oleander trees meander down to the beach and you’ll have the chance to stretch your legs ashore with a visit to Byzantine ruins, including the monastery for which the island is named. Later, we’ll raise a glass with our onboard dinner to another stunning view over the water.

Let’s make the most of our final day at sea as we set sail to Pabuc Burnu. From here those who choose can take an optional village tour to Yaliciftlik.Back at Pabuc Burnu, our gulet will glide on to our final destination, Bodrum Harbour.Largely untouched by tourism this is a glimpse of idyllic rural life, where traditional Turkish carpets and foods are produced. Look out for figs grown in the surrounding orchards and golden pine honey collected from handmade beehives that nestle in the forest.How are we back in Bodrum already? If you’re lucky, you might find time to pull in a traditional hammam spa experience before we enjoy a farewell feast and final night on board.

Team sobs and many hugs will conclude our Turkish sailing adventure shortly after breakfast. The only thing we can say to ease the pain is this: Contiki has something equally as wonderful going on in Croatia, go get involved.