Turkey can offer ideal sailing conditions. Renting a yacht allows you to get to the most beautiful places on the planet, enjoy the absence of other people and stunning nature. You can only get to the Turkish islands by sea.
The Aegean coast is perfect for beginner yachtsmen. A large number of equipped bays and coastal island archipelagos are located here. On the coast, you can practice sailing in different weather conditions, stopping for relaxation and sightseeing whenever you wish. The trip will be pleasant and comfortable even for those who have never gone to sea on a large ship or who are afraid to do so.
Yacht rental services in the country began to actively develop more than 30 years ago. Today Turkey offers some of the most developed marinas in the Mediterranean. The Aegean Sea is characterized by a rocky and uneven coastline, a large number of bays and caves. Yachts mostly sail within the Turkish waters. This makes navigation as easy as possible.
If you do not want to continue your journey at night, you can stop at the well-equipped anchorage or in the nearby harbor with piers. Almost uninhabited wild bays are also popular.
A key feature of Turkish yachting is the need to almost always go the same way twice. You can stop at different locations to add variety to your trip.
There are practically no storms throughout the yachting season. If the weather gets worse, you can always find shelter to shelter from the wind. The presence of a large number of bays makes it possible not to stop even during strong storms. The Greek Islands are located just off the coast of Turkey. You need to have a valid country visa to enter their territory.
The day heat is tolerated quite comfortably, as strong winds blow during the tourist season. The period from July to August is characterized by breezes arising from the difference between the temperatures of sea water and land. They intensify by noon, but subside by evening. The sea water temperature is +25 - +28°С from the beginning of June to the end of October.
Most of the marinas are located in Fethiye, Gocek, Bodrum and Marmaris, which are located on the Aegean coast. Any of the resorts can be the starting point of the route, regardless of its duration. Tourists have the opportunity to practice sailing, visit architectural and historical sites and stay in wild bays. Yachtsmen usually prefer to combine several activities in one trip.
Marmaris, which offers the most comfortable sailing conditions, is located between Fethiye and Bodrum. This bay can be an optimal starting point for traveling in any direction and visiting various Turkish harbors. The city is in close proximity to Dalaman International Airport.
Bodrum is famous for its comfortable and modern marina, where about four thousand yachts stop. Marina is a small town where all the necessary services are available to tourists. There are various travel agency offices, post offices, supermarkets and shops, restaurants and bars.
The village of Gocek is located in the vicinity of Dalaman. The marina is located in the bay of Fethiye and has a large number of anchorages. You will get to Gocek from the international airport in half an hour.
Various routes are available for experienced and novice yachtsmen. Most often, ships run between Fethiye and Marmaris, Bodrum and Marmaris. Mostly yachts from Fethiye sail in the direction of Kekova and Antalya.
At least one person from the group must have an international level certificate allowing to operate a yacht in order to charter a yacht without a crew. The Turkish authorities are loyal to the organizations that issue the appropriate certificates. Most often, any certificate is enough, even if it's issued by a Russian yachting school without a license.
It will be easy for you to choose the most suitable option among a large number of yachts. You just need to book the desired ship at least 2-3 months before the date of arrival in the country.
The yacht can be rented for a different period depending on your wishes. Sometimes shipowners offer a customized schedule. As a rule, in the low season, more loyal charter conditions are provided, but with a fixed starting and ending points of the route. The airports of Istanbul, Bodrum, Dalaman, Antalya, and Izmir carry out daily international flights, so getting to any resort will not be problematic.
Every year, in the first days of November, Sailing Week is held in the Gulf of Marmaris, which is one of the most prestigious Turkish regattas. During this period, yachts are in high demand, so you need to book them in advance.