An easy charter of 7 nights.      Gocek:  This little port has experienced a boom.  It now has a lovely marina with modern facilities, a few good restaurants and some pretty shops.  the airport at Dalaman is just 20 minutes away.      Tomb Bay lies just six miles from Gocek and is delightful for snorkeling, swimming, or visiting the Carian and Lycian Rock Tombs, (Porticoed Temple Tombs).  The ancient Lycian city of Cry is still evident among the olive trees and Oleanders.  Lycians, Herodotus noted, were cretans driven from crete by Minos of Knossos.  Carians, he believed, were native to Asia Minor.      Deep Bay is only one mile from Tomb Bay.  Pine trees and crystal-clear water invite you to swim, snorkel and kayak.  The local restaurateur, Yuksel, is a fine cook.  His chicken, fresh fish, meatballs and vegetable dishes cooked outdoors on a wood fire go down extremely well with a cold bottle of Chankaya, the quite good local white wine.  After dinner, Yuksel builds a bonfire and invites guests to gather 'round for a campfire camaraderie.   It is a favorite evening of every charter.      Cleopatra's Bay is two miles from Deep Bay.  Another exquisite setting with thick pine right down to the edge of the water.  The monastery ruins are half submerged.  This is also known as Ruin Bay.  A 45 minute hike takes you to ancient Lydae.  Off the beaten path and rarely visited, Lydae features Sarcophagi, Temple Walls, Cisterns, Corinthian columns and inscribed tablets from the Roman and Byzantine periods.  Cleopatra, by the way, was here twice, once with Julius Caesar and once with Marc Antony.  Recep is the local restaurant owner and he knows all the charter captains well.      Gemiler Island is 15 miles from Cleopatra's bay and a good 2 hour sail that is well worth it.  Once home to Lycian and Byzantine pirates, the remains of an entire village are there to be explored.   The temple, the amazing cistern, the basilica and the outstanding covered passage all date to ancient times.  A lovely mosaic is just now being excavated.  It is a wonderful place to swim and snorkel and fine place to take in a hill top sunset.   Your captain will recommend a good place to dine, nearby.      Olu Deniz.   Two miles from Gemiler Island, Olu Deniz is the most photographed and picturepostcard beach in the eastern Mediterranean.  For the adventurous and daring, you can take a 30 minute paraglide down from the top of Baba Dag (father mountain), strapped to the back of your guide.  Olu Deniz means dead sea and would be dead today had the government not strictly forbidden boats to enter, starting in 1983.  In 67 BC the lagoon at  Olu Deniz harbored the Roman galleys of Pompey the Great, there to eject Lycian pirates from Gemiler.       Butterfly Valley.   Inaccessible except by sea, Butterfly Valley is just two miles from Olu Deniz.   This striking bay is backed by almost sheer mountain.   Even the beach is bound left and right by vertical rock promoting a unique privacy.      Fethiye.  Sixteen miles from butterfly Valley, Fethiye is ancient Telmessos and site of the finest rock tombs in Lycia, some featuring Ionic porticoes.  There is also a hill top fortress built by the knights of saint John of Jerusalem and a Roman   theater under excavation.   The nearby Ghost Town of Kaya was emptied by the Turkish-Greek population swap of 1923.  Covered markets and excellent shopping.  A fine restaurant offers a delicious hors d'oeuvre of artichoke heart and tuna.  The sail in and out of port is splendid.     Gocek.  Back to our starting point, the pleasant village of Gocek.  It has a unique charm as a working village and yacht rendezvous.  From Gocek there is a delightful trip by car up into the foothills of the Taurus Mountains to lunch on fresh trout with your feet cooling in fresh water streams.  Nearby Dalaman airport has an early AM flight that connects with international flights out of Istanbul, getting you back to the USA by mid-afternoon. [Top Of Page] [New Destination] [New Mediterranean Destination]