Fethiye Körfezi (Turkey)
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Boarding point: Port Göcek Marina, Göcek, transfer by taxi from Dalaman International Airport (25km)
Exit point: Fethiye Ece Marina, Fethiye, transfer by taxi to Dalaman International Airport (50km)
Typical route: Göcek, Boynüz Bükü, Tersane, Tomb Bay, Sarsala, Wall Bay, Gemiler (St Nicolas island), Cold Water Bay, Fethiye.
Approximate distance of route: 65 nm
Longest leg sailed: 20 nm
Historical sights: Numerous Byzantine ruins in the bays, Lycian rock tombs, remains from ancient Telmessus (Fethiye) dating from 4th century BC.
Leisure: sailing, swimming, fishing, hiking, Scuba, shopping (Göcek, Fethiye), local markets
This route is great for those with little sailing experience as the Fethiye Körfezi is a well protected area with little wind in the summer. Skopea Limani to the west is a small indented gulf, protected by a chain of islands, where you can literally spend weeks finding new great anchorages and restaurant jetties. In fact many of the spots are so nice that it can be hard to move on and explore even more. The landscape is extraordinary with vast reddish cliffs, pockmarked with caves and ravines, dividing steep slopes thickly wooded with pine, and there are many nice trails along the shore for those that like hiking.
Fethiye Körfezi or the Gulf of Fethiye on the Lycian coast is a large bay with plenty of natural harbours and two major towns (Göcek and Fethiye) being very popular with tourists and foreign house owners.
Göcek has grown from a little village to a major charter base with 3-4 marinas and very close to Dalaman airport. It is now a very pleasant little town with some nice handicraft shops as well as the standard souvenir shops and some well stocked supermarkets. With all yachtsmen around it is a great place for peoples watching on one of the pleasant restaurants, cafes, or taverns.
Fethiye is much larger and a major center for this part of the Lycian coast. The shopping/bazar area is a fascinating mix of shops and stalls selling anything from plastic buckets to souvenir T-shirts. There is a weekly market (Tuesdays) which is perhaps the biggest market in all of SW Turkey. A great experience. A few prominent Lycian rock tombs can bee seen behind the town as you approach the marina. They are remnants of ancient Telmessus, which was the principal port of Lycia.