Sail Turkey: Mix Age Fethiye to Olympos Gulet Cruise

The best part of this Fethiye to Olympos gulet cruise is the steady change of scenery. You swim before breakfast, step ashore for Lycian ruins or a small harbor town, then return to the boat for lunch and another quiet bay. It feels less like checking off sights and more like letting the Mediterranean set the pace.

I like the small maximum group of 16, which should make meals, swimming stops, and shore visits easier than they would be on a large boat. I also like the practical value: three breakfasts, three lunches, three dinners, unlimited drinking water, Wi-Fi, and the transfer toward Olympos are included. The main consideration is that this is an active boat holiday, not a resort stay. You need moderate fitness, and the extra entrance fees, such as St. Nicholas Island and Simena Castle, are paid separately.

Key points to know before booking

• Three nights aboard a gulet: You spend the trip moving between Fethiye, Kas, Kekova, and Olympos rather than returning to a land hotel each night.
• A swimming-first itinerary: Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz, Aquarium Bay, and Gokkaya Bay provide repeated chances to get in the water.
• Strong ancient-history stops: Kekova’s Sunken City, Simena Castle, St. Nicholas Island, and the Lycian remains around the coast add substance beyond the beaches.
• Meals and water included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on all three full days, along with unlimited drinking water.
• A small-group format: The boat accepts a maximum of 16 people, a useful detail for anyone comparing cruise sizes.
• Easy onward travel: After disembarking near Demre, you can continue to Olympos by transfer or reach the Demre bus station for buses toward Antalya, Kas, Fethiye, and other destinations.

What the four-day gulet cruise is really like

This is a compact coastal voyage with a clear rhythm: eat, swim, sail, explore, and repeat. You board in Fethiye at 10:00 am, then spend the next three nights sleeping in coves or near small coastal settlements before reaching Demre and transferring onward.

The boat used for this sailing may be the Yacht Fortuna, named in the supplied tour information. The advertised maximum is 16 people, so this is designed to feel more personal than a large day boat. Still, you should expect shared spaces and a fixed daily schedule. The gulet is your transport, dining room, sun deck, and bedroom area all at once.

The published price is $600.12 per person. That is not simply a transportation fare. It covers three breakfasts, three lunches, three dinners, unlimited drinking water, Wi-Fi, and the four-day route itself. You will still need to budget for a few small site charges: €1 for Butterfly Valley, €4 for Simena Castle, and €3 for St. Nicholas Island. Those extras are modest, but it is useful to have euros ready.

Day one, from Fethiye harbor to St. Nicholas Island

You meet at Pınara Guesthouse, at 1 Karagözler Mahallesi No. 55 in Fethiye, at 10:00 am. The staff provides check-in information and directions if needed, then takes you to the gulet for a briefing before departure.

Fethiye is a practical starting point because the harbor is close to public transportation and the boat leaves soon after the morning meeting. Do not treat the first hour as wasted time. It gives you a chance to settle into the boat, learn the daily routine, and find your place before the first swim stop.

Butterfly Valley

The first major stop is Butterfly Valley, where you have about two hours for lunch, swimming, and an optional walk toward the waterfall. The valley is known for more than 136 kinds of butterflies and moths, though the wildlife you see can vary with the season and conditions.

The optional hike is worth considering if you want to stretch your legs after boarding. It gives this stop more variety than a simple beach visit. At the same time, the tour only allows about two hours here, so you should not expect a long trek. The entrance fee is €1 and is not included.

Oludeniz and the Blue Lagoon

Next comes Oludeniz, one of Turkey’s best-known beaches. Its shallow, still water and curved bay make it an easy place to swim or simply relax on the shore.

This is the most polished and famous beach stop on the route. That is part of its appeal, but it also means the setting may feel less secluded than the smaller bays later in the voyage. The two-hour stop gives you enough time to enjoy the water without turning the whole afternoon into a beach day.

St. Nicholas Island at sunset

The boat anchors near St. Nicholas Island for the night. You can walk among the island’s ruins and watch the sunset from above the water. The site charge is €3.

This is one of the strongest moments of the first day because it combines ancient remains with a late-day setting. You are not being rushed from one indoor display to another. Instead, you can explore at your own pace, then return to the boat for dinner and a night at anchor.

Day two, from Aquarium Bay to Kas and Kekova

The second day begins outside Kalkan at Aquarium Bay. Breakfast and a morning swim are planned here, with around two hours at the stop.

That early swim is a good example of how this trip uses time. You wake up beside a bay, eat, and get in the water before visiting a town. If you prefer slow mornings on land, the schedule may feel early or structured. If you like starting the day outdoors, it is a strong fit.

Kas, with time for shopping and lunch

The gulet continues to Kas for lunch, swimming, and a visit to town. You have around four hours here, making it the longest shore-based stop on the route.

Kas is described as a small fishing village with handmade jewelry and good local shopping. This is your best chance to walk streets, browse something made in the area, and take a break from boat life. I especially like the contrast: after quiet bays and open water, Kas gives you a taste of daily coastal life.

Four hours sounds generous, but it includes lunch, swimming, and town time. You may need to choose what matters most. If shopping is your priority, spend less time in the water. If you want to explore the harbor area slowly, keep your visit focused rather than trying to see everything.

A quiet night between Kas and Kekova

After Kas, the boat heads toward Kekova and spends the night in secluded bays. The scheduled stop lasts about eight hours, which means the evening is mainly about swimming, relaxing, and enjoying the boat rather than visiting another town.

This is where the cruise earns its keep. You are not packing up for another hotel or catching a late transfer. You can watch the light change over the coves, eat dinner aboard, and settle into a slower routine. Wi-Fi is included, but the point of this section is surely to spend less time looking at your phone.

Day three, the ancient coast of Kekova

Day three brings the most concentrated history of the voyage. After breakfast, you cruise toward Kekova Island and its Sunken City, then continue to Simena before ending at Gokkaya Bay.

Kekova’s Sunken City

The Sunken City is the remains of an ancient settlement from the Lycian period, dating back about 2,000 years. An earthquake destroyed the town, leaving submerged ruins along the coast.

This stop works best from the water because the shoreline itself tells the story. You see the remains while the gulet passes along the island, then have time for a swim in the surrounding area. The visit lasts about two hours, and the admission fee is not included.

You should think of this as a scenic archaeological viewing stop, not a full museum visit. The route gives you context through the setting, but it does not provide the same detail as a long guided walk through a preserved city.

Simena Castle and the Lycian necropolis

Simena offers a more physical historical visit. Its remains include a Lycian necropolis, a Roman theater, and a medieval castle with wide views over the surrounding coast. The village can be reached only by boat or by a scenic walk, which helps explain why the setting feels removed from ordinary road traffic.

The castle entrance costs €4. You should have moderate fitness for this stop, especially if you want to climb toward the castle. The reward is not just the ruins. From higher ground, you get a clear sense of the small islands, coves, and sea lanes that make this part of the route so memorable.

Allow yourself enough time to climb carefully and look around. The two-hour schedule is useful but not luxurious, so this is not the place to wander without keeping an eye on the departure time.

Gokkaya Bay and optional water sports

Later, the gulet reaches Gokkaya Bay for an eight-hour stay and overnight anchorage. The bay is presented as a quiet place with clear turquoise water and optional water sports.

This is another long pause rather than a sightseeing sprint. You can swim, try the available water activities, or stay aboard and read. The tour information does not specify which water sports are offered or their prices, so ask the crew before counting them into your budget.

The long stop also gives you a useful break after Simena. Three consecutive days on a boat can feel full, even when the schedule is relaxed. A bay like Gokkaya lets you choose your own level of activity.

Day four, an easy finish in Demre

The last morning is intentionally simple. You have breakfast and time for a final swim before disembarking in the Demre area. There is no final major ruin stop listed, so the morning is about enjoying the water and getting ready to leave.

The boat portion ends at Demre, also called Kale in the route information. From there, the operator provides a transfer arrangement toward Olympos or to the Demre bus station.

Reaching Olympos or continuing by bus

If enough people are going to Olympos, a shuttle takes about two hours and leaves you near the tree-house hotels there. If there are not enough people traveling that way, you may be placed on a public bus instead of a private shuttle.

If you are heading elsewhere, the Demre bus station is about 10 minutes from the harbor. Buses to Antalya and Kas run every 30 minutes, while buses to Fethiye run every hour. The information provided says you do not need to book those tickets in advance.

This transfer is convenient, but you should pay attention to the wording. The cruise does not promise a private Olympos vehicle in every departure. If the onward transfer matters to you, confirm the arrangement before booking and keep your plans flexible on the final afternoon.

Food, onboard comforts, and daily practicalities

Three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners are included. That makes the $600.12 price easier to assess because food is a major part of any multi-day boat trip. Dietary needs such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals can be accommodated if you state them when booking.

Unlimited drinking water is also included, a small detail that matters in hot coastal weather. Wi-Fi is provided as well, although the information does not promise a strong connection in every bay. Think of it as a useful extra, not a reason to choose this over a land-based hotel.

A moderate level of physical fitness is required. You will board and leave a boat, swim from the gulet, walk around ruins, and potentially climb toward Simena Castle. The route does not describe a highly strenuous expedition, but it is not suited to someone who wants every activity at ground level with no movement between stops.

The group limit of 16 is one of the clearest advantages. It should make communication with the crew easier and reduce the feeling of being lost in a crowd. The most highly praised elements of the supplied feedback were the attentive captain and crew, the quality of the food, the route, and the balanced mix of people aboard. Those are exactly the areas that matter most on a small gulet: service, meals, schedule, and group atmosphere.

Who should book this Fethiye to Olympos route

I would recommend this cruise to you if you want Turkey’s coast in a relaxed, social format and like the idea of changing bays without arranging every ferry and hotel yourself. It suits people who value swimming, sunset stops, ancient sites, and shared meals more than nightlife or long independent visits in each town.

It is also a good choice if you are combining coastal Turkey with Olympos. The final transfer saves you from returning to Fethiye, and the route connects several places that can be awkward to combine by land.

I would be more cautious if you dislike shared accommodation, need complete control over meal times, or want extensive time at each archaeological site. The itinerary gives you a rewarding sample of many places, but the tradeoff is limited time at each stop.

The cruise has a 4.9 rating from 20 reviews, with 100 percent of the listed respondents recommending it. One detailed account praised the Yacht Fortuna, the captain and crew, the daily food, the route, and the group mix. That praise points to the core strength of the experience: the trip depends on the boat team, and the available feedback suggests those basics are being handled well.

Cancellation terms are worth noting before you commit. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Cancelling two to six full days ahead allows a 50 percent refund, while cancelling less than two full days ahead brings no refund. Changes follow the same cutoffs.

Should you book it?

Book this Fethiye to Olympos gulet cruise if you want three nights of coastal scenery, swimming, meals, and ancient sites in one compact trip. The included food, water, Wi-Fi, small group, and onward transfer give the price solid value.

Skip it if your ideal holiday requires a private cabin-style retreat, long independent visits, or a fixed private transfer to Olympos. For everyone else, this is a well-shaped introduction to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, with enough history to keep the beach time from becoming repetitive and enough quiet bays to keep the archaeology from feeling like homework.

FAQ

Where does the cruise start?

The cruise starts at Pınara Guesthouse, 1 Karagözler Mahallesi No. 55, Karagözler, Fethiye. Check-in is at 10:00 am.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately four days and includes three nights aboard the gulet.

Where does the cruise end?

The boat portion ends in the Demre, also called Kale, area. From there, you can transfer toward Olympos or continue to the Demre bus station.

Are meals included?

Yes. The price includes three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners.

Is drinking water included?

Yes. Unlimited drinking water is included.

What entrance fees must I pay separately?

Butterfly Valley costs €1, St. Nicholas Island costs €3, and Simena Castle costs €4. These fees are not included in the tour price.

Can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary requirements can be accommodated if you provide the details when booking.