Sail Turkey: Olympos to Fethiye Gulet Cruise

The best part of this cruise is the mix of ancient ruins and open-water freedom. One morning you are looking across Kekova’s Sunken City, and the next you are swimming in a quiet Mediterranean bay from the back deck of a gulet. I like the route because it gives you both sightseeing and unhurried time at sea.

I also like the full-board setup, with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 5 o’clock tea included. The route packs in several major coastal sights, including Simena Castle, Kas, Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz, and St Nicholas Island, without asking you to change hotels each night.

The main consideration is the cabin standard. The boats have private bathrooms and storage, but one recent booking rated the cruise highly while noting that the rooms could use modernization. Drinks, beach towels, and several entry fees cost extra.

Key points to know before booking

• Four days and three nights at sea: The cruise ends in Fethiye around lunchtime on the fourth day.
• A strong mix of history and swimming: You visit ancient Lycian, Roman, Greek, and Ottoman-era sites while enjoying regular stops for snorkeling.
• Meals are included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, 5 o’clock tea, and drinking water are part of the price.
• The gulet is simple but practical: Each cabin has a private bathroom, linen, towels, and storage space.
• The biggest extra costs are modest: St Nicholas Island, Simena Castle, and Butterfly Valley have small entrance fees, while drinks and optional activities cost more.
• The cruise is rated 4.8 from three bookings: The strongest praise focuses on the food, crew, scenery, sea, and value.

Why this four-day gulet route works so well

At $591 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see the Turkish coast, but it includes much more than a boat ride. You are paying for three nights of accommodation, full-board meals, water, Wi-Fi, snorkeling equipment, a paddle board, towels, and transport between a string of coastal stops.

The value improves if you want a holiday with few moving parts. Your bed travels with you, meals are served onboard, and the route links several places that would otherwise require separate transfers. I would compare the price with three nights of hotels, restaurant meals, local transport, and boat excursions before deciding that it is expensive.

The cruise is also useful if you want variety. Some days focus on ruins and villages. Other stretches are about swimming, sun, and watching the coastline pass by. You will not spend all four days touring ancient sites, and you will not spend all four days lying on deck either.

That balance is the reason this route works for many first-time visitors to Turkey’s Turquoise Coast. It offers a quick introduction to the region without forcing you to choose between culture and the sea.

Starting near Olympos or Demre Harbour

Pickup is listed at Bayram’s Tree House at 10:30 and Demre Bus Station at 12:30. The cruise then begins from Olympos or Demre Harbour, depending on the arrangement for your departure.

Pay attention to this detail when planning your travel day. The two pickup points are not interchangeable, and you should confirm which one applies to your booking. The English-speaking host or greeter handles the meeting arrangements, but no individual guide name is provided.

The first hours set the tone for the trip. You settle into a standard Turkish gulet, a traditional yacht built for coastal cruising. This is not a large cruise ship with entertainment, shops, or a long list of onboard facilities. It is a compact boat designed for meals, sun, swimming, and short shore visits.

Cabins have private ensuite bathrooms and room to store your bags. Linen and bath towels are supplied, but you need to bring a beach towel. The practical approach is to pack light and keep swimwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a towel easy to reach.

Kekova and the Sunken City

Kekova is the first major highlight, and it gives the cruise its strongest history lesson. The area is known for the Sunken City, where the remains of an ancient settlement lie partly below the water after earthquakes and coastal changes.

You will see the ruins from the gulet as you move along the coast. This is an important point: the experience is primarily a scenic boat visit, not a long archaeological walking tour. The water, submerged stonework, and steep coastline make the setting memorable, but you should not expect to walk through the sunken remains.

Kekova is also one of the best places on the route to appreciate the boat itself. A gulet lets you approach small coves and pause for swimming in a way that a road itinerary cannot. Snorkeling equipment and a paddle board are included, so you can make use of the water without arranging a separate rental.

The sea is a major part of the appeal here. Pack sunscreen and keep your swimwear handy, since the schedule includes regular chances to get in the water. If you prefer sightseeing from the deck, you can still enjoy the coastline and ruins without taking part in every swim.

Simena Castle at sunset

Simena Castle brings the route back onto land. Its position above the coast gives you broad views over the islands, water, and scattered remains below. The visit is especially appealing late in the day, when the light softens and the castle becomes a natural place to watch the sunset.

The entrance fee is listed as 4 euros. Bring some cash or a payment method suitable for small local charges, since this admission is not included in the cruise price.

Simena is not simply another photo stop. It gives you a sense of how people once watched and controlled this difficult coastline. The climb and uneven surfaces may require some care, although the supplied information does not specify the exact walking conditions. Wear sensible shoes rather than relying only on flip-flops.

The stop also creates a useful change of pace. After time on the boat, even a short visit to a historic site can feel refreshing. You get movement, views, and a closer look at the coastal settlements that shaped the region.

Kas, with time to shop and swim

The following day brings you to Kas, a small fishing town with time for shopping and swimming. This is one of the route’s more relaxed stops, and it gives you a chance to see a working coastal town rather than only ruins and empty coves.

Kas is useful for supplies and a change of scenery. You can browse local shops, walk around town, or simply enjoy time away from the boat. The schedule allows plenty of swimming as well, so you do not have to treat the town visit as a formal sightseeing session.

I would keep your expectations practical. The cruise gives you time in Kas, but it does not promise a full guided town tour or a long independent stay. If you have a particular shop, cafe, or sight in mind, use your free time carefully.

The stop matters because three or four days onboard can feel compact. Kas breaks up the rhythm with streets, shops, and a little local life. It also lets you buy anything you may have forgotten, although the supplied details do not specify which shops or services are available.

Butterfly Valley and the approach to Oludeniz

You wake near Butterfly Valley, one of the route’s most scenic morning settings. You may hike or stay onboard to enjoy the view, depending on the conditions and your interest in walking.

The entry fee is listed as 1 euro and is not included. The supplied details do not promise a specific hike length, guide, or access route, so treat this as a chance for a short exploration rather than a fully structured trek.

Butterfly Valley is best understood as a visual stop with optional activity. You can take in the steep coastal setting, walk if you wish, or simply enjoy the morning from the gulet. If you are carrying a camera, this is one of the places where you will want it ready before leaving the boat.

Later, the gulet passes Oludeniz, one of Turkey’s most photographed beaches. The boat anchors on the back side of the Blue Lagoon, giving you a water-based view rather than a standard beach day.

This is also one of the points where optional activities may be offered, including paragliding and underwater excursions. These are not part of the $591 price, so ask for the current cost before committing. The cruise includes snorkeling gear and a paddle board, which provide simpler ways to enjoy the water without adding another bill.

St Nicholas Island and the final night onboard

The last major stop is St Nicholas Island. You can explore the ruins and spend the final night onboard, which gives the trip a clear closing point before the arrival in Fethiye.

The island entrance fee is listed as 3 euros. As with Simena Castle and Butterfly Valley, the cost is small, but these extras add up if you are trying to keep spending tight.

The ruins offer another look at the coastline’s layered past. The route includes remains connected with Lycian, Roman, Greek, Ottoman, and other periods, so the historical interest comes from the accumulation of different cultures along one narrow stretch of sea.

You will not get a full museum-style explanation of every period from the information provided. Instead, the value is in seeing old stone remains in the places where they were built, with the sea and hills around them. I find that setting more memorable than checking off isolated ruins from a road itinerary.

The final night on the gulet is part of the experience, not just a place to sleep. You have a last evening at sea, with dinner and the chance to enjoy the quiet after several shore stops. The next day, the boat reaches Fethiye Harbour around lunchtime.

What life onboard is really like

The gulet is a standard Turkish yacht, so you should think of it as comfortable and functional rather than luxurious. Each cabin has a private bathroom, which is a major convenience on a small boat. You also have storage space, linen, bath towels, Wi-Fi, and included drinking water.

Full board covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 5 o’clock tea. That arrangement makes the price easier to understand, since you are not paying for every meal in port. The food received especially strong praise in the available feedback, along with the crew, scenery, sea, and overall value.

Drinks are not included. If you want soft drinks, coffee, alcohol, or anything beyond the supplied water, budget separately. Beach towels are also excluded, so bring your own.

Cabin expectations deserve honest attention. One booking rated the trip four out of five and specifically noted that the rooms could use modernization, while still praising the organization and meals. I would choose this cruise for its route and outdoor setting, not for new or polished cabin interiors.

You should also be comfortable sharing the general boat environment with other passengers. The information does not state the group size, so I would not assume a private charter or a quiet, tailor-made schedule. The route and meal times provide structure, while swimming and shore visits offer some personal freedom.

Food, crew, and the overall value

The strongest positive points are the meals and the crew. One booking described the crew as excellent and the trip as a very good value, with special praise for the scenery and sea. Another gave the organization and food high marks but was less impressed by the state of the rooms.

That combination tells you how to judge the cruise. If you care most about fresh meals, a well-planned route, friendly service, and time outdoors, the price is reasonable. If your priority is a modern cabin, hotel-style space, or a high level of onboard luxury, you may find the standard gulet more basic than expected.

The 4.8 rating comes from only three reviews, so I would treat it as encouraging rather than final proof. The feedback is still useful because the comments are specific: food, crew, scenery, sea, organization, value, and room condition.

The trip also received a short but clear three-day assessment from a passenger who called it an excellent break. That fits the route well. You get enough time to slow down, but not so much time that the same onboard routine becomes the entire holiday.

Who should book this cruise?

I would recommend it to you if you want a concentrated introduction to the Turquoise Coast. It suits people who enjoy swimming, simple boat accommodation, historic sites, and full days that alternate between movement and rest.

It is also a good match for anyone who dislikes repacking. You unpack once, then let the gulet carry you between Kekova, Kas, Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz, and St Nicholas Island.

Families and couples may enjoy the mixture of activities, but the information does not provide age guidance or accessibility details. If you need specific mobility arrangements, ask before booking, especially for castle, island, or valley visits.

You should think twice if you need a modern room, private space throughout the day, or a fixed cultural tour with detailed guiding at every ruin. This is a sea-focused holiday with historical stops, not a conventional guided sightseeing circuit.

Cancellation is flexible, with a full refund available when you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. You can also reserve now and pay later, which is useful while sorting out a wider Turkey itinerary.

Should you book the Olympos to Fethiye gulet cruise?

Book it if you want the coast itself to be the main event. For $591, you receive four days and three nights, full-board meals, water, equipment, towels, Wi-Fi, and a route that combines Kekova’s ruins, Simena Castle, Kas, Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz, and St Nicholas Island.

Go in with the right cabin expectations. The rooms are private and practical, but at least one recent assessment found them dated. Bring a beach towel, allow extra money for drinks and the three entrance fees, and consider optional paragliding or underwater activities only after checking the price.

For a first taste of Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, the route offers strong value and plenty of variety. I would choose it for the scenery, food, crew, and easy flow between ancient sites and swimming bays, not for luxury at sea.

FAQ

How long is the Olympos to Fethiye gulet cruise?

The cruise lasts four days and three nights.

Where does the cruise finish?

It finishes at Fethiye Harbour around lunchtime on the fourth day.

Where can I be picked up?

Pickup is listed at Bayram’s Tree House at 10:30 or Demre Bus Station at 12:30.

What meals are included?

Full board includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 5 o’clock tea.

Is drinking water included?

Yes, drinking water is included in the cruise price.

Is Wi-Fi available onboard?

Yes, Wi-Fi is included.

Are snorkeling equipment and paddle boards provided?

Yes, snorkeling equipment and a paddle board are included.

Do the cabins have private bathrooms?

Yes, each cabin has an ensuite private bathroom and storage space for bags.

Which entrance fees are extra?

St Nicholas Island costs 3 euros, Simena Castle costs 4 euros, and Butterfly Valley costs 1 euro. These fees are not included.

Are drinks and beach towels included?

No. Drinks and beach towels are extra, so bring a beach towel and budget separately for drinks.