Sailing the Turkish Explorer Route with Yacht Getaways.

In September, we sailed the coast of Turkey with Yacht Getaways, and we were completely blown away. This was our fourth time sailing with Yacht Getaways, and it honestly just keeps getting more and more amazing every time! We honestly had no idea the Turkish Coast was so beautiful, and the whole time we were there, we just kept saying that we feel like this part of Turkey is one of the best kept secrets in the world!

Sailing the Turkish Explorer Route with Yacht Getaways

The Turkish Explorer route starts and ends in the charming town of Göcek, and you get to sail down the coast and into the most beautiful bays and quaint towns in the southwestern part of Turkey. There were certain parts of the coast that looked like we could’ve been sailing through the Caribbean with how turquoise blue the water is, and since you’re sailing through the Mediterranean Sea, there were other times when we felt like we were back in Greece! This area of Turkey has such a small town, coastal vibe to it, and we fell in love with it!

We always love sailing with Yacht Getaways, because the entire trip is so unique and everything is taken care of!

It’s truly the most relaxing getaway, and we always love our experience. If you ask us, sailing is the best of all worlds when it comes to travel, because you get to see the most beautiful coves and bays while also getting to move from town to town and seeing the coast from the water! It’s such a different kind of way to travel that is truly unique to sailing.

We love that when you’re sailing, you can really just fully relax on the boat. You don’t need to worry about anything, and you can just read a book, lay in the sun, or get rocked to sleep by the boat and take a nap. Then, you get to swim in beautiful spots that you’d probably never get to visit otherwise, and when you get to town, you can shop, explore, and get a local dinner experience. It’s truly a worry-free week. You don’t need to plan anything. All you have to do is show up to the boat, and the rest of your week will be smooth sailing (pun intended 😉).

From our experience, Yacht Getaways only hires the best of the best, and our captain and host on this boat were amazing, per usual!

The host makes breakfast and lunch and helps keep the boat clean and also helps organize activities for you. Our host catered really well to all of the dietary restrictions of the guests and still made sure the food tasted delicious. We were honestly so impressed and inspired by the meals she made! Everything tasted incredible! The captain made sure to take us to secluded bays that weren’t crowded with other boats and made sure the entire sailing experience was safe and enjoyable. They also do a great job of keeping you informed on what’s going on that day, where you’re sailing to, and what your options are as far as activities and dinner in that town.

Answering all of your yacht getaway questions:

Since we’ve gotten so many questions about the experience on Yacht Getaways, we wanted to be able to answer all of them in one spot for you, so here’s a little FAQ:

How big is the boat?

Yacht Getaways offers three different sailing options: Premier, Superior, and Prestige. The Premier boats are around 40 ft, the Superior boats are around 45 ft, and the Prestige boats are around 52 ft. The Turkish Explorer Route currently offers the Superior option, and of all the sailing trips we’ve been on with Yacht Getaways, this was by far the nicest and biggest boat we’ve been on. There are plenty of outdoor and indoor seating areas on all of the boats; however, personally, we suggest booking a Superior boat, because that extra five feet really does make it that much more comfortable.

How many people are on the boat?

Each boat holds a total of 10 people — up to 8 guests plus the Captain and Host. There are four cabins on board, so each room sleeps two people. You can also charter your own skippered yacht, so if you want to just go with your family or a group of friends and want to have the whole boat to yourself, they have that option too!

Do you get seasick?

Personally, neither of us have ever gotten seasick, so it’s a little tough for us to say, but we have noticed that the Captain always does his or her best to tailor the route to avoid rough seas and make sure it’s smooth sailing for everyone. Obviously, everyone wants it to be the most enjoyable route possible, so the Captain really makes an effort to make sure to stay in calm seas. If you get seasick, we recommend sailing the coast of Turkey, because the seas were very calm and there was hardly any rough water along the route. It seriously felt like we were gliding on glassy waters the whole time.

Are kids allowed?

Yacht Getaways is 18 and older, so kids aren’t permitted. But if you book a full yacht with Yacht Getaways, then you can bring kids along.

What does a typical day on Yacht Getaways look like?

Every day looks a little different and that’s part of the fun, but in general, a typical day looks like this:

8:00-9:00 am: Wake up to a fresh cooked breakfast by your Host.

9:30-12:00 am: After breakfast, you set off to sail for about and hour or two (depending on the route that day).

12:00-2:00 pm: Stop in a secluded bay for a swim break and to eat lunch prepared by your Host.

2:00-4:00 pm: Sail again and maybe stop for another swim stop before arriving to your stop for the night.

4:00-5:00 pm: Dock at a marina, small bay, or anchor out at sea for the night and head into town.

5:00 pm-10:00 pm: Explore the town, watch sunset, and grab dinner. Then return to the boat whenever you’re ready and sleep for the night.

Wake up the next morning and do it all again!

How much does it cost?

The Turkish Explorer Route for 2020 costs between €1154 and €1411 per person. The rates change based on which week you book, but they have an early bird pricing sale if you book now for 2020. Scroll to the bottom of this page to book early and get the discount! The cost is incredibly reasonable if you consider what is included—six nights accommodation, breakfast and lunch every day, sailing transportation from one town to the next, and sailing to secluded bays and towns you’d never be able to get to otherwise!

Where do you eat dinner?

Every day is a little different, so where you eat dinner depends on where you dock for the night. Sometimes you dock in marinas in a bigger town, and other times you dock in a small bay. If you’re docked in a small bay, there are usually only one or two options to choose from, and they generally serve seafood and cost about $30 USD per person. If you’re docked in a marina, then there are a lot of different restaurants in the town that you can choose from and you can decide if you want to eat somewhere a little nicer or somewhere more laid-back and casual.

Do you have to plan your own activities?

Activities are not included (other than sailing and getting to swim in the most beautiful secluded bays and coves!), but the Captain and Host have great ideas for what to do at each stop and can arrange the activities for you, so you don’t have to worry about finding the best company or getting the best price. On this route, we had Turkish Baths, went Paragliding over the most epic bay in Ölüdeniz in Fethiye, and spent the day playing at Kaputaş Beach, all of which were unforgettable experiences that we would definitely recommend!

What’s your favorite route:

We’ve sailed around Croatia, Antigua, Greece, and now Turkey with Yacht Getaways and honestly we can’t pick a favorite because they’re all absolutely incredible! Yacht Getaways really tailors their routes to make sure you get the best of everything! From taking you to the best towns and islands to making sure you get to see the lesser known spots too, their routes are truly one of a kind. We’ve loved each route for different reasons. Getting to hop around the lesser known islands of Greece was definitely a unique experience that we feel like you can’t really get anywhere else.

The small islands off the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia were unlike anything we’d ever experienced before and there’s no other way you could get to some of those islands other than by sailing. And Turkey absolutely blew us away! We had no idea Turkey was so beautiful, and we fell in love with all of the charming towns, the kind people, and the epically blue water. From our point of view, you really can’t go wrong no matter what route you choose. We’re hoping to do their Montenegro and Italy routes next!

Do you feel like you have enough time to explore the towns?

Every day is a little bit different, so some days you spend more time on the water and less time in the towns, but other days you have the entire day to explore and enjoy the town. For example, on the Turkish Explorer Route, we had an entire day in Kaş to explore the town and beach hop. We also had an entire day in Fethiye to go paragliding, get a Turkish Bath, and relax at the Blue Lagoon. Every route is a little different, but generally, you get into the town an hour or so before sunset, so you have the late afternoon and night to explore, and then if you want, you can wake up early and catch sunrise and spend the morning in town too!

We always love our experience with Yacht Getaways, which is why we keep coming back to sail again and again. If you’re looking for a relaxing, carefree getaway and a way to explore lesser known beach towns and islands, then we highly recommend booking with Yacht Getaways!

Book your Sailing Adventure with Yacht getaways Here

Since you’ll likely arrive or depart on a day before or after the sailing trip starts, book your stay at Göcek Naz Hotel. It’s a charming, family-run hotel, and the owners do everything to make sure you feel comfortable and right at home. It’s has all the best possible small town Mediterranean vibes, and we absolutely loved our experience there. It also has a beautiful pool and is just steps from city center, so it’s the perfect place to stay before or after your Yacht Getaways experience.

Book your Stay at Göcek Naz Hotel Here

What to Pack:

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This post was written in collaboration with Yacht Getaways, but as always, all opinions are our own.