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. One morning you are swimming off a quiet bay, the next you are looking at Lycian ruins or wandering through Kas. I like the small maximum group of 16, and I like that meals, unlimited drinking water, Wi-Fi, and the onward transfer are built into the price. The main drawback is that four days on a boat requires a little flexibility, especially with shared space, set meal times, and a moderate level of physical fitness.

I also like the balance between famous places such as Oludeniz and the Sunken City and quieter overnight anchorages near Kekova. You will pay only small extra fees for the main sights, but the schedule is full, and the Simena visit includes walking uphill if you want the best views.

Key points to know before booking

• Three nights aboard a gulet: You sleep on the boat and spend most of four days moving between bays, villages, and ruins.
• A maximum of 16 people: The smaller group should make meals, swimming stops, and transfers easier to manage.
• Three full days of included meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided each day, along with unlimited drinking water.
• A strong mix of sea and history: Expect Butterfly Valley, Oludeniz, Kas, Kekova, Simena Castle, and the Sunken City.
• Simple onward travel: On the final day, you can transfer to Olympos or Demre bus station for connections elsewhere.
• Low extra admission costs: Butterfly Valley costs 1 euro, Simena Castle 4 euros, and St. Nicholas Island 3 euros.

What this four-day Turkish gulet cruise is really like

This is not a sightseeing tour with a boat ride added on. The boat is your transport, dining room, swimming platform, and sleeping place for three nights. You check in at Fethiye at 10:00 am, receive a cruise briefing, and then settle into the rhythm of the coast.

That rhythm is pleasantly simple. Sail for a while, stop for a swim, eat, visit a historic site, and anchor in a sheltered bay. The itinerary gives you a useful taste of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast without asking you to arrange separate hotels, local buses, restaurant meals, and boat trips.

The advertised price is $600.12 per person. For four days, that works out to roughly $150 a day before the small entrance fees. Since three breakfasts, three lunches, three dinners, unlimited water, Wi-Fi, and the final transfer are included, the price is easier to justify than it may first appear.

You should still think about what kind of holiday you want. If you need a private room, a quiet schedule, or full control over every meal and stop, this may feel restrictive. If you want an active coastal trip with the planning already handled, the value is much better.

Day 1: Fethiye, Butterfly Valley, and Oludeniz

You meet at Pınara Guesthouse in Fethiye’s Karagözler area at 10:00 am. Staff can help with directions, then you are taken to the gulet for the safety and cruise briefing. This early start matters because the first day packs in several memorable stops.

The first major stop is Butterfly Valley, where you have time for lunch, swimming, and an optional walk to the waterfall. The valley is known for more than 136 types of butterflies and moths, though your experience will depend on the season and how much time you spend walking.

The hike is optional, which is helpful. You can stay near the water if you prefer a quiet first swim, or use the stop for a little exercise. The entrance fee is 1 euro and is not included, so keep some cash or small change available.

Next comes Oludeniz, often called the Blue Lagoon. Its shallow, calm water and curved bay make it an easy place to swim and relax. This is one of the most photographed beaches in the world, so it is not the most secluded stop on the route. Still, seeing the lagoon from the water gives the visit a different feel from simply arriving by road.

In the evening, the gulet anchors near St. Nicholas Island, also referred to as Gemiler Island. You can walk among the island’s ruins and watch the sunset before returning to the boat. The entrance fee is 3 euros.

This first day gives you a good preview of the whole trip: natural scenery, a popular beach, a historic site, and time in the water. It is also the day most likely to feel busy. You have only just arrived, and the schedule moves from one stop to the next.

Day 2: Aquarium Bay, Kas, and a quiet night near Kekova

Day two begins outside Kalkan at Aquarium Bay. Breakfast and a morning swim set a slower tone than the previous afternoon. The stop lasts about two hours, so you have enough time to enjoy the water without turning the morning into a rushed photo stop.

The gulet then continues to Kas for lunch, swimming, and time ashore. Kas is a small fishing town known for handmade jewelry and local shopping. Four hours here gives you a chance to walk through town instead of merely seeing it from the harbor.

I would use this time for a relaxed wander rather than trying to cover every shop. The appeal of Kas is its scale. You can explore on foot, browse jewelry, and return to the boat without needing a complicated plan.

The afternoon and evening are spent around Kekova, with the boat anchoring in a secluded bay between Kas and Kekova. This is one of the better parts of the cruise for people who enjoy quiet water and open time. There is no major town visit planned for the night, so you can swim, eat dinner aboard, and settle into the boat’s pace.

The word secluded should not make you expect total isolation or a private bay reserved just for your group. It means the night is centered on an anchorage rather than a town stop. You will want to be comfortable with a social setting and shared areas.

Day 3: Kekova’s Sunken City and Simena Castle

Day three is the strongest day for history. After breakfast, you cruise toward the Sunken City on Kekova Island, an ancient settlement dating back about 2,000 years to the Lycian period. An earthquake destroyed much of the town, leaving remains beneath and around the water.

The boat allows you to see the site from the coast, and the stop also includes time for swimming. The entrance fee is listed separately, so budget 4 euros for the Sunken City and Simena Castle area if both charges apply during your visit.

The next stop is Simena, a picturesque village and archaeological site accessible by boat or on foot. Its ruins include a Lycian necropolis, a Roman theater, and a medieval castle. The castle is the payoff for making the uphill walk: from above, you get wide views across the water and the surrounding islands.

This stop requires more effort than a beach visit. You should have a moderate level of fitness, wear sensible footwear, and be prepared for uneven paths and an uphill route. The information provided does not promise a guided archaeological tour, so approach it as an independent visit during the scheduled stop.

The final stop of the day is Gokkaya Bay. You can swim, relax, or pay extra for optional water sports. The boat spends the night here, giving you another chance to enjoy the sea without packing up and moving to a hotel.

Gokkaya is a good example of why this route works. The day begins with an ancient settlement, continues with a castle and village, and ends in a calm bay. You get variety without spending the entire day on a road or in a bus.

Day 4: A lazy morning, then Olympos or Demre

The final morning is intentionally easy. You have breakfast, swim, and disembark at Demre, also called Kale. The morning stop lasts about three hours, so the departure does not feel like an abrupt rush from bed to bus.

From Demre Cayagzi Harbor, the arranged transfer continues either to Olympos or to Demre bus station. The drive to Olympos takes about two hours. Olympos is known here for its friendly treehouse hotels, so this cruise fits especially well into a longer trip that continues with a few nights on land.

If you are heading elsewhere, the transfer to Demre bus station takes about 10 minutes. Buses to Antalya and Kas leave every 30 minutes, while buses to Fethiye leave every hour. The provided information says you do not need to pre-book those bus tickets.

There is one practical condition to note. If too few people are continuing to Olympos, the operator may use a public bus instead of a private shuttle. That is not necessarily a problem, but it means your final transfer may be less tailored than the rest of the cruise.

Food, water, Wi-Fi, and life aboard the gulet

Three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners are included. That matters because meals in coastal ports can add up quickly, and you will not need to leave the boat every time you are hungry.

Dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free requirements can be accommodated if you state them when booking. Do not wait until boarding to mention an allergy or special diet. Giving clear information in advance is the sensible way to avoid confusion.

Unlimited drinking water is also included. This is a useful detail on a warm-weather boat trip, where you will be swimming, walking around ruins, and spending long periods outside. Wi-Fi is included as well, though the supplied information does not specify coverage or speed in every bay.

A review of the Yacht Fortuna singled out the captain and crew for attentive service, along with the quality of the food and the way the group mix worked. That gives you a helpful picture of what this boat experience is meant to offer: practical service, shared meals, and an easy social atmosphere rather than a formal yacht charter.

The group can include different age ranges, as the name Mix Age suggests. With a maximum of 16 people, you are unlikely to be part of a giant boat convoy, but this is still a group holiday. The success of the trip depends partly on how comfortable you are sharing dining and relaxation areas with people you have just met.

What the small extra fees and price mean

The listed extra charges are modest:

• Butterfly Valley: 1 euro
• Simena Castle: 4 euros
• St. Nicholas Island: 3 euros

The total is only 8 euros if you visit all three paid sites. The larger costs are already bundled into the cruise, including food, water, Wi-Fi, and the final transfer.

For $600.12, I see the strongest value in the combination of accommodation, transport, meals, and access to several hard-to-link coastal sites. Booking separate hotels and boat trips could cost more, and it would require more planning.

The tradeoff is comfort and independence. You are paying for a shared gulet schedule, not a private charter. You also need to accept that the boat’s route, anchorage, and transfer arrangements may involve operational changes, such as using a public bus to Olympos if the group is small.

Who should book this Fethiye to Olympos cruise?

I would recommend it to you if you want to see several parts of Turkey’s Mediterranean coast in a short time. It suits people who enjoy swimming, historic ruins, small towns, and a relaxed but active daily schedule.

It is also a good choice if you are traveling through Turkey and want an easy link between Fethiye and Olympos. The final transfer saves you from arranging the connection yourself, and the option to continue to Demre bus station gives you access to Antalya, Kas, Fethiye, and other destinations.

You should think twice if you dislike boats, shared spaces, uphill walks, or fixed meal times. The experience calls for moderate physical fitness, and several stops involve walking on uneven ground or exploring ruins under the sun.

Book at least several weeks ahead if possible. This experience is booked, on average, 63 days before departure, and the boat is limited to 16 people. For cancellation, a full refund is available when you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Cancellations two to six days ahead receive 50 percent, while cancellations made less than two days before departure are not refunded.

Should you book it?

Book this gulet cruise if you want a practical four-day route through Turkey’s best coastal scenery, with meals and transfers handled for you. The strongest reasons are the small group, the excellent range of stops, and the chance to combine swimming with Lycian and Roman sites.

Skip it if your ideal holiday means private space, a slow schedule, or complete control over where you eat and when you move. For most people who can accept the shared-boat setup, this is a well-priced way to travel from Fethiye to Olympos while seeing far more than you could easily arrange on land.

FAQ

Where does the cruise begin?

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

Where does the cruise finish?

The boat portion ends at Demre, also called Kale. From Demre Cayagzi Harbor, you can transfer to Olympos or to Demre bus station.

How long is the experience?

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

What meals are included?

Three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners are included.

Is drinking water included?

Yes. Unlimited drinking water is included in the cruise price.

What entrance fees are extra?

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

How many people can join the cruise?

The maximum group size is 16 people.

Can dietary restrictions be accommodated?

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