Gulf of Gokova Gulet Trip - 30th August - 6th September 2014.

Gulf of Gokova Gulet cruise from Bodrum- August 30 th to September 6 th 2014.

This was organised  by me after requests from friends who wanted to experience again after last year the enjoyment of cruising daily in the Aegean Sea exploring different islands and ports .

       I chartered the Gulet once again from a very reputable company , Boating Turkey who found the Gulet I requested, plus a skipper and three crew .
       I'd arranged for eight of us to travel to Bodrum from Didim by minibus and we arrived in Bodrum for 12.30 , found our Gulet and had boarded and unpacked by 1.30 pm .This gave us the whole day to explore Bodrum and wait for our other three friends to arrive before we had our evening meal on board at 7.30 pm .

       The Gulet was called the Medsun and it was really well equipped with ensuite double bedrooms , an indoor bar / social  area , an outside covered dining area and an enormous top deck where there was ample room for sunbathers .

       Below is the itinerary provided by the company that we basically stuck to as we cruised the Gulf :



Day 1: Bodrum
Boarding starts at 3:00 p.m. from Bodrum Harbour. Early arriving guests can leave their luggage to Boating Turkey Office. On the first day, our gulet will be anchored at Bodrum harbour for dinner and overnight stay (The private groups have the chance to leave Bodrum harbour for overnight on a close bay to Bodrum). Bodrum has a history that goes back to the 12 th century B.C. The city which was called 'Halicarnassus' was the birthplace of Herodotus; the 'Father of History' who lived in the 5th century B.C. The 'Mausoleum' of King Mausolus (350 B.C.) which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World is in this city. The only structure that survived from the Classical Era is the Amphitheatre. It is one of the oldest theatres in Anatolia with a capacity of 13.000 guests, and is still hosting many shows and concerts for the art-lovers in Bodrum. Another place that you should visit first at your arrival in Bodrum is the landmark of the city 'Castle of Saint Peter'. It is one of the best preserved piece of work whose history goes back to the Middle Ages. 'Myndos Gate' through which Alexander the Great entered Halicarnassus is another place that you should not miss.

Day 2: Orak Island - çökertme
While you have breakfast, you will be informed about the cruise programme and the boat. Then we will set sail for Orak Island. Taking the opportunity to swim in the crystal-blue waters of Orak Island and to have lunch, we will hoist sail to çökertme, a small and lovely fishing town, for diner and for overnight stay. If the weather conditions are available it will be possible to sail. Guests are welcome to take a short walk on the shore.

Day 3: Seven Island - Küfre - Long Port
Before the breakfast in the early morning we will set sail for Seven Islands. You will be greeting another beautiful day in Seven Islands Region. In the region full of many small islands and coral reef it is recommended that you should dive, swim, sleep and rest. Our guests can also enjoy a walk in the forests surrounded with pine trees. Our first stop in Seven Islands Region will be Kufre Bay. We will be anchoring at Uzun Liman (Long Port) for diner and overnight stay.

Day 4: Tuzla - Löngöz - English Harbour
We will be anchoring at Tuzla Bay to enjoy a swim in the turquoise- blue waters. Morning swim will become a routine of your daily activities. For lunch; our captain will hoist sail to Longoz Bay; another paradise, sheltered with huge pine forests. After lunch you can enjoy a short walk in the forest and take a rest in Ali Baba's local shed-like cafe. Then we will sail to English Port for dinner and overnight stay. The name English Port comes from the 2nd World War; when the ships of English Navy -forces used to dock here. In this area there are so many small and large bays sheltered enough and suitable for the boats to anchor.

Day 5: Cleopatra Island - Karacasöğüt
Cruising to Sedir (Kedrae) island. This unique island with its small beach and unbelievable clear water is like an open-air museum. You can see the city-walls, the ruins from the Dors' reign (later on restorated as a church); the amphitheatre with 1500 guest capacity and the domed historical buildings. You can walk around the wrecks of pillars with antique writings on them or the ancient stones decorated with reliefs. Cleopatra beach, located on this island has a very special kind of sand that can only be found in the deserts of Northern Africa. According to the myth King Antonius had brought this sand from Egypt by sea for Cleopatra. Then our boat will cruise to Karacasöğüt village for dinner and to spend the night. This lovely village is located 25 kms away from Marmaris. The transportation from here to Marmaris can be done by 'dolmus' buses. We will have optional tours to Marmaris or Dalyan-Caunos for those wishing to explore these places.

Day 6: Kargılı - Kisebükü (Alakıçla Bükü)
Cruising to Kargılı Bay early in the morning. After lunch, we will be anchoring at Kisebükü (Alakıçla). You will see the Byzantians' ruins. We will spend the night in this lovely bay.

Day 7: Pabuç Burnu - Yalıçiftlik - Bodrum
We will sail to Pabuçburnu after breakfast, for lunch. Tea will be served in Yalıçiftlik Bay. Then our boat will be sailing back to Bodrum Port for the last day's dinner and overnight stay. (The Private groups has chance to spend last overnight on a close bay to Bodrum and return the Bodrum harbour early in the morning on the day 8).

 Here are a selection of photographs from our week together on the Aegean which started and ended in Bodrum .

A view of Bodrum castle from across the Harbour .

A typical early morning sunrise .This one was taken looking across the English Harbour , where during the Second World War the British navy harboured in the secluded bay for safety.

Bahir helping Mark and Trevor plot our course .

The crew preparing daily afternoon high tea.The food and service provided by the crew was outstanding .(notice how relaxed everyone is on the Gulet ,relaxing , reading and just enjoying the ambiance  plus the superb service .)

We stopped daily for a swim in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Gulf of Gokova .

Waiting for the four course evening meal .

Our chef along with his crew mate were very 'hands on ' .Here they were waiting to serve our daily pre meal drinks !

This Gulet was very similar in size to the Medsun , the one we chartered for the week .

 Waiting for the bell to ring to indicate it was time to sit down to eat .

Along with the opportunity to have a daily swim , other water sports were available to enjoy .

We saw one cloud in the week !

Me , with my prized catch : A Lambucca that we ate one evening along with the tuna we'd caught in the week .

Fresh Tuna!

In conclusion :

1- Everyone had a wonderful week on the water .

2- This was a very relaxing cruise as we went three days without walking on land ( this was our choice as we negotiated this  with the captain , we picked our own route  on his advice around the Gulf.)

3- The Gulf was beautiful, very quiet and this was one of the reasons it was so special and different for everyone .

4- It was in everyone's opinion very good value for money as it was a full board package that cost less than £475 per head for the whole week 

5 - If you're interested in joining us next year or would like me to organise a similar trip for friends or family just email me on either :

stevebailey2747@hotmail.com

BaileysTours1@gmail.com.

Bailey's tours : it's not the destination it's the journey 

Turkish Road Trip of South West Turkey;Twenty Turkish Delights! 1

Bailey's Tours Turkish Road Trip ;Twenty Turkish Delights.

This one week adventure was something Viv and I had always wanted to do, as we've had a holiday home in Turkey since 2006 and never really explored the country. Our two good friends Gerry and Elayne who come to join us on holiday in Didim every year were keen to join us so I planned an energetic itinerary covering many of the famous sights over seven days, staying in 6 hotel.

                          

Dalyan- Something we were all looking forward to seeing .

 The car I hired - Chevrolet Aveo (It had a big boot )

Before The ' Birds' arrived I 'd booked the hotels and a hire car - taking my time to ensure we got best value and hopefully service . Also we'd planned a few days on our complex before and after the road trip, just to ensure that our holiday together wasn't too hectic as we'd planned roughly three to four hours driving each day.

 

Road map of Turkey.(We roughly planned to travel eastwards along the coast to Antalya,then north east  to Konya ,on to Nevishir in Cappadocia  returning back westwards  through Pammukule to Didim),

      I produced this Bailey's Tours itinerary for the ' Birds' before they arrived :

Dear Mr and Mrs Bird,

Not long now before you embrace a full blooded Bailey's Tours  bespoke holiday package , especially designed and created with you two in mind -' TWENTY Turkish Delights '

Below is the itinerary you will be following during your two week stay in Turkey, including before and after the road trip you will experience from the 11th to the 18th of August Obviously the timings may vary slightly, depending on circumstances and local conditions, however rest assured Baileys Tours will do their utmost to ensure you have a relaxing, cultural, historical and enjoyable experience. 

Thursday 8th August : Day 1- Depart  from Leeds, flight to Bodrum, transfer to Didim to arrive at Prestige complex at around 11.30 pm .On arrival complimentary drinks with your hosts: Baileys Tours .

Day 2- am.  TTT (Total Turkish Tennis) for those interested before breakfast, to be eaten at the pool bar as brunch, where the finer detail of the itinerary can be discussed.

Pm. Free time until 6.25 where we will picked up and transferred to the sea front to join the evening cruise on the Sunshine boat. (This is an optional activity, but highly recommended. The cost is £12 per head for a lovely meal, live music and entertainment) 

Boat trip

 

Planning meeting - But where's our drinks ?

Day 3- am - TTT, followed by breakfast, then a Prestige Turkish Bath (optional activity, but at £ 10 per head an excellent start to the holiday) 

pm - Free Time ,until we all meet for G& T's on the sun terrace at 7.30 pm followed by an evening meal , venue to be discussed and decided during the day .

 

Day 4-am - Road Trip commences .Depart at 8.00 am after breakfast for the scenic route from Didim to Dalyan through Mugla province. (218 km -4 hours) Arrive in the centre of Dalyan to the 3 Star Hotel Konak Melsa

This was the perfect stopping off post for us after our three hour car journey from Didim and was a relaxing start to our trip. The owners of the hotel really looked after us and the open air courtyard were just the type of low budget, good value bed for the night that were hoping for .We walked  into Dalyan to see the famous caves ,river boats and take in this quiet ,pretty tourist attraction.

Hotel Konak Melsa is located in Dalyan, close to Kaunos and Iztuzu Beach. Additional area points of interest include Sultaniye Hot Springs. Hotel Konak Melsa's restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A bar/lounge is open for drinks. Room service is available during limited hours. A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning. Recreational amenities include an outdoor pool and a children's pool. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. For a surcharge, the property offers a roundtrip airport shuttle (available on request). Guest parking is complimentary. Additional property amenities include barbecue grills, currency exchange, and a garden.

Pm - Relax by the pool and plan how best to see the three main local attractions, take in an evening stroll followed by a meal in a local restaurant. After the meal we decided to see the famous Iztizu turtle beach on our way out to Antalya.

 
  

The road to the turtle beach was very scenic and took about fifteen minutes from Dalyan by car. It was well worth it and after looking along it, we quickly decided a visit to the Turtle sanctuary was called for .Here we saw sea turtles in all sizes, being cared for by team of university volunteers.
 

.
Turtle 

Day 5 - am - depart after breakfast at 9.00am for Antalya , via Oludeniz (. 240 km - 5 hours) This scenic route after an hour and half drive will firstly take us to Oludeniz which literally means Dead Sea . After a coffee and photo break continue on to Antalya - Turkeys fastest growing city , but famous for its history, culture and Mediterranean coastline .

 As we headed for Antalya after the turtle beach, we decided to have a coffee break by the waterfront at Fethiye. We had intended to stop at Oludenz, but it was another half an hour away in the opposite direction to Antalya so we decided it would have to wait for another trip to the area. As it was we were all impressed with what Fethiye had to offer. A beautiful bay, with a lovely new waterfront, promenade development too.

 

           Pm - arrive at 4 star Alp Pasa Hotel .( Free time )

Antalya Harbour

The hotel is situated in Antalya's historic quarter, Alp Paşa is a charming hotel in Antalya decorated with all the historical and mystical features of Old City of Antalya "Kaleiçi". The hotel is a mansion designed in the Ottoman-style from the middle 18th and early 19th century and this charming hotel in Antalya is only half a mile from Antalya City Museum, one mile from Konyaalti Beach and is a 5-minute walk from Mermerli Beach. Alp Pasa hotel in Kaleici is 100 mt from the Broken Minaret and Hadrian's Gate. Alp Paşa Hotel also offers 24-hour front desk service and free on-site private parking, swimming pool, restaurants and a roof top terrace.

During the afternoon, after relaxing we will decide on the sights we want to see and later explore them, taking in an evening meal and the atmosphere of the old town along the way

The hotel appeared to have everything, but the staff on reception were not very helpful compared to other Turkish establishments we have had dealings with .Even so we supported it, booked an evening meal and later explored all the lovely historical buildings and bar areas.

 

Hadrian's Gate .(one of the many historical, ancient buildings in Antalya.)

Day 6- Depart after a coffee at 7.30 pm to eventually go inland to Konya ( 305km - 5hours ) we will stop for breakfast in Side after 45 minutes to take in the historical sights and enjoy our last look of the Aegean until we return to Didim on Sunday .

This was a fantastic journey to take by car and after spending  a couple of hours  in EUROLAND ( Side) beforehand Side was very ,very busy with tourists from everywhere in Europe ,apart it seemed the UK, but the ruins of Side were impressive . However  we all loved the variety of scenery we were already taking in  .The road to Konya went through high upland at around 3500'. We saw just about every type of fruit being sold by the roadside, plus honey by the jar full too. This country is is varied and at times dramatic, where we could easily have thought we were in south west France in the Pyrenees. We saw loads of marble quarries too, showing the other richness of the landscape - a very wealthy country indeed overall.

As we dropped down to the plain where the one and a half million people of Konya lived, we were all impressed with the cultural differences and found  ourselves stuck in chaotic traffic in the middle of a Turkish tea time traffic jam. We were now evidencing the real inland Turkey i.e. there were hardly any westerners.....

Our hotel was very close to the Whirling Dervish museum. Unfortunately the Dervishes only perform every Saturday, so we would miss their world famous dance display:

 

Whirling Dervish

Pm - Free time on arrival after travelling through beautiful Anatolia, arrive at the 4star Hilton Garden Inn in the centre of Konya. (Konya is world famous for its Whirling Dervish Museum, plus other historical and cultural attractions, but if none of that appeals then this hotel will allow you to unwind, Hilton style!

The Hilton Garden Inn provides everything to ensure your Baileys Tours holiday is a success: Adjust your bed to your liking with the innovative Garden Sleep System™. Stay connected from the comfort of your room with complimentary Wi-Fi or just start the day right with a cooked-to-order breakfast at Sumac Grill®. Enjoy regional specialties on tempting evening menus, and relax with cocktails or catch the Leeds  game from the elegant sofas of the bar .Work out to your own schedule with 24-hour access to the cardio equipment and weights of the hotel fitness centre .Enjoy breakout Turkish coffees and evening long drinks in the stunning lobby of this Konya hotel . Hilton Garden Inn Konya is yards from the world famous Mevlana Culture Centre – host to whirling dervish displays weekly. 

 - After breakfast, depart at 9.30am for Urgup. (280 km - 4 hours) this journey will take us through a panoramic landscape of southern Cappadocia, with several stops on the way for sightseeing and refreshments and lunch too.

Pm - Arrival in Urgup - Free Time .5 star Dedeman Cappadocia Hotel .Overlooking the unique view of the ancient rock formations of the Cappadocia region, Dedeman Cappadocia is located in the heart of Cappadocia with fairy chimneys and mysterious underground cities. Virtually all major Cappadocia attractions are within a few minutes away by car. Evening meal in the hotel, where we will confirm the plan for the next 2 days where we can discover the fairy chimneys and rock foundations formed as a result of lava eroded by river water and wind millions of years ago or they can experience amateur archaeology or they can just relax by the pool under the warm Turkish sun.

 

Our hotel was a five star, but we found it just adequate. We had paid for half board, thinking it would be easier however it was tedious as we felt our wings had been clipped as we had to eat at set times something none of us really liked to do whilst on a touring holiday-It did have a nice large pool and tennis court.

Day 8- after taking in the area we were all lost for words - it was surreal and outstanding. We saw features and landscapes we had only ever seen before on Star War movies! Homes were built into the rocks just about everywhere -

Day 9. - Possible early morning balloon ride,

We were in one of the 100 Balloons........ yet it was so peaceful.

WOW THIS WAS AMAZING!!!!!

Returning to Hotel for breakfast before setting off for Egirdir Lake area (This did not happen as all the hotels in Egirdir were booked so we decided to stop at Beyeshir).

This was the sunset we saw over Lake Beyeshir - it was stunning, especially from the hotel’s rooftop terrace. We were so pleased there was no availability in Egirdir's hotels as Beyeshir was a beautiful lake. (50KM long and 20KM wide, being the third biggest lake in Turkey.

We went for  a walk after dinner and the bridge over the river running out of the lake was a highlight at night .

Day 10-pm. Free time-on arrival in Pammukule after 3-4 hours of travelling (Depending on final route ) Kervansaray is a 3 star hotel .This family-run hotel in Pammukale is a short walk to the white travertine terraces and the ancient Roman ruins of Heliopolis. Its outdoor pool is surrounded by green vegetation and is very central.

We unpacked and headed up the calcium travertine’s .Gerry and I found walking on the calcium very difficult in our bare feet -

Gerry being very careful walking without any shoes on  occh!

 (Nobody is allowed to wear any sort of footwear , in order to stop the calcium being worn away .) on our way to the top , we also experienced our first ever rain in August in Turkey , when suddenly the heavens opened up.

Evening - a local meal in the town at one of the many 'rural' Turkish eating establishments.

Me and Viv enjoying the warm water

Pammukule Ampitheatre

Enjoying the calcium from the springs at Pammukule, apparantley it makes you look 10 years younger! 

Pammukule

Day 11- Sightseeing, then return to Didim (5 hours) after stopping off on the way back at Soke (For Retail Outlet Therapy) 

It all went superbly to plan and we all returned safely after having a wonderful time, seeing a lot of the famous cultural sites of Turkey, plus touristic beach and coast locations too. The verdict was basically from all four of us was that it was a great success. If you like driving , then this is a great route to take .The roads were good and improvements were being made all the time as you could see a lot of government money being spent.

Costs (per couple) In GB Pounds

Accommodation; 8 nights; 220

Car hire; 80

Fuel; 130

Entrance fees to Museums etc.; 20

Balloon ride 220

Spending money 200

Total for 8 nights in hotels, transport, living costs and enjoying ourselves; 870 GB pounds.

In our opinion very good value considering everything we did ...in such a short time.

Next year our Turkish road trip may well take us north to Troy, Gallipoli and Istanbul - for starters!

Bailey's Tours It's not the destination it's the journey!

For more information email Steve Bailey 2747@hotmail.com