Sailing the Turquoise Coast: Turkey - Chasing Coconuts Travel

Turkey’s Turquoise Coast: June 2018

I visited Turkey for the second time in one year, yes I really do love Turkey! We had a bit of an expedition to get there this time. Our last spot was Karpathos in Greece where we took a flight to Rhodes and from Rhodes caught a ferry to Fethiye (I am a logistical professional for Greece after this trip!).

The ferry journey was in a strange little boat that looked like a rubber duck! To go through border control there was just a little window at the port where we got our passports stamped. Lucky for us we’re from New Zealand which means we don’t need to get any e-visa to enter the country.

Fethiye

We spent a couple of days hanging out in Fethiye. The very first thing we did straight off the boat was get SIM cards, which was actually really easy we just had to show them our passports. Then we continued the adventure to Calis beach where I was immediately reminded of how kind, funny and how helpful Turkish people are and how amazing the bus system in Turkey is!

We stayed at a little hotel called Uygar in Calis beach. It was basic but cheap and had everything we needed and was close to the beach. The host family were so nice, the son and mother took really good care of us and made us feel at home. Also bonus about Turkey, breakfast is ALWAYS included!

To be honest staying at Calis beach was quite an adjustment coming from Karpathos. It was crowded with tourists, the restaurants were tacky and overpriced and the beach was dirty (goodbye crystal clear water). But the place was filled with the most beautiful stray dogs. I mean what more do you need.

All the stray dogs in Turkey are gorgeous, they are tagged and vaccinated by the government and the people collectively take care of them. One of my favourite things about Turkey is the dogs! Calis beach at sunset as well is spectacular.

I didn’t really spend any time chilling on the beach during the day instead we took the bus to Oludeniz one day. On another I went to Aksazlar Beach which is a small beach with crystal white (fake) sand and a small bay and beautiful cafe, it was my second time here and although the water wasn’t so clean it was still much nicer then Calis! After a couple of days in Fethiye is was time to board our 4 day sailing trip with Alaturka Blue Cruises for the second time!!

Fethiye to Olympos Cruise

We set off on the 4 days/3-night sail with Alaturka from Fethiye to Olympos. I did the same sail from Olympos to Fethiye in 2017 and loved it so much decided to do it again but this time with Ruth. I loved it just as much the second time round!

The boat goes from Fethiye to Oludinez beach where you can swim in the blue lagoon or go paragliding. I didn’t do it but it’s one of the best places in the world to go paragliding and isn’t really that expensive at all. From there we go to Butterfly valley and dock for a swim, we also wandered through the valley to find a waterfall. The waterfall was kind of underwhelming but the walk was highly entertaining with our new drunk friends from Australia.

That night we docked at St Nicholas Island, yes named after Santa! We climbed up to the top of the island to see some ruins and enjoy a really beautiful sunset over the serene islands and bay. Being on the water in peace as the sun goes down is my favourite thing about this cruise.

The next morning we sailed to Kas, which is a beautiful seaside town where we spent the afternoon. The shops there are amazing, I bought some jewellery and a new Turkish towel (obviously) and then spent some time at a beach bar lounging around drinking cocktails and jumping into the ocean from the rocks.

We spent the night docked in another peaceful bay, I enjoyed far too many gins and a sea-biscuit ride heavily under the influence. The next day we sailed to Gokkaya Bay where we could see some underwater ruins and enjoy another seaside village with more cute shops and stunning views over the islands and bays.

Normally on this last night we would of gone to a bar called Smugglers Inn, which is literally a bar on an island only accessible by boat. However, it was closed that night. Instead we all had an epic party on board and let me tell you it was more fun then Smugglers Inn!

We all ended up overboard swimming under the stars. In that moment when I was gazing into the star studded sky in the warm water I felt completely present with how amazing this experience is and how grateful I am to be able to be in such a beautiful place with the best people.

Here are the reasons why I love Alaturka Cruises and would highly recommend them to anyone planning on going to Turkey or anyone who wants to have a sailing holiday:

Amazing value! All meals are included, additional activities are reasonably priced and drinks are cheap. The trip cost around 200 euros for everything.
Spectacular scenery
The maximum number on board is just 16 and anyone from any age can book so you have a variety of young and old from all over the world which makes it so much fun, interesting and safe.
Amazing vegetarian meals.
Staff onboard and in Fethiye are delightful.
The boat docks for the night in bays not in busy ports (like Sail Croatia) so you really feel at peace and disconnected from civilisation.
No wifi! This may seem like a bad thing but trust me its the best for this type of sailing trip, you connect with nature and each other instead.
Sleeping outside on the deck under the stars.

After we docked the boat for the last time in Olympos, with our hearts and minds full of new friends and memories we boarded a bus to Antalya! The bus ride from Demre to Antalya is on a highway right along the coast, and it is beautiful. Every 5 minutes I wanted to tell the driver to pull over so we could stop at all the amazing beaches and bays!

*They don’t call it the Turquoise Coast for nothing!*

Antalya

I spent a few days on my own in Antalya while Ruth went to see Cappadocia. I just wanted a beautiful place by the beach to relax for a while before heading to the madness of Istanbul and eventually India!

I stayed at Delight Deluxe Apartments in the old town of Antalya. I really loved it there, the location was excellent. Close to all the shops and restaurants, the apartment was modern and clean. I had a kitchen, living room and huge bathroom. I could of actually lived there! It was also only £20 per night.

I spent my days here making food, doing yoga, wandering the beautiful old town streets, drinking fresh juice of the street, going to the beach and I also used this time to build this blog! Just down the road from the apartment is a little private beach called Mermeli, where you have to pay a small fee to use the loungers. The cafe there is also really nice with a beautiful view. I also went to the main beach, which is HUGE and it set below some dramatic mountain ranges.

Apart from some very forward shop assistants and some inappropriate behaviour from some kids on the beach I really enjoyed my time here. Next stop is Istanbul! I caught a cheap domestic flight from Antalya and bonus the tram to the airport cost about 50 cents and couldn’t of been easier!