Turkey holds all the mysteries of the exotic orient and is bordering the lovely Mediterranean Sea. Its coastline is well suited for sailing and stretches over up to 8,300 km with many coves, bays and remote sandy beaches. The most famous part is the Turkish Riviera between Cesme and Antalya.
The land covered by Turkey is called the Anatolian peninsula and it’s the gateway between Europe and Asia. Turkey has coastline in the Black Sea, the Marmara Sea and the Aegean, but the most developed for tourism and the most famous are the Mediterranean shores.
Many of you have probably already been to Turkey on an all-inclusive holiday in some luxurious hotel, but how many of you have actually experienced the true Turkish coast? And there is plenty to see, as there are many medieval harbour towns, reminiscent of the once mighty Ottoman empire, crowded bazaars and laid back small fishing villages where time seems to have stood still.
If you decide to go on yacht charter in Turkey, you’ll be amazed at how untouched by man the local landscape is, which is why it was used as a setting in many Hollywood productions. It’s the perfect place to get away from the stress of modern life, lose yourself in wilderness and reconnect with nature.
The cuisine in Turkey is typically oriental and rich with flavoured spices. From the smallest street stall to the fanciest restaurants you can enjoy some of the local recipes like the now famous doner kebab or the rice pilaf. A mixture of cultures and tastes, it’s hard not to find something you like in the Turkish cuisine.
The weather is also one of the strong points of a Turkish sailing holiday. It’s almost always sunny and hot on the Turkish Riviera and the warm waters together with the sandy beaches make it a great destination for family outings.
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The Turkish yachting industry has made some significant improvements over the last years. Yacht building in particular and marina building have been majorly extended. Where once Turkey was just another country in the Mediterranean when it came to the yachting infrastructure, now, thanks to the combined effort of the local government and foreign investors, Turkey has become one of the key players in this sector.
In the last years new and modern marinas have been built in cities such as Bodrum, Fethiye, Gocek, Marmaris and Cesme, increasing the total berth numbers for the Eastern Aegean. Yacht charter operators in Turkey are offering competing rates in an effort to become the leading country in pleasure boating tourism.
The only thing you need to know about sailing when going on a boat rental in Turkey is that you need to have a Transit Log which contains information about the boat and the crew chartering the yacht. This Transit Log is valid for one year but it becomes void if you leave Turkish waters.
As always, you’ll need to provide proof of your sailing experience before chartering a yacht, otherwise you should opt for a crewed charter which includes a local skipper for a fee. Apart from being able to fully relax from any responsibility, the local skipper will more than likely know all the good spots to take you sailing.