Knidos and Datça: a week from Marmaris
This is not a route for anyone who wants to spend a week tied up outside a restaurant: it has real sailing legs, open water off Cape Knidos, ancient cities and places that are far harder to reach without a boat. A loop of about 130 nm with two long days — the rest of the legs run 15–25 nm. If the weather at the far end does not play along, Knidos drops out and the route folds neatly back into the Hisarönü Gulf.
Day by day
Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
Fly into Dalaman, transfer to Marmaris and take over the yacht. The charter bases cluster around Setur Netsel Marmaris Marina, Albatros Marina and Marmaris Yacht Marina. The big provisioning run happens here too — and the first evening calls for no heroics: there is a whole week ahead and the sea is not going anywhere.
Marmaris → Bozukkale
- Bozukkale36.578, 28.008
West past Çiftlik and on along the southern shore of the peninsula. Bozukkale is an enormous natural harbour with the walls of ancient Loryma still standing above its entrance: a strategic port tied to Rhodes, with sanctuaries of Apollo and Artemis nearby. Anchor or take the Sailor's House pontoon, then walk up to the fort in the evening.
Bozukkale → Knidos
- Knidos36.686, 27.373
Weather permitting, a long leg out to the very tip of the Datça peninsula. Knidos was one of the great cities of antiquity: two harbours, theatres, a temple of Apollo and the famous Aphrodite of Knidos by Praxiteles, one of the first monumental female nudes. Sostratus, credited with building the Lighthouse of Alexandria, came from here too. In the evening, climb a little higher and watch the sun go down towards Kos.
Knidos → Datça
- Datça36.723, 27.690
Back along the northern shore of the peninsula to the town of Datça — the only real town on the route after Marmaris. A full-service marina, cash machines, a Saturday market and the almond ice cream people drive over from the mainland for.
Datça → Kocabahçe (Sailors Paradise)
- Kocabahçe36.660, 28.120
Across the Hisarönü Gulf to its southern shore. Sailors Paradise in Kocabahçe bay is a small cove with a restaurant pontoon and a garden, and the feeling that someone forgot to build a road to it. Dirsekbükü and Selimiye are on the way if you want to stretch the day out.
Kocabahçe → Çiftlik
- Çiftlik36.712, 28.236
Round the Bozburun peninsula from the south and back east. Çiftlik has a sandy bottom, restaurant pontoons and the last quiet night; tie up at Rafet Baba Restaurant.
Çiftlik → Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
A calm final leg back. A swim off Kadırga island on the way, back to your own marina, fuel and handover.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Wind: a steady 12–20 knots from the west during the day in summer, noticeably stronger and with a sea off Cape Knidos and at the mouth of the Hisarönü Gulf. Plan the run to Knidos and back for the morning and only on a good forecast; it is the one day of the route in open water.
- Berths: restaurant pontoons are free with dinner — Bozukkale, Kocabahçe, Çiftlik. Datça is a full-service marina; Knidos has a small harbour with a paid quay where berths go by lunchtime in season, with anchoring in the bay as the fallback. The route's only other marina is in Marmaris.
- Logistics: Dalaman airport is 90 km from Marmaris, about an hour and a half by transfer. Do the big shop in Marmaris before you leave; after that the only shops are in Datça.
- Formalities: the transit log and the security deposit are paid at the base at the fleet's price list. Greek Symi and Rhodes are close, but sailing into Greek waters needs separate clearance and rarely makes sense within a week.
When to go and what it costs in Turkey
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Turkey
All boats in Turkey
How long is the Marmaris — Knidos route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 130 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Marmaris. Overnight stops in order: Marmaris, Bozukkale, Knidos, Datça, Kocabahçe, Çiftlik. The longest leg is day 6, 28 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Marmaris — Knidos route?
Turkey has a long season, April to November. July and August are the peak, with the highest prices; May, June, September and October bring warm water, a steady afternoon breeze and prices below the peak. October is still warm and noticeably cheaper than summer; April and November are cooler but the cheapest. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is November: a median of ≈€317 per berth per week. The most expensive is October, at €411. The most boats with 20% off or more are in October: 54%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Turkey for a week starts from €1,035 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Turkey”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
