Loryma and Serçe: a week from Marmaris
The gentlest of the Marmaris loops: legs of two to three hours, not a single stretch of open water and nights in bays with no road to them. This is a route for a crew that wants to swim and have dinner on a pontoon rather than clock up miles. About 110 nm, and at almost every stop dinner at the restaurant takes the place of a berthing fee.
Day by day
Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
Fly into Dalaman, an hour and a half by transfer, and take over the yacht at one of the Marmaris marinas. The big shop happens here too: further along the route there are almost no shops, only restaurants.
Marmaris → Çiftlik
- Çiftlik36.712, 28.236
A short, easy first leg west — exactly what a crew needs to get used to the boat. Sandy bottom, restaurant pontoons, swimming and an evening right by the water; on the way, a lunch stop off Kadırga island.
Çiftlik → Bozukkale
- Bozukkale36.578, 28.008
Along the southern shore of the peninsula past Gebekse bay and the ruins of its old church. Bozukkale is an enormous natural harbour with the walls of ancient Loryma above its entrance: a Rhodian outpost that guarded the way into the gulf. Anchor or take the Sailor's House pontoon, then walk up to the fort in the evening.
Bozukkale → Söğüt
- Söğüt36.645, 28.075
Round the tip of the peninsula and into the Hisarönü Gulf from its northern side. Söğüt is a village with a handful of restaurant pontoons and a long shallow bay; it is usually quieter than neighbouring Selimiye and the water is calmer.
Söğüt → Kocabahçe (Sailors Paradise)
- Kocabahçe36.660, 28.120
The shortest leg of the week — a whole day for swimming. Sailors Paradise in Kocabahçe bay: a small enclosed cove, a pontoon, a garden and the feeling that someone forgot to build a road to it. Dirsekbükü is worth a look on the way.
Kocabahçe → Serçe Limanı
- Serçe Limanı36.581, 28.054
Back around the southern shore of the peninsula. Serçe Limanı is an almost completely enclosed bay where the sea turns to glass in the evening and everything goes suspiciously quiet. Anchor or take the Captain Nemo's Farm Restaurant pontoon for a last night with no noise.
Serçe Limanı → Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
A calm leg back with a swim on the way, into 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, dying in the evening. The windiest part of the loop is the tip of the peninsula between Bozukkale and Söğüt — plan that leg for the morning.
- Berths: restaurant pontoons are free with dinner — Çiftlik, Bozukkale, Söğüt, Kocabahçe, Serçe Limanı. There is one marina on the route, in Marmaris; budget for it on the first and last night if it is not included in the charter.
- Signal and shops: Bozukkale and Serçe Limanı have almost no internet and no shops at all. Bread and vegetables can be topped up in Söğüt and Bozburun; everything else comes from Marmaris before you leave.
- Formalities: the transit log and the security deposit are paid at the base at the fleet's price list. Greek Symi and Rhodes are very 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 — Bozukkale route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 110 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Marmaris. Overnight stops in order: Marmaris, Çiftlik, Bozukkale, Söğüt, Kocabahçe, Serçe Limanı. The longest leg is day 6, 25 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Marmaris — Bozukkale 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).
