A week under sail from Marmaris
The Hisarönü Gulf west of Marmaris is the most rewarding part of Turkey for a first week on your own boat: legs of 3–4 hours, wind after lunch, dozens of sheltered bays where you can anchor or tie up to a restaurant pontoon for free (have dinner and the berth is yours). The route is a loop of about 100 nautical miles and suits a monohull and a catamaran alike.
Day by day
Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
Boat handover after 17:00, provisioning at the Migros supermarket by the marina, night on the pontoon. If there is time, a short hop to Kumlubük bay (8 nm).
Marmaris → Çiftlik
- Çiftlik36.712, 28.236
Lunch at anchor off Kadırga island; by evening, Çiftlik bay: sandy bottom, restaurant pontoons, a quiet night.
Çiftlik → Bozburun
- Bozburun36.677, 28.043
Round the cape and into the Hisarönü Gulf. Bozburun is the gulet-building capital: a waterfront, a solid breeze after 14:00, and the best marinated tuna at the market.
Bozburun → Selimiye
- Selimiye36.711, 28.091
A short leg — a day for swimming. Selimiye is a postcard village with a dozen restaurants on the water; tie up at the Sardunya pontoons or anchor deep in the bay.
Selimiye → Dirsek
- Dirsek36.735, 28.005
Dirsek is a bay with no road and no signal: just a restaurant on stilts and goats on the slopes. The quietest night of the week.
Dirsek → Datça or Orhaniye
- Datça36.723, 27.690
The town option: Datça and its Saturday market. The nature option: Orhaniye and the Kız Kumu sandbar, where people walk 'on the water'.
Back to Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
Leave in the morning, lunch stop at Turunç, fuel dock and handover by 17:00. Night on the boat in the marina, fly out the next day.
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: in summer a steady 12–20 knots from the west during the day, dying in the evening. Storm closures are rare — the area works from April to November.
- Berths: restaurant pontoons are free if you have dinner; nights at anchor in Çiftlik, Dirsek and Orhaniye. The only marina is in Marmaris — budget for it on the first and last night if it is not included.
- Formalities: the transit log and the security deposit are paid at the base at the fleet's price list. Sailing into Greek waters (Rhodes and Symi are close) needs separate clearance — within a week it rarely makes sense.
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 — Datça route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 100 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Marmaris. Overnight stops in order: Marmaris, Çiftlik, Bozburun, Selimiye, Dirsek, Datça. The longest leg is day 3, 22 nm.
When is the best time to sail the Marmaris — Datça 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).
