Göcek – Butterfly Valley – Coldwater Bay – Ekincik

Route · 14 days · round-tripYacht charter route · Gocek

Göcek via Butterfly Valley & Coldwater Bay.

Two weeks round-trip from Göcek: sail Skopea Limani's coves, Fethiye's harbour, Ölüdeniz, Gemiler ruins and Ekincik for the Dalyan river trip.

The route

Day-by-day route

Click any pin on the map or any day in the route summary below to see that day's stop, story and photos.

Day 1

Göcek → Sarsala Bay

Ease out of Göcek's marina belt into Skopea Limani and drop the hook in wide, pine-fringed Sarsala for a gentle first night.

Distance

1 NM

Sailing

~0.2h at 5 kn

At a glance

Route at a glance

Best season

April – November (peak May – Oct)

Duration

14 days

Departure

Göcek

Sailing area

Gocek

Route summary

Click any day to jump back to the map and see its photos, narrative and mooring tip.

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The full story

Day-by-day journey

Named anchorages, mooring notes and things to do for every leg of the week — the map follows along as you scroll.

Day 1 / 14

Day 1

Göcek → Sarsala Bay

Göcek is where nearly every Lycian charter begins, and there's no rush on day one. Sort provisions at the market by the square, top up water and ice, then motor out past the wooded islands of Skopea Limani. Sarsala sits on the north side of Boz Burun, a broad bay backed by red pine and a scatter of smaller coves. Holding is good over sand and weed, and most crews run a line ashore near the head to sit steady. There's a small jetty restaurant if you'd rather not cook the first evening. We usually aim to arrive by mid-afternoon, swim off the stern while the light drops behind the ridge, and let everyone find their sea legs before the longer legs ahead. Mornings here are glassy.

Things to do

Provision at Göcek's morning market

Swim off Sarsala's sandy jetty

Walk the pine track behind the bay

Dinner at the bay's jetty taverna

Mooring tip

Anchor in 6-8 m over sand and weed and take a long line ashore toward the head of the bay. The western coves fill first in July, so arrive by early afternoon for a spot.

Day 2

Sarsala Bay → Kapı Creek

The run to Kapı Creek is barely an hour, so there's time for a lazy morning swim first. The creek cuts a slot between steep, tree-covered slopes, and it feels more like a Norwegian fjord than the Turkish coast until you catch the woodsmoke from the taverna. Yachts moor stern-to the wooden pontoon, where the family running the place take your lines and later bring out mezze and grilled fish. Water stays deep close in, so carry your speed toward the jetty and drop the hook well out. Go ashore for the short scramble up to the little goat pens above the head of the creek. It's a favourite with the flotilla crowd, so worth calling ahead in high summer to be sure of a berth.

Things to do

Moor stern-to the Kapı Creek pontoon

Order mezze and grilled fish ashore

Scramble to the goat pens above

Snorkel the steep rocky sides

Mooring tip

Depths stay deep until close to the pontoon, so approach slowly and drop in 10-12 m before backing to the jetty for lazy lines. Radio or call ahead in July and August, as the handful of berths book out.

Day 3

Kapı Creek → Ruin Bay

Ruin Bay, also called Cleopatra's Bath, lies a couple of hours west across the mouth of the gulf. The draw is underwater: low walls and cut stone from a Roman-era settlement rest just beneath the surface at the head of the bay, clear enough to read from a mask. Anchor off and swim in over the ruins rather than taking the boat too far into the shallows. A rickety jetty restaurant serves cold beer and simple grills under the pines. The neighbouring Tomb Bay, a short dinghy ride round the point, has Lycian rock tombs carved high into the cliff, worth a look in the soft evening light. Afternoons can bring a swirling breeze off the hills, so set the anchor with care.

Things to do

Snorkel the submerged Roman walls

Dinghy to Tomb Bay's Lycian tombs

Cold beer at the jetty grill

Photograph the cliffs at dusk

Mooring tip

The head of the bay shoals over the ruins, so anchor in 5-8 m clear of the stonework and swim ashore rather than motoring in. Watch for gusts funnelling down the valley in the afternoon and dig the anchor in well.

Day 4

Ruin Bay → Wall Bay

Wall Bay, Duvar Bükü on the chart, takes its name from the sheer rock face that walls in one side of the anchorage. It's a short sail from Ruin Bay, so plan a swim stop on the way. The bottom drops off quickly, which makes free swinging room tight, so most boats go stern-to the small pontoon belonging to Adaia, the family restaurant here you can only reach by boat. They'll help with your lines and cook a proper Turkish spread once the sun is off the cliffs. Snorkelling along the wall is among the best in this corner of the gulf, with clear water and steep drop-offs. Quiet after dark, with only cicadas and the odd goat bell for company.

Things to do

Tie stern-to Adaia's boat-only pontoon

Snorkel the sheer underwater wall

Try the restaurant's Turkish mezze spread

Kayak along the cliff base

Mooring tip

The bottom shelves steeply, so free-anchoring space is limited; take a line to the restaurant pontoon and reserve a table, which usually secures your berth. Drop in 8-10 m and back in close under the rock.

Day 5

Wall Bay → Fethiye

Time to reprovision and stretch your legs in a real town. Fethiye sits at the head of its own gulf, a couple of hours' sail from Wall Bay, usually with a helpful afternoon breeze on the beam. Berth at Ece Marina or the town quay and walk into the bazaar for spices, Turkish delight, and a barber if you fancy one. The fish market is the ritual here: buy your catch from the stalls, then hand it to one of the surrounding restaurants who grill it for a small charge. Above the town, the rock-cut Tomb of Amyntas glows amber at sunset, a stiff climb up the steps but worth it. Stock the fridge properly before you head back out to the wilder bays.

Things to do

Buy fish at the covered market

Climb to the Tomb of Amyntas

Browse the old bazaar for spices

Reprovision at the harbourside shops

Mooring tip

Ece Marina is calm and well run, but book ahead in peak weeks; the town quay is cheaper and central, though it can roll when ferries pass. Med-moor to laid lines and expect marina rates.

Day 6

Fethiye → Gemiler Island

Gemiler, sometimes called St Nicholas Island, guards the entrance to a sheltered channel southwest of Fethiye. The whole island is layered with Byzantine ruins: churches, cisterns, and a covered processional way climbing to a chapel at the summit. Anchor in the cove on the island's south side in 6 to 9 metres over sand, and run a line to the shore to keep from swinging. Two simple restaurants ashore handle water and a cold drink. Leave time to land the dinghy and walk up through the ruins as the light goes gold; the view over the channel to the mainland is why people linger here. The anchorage is calm in the usual westerlies but exposed if the wind backs to the south.

Things to do

Walk the ruins to the summit chapel

Time the climb for golden hour

Line ashore in the south cove

Snorkel the channel to the shore

Mooring tip

Anchor in 6-9 m on sand in the southern cove and take a line ashore to the rocks, as swinging room is limited. Arrive by late afternoon in season, since the handful of good spots go early.

Day 7

Gemiler Island → Ölüdeniz

Ölüdeniz is the postcard everyone knows, a still lagoon behind a curl of white sand under a green mountain. The lagoon itself is a protected nature park now and closed to yachts, so you moor under the headland off Belcekız beach and go ashore by dinghy or swim in. Overhead there's a near-constant stream of paragliders spiralling down from Babadağ, which at almost two thousand metres ranks among the highest commercial launch sites anywhere. This is the busiest spot on the route, so treat it as a lively day stop rather than a wilderness night. Watch a canopy or two land on the beach, eat an ice cream, then decide whether to stay put or slip back to a quieter cove.

Things to do

Swim into the Blue Lagoon nature park

Watch paragliders land on Belcekız beach

Dinghy ashore for beachfront lunch

Walk the sand spit at dusk

Mooring tip

The lagoon is closed to boats, so anchor off Belcekız under the headland in 8-12 m and expect a rolly, exposed night if any southerly runs in. Many crews use it as a day stop and move on to a calmer anchorage.

Day 8

Ölüdeniz → Butterfly Valley

Just around the headland, Butterfly Valley opens as a cleft in the flank of Babadağ, its beach reachable only from the water. The valley takes its name from the tiger butterflies that breed here, and a rough path leads inland past a small farm to a waterfall at the back of the gorge. Wear proper shoes; the last stretch means scrambling over rock with a rope to help. The anchorage is a day stop for most, open to the south and deep close to shore, so you drop in fairly deep and run a long line to the beach. Have lunch aboard, do the hike in the cool of the morning, and move on before the afternoon breeze turns it uncomfortable. Ashore there's a rustic bar under the trees.

Things to do

Hike the gorge to the waterfall

Look for tiger butterflies inland

Anchor with a long line ashore

Drink at the rustic beach bar

Mooring tip

This is an open day anchorage, deep right up to the beach; drop in 15-20 m and run a long line ashore, keeping an anchor watch. Leave before the afternoon southwesterly builds, as it sends swell straight in.

Day 9

Butterfly Valley → Coldwater Bay

With the exposed southern bays behind you, the route turns back into the shelter of Skopea Limani and Coldwater Bay, known to the charts as Soğuksu. Freshwater springs run off the wooded slope straight into the sea, and you feel the cold in patches as you swim, a jolt after the warm water elsewhere. It's a peaceful, pine-scented anchorage with good holding and room to take a line ashore among the trees. There's usually a small pontoon restaurant tucked into one corner if you want dinner brought to you. After the crush at Ölüdeniz, this feels like the coast exhaling. We often stay two nights when the schedule allows, using it as a base to swim, read, and let the day drift.

Things to do

Swim through the cold spring patches

Line ashore among the pines

Dinner at the corner pontoon restaurant

Paddleboard the calm morning water

Mooring tip

Holding is good over sand and weed in 6-10 m; take a line ashore to the trees, since the bay is narrow with limited swinging room. It stays calm in the prevailing westerlies, making it a reliable overnight.

Day 10

Coldwater Bay → Gemiler Island

Looping back to Gemiler on the way west gives you the island a second time without the pressure of ticking it off. Arrive earlier than the day-trip gulets and you'll have the pick of the south cove, with time to snorkel the channel before the afternoon crowd thins toward evening. If you skipped the full climb last time, do it now: the path threads through roofless churches and old cisterns up to the summit chapel, best walked as the heat eases. Back aboard, the anchorage settles once the tripper boats leave and the sunset over the ruins is the quiet reward. Grab water and a cold drink from the restaurants ashore. It's a short, easy day, so no need to leave Coldwater Bay early.

Things to do

Revisit the summit chapel path

Snorkel the island channel at midday

Claim a south-cove spot early

Sunset drinks as the gulets leave

Mooring tip

As before, anchor in 6-9 m of sand in the southern cove with a line ashore; getting in before the afternoon gulet traffic secures a calmer, better-placed berth. Watch for a southerly shift that would make it untenable overnight.

Day 11

Gemiler Island → Ekincik

Ekincik is the western turn of the route and the longest single hop, so we usually leave by nine to be in before the afternoon breeze builds on the nose. The bay is broad and sandy, set below the hills at the edge of the Dalyan delta, with a small two-pontoon marina in one corner if you'd rather tie up than anchor. The real reason to come is what lies beyond: local boats run from here up the reed-lined Dalyan river to the rock-cut tombs of ancient Kaunos, the sulphur mud baths at Sultaniye, and İztuzu, the turtle-nesting beach at the river mouth. Arrange the trip through the marina or a beach restaurant the evening you arrive. The open bay can send in a swell if the wind goes south.

Things to do

Book the Dalyan river boat trip

Wallow in the Sultaniye mud baths

See the rock tombs of Kaunos

Walk İztuzu turtle beach at the delta

Mooring tip

Anchor in 5-10 m over good sand in the northern corner, or take a berth at the small My Marina pontoons for more security. The bay is open to the south and southwest, so pick a settled forecast for an overnight here.

Day 12

Ekincik → Kızıkuyruk Koyu

After the buzz of the Dalyan trip, Kızılkuyruk is the antidote: a small, tree-lined bay on the Boz Burun peninsula that sees few boats and keeps things simple. The sail from Ekincik is short and easy, hugging a coast of empty coves and steep pine. There's nothing ashore to speak of, which is the point; you anchor, run a line to a tree, and swim in water that stays clear and still. Bring what you need for the evening, since there's no taverna to fall back on. This is the sort of anchorage crews remember long after the headline stops fade, a last taste of the quiet before the route turns for home. Stars come out thick once the light dies.

Things to do

Line ashore to a shady pine

Swim in the empty clear cove

Cook aboard under the stars

Kayak the deserted neighbouring coves

Mooring tip

Anchor in 6-10 m and take a line to a tree, as the cove is narrow with little swinging room. It's well protected in the usual summer westerlies but has no facilities, so provision and fill water at Ekincik first.

Day 13

Kızıkuyruk Koyu → Sarsala Bay

The penultimate day brings you back into the familiar shelter of Skopea Limani and round to Sarsala, the same broad bay that opened the trip. Coming back to it at the end feels different: you know the drill now, pick your line ashore without fuss, and settle in like regulars. The sail is a relaxed reach across the gulf with time for one last long swim stop en route. Sarsala's holding and its jetty restaurant make it an easy final night, close enough to Göcek that the morning run back stays stress-free. Use the afternoon to swim out the last of your energy, sort gear, and toast the fortnight. If the taverna's busy, book a table when you drop the hook.

Things to do

Last long swim stop mid-gulf

Final dinner at Sarsala's jetty taverna

Line ashore near the bay head

Sort and pack gear before Göcek

Mooring tip

Return to the same routine: anchor in 6-8 m over sand and weed with a line ashore near the head of the bay. Being close to base, you can afford a leisurely start, but reserve the taverna early if you want to eat ashore.

Day 14

Sarsala Bay → Göcek

The final leg is barely an hour, so there's no need for an early alarm. Most charters want the boat back mid-morning, which leaves time for a quiet swim before you weigh anchor and idle out of Sarsala for the last time. The run back across Skopea Limani retraces the very first day, the wooded islands sliding past in reverse. Top up fuel and water on the way in if the base asks for it, then bring her alongside in Göcek and let the crew handle the lines. Once you're checked out, there's usually time for a coffee or a last lunch on the waterfront before transfers. Fourteen days of it, and the gulf still holds coves you didn't reach.

Things to do

Last dawn swim off Sarsala

Top up fuel before handback

Coffee on the Göcek waterfront

Browse the marina shops before transfer

Mooring tip

Confirm the base's fuel-up and return-time rules the night before so you're not rushed. Approach Göcek's marina slowly and call ahead on VHF for berth directions; staff take your lines on arrival.