Sail Turkey: Gulet cruise Fethiye to Olympos

A four-day gulet cruise turns the trip from Fethiye to Olympos into the main event. You sleep in a private en-suite cabin, wake near a new bay, and spend much of each day swimming, eating, and going ashore at historic coastal villages. The boat carries a maximum of 15 people, so this feels more personal than a large sightseeing cruise.

I especially like two things here. First, the route mixes easy beach time with real places to explore, including Kas, the Roman theatre at ancient Antiphellos, Simena Castle, and the protected Sunken City of Kekova. Second, the 10 included meals make the price easier to judge: you receive four lunches, three dinners, and three breakfasts while moving between ports.

The main consideration is the sea. Several first-day stops depend on conditions, and a boat-based schedule can change with weather. You should also budget for the small entrance fees at St. Nicholas Island, Butterfly Valley, and Simena Castle.

Key Points Before You Book

• Private en-suite cabin: You have your own sleeping cabin and bathroom rather than relying on shared dorm-style accommodation.
• Small maximum group of 15: The limited capacity keeps the boat from feeling like a mass-market cruise.
• Ten meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are built into the four-day trip.
• Swimming is part of the daily rhythm: Samanlik Bay, Firnaz Bay, Kekova, and other coves provide regular water stops.
• Historic coastal stops: You can visit Kas, the Hellenistic theatre, Simena, St. Nicholas Island, and the Sunken City of Kekova.
• Fethiye to Olympos transfer: The cruise ends at Andriake Harbour, followed by a bus transfer to the Olympos tree houses.

What the $548.18 Price Covers

At $548.18 per person, this is not simply a boat ride. You are paying for approximately four days of transport along the coast, a private en-suite cabin, 10 meals, and a tightly connected route that would take more planning by land.

The meal count matters. You receive breakfast on three mornings, lunch on four days, and dinner on three nights. That removes much of the daily food planning, though the information provided does not specify drinks or other personal purchases, so you should allow extra money for those.

Three admission charges are separate:

• St. Nicholas Island: $3
• Butterfly Valley: $1
• Simena Castle: €4

These are modest fees, but it is useful to know about them before you board. The activity is offered in English and includes a mobile ticket. Confirmation is normally sent when you book, though bookings made within seven days of departure may take up to 48 hours and depend on availability.

The value is strongest if you want transportation, accommodation, meals, and sightseeing folded into one coastal trip. It is less suitable if you prefer to pick your own hotels, linger in one town, or change plans at short notice.

Day One: From Fethiye Harbour to St. Nicholas Island

The boat leaves Fethiye Harbour between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. That late start gives you time to reach the port and board without sacrificing a full sightseeing day elsewhere. Once underway, the route quickly turns toward the coves and beaches west of Fethiye.

The first stop is Buyuk Samanlik Plaji, also called Samanlik Bay. You have about two hours here for lunch and swimming. This is a gentle opening to the trip: no complicated sightseeing, just a chance to settle into the boat and get used to the pattern of moving, stopping, eating, and swimming.

Next comes Butterfly Valley, if sea conditions allow. The valley sits below Babadağ, a mountain rising to 1,975 meters, and the reserve is known for 136 kinds of butterflies and moths. The scheduled stop lasts about two hours and combines swimming with the chance to visit the natural reserve.

The practical point is that this is not a guaranteed land visit. Sea conditions control access, so you should treat Butterfly Valley as an attractive possibility rather than a fixed promise. The small entrance fee is separate.

The boat then continues to Ölüdeniz, the famous Blue Lagoon. Again, the stop depends on sea conditions. You have about two hours, with paragliding listed as an option. The schedule does not state that paragliding is included, so you should regard it as an optional activity requiring separate arrangements or payment.

The final overnight stop is Gemiler Island, also called St. Nicholas Island. You have an extended eight-hour stop, which gives you time to relax on board and explore if conditions and timing allow. The island entrance fee is not included.

The itinerary also lists Kelebekler Vadisi for 30 minutes, describing the sandy beach and the valley at Babadağ. Since Butterfly Valley is already listed earlier in the day, the schedule appears to include a second reference to the same valley area or a brief additional stop. Ask the crew for the exact plan on the day, especially if visiting the valley is important to you.

Day Two: Breakfast Near Kalkan and Free Time in Kas

Day two begins around sunrise with a departure toward Firnaz Bay near Kalkan. Breakfast and swimming are planned here, with about two hours in the bay. An early start is part of the tradeoff on a gulet trip: you get cooler morning air and a quiet swim, but you will need to be ready soon after waking.

The boat then reaches Kas, where it stops in the harbour for lunch and a visit to the town. Four hours gives you more than a quick photo stop. You can walk through the fishing village, take a break from the boat, and enjoy free time at your own pace.

Kas is also the site of ancient Antiphellos. The remaining Roman theatre, Lycian rock tombs, and sarcophagi provide a useful glimpse of the older coastal cultures that shaped this region. The theatre is listed as a two-hour stop, so you have time to see the archaeological remains without turning the visit into a rushed march.

I like this balance. Many coastal cruises focus only on coves, but this route gives you a proper town stop and an ancient site. At the same time, four hours is not a full day in Kas, so you will need to choose between wandering, eating, shopping, and seeing the theatre.

After Kas, the boat heads toward Kekova for swimming. The schedule allows six hours in the area, making this one of the longer pauses of the trip. You can expect a relaxed evening around the bay rather than a packed list of sights.

Day Three: The Sunken City and Car-Free Simena

Day three begins with breakfast and a short cruise toward the Sunken City of Kekova. This protected Lycian and Roman archaeological site can only be viewed from the water. You do not enter or walk through the ruins, and the scheduled viewing lasts about 30 minutes.

That limitation is important. The appeal here is the unusual sight of ancient remains beneath and beside the water, but the stop is brief and observational. Keep your expectations realistic, and have your camera ready.

The next stop is Simena, a traditional Turkish fishing village with no car access. Its Byzantine and Ottoman castle gives the village its main historic focus, and the stop lasts about two hours. Simena Castle has a separate €4 entrance fee.

The lack of cars gives Simena a different pace from a road-accessible town. You can walk around on foot and take in the setting without traffic. The available time is enough for a focused visit, but not for a long exploration of every corner.

Later, the boat reaches Gokkaya Bay. Optional water sports are available, followed by dinner and time to relax in this former pirate haven. The schedule lists six minutes for the stop, which is almost certainly a timing error or shorthand in the published program, since the same section allows six hours for the bay. Confirm the exact timing with the crew when you board.

This is another day where you should expect flexibility. The experience is built around coves and water conditions, not a rigid museum timetable. That works well if you like an easy pace, but it can frustrate you if you need exact departure times.

Day Four: Pirate Cave, Demre, and the Olympos Transfer

After lunch, the boat makes a brief visit to Pirate Cave. The listed stop lasts about 15 minutes, followed by the final cruise to Demre, also called Kale, and its Andriake Harbour.

Disembarkation takes place before lunch, with about two hours in Demre. The schedule then calls for a bus transfer to the tree houses in Olympos, including a stop for banking and shopping when requested. Arrival in Olympos is expected between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.

The change from boat to bus is worth planning for. This is not a cruise that returns you to Fethiye. It is a point-to-point trip, ending in the Olympos area, so it works particularly well if Olympos is already part of your Turkey route.

The final transfer also gives you a practical buffer. You can handle basic errands before reaching the tree houses rather than trying to solve them after arrival. Still, the information does not identify the exact bus arrangements, so keep your belongings organized and follow the crew’s instructions during disembarkation.

Life Aboard a Small Gulet

The maximum group size is 15 people. That number matters because a gulet is a compact boat, not a large ship with separate public areas and endless room to escape. A smaller group usually means fewer people competing for deck space and a more direct relationship with the crew.

The crew is described as friendly, attentive, and focused on individual needs. That praise is worth emphasizing because service can shape a shared boat trip as much as the scenery. The crew’s role is especially important when sea conditions affect access to Butterfly Valley or Ölüdeniz and when the day’s timing needs to shift.

Your private en-suite cabin is another strong point. It gives you a defined personal space and your own bathroom, which is a major step up from shared-cabin arrangements. The available information does not give cabin dimensions, bed configuration, or storage details, so you should not assume a large room. Think practical sleeping quarters rather than a hotel suite.

The daily routine is pleasantly simple. You cruise, stop for meals, swim, go ashore, and return to the boat. That structure suits you if you want a social trip with plenty of free time and little need to plan each day.

It may not suit you if you need constant internet access, a wide choice of restaurants, or a private schedule. Those details are not listed, so ask before booking if they are essential.

Who Will Enjoy This Route Most

I would recommend this cruise to you if you want the journey itself to be a major part of your holiday. The route combines calm bays, open-water travel, small coastal settlements, archaeological sites, and a final land transfer to Olympos.

It is also a good fit if you like meeting a small group without signing up for a large organized tour. The maximum of 15 people keeps the scale manageable, while the shared meals and common route create a social setting.

You should be comfortable with an active coastal schedule. Swimming appears repeatedly, and several stops involve going ashore to explore. The information says most people can participate, but it does not provide detailed accessibility information. If mobility or boarding assistance matters to you, contact SAILNSTAY before booking.

Families, couples, solo bookers, and friends could all find the format appealing, but the key question is your attitude toward flexibility. The sea decides some parts of the route. If a missed stop would ruin your trip, choose a land-based itinerary instead.

Booking Timing and Cancellation Rules

This experience is booked, on average, 67 days ahead. That is useful guidance if you have fixed dates, especially since the boat carries no more than 15 people.

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Cancellation two to six full days ahead provides a 50 percent refund. Less than two full days before departure is nonrefundable, and late changes are not accepted.

The trip requires suitable weather and a minimum number of people. If poor weather or low numbers cancel the departure, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund. The cut-off times use local Turkish time.

Should You Book the Fethiye to Olympos Gulet Cruise?

Book it if you want a small-group coastal trip with a private bathroom, included meals, regular swimming stops, and a one-way route that naturally connects Fethiye with Olympos. The crew’s attentive service, the 10 meals, and the mix of nature and archaeology make the $548.18 price reasonable for a four-day package.

Think twice if you dislike early starts, shared social spaces, changing plans, or weather-dependent stops. Also allow for the three entrance fees and any optional activities, including paragliding or water sports.

For the right kind of trip, this is a smart way to see Turkey’s southwest coast. You unpack once, wake in a new bay, and finish near Olympos instead of retracing your route. That combination of movement, downtime, and historic stops is the real value.

FAQ

How long is the Fethiye to Olympos gulet cruise?

The experience lasts approximately four days. It begins at Fethiye Harbour and ends at Andriake Harbour, followed by a bus transfer to Olympos.

What meals are included?

The price includes four lunches, three dinners, and three breakfasts, for a total of 10 meals.

Is a private bathroom included?

Yes. The tour includes a private en-suite cabin.

How many people can join the cruise?

The maximum group size is 15 people.

Which entrance fees are not included?

The entrance fee for St. Nicholas Island is $3, Butterfly Valley is $1, and Simena Castle is €4.

Does the route always stop at Butterfly Valley and Ölüdeniz?

Both stops depend on sea conditions. The schedule identifies them as possible stops rather than guaranteed visits in all weather.

Where does the experience finish?

You disembark at Andriake Harbour in Demre. A bus then transfers you to the tree houses in Olympos, with arrival expected between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m.