SATURDAY: ANTALYA

Antalya-Kas-Antalya blue cruise route is recommended for those who will also want to observe history and see more ancients sights on the way, besides the main idea of blue cruises: escape from the tiresome city life into the untouched nature.

Departure: This cruise is available once a week starting on every Saturday, from the beginning of April till the end of October. Please ask for availability in April and October closer to departure time. This cruise can also be organized starting on Mondays, once in a while. Please ask.

Embarking: You can check in to boats after 15:30. Those who came earlier can leave their luggage at our local agent's office until that time.  The cruise boats stay in the marina of Antalya on the first day of the cruise program, therefore the guests can check-in  to the boats till late evening, which gives you flexibility with arrival time of your flights or buses, especially useful if you are not staying in a hotel in Antalya the previous night. Thus, you will also have a chance to discover lovely Antalya city on the first day.

After all guests gathers, you will get detailed briefing about the daily life on board and cruising program while sipping your welcome drink.

Dinner on board and overnight at your private cabin at the cruise boat.

Arrival: Transfers from central Antalya hotels are included and we can also offer you airport transfer with reasonable prices, if requested. There are regular bus connections to Antalya from all major cities and towns of Turkey. There are very frequent domestic flights everyday from Istanbul Ataturk Airport to Antalya, as well as some direct international flights from major cities of the world during busy season, if not everyday. Antalya airport is 13 km away from the city center. Click here for the shuttle schedule of HAVAS for Antalya airport
 

Modern Antalya is built over high cliffs	A street in old city	Harbor of Kaleici (old city) of Antalya

Antalya: Because of the archaeological and natural riches of the area, Antalya is also known as the Turkish Riviera. The sun, sea, nature and history combine to form a very popular resort, highlighted by some of the cleanest beaches in the Mediterranean. The 630km shoreline of the province is liberally scattered with ancient cities, harbors, memorial tombs and beaches, secluded coves and lush forests, many of which are easily accessible from the city.
 

SUNDAY : ANTALYA-ADRASAN BAY-GOKLIMAN

Your boat will depart Antalya marina after the guests have their first breakfast. After several hours cruise the boat will stop in Adrasan bay for lunch. You will have time for swimming. After another short sailing the boat will anchor in unique Gokliman bay for overnight, where you will also have your dinner on board.
 

A view from Adrasan bay

Adrasan Bay is 8 miles away from Olympos, a place that you would expect to see in a National Geographic magazine, set in the middle of most beautiful untouched natural zone, which has the most fantastic bronze colored sands stretching along the numerous beaches. It is an exceptional place in Southern costs of Turkey which tourism industry hasn't reached yet, a serenity place with its pure nature, clean air and sea. It is a kind of vacation destination that you will enjoy visiting year after year with its natural attractions, an ideal location for boat trips to nearby bays and islands, windsurfing, scuba-diving, water-ski and similar activities.

Gokliman is famous with blue-flag beaches about 10 km west of Finike district of Antalya. The see is deeper and less salty than other parts of the region. Gokliman is is a hidden treasure in the Mediterranean with its spellbinding beauty attracting the nature-lovers.
 

MONDAY : DEMRE -GOKKAYA

After breakfast the boat will depart for Demre (ancient Lycian city of Myra) arriving around midday. The lunch will be served in Demre bay. After lunch you can either stay in the bay or join an approximately 2 hours optional tour of Demre-Myra with an extra self-payment. The incredible rock-tombs carved on the mountain slopes, the ancient theater which is still standing and the Church of St. Nicholas who is believed to be the original Santa Claus are the most interesting highlights of Demre.  After the tour, the boat will move on to Gokkaya bay, arriving early in the evening. Dinner and overnight in Gokkaya bay in Kekova.
 

Rock tombs in Myra	St. Nicholas Church	A small harbor near Demre

Demre is the Lycian town of Myra, the home of Saint Nicholas of Myra the original Santa Claus; located 25km west of Finike and 48km east of Kas, Myra was one of the most important cities in antique Lycia. Coins have been found dating back to 300 BC but logically the city must have been founded centuries earlier. The city thrived as part of the Roman Empire and many public buildings were constructed. The earliest church of St. Nicholas at Myra was built in the 6th century. The present-day church stems mainly from the 8th century; a monastery was added in the second half of the 11th century. The ruins of the Lycian and Roman towns are mostly covered by alluvial silts. The Acropolis on the Demre plateau, the Roman theatre and the Roman bath (eski hamam) have been partly excavated. The semi-circular theater was destroyed in an earthquake in 141, but rebuilt afterwards.
Gokkaya bay near Kekova is surrounded by many small islands which resembles a lake and is a magnificent place for swimming.
 

TUESDAY: KAS

After breakfast and several hours morning cruise you will arrive to little harbor-village of Antalya called Kas. This may be a day with less sea activities. You can wander in the narrow streets, sit in lovely sea-side cafeterias, do some shopping or meet local people of Kas. The village is also very exotic at night, and there are variety of bars, clubs and restaurants for those who are looking for fun want to enjoy the laidback nightlife of the town
Dinner and overnight in Kas.
 

Kas town from the sea	Kaputas beach near Kas	A lovely street in Kas

Kas is a small fishing, yachting and tourist town, and a district of Antalya Province of Turkey, 168km west of the city of Antalya. As a tourist town it is relatively unspoiled. The town of Kas is on a hill running down to the sea. In ancient times it was a member of the Lycian League, and its importance during this time is confirmed by the presence of one of the richest Lycian necropolis. Kas itself is a quiet pleasant town with its blue sea and narrow streets scented with jasmine flowers. There are plenty of little guest houses, quiet cafes serving home cooking, or small bars to relax after a day's scuba diving. Kas is one of the leading spots for diving in Turkey.  If you decide to try diving in Kas you can expect to see a beautiful array of fish and other sea creatures like octopus and possibly dolphins, and also the wrecks of some ancient ships.
The town of Kas has a Roman amphitheatre and many other places of historical interest; and it has spots of natural beauty, including excellent beaches, and a number of interesting caves, some of them underwater. The mountains behind the coast offer countless places for trekking, climbing and river rafting.
You can see the ruins of the antique cities of Komba (in the village of Gömbe), Nisa, Kandyba, Phellos, Istlada, Apollonia, Isinda and Kyaenai around Kas.
 

WEDNESDAY : KEKOVA BAY-SIMENA (KALEKOY)

A short morning cruise will bring you to marvelous Kekova bay, and you will have a chance to visit Kekova Island and surrounding ancient cities, including famous sunken-city, partly visible from outside. The boat will anchor near Kalekoy village (ancient Simena) for dinner and a quiet overnight.
 

Simena is the ancient Lycian name of Kalekoy which is a village of the Kas district in the Antalya Province of Turkey on the Mediterranean coast. Lycian League consisted of a group of city states (Xantos, Patara, Myra, Pinara, Tlos and Olympos) dating back to 13th century BC which was self-governed most of the time although it

A Lycian tomb near Simena, now half-way under the sea

has been under the control of greater empires of Romans, Greeks and Persians. Kalekoy faces the island of Kekova, and can be reached only by sea. The village lies amidst a Lycian necropolis, which is partially sunken underwater. Kalekoy is overlooked by a Byzantine castle, built in the Middle Ages to fight the pirates which nested in Kekova. The castle contains a small theatre. Kalekoy is a popular yachting destination.

Kekova bay area is 260 km² and describes the region encompassing the island of Kekova, the villages of Kalekoy and Ucagiz and the four ancient towns of Simena, Aperlae, Dolchiste and Teimioussa. One of the most interesting activities of Kekova is canoeing and skin diving. With a canoe you can visit places where no water vehicle can get near. Skin diving is great for watching the tremendous views of the underwater city ruins of the Kekova island. All kinds of diving activities and also swimming is prohibited and subject to special permits from governmental offices in some parts of the Kekova bay. (except for the part where the sunken city is located)

Kekova Island is a small Turkish island near Kas district of Antalya province which faces the villages of Kalekoy (ancient Simena) and Ucagiz (ancient Teimioussa). Kekova has an area of 4.5 km² and is uninhabited. On its northern side there are the ruins—partly sunken—of Dolchiste/Dolikisthe, an ancient town which was destroyed by an earthquake during the second century A.D. Rebuilt and still flourishing during the Byzantine Empire period, it was completely abandoned because of Arab incursions.
 

THURSDAY: OLYMPOS BAY

Your boat will depart for Olympos bay after breakfast where you will spend the 6th day of your "blue cruise" package. You will have a chance to visit eternal flame of mythological Chimaera near Cirali Village, located 200 above the sea level, and swim in beach of Olympos bay, which is claimed to be the best beach of the world by many people.
 

The cruise boats at the Olympos beach

Olympos is a green valley at the southern coast of Turkey, 90 km southwest of Antalya city near the Town of Kemer. The ancient city was founded in the Hellenistic period dating back to the 2nd century BC, sharing its name with the nearby Mount Olympos.  Near Olympos, located in the neighboring village of Cirali and about 200 meters above sea level, the eternal flames called the Chimaera may be seen issuing from the ground. The source of the flames is actually natural gas, mostly methane, seeping through cracks in the earth. The mythical Chimaera - or Chimera - was a savage beast who sprouted fire from its mouth. The Olympians worshipped  the god of fire Hephaestos (Vulcan), probably connected to the eternal flame.

Apart from the ruins, modern time Olympos village is well known for its simple tree-house camps, where most tourists stay, and a natural environment thanks to forests and vineyards near to a beautiful beach. The Olympos village is located some distance from the shore in the heart of the Olympos national park by the banks of a small river. The surrounding area of the village offers best conditions for trekking, Mountain biking, canyoning, rock climbing.
 

FRIDAY : PHASELIS-KEMER-ANTALYA

 

Antic theater in Phaselis

On the 7th day, the cruise boat will set sail to Phaselis and you will be there by lunch time. It is said that Alexander the Great used to spend the nights in Phaselis. After lunch and spending some time in Phaselis swimming or visiting ancient site, the boat will first arrive to Moonlight bay near Kemer after a short cruise, but will not stop there for a long time. The cruise ship will be in the marina of Antalya by evening before dinner. After your arrival to Antalya and have your dinner, you will have a chance for some shopping or have time to discover the night life of the city.

It is possible to check out from the boat in Antalya this evening for those who need to depart earlier.

Overnight in Antalya.
 

Phaselis (Tekirova) is an ancient Lycian city located between the Bey Mountains and the forests of Olympos National Park, 16 km west of the tourist town of Kemer and on the 57th kilometer of the Antalya–Kumluca highway. Phaselis and other ancient towns around the shore can also be accessed from the sea by daily yacht tours. Today a 24-metre-wide ancient street runs through the middle of the ancient city. The 'Hadrian Waterway Gate' is on the southern part of the street. There are ruins of shops and stores on the sides of the street and near these are ruins of public places such as Roman baths, agoras and theatres. These structures are dated to the 2nd century BC. There are water canals between the town centre and the 70 m plateau. There are also numerous sarcophagi.

Kemer is a busy seaside resort on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, 40 km (25 mi) west of the city of Antalya. Major attraction of Kemer is its natural beauty; sea, mountains and pine forest combining in harmony. The shore from Beldibi to Tekirova consists of un-spoilt beaches in bays of various sizes, mostly stony rather than sand. With easy transportation, good.
 

SATURDAY: GOODBYE IN ANTALYA

Disembarking after your last breakfast until 10:30 am.
You will be transferred to your hotel in Antalya, if required. (please let us know your hotel beforehand)
Please let us know if you need any airport transfers, domestic flight or bus tickets, hotels after check-out
 

PRICE LIST

2008 Summer Prices

Please ask for Monday departures.

Above prices are per week and include:

* All Taxes*
* Transfers from/to neighborhood hotels, if requested*
(Airport transfers are not included, but we can arrange upon request)
*7 nights accommodation in private cabins with en-suite baths on board*
* Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner during cruise period*
* Basic snorkeling equipments and board games*
*Please bring your own towels and swimming equipments*

Not Included.
Airport transfers
Optional excursion tours during at the stopover places. (Not compulsory)
Drinks are not included but available at the boat with very reasonable prices
 

PAYMENT AND RESERVATION

Payment and reservation: We will request 30% of the total tour price for guaranteed reservations. We will send you a detailed reservation contract by e-mail after all details are confirmed mutually.

For payments we accept Maestro, Visa and Master credit cards besides bank transfers. We also accept American express, but request 7% extra payment, for the commission we have to pay ourselves.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

This is not an exclusively gay cruise. We organize this cruise in cooperation with other non-gay boat operators or boat owners, but we choose the gay friendly ones as much as possible. Therefore it is just a coincidence if there will be other gay or lesbian clients joining the same cruise, same day with you.
This blue cruise starts regularly only on Saturday. Private charter version of the same or similar route can be organized starting any day for private groups if requested. Private charter cruises can also be shorter or longer than 7 nights, if required.
This cruise is classified as cabin charter and the boats are standard quality. Private charter version of the same or similar route can be organized with standard, deluxe or superior quality boats if requested by private groups.  We have direct contacts with the boat owners and boat operators in Marmaris but there will be a considerable price difference depending on the number of participants, the size and the quality of the boat.
What you should bring: Bed sheets and some towels are provided for guests. But still we recommend you to bring your own extra towels as well as swimming and sun bathing materials,  a couple of slippers and walking shoes, a pullover and may be a wind-breaker for windy nights.
There may be small changes with the cruise route due to availability or weather conditions. A possible alternative route would be like this: Day 1: Overnight in Antalya marina - Day 2: Phaselis Bay-Lunch in Olympos,  Adrasan Bay for overnight - Day3: Demre, and overnight in Gokkaya - Day 4: Kekova Bay, Kas harbor for overnight - Day 5: Ucagiz cove, Simena, Finike harbor for overnight - Day 6: Ceneviz bay, Kemer marina for overnight. - Day 7: Catlicak cove, Sican Island, Antalya marina for overnight; Day 8: Farewell after breakfast.

Click here to have an idea about blue cruises and gullet boats

Click here for more the map of the blue cruise destinations in southwestern Turkey.