A private yacht charter in Turkey is not just a holiday. It is the definitive way to experience one of the world's most spectacular coastlines. From the deck of a traditional gulet or a modern motor yacht, you gain access to secluded bays, ancient ruins, and vibrant towns that are simply unreachable by land.
As specialist brokers in the Turkish market, we provide the clarity and expertise needed to plan your journey. This guide offers our professional insight into creating a truly exceptional charter experience along the Turquoise Coast.
Why Charter a Yacht in Turkey?
Turkey’s coastline is a world-class yachting destination for clear, factual reasons. The cruising grounds, particularly between Bodrum and Fethiye, offer an unparalleled combination of natural beauty, historical depth, and reliable sailing conditions. This is why we consistently recommend it to discerning clients.
The infrastructure is superb. Marinas in Bodrum, Marmaris, and Göcek provide world-class facilities, ensuring seamless logistical support for provisioning, fuel, and technical services. This robust network is the backbone of a successful charter.
The geography itself is a significant advantage. The coastline is a stunning tapestry of pine-clad hills dropping into turquoise waters. Countless deep, sheltered bays provide calm anchorages, even in peak season. This allows for flexible itineraries and ensures a comfortable experience on board.
Planning Your Turkish Charter
The first step is defining the purpose of your trip. The nature of your group and your objectives will determine the ideal yacht, itinerary, and pace.
We advise clients to consider their primary goal. Is it a family holiday focused on watersports and relaxed swimming? A cultural journey exploring Lycian tombs? Or a sophisticated escape with friends, centred on fine dining and secluded relaxation?
A successful charter is built around these priorities. We specialize in tailoring every detail, from the choice of yacht to the daily menu, to match your specific vision. This is the difference between a standard holiday and a bespoke charter experience.
Family Charters: We recommend yachts with extensive water toy collections and crews experienced with children. Itineraries focus on calm, shallow bays for safe swimming.
Cultural Exploration: Routes can be designed to include ancient sites like Kaunos, the sunken city of Kekova, and remote hillside ruins.
Relaxation & Privacy: For these charters, we prioritize quiet, isolated anchorages in the Göcek bays or along the Datça Peninsula, far from the crowds.
Corporate & Events: A yacht provides a secure, impressive, and private venue. We manage all logistics for high-level meetings or celebratory events.
As your broker, our function is to translate your vision into a flawless reality. We leverage our deep market knowledge to select the right yacht and crew, design a logical and inspiring itinerary, and manage every operational detail. Our expertise ensures a seamless experience from start to finish.
Choosing the Right Yacht in Turkey
The selection of the yacht is the single most critical decision in the charter process. It is your private hotel, your transport, and the platform for your entire holiday. We guide clients through this choice to ensure the vessel aligns perfectly with their group's needs and expectations.
In Turkey, the choice generally comes down to two primary vessel types: the traditional Turkish gulet or the modern motor yacht. Each offers a fundamentally different experience.
The Traditional Turkish Gulet
A gulet is a classic, wooden motor-sailing yacht indigenous to this coastline. They are renowned for their exceptional comfort, generous deck space, and authentic character.
We recommend a gulet charter for clients seeking a relaxed, spacious, and truly Turkish experience. Their wide beams provide remarkable stability and vast areas for lounging and dining al fresco. Gulets are not built for speed; they are designed for leisurely cruising, allowing you to fully absorb the stunning scenery. A high-quality gulet comes with a professional crew, including a skilled chef who is an expert in Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine.
This decision tree helps visualize why Turkey is such a premier charter destination, setting the stage for choosing your ideal vessel.
For those seeking an authentic, comfortable, and culturally rich yachting holiday, Turkey stands out. This naturally leads to the choice of vessel.
The Modern Motor Yacht
Motor yachts offer speed, contemporary luxury, and advanced amenities. Their main advantage is the ability to cover greater distances quickly, making it possible to explore a wider cruising area within a standard one-week charter.
We recommend motor yachts for groups with a more dynamic itinerary in mind, or for those who prioritize modern features like zero-speed stabilisers, state-of-the-art entertainment systems, and a faster pace. Their shallow draft also allows access to smaller coves that might be inaccessible to deeper-keeled vessels.
The choice between a gulet and a motor yacht is a choice of pace and style. A gulet offers a timeless, leisurely journey deeply connected to Turkish maritime heritage. A motor yacht provides a fast-paced, modern, and luxurious platform for exploration. We help you determine which style best fits your holiday objectives.
Yacht Type Comparison for Your Turkey Charter
Yacht Type
Best For
Key Advantages
Typical Speed
Gulet
Relaxation, space, families, authentic experience.
Expansive deck areas, stability at anchor, excellent value, full-service crew with chef.
8-10 knots
Motor Yacht
Speed, luxury, exploring wider areas.
Fast cruising, modern amenities, access to shallow bays, sophisticated design.
20-30+ knots
Ultimately, the right yacht is the one that meets your group's specific requirements for space, pace, and style. A clear understanding of these factors will lead directly to the ideal vessel for an unforgettable Turkish charter.
Crafting Your Turkish Itinerary
A well-designed itinerary is the foundation of a successful charter. In Turkey, the cruising grounds between Bodrum and Fethiye offer a spectacular array of options. Our role is to create a logical and engaging route that balances cruising time with shoreside activities, watersports, and relaxation.
The core advantage of a private yacht charter is its inherent flexibility. We will design a bespoke itinerary based on your preferences, but your captain can adapt the plan daily. If you fall in love with a particular bay or wish to linger longer over lunch, the schedule can be adjusted instantly. Our itineraries are built on years of direct operational experience, ensuring we select the best anchorages for prevailing conditions and privacy.
The Classic Blue Cruise: Bodrum to Göcek (7 Days)
This is the quintessential Turkish charter route, offering a perfect blend of lively towns, historical sites, and tranquil bays.
Day 1-2: Bodrum Peninsula & Knidos. Depart from Bodrum and cruise to the serene bays of the Bodrum Peninsula. The next day, explore the magnificent ancient ruins of Knidos, a remarkably preserved Carian city situated on a dramatic headland.
Day 3-4: Datça Peninsula & Selimiye. Cruise along the rugged Datça Peninsula, known for its pristine nature and crystal-clear waters. Anchor in the charming fishing village of Selimiye, renowned for its excellent waterfront restaurants.
Day 5: Ekincik Bay & Dalyan River. Anchor in Ekincik Bay and take a local riverboat tour up the Dalyan River. This excursion takes you past the ancient Lycian rock tombs carved into the cliffs, to the therapeutic mud baths, and to Turtle Beach (Iztuzu).
Day 6-7: Göcek Bays & Fethiye. Spend the final days exploring the sheltered paradise of the Göcek bays. This area is a yachtsman's dream, with dozens of stunning, pine-fringed coves like Cleopatra's Bath and Bedri Rahmi Bay. Disembark in Göcek or Fethiye.
This itinerary provides a comprehensive taste of the Turquoise Coast. The daily progression from ancient history to natural beauty and charming villages showcases the region's incredible diversity. It is a route we have perfected over many years.
The Lycian Coast Explorer: Fethiye to Kaş (7 Days)
For those interested in a deeper dive into history and dramatic landscapes, this route is exceptional.
Day 1: Fethiye & Ölüdeniz. After embarking in Fethiye, cruise to the world-famous blue lagoon of Ölüdeniz. Anchor nearby in a quieter bay like Gemiler Island, where you can explore Byzantine ruins.
Day 2-3: Kalkan & Kaş. Cruise to the sophisticated harbour town of Kalkan, built into a steep hillside. Continue to Kaş, a vibrant and charming town with excellent diving, shopping, and dining.
Day 4-5: The Sunken City of Kekova. This is the highlight of the Lycian coast. Cruise over the partially submerged ruins of an ancient city. Explore the hilltop Simena Castle (Kaleköy), accessible only by boat, for breathtaking panoramic views.
Day 6-7: Secluded Bays & Return. Spend the final days enjoying the peace of the quiet bays between Kaş and Göcek, focusing on swimming, watersports, and onboard relaxation before returning to your disembarkation port.
Understanding Charter Costs
We believe in complete financial transparency. The pricing structure for a luxury yacht charter is standardized globally and consists of two main components: the base charter fee and the Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA).
The Base Charter Fee
This fee secures the exclusive hire of the yacht and its professional crew for your charter period. It covers the yacht itself and all crew salaries. It does not include variable expenses like fuel or food, as these are unique to each charter.
The Advanced Provisioning Allowance (APA)
The APA is a separate fund used to provision the yacht according to your specific preferences. It operates as a float, managed by your captain, to cover all your running costs.
The APA is typically calculated as 30% of the base charter fee. This amount is paid with your final charter payment. It covers:
Fuel: For the yacht, tender, and any motorized water toys.
Food and Beverages: All meals, snacks, and drinks for your group.
Marina Fees: Any port or mooring fees incurred during the charter.
Local Taxes: Cruising permits and any applicable local taxes.
Special Requests: Specific provisioning, transfers, or shoreside arrangements.
The APA system ensures you only pay the exact cost price for what you consume. Your captain maintains a running, itemized account of all expenditures, which is available for your review at any time. At the end of the charter, any remaining funds are refunded to you. If your expenses exceed the initial APA, the difference is settled on board before you disembark.
The Booking Process
To secure the best yacht for your preferred dates, we strongly recommend planning in advance. The Turkish charter market is highly sought-after, especially for high-quality gulets and popular motor yachts during the peak months of July and August.
We advise clients to begin the conversation 6 to 12 months in advance for a peak-season charter. This provides the best selection and allows ample time for meticulous planning.
From Inquiry to Confirmation
The process begins with a detailed conversation. We listen to your requirements to understand your group, your style, and your budget. Based on this, we present a curated selection of suitable yachts.
Once you have selected a yacht, we can place a temporary hold on your dates. To confirm the booking, you will sign a standard MYBA (The Worldwide Yachting Association) Charter Agreement. This contract protects all parties and clearly outlines all terms. A 50% deposit secures the booking, with the final balance and APA due approximately one month prior to embarkation.
Personalizing Your Experience
Following confirmation, we begin the detailed planning phase. We will send you a comprehensive Preference Sheet. This document is the blueprint for your charter.
It covers dietary requirements, beverage preferences, your ideal itinerary pace, interests, and any special occasions. The more detail you provide, the better equipped your crew will be to deliver a personalized and flawless experience. We coordinate directly with the captain and crew to ensure every aspect is prepared for your arrival, allowing you to simply step on board and begin your holiday.
Ready to plan your unforgettable voyage? The specialists at DMA Yachting are here to match you with the perfect yacht, crew, and itinerary for your dream Turkey charter. Contact us today to start your journey.
