Gulet cruising is an increasingly popular option for clients wanting to combine a relaxing holiday with a tour of Turkey’s coastline.
Particular to Turkey, a gulet is a traditional wooden yacht, typically accommodating between four and ten people.
Itineraries are usually flexible and the boat can stop as little or as often as the group wants for diving, swimming or visits to local villages.
In a week there would usually be two or three overnight stays in a main harbour, with the rest of the time spent moored just off the mainland.
As with villa holidays, the price will depend on how many people charter a boat. A couple can choose to charter their own gulet but obviously this would be more expensive than if a group of six friends shared the cost.
Simply Turkey reports that an increasing number of people are booking onto its ‘shared weeks’ where singles and couples can book just one or two places on a shared boat.
Prices always include full-board accommodation and all cooking is undertaken by the crew. Usually, the only on-board extras are drinks from the bar.
At the top end of the price scale is Simply Travel’s archaeological cruise. Starting in Gocek and finishing in Antalya, the lead-in price of £1,215 includes all flights and transfers, plus 14 days’ cruising along the sights of Lycia and Pamphylia, as well as an expert guide, and entry to the ruins of Lydae, Aperlae, Phaselis and Olympos.
For those who appreciate the comfort of dry land, Tapestry offers a two-week, three-centre package for £900.
This includes three nights in Istanbul and four in Kalkan, staying half-board at any of the properties featured in its Very Best of Uncommercial Turkey brochure, followed by one week on a gulet.
Gulet and activity holidays are a good combination. Particularly good value is Sunworld’s diving cruise. The lead-in price of £429 includes seven days’ full-board and two dives per day for five days, as well as the services of a diving instructor and a local guide.
Novice divers also have to pay £90 for an open water certification course.
A word of warning though – if clients are expecting to sail off into the sunset, they may be disappointed. The gentle chug of a diesel engine is perhaps more likely, as the sails are often left unused.
This is a bonus for the less nautically inclined though, as ‘motoring’ ensures a smoother passage.
The sailing policy changes from operator to operator, so be sure to check first what this policy is, and whether it is an issue for the customer.