A week under sail from Marmaris
The Hisarönü Gulf west of Marmaris is the most rewarding part of Turkey for a first week on your own boat: legs of 3–4 hours, wind after lunch, dozens of sheltered bays where you can anchor or tie up to a restaurant pontoon for free (have dinner and the berth is yours). The route is a loop of about 100 nautical miles and suits a monohull and a catamaran alike.
Day by day
Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
Boat handover after 17:00, provisioning at the Migros supermarket by the marina, night on the pontoon. If there is time, a short hop to Kumlubük bay (8 nm).
Marmaris → Çiftlik
- Çiftlik36.708, 28.238
- Kumlubükmooring buoys36.745, 28.274
Lunch at anchor off Kadırga island; by evening, Çiftlik bay: sandy bottom, restaurant pontoons, a quiet night.
Çiftlik → Bozburun
- Bozburun36.677, 28.043
- Söğütmooring buoys36.659, 28.083
- Bozukkale (Loryma)mooring buoys36.576, 28.012
Round the cape and into the Hisarönü Gulf. Bozburun is the gulet-building capital: a waterfront, a solid breeze after 14:00, and the best marinated tuna at the market.
Bozburun → Selimiye
- Selimiye36.711, 28.091
A short leg — a day for swimming. Selimiye is a postcard village with a dozen restaurants on the water; tie up at the Sardunya pontoons or anchor deep in the bay.
Selimiye → Dirsek
- Dirsek36.735, 28.005
Dirsek is a bay with no road and no signal: just a restaurant on stilts and goats on the slopes. The quietest night of the week.
Dirsek → Datça or Orhaniye
- Datça36.724, 27.690
- Martı Marina (Orhaniye)marina36.771, 28.127
The town option: Datça and its Saturday market. The nature option: Orhaniye and the Kız Kumu sandbar, where people walk 'on the water'.
Back to Marmaris
- Marmaris36.849, 28.274
Leave in the morning, lunch stop at Turunç, fuel dock and handover by 17:00. Night on the boat in the marina, fly out the next day.
Coordinates are approximate, for the harbour or bay. Paste them into Google Maps or a chartplotter, and check the chart and pilot book before you moor or anchor.
Good to know
- Wind: in summer a steady 12–20 knots from the west during the day, dying in the evening. Storm closures are rare — the area works from April to November.
- Berths: restaurant pontoons are free if you have dinner; nights at anchor in Çiftlik, Dirsek and Orhaniye. The only marina is in Marmaris — budget for it on the first and last night if it is not included.
- Formalities: the transit log and the security deposit are paid at the base at the fleet's price list. Sailing into Greek waters (Rhodes and Symi are close) needs separate clearance — within a week it rarely makes sense.
How to get to the marina
- Marmaris (Netsel Marina / Marmaris Yacht Marina)
- Dalaman (DLM) — 95 km, 85 min by carBodrum (Milas) (BJV) — 130 km, 2 h by car
1.5 h · €70–80 per car
Pre-booked transfer: the driver meets you in arrivals with a name sign. €70 to Netsel, €80 to Marmaris Yacht Marina per car for 1–5 people.
1.5 h · €90–130 per car
Taxi from the rank outside arrivals, priced in lira. Marmaris Yacht Marina costs €10–15 more than Netsel; agree the fare before you get in.
1.5 h · €25–50 per day
Rental desks in the arrivals hall; the D400 runs via Ortaca and Köyceğiz. The car sits at the marina all week, so it only pays off if you also tour by land.
2–2.5 h · €120–170 per car
No direct bus from Bodrum — only a taxi or transfer, about two hours via Muğla.
2–3 h · €6–9 per person
Havaş and Muttaş buses run from the airport car park to Marmaris bus station, then a dolmuş or taxi to Netsel. For Marmaris Yacht Marina take a taxi from the bus station, about €12–15.
Dalaman buses leave around flight arrivals (Havaş follows domestic ones), so after an international flight you may wait up to an hour — ask at the desk in arrivals. Netsel is in the town centre; Marmaris Yacht Marina is 8 km out on the Adaköy side.
Prices are autumn 2026 estimates in euros; times are without traffic. Bus and ferry timetables change with the season, so check them before you travel.
Airport — marina — airport, 24/7
A car for 1–6 people (Mercedes Vito or VW Transporter) or a Mercedes Sprinter for 9–12. Dalaman, Antalya and Bodrum airports; Marmaris, Göcek, Fethiye, Bodrum, Kaş and Finike marinas, and pick-ups from Çiftlik, Kumlubük and other bays on request.
Prices per car
- Dalaman → Marmaris, Netsel Marina€70
- Dalaman → Marmaris, Marmaris Yacht Marina€80
- Dalaman → Orhaniye, Marti Marina€110
- Dalaman → Fethiye€60
- Dalaman → Göcek€50
- Antalya → Fethiyefrom €140
Prices are for 1–5 people; a sixth passenger is +€10, a Mercedes Sprinter +€30. The exact price is confirmed when you book.
Included
- meet and greet at arrivals with a name sign
- air conditioning, water and Wi-Fi in the car
- passenger insurance for the trip
- Russian-speaking manager 24/7
When to go and what it costs in Turkey
Median € per berth per week from the agent's latest check, monohulls; each month's page has both boat types, a chart and boats departing that month.
Discounted boats in Turkey
All boats in Turkey
How long is the Marmaris — Datça route and where do you stay overnight?
7 days and about 100 nautical miles in a loop, starting and finishing in Marmaris. Overnight stops in order: Marmaris, Çiftlik, Bozburun, Selimiye, Dirsek, Datça. The longest leg is day 3, 22 nm.
How do I get to the marina for the Marmaris — Datça route?
The route starts and finishes at Marmaris (Netsel Marina / Marmaris Yacht Marina). The nearest airport is Dalaman (DLM), 95 km away. Fastest: transfer, 1.5 h, €70–80 per car. Cheapest: bus, 2–3 h, €6–9 per person.
When is the best time to sail the Marmaris — Datça route?
Turkey has a long season, April to November. July and August are the peak, with the highest prices; May, June, September and October bring warm water, a steady afternoon breeze and prices below the peak. October is still warm and noticeably cheaper than summer; April and November are cooler but the cheapest. By the agent's latest checks (monohulls), the cheapest month is March: a median of ≈€313 per berth per week. The most expensive is October, at €417. The most boats with 20% off or more are in November: 43%. The agent checks the current month and the next five; each month has its own page with the numbers.
How much does a yacht for this route cost?
A whole boat in Turkey for a week starts from €780 in the agent's current selection: the cheapest discounted week departing in the next three months. Prices per berth by month are higher up the page; the boats are under “All boats in Turkey”.
Do I need a licence to charter a yacht?
For a bareboat charter (no skipper or crew provided), yes: a skipper's licence and, as a rule, a VHF radio certificate. Without a licence, we add a skipper, paid separately from the boat price.
What's included in the boat price?
Just the boat, for a week. Usually paid separately: transit log and final cleaning, fuel, marina fees, the security deposit (or deposit insurance), a skipper, cook and hostess if you need them, and extras (SUP board, on-board Wi-Fi, coffee machine, child safety netting).
