How To Sail In Turkey? – Best Spots!

Planning a sailing holiday in Turkey? That’s awesome! Without a doubt, it is an excellent idea for a gateway with friends or family.

This beautiful country has so much to offer for those who seek to discover stunning coastlines, spectacular landscapes, incredible culture, magnificent bays, and hundreds of fantastic secluded islands.

Before planning your sailing trip, it is preferable to know how to sail in Turkey, and this is exactly what you are going to find out in this article!

People strolling in the stret of BODRUM

4 Charming Coasts of Turkey

So, let’s start by saying that Turkey is surrounded by beautiful countries and divided into four different sailing areas. Each coast is unique and possesses a particular charm.

  • The Ionian coast offers rich cultures, fascinating history, and fantastic weather.
  • The Carian Coast is fantastic and is renowned for being the most famous sailing ground in Turkey.
  • The West Lycian has impressive mountains, fantastic bays, and tiny hidden coves.
  • The East Lycian coast is reputed for its famous tombs and Lycian-appealing culture.

Weather

One of the most important factors when sailing is the weather, and because of Turkey’s different latitudes, the climate is extremely variable.

The Aegean Sea has a pleasant Mediterranean climate that varies between 23 to 28 degrees during the summer from May to October and has relatively mild winters.

The Marmara Sea has a semi-Mediterranean climate; the waters are colder than the Aegean, varying between 20 to 24 degrees from June to August. Swimming is not recommended after those months.

Due to the Caucasus Mountains, the Black Sea has an Oceanic climate with very warm summers as well as cold winters. The Black Sea waters are constantly fresh, varying between 10 to 20 degrees, and this is all year long! Water activities are more suitable in the Marmara Sea.


When to Sail?

The sailing conditions are great in Turkey, but the Meltemi is present during the summer (June to September).

Generally, it begins to blow in the afternoon to disappear at sunset and sometimes can even last for several days. It would be better to take some precautions and be attentive to the weather.

Hopefully, the Meltemi wind does not blow every day. However, if you want to avoid the strong winds, then it would be preferable to sail in September or October. if the Meltemi is not a threat to you, then June through September will be perfect.

View on a Marina in Turkey

Best Places to Sail and to Visit

The main starting points are in Gocek, Bodrum, and Marmaris, where you can find many charter companies. 7 to 10 days will be enough to cover some beautiful places, such as

  • Gocek is an attractive and comfortable place to start your sailing trip
  • Oludeniz is a tiny, beautiful island with plenty of pastoral churches and fascinating history about St.Nicholas, who has lived in this lovely village.
  • Fethiye possesses the biggest local market in the region and fantastic sites for diving.
  • Gulf of Gocek is incredibly spectacular, with impressive monuments to visit, such as Tomb Bay, Cleopatra’s’ Bay, and Monastery Bay.
  • Iztuzu in Dalaman River offers tour guides spoken in English to Caunos and Dalyan Ruins. Ekincik is an excellent restaurant to have a nice dinner.

Street in the Gulf of GocekTypes of boats to sail in Turkey

There are many types of boats to choose from to have a comfortable and pleasant sailing fleet; here are some good suggestions.

  • Catamaran is an awesome boat very appreciated by families or groups of people due to its fantastic sociable spaces, wide beam, and its spacious deck.
  • A monohull is an excellent sailing boat mainly used for pleasure and racing. Those yachts are perfect for those who want to experience the real feeling of sailing.
  • Gulet is a beautiful boat and perfect to sail in Turkey around old ports. These ships possess large salons with several cabins and wide expanses decks for sunbathing and relaxation.

Taking a few days in extra won’t be a waste of time because there are so many beautiful places to discover, and sailing is by far the best way to explore this wonderful country.

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Have you already sailed to Turkey? If so, you are welcome to share your experiences in the comments below.

8 thoughts on “How To Sail In Turkey? – Best Spots!”

  1. Hi Daniella,

    Always nice to visit your site. Your photos make me want to pack my bags and take vacation. So you think June through September is the best time to plan a trip?

    Reply
    • Hi Ed
      How great to speak with you again, it depends where you want to sail! If you are a new sailor, then the Ionian it the perfect place.

      Reply

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