Why Should I Prefer a Blue Voyage Vacation?

The blue voyage takes you away from the stressful environment caused by factors such as traffic, pollution and crowds of big cities and allows you to have a pleasant time by taking you out of the ordinariness of your daily life. It allows you to watch the sunset, sunrise, and stars on the sea with the sounds of the wave, allowing you to integrate with nature and relax your soul. It offers the opportunity to spend a wonderful holiday with few belongings.

You will be the sole architect of your vacation during the blue voyage. You can spend your time either peacefully by resting and spending time in nature, or you can have plenty of activities and fun. During a blue voyage, you do not get stuck in one location. For instance, if you feel bored in a bay or think the bay is crowded, you can easily sail to another one. You can comfortably see many places in a short time. You can start your day in Bodrum and end it by eating fish in Dalyan.

Blue voyage offers much more than a basic sun and sea holiday. It can also be named as cultural tourism as you will have the chance to discover historical beauties during your trip. Because of all of these, lately, the blue voyage is not only preferred by sea lovers but also by a larger crowd.

Which Boat Types Are Suitable For Blue Cruise?

Traditional Wooden Yachts

Boat type best suited for a blue voyage in Turkey is the traditional wooden boat unique to the country. These boats, which are motor sailers, are divided into 3, but the most preferred type is the gulet. You can sail into the blue in comfort with the gulet rental option.

  1. Gulet: Gulet is the best type of traditional wooden boats for a blue voyage. It has a wide back where you can comfortably keep up your daily life. Gulets are 15-55 meters long and are ideal for 6 to 24 people.
  2. Square Sterned Boat: Square sterned boats has a square back which provides more space for extra cabins in comparison with gulets. They are 15-55 meters long and are ideal for 6 to 24 people.
  3. Tirhandil: Tirhandil is the oldest wooden yacht that is ideal to travel with on the Aegean Sea and has a pointed back. It is between 11 to 30 meters long and usually ideal for 6 to 16 people.

Modern Yachts

Modern yachts can both be rented with or without the crew and would offer you an unforgettable holiday.

  1. Sailboat: They are preferred by licensed sailors who want to determine their routes at sea. Although it is usually rented without crew, those who do not have an amateur maritime license can also hire a captain.
  2. Motoryacht: If time and speed are the determining factors for your blue voyage, the best choice is a motor yacht. These yachts, which are usually twin-engine, are quite high speed. Motor yachts are equipped with modern maritime systems and are usually crewed.
  3. Mega Yachts: Megayachts are very comfortable and offer high-quality service. The length of these yachts can vary from 45 meters to 160 meters.

What are the Blue Voyage Activities?

During a blue voyage, as well as relaxing your soul and body, you can also have healthy and enjoyable activities. Here are some fun activities that we have picked for you:

  • You can swim freely in breathtaking turquoise bays that are not accessible by land.
  • You can sleep while watching the stars.
  • You can read while listening to the sounds of waves.
  • You can go fishing.
  • You can dive.
  • You can do water sports.
  • You can explore the coasts with short walks.
  • You can discover historical places.
  • You can play games such as backgammon, dominos, tabu, monopoly, and chess.
  • You can make your holiday unforgettable by taking pictures under and above the sea.
  • You can chat. Blue Cruise offers people a unique and pleasant chat environment.

Life On A Blue Cruise Yacht

Life on a blue cruise yacht is simple and modest, but it is also quite enjoyable. During your blue cruise holiday, you can sleep by watching the stars on the deck and say hello to the day with the sunrise. Then you start the day with a short morning swim. The sound of the waves and the sunlight accompany your breakfast in an abundant oxygen atmosphere. After breakfast, you move to the bays and discover the historical and natural beauties of the bays you anchor. You can swim and enjoy the sea and the sun to the fullest. After lunch, you will head for the sheep harbor where you will stay in the evening. Here you can either swim in the sea, explore the surroundings or enjoy the setting sun. After dinner, you can end the day under the stars by chatting with your fellow travelers, listening to music or reading a book accompanied by sweet tiredness.

Turkey Blue Voyage Cruises

How Did Blue Cruise Tours Begin?

It was at the age of 39 when the writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, also known by the pen name Fisherman of Halicarnassus, was exiled to a small fishing village. Cursing at his misfortune, he arrived in Bodrum. The village had an otherworldly and addictive beauty. He would later write books about it. Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, with his books about archeology and mythology; he influenced the hearts and minds of many archeologists, historians, writers, and other people.

Until then Bodrum was an ordinary fishing town that relied on fishing and sponge diving. Taking fellow writers Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu and Azra Erhat with him, together they sailed to Gökova using villagers’ fishing and sponge boats. These journeys were later named as the blue cruise. They boarded ships native to southwestern Turkey named gulet, taking water, local white cheese and Kos rusk with them and spent weeks at the Turkish Riviera. They avoided taking newspapers and radio with them and stayed away from the rest of the world. They sought a unique experience to isolate themselves and become one with nature. Together, they stared at the shores that gave birth to many civilizations.

The trio enjoyed these journeys so much, they wrote numerous books about it. They invited their colleagues and friends to their cruises, and it became a tradition among intelligentsia within the country and, over time, everyone who is willing to do it. From April to October people now to board the iconic gulets and start their blue cruise to sail around the Aegean Sea. Friendly Mediterranean climate, the calm sea, the gentle wind, and naval freedom offer once in a lifetime experience.

Modern Times

In the 80s, as a result of the rising number of boats and competition, blue cruises became more affordable and their popularity rose. Tourists, both local and foreign, came to Turkey to make their blue cruise. They used to relax by the day, party at the nights, lie beneath the sun within the stillness of the coves and witness the ruins and sunken cities from another millennium. Living an experience like no other, they always came back, staying true to the words of Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, the Fisherman of Halicarnassus;

“When you’re at the top of the hill, there you will see Bodrum.
Don’t ever think you will leave as you’ve come.
The ones before were just like you,
and they all left Bodrum, leaving their minds behind.”

Traditionally, the blue cruise starts on a Saturday afternoon and ends on the following Saturday morning, taking at least one week. However, it can be a minimum of 4 days if the time is short. The cruise originally takes place in Turkish Riviera (also known as the Turquoise Coast) which is the famous coastal area in southwestern Turkey encompassing İzmir, Aydın, Muğla and Antalya provinces. Many destinations in the Riviera are known internationally such as Alanya, Antalya, Bodrum, Çeşme, Fethiye, Göcek, Kalkan, Kaş, Kemer, Kuşadası, Marmaris, Bozburun, Selimiye, and Side.

The original Blue Cruise, also known as blue voyage or Carian Cruise, included some of the Greek islands as well, known as the Dodecanese Islands, which was part of the historical Caria, shares the history, the geography and the climate of the region. The island routes give another depth to the cruise, it makes it international and allows travelers to experience the Aegean Sea uniquely.

Today, the blue cruise isn’t just confined to Southwestern Turkey and the Dodecanese Islands. It also includes entire Greece and Croatia. This makes the journey not just an Aegean experience but also a Mediterranean one as well.

What Are The Best Blue Cruise Routes?

The routes must be well defined to enjoy the blue cruise holiday. There are many routes suitable for this holiday concept in Turkey which is surrounded by seas on 3 sides. Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris and the Greek Islands are just some of the preferred areas. You can sail into the turquoise waters of Datça with Bodrum blue cruise option, swim in the clear waters of Greece by visiting the Northern 12 Islands or South 12 Islands and visit the historical monuments there. You can enjoy the quiet and unspoiled bays on Fethiye, Marmaris, Kas / Kalkan routes with the Gocek Blue Cruise option. You can have a chance to see the famous islands such as Rhodes, Crete, Santorini, and Mykonos with a blue cruise option.