Sail Aegean.

The coast between Bodrum and Fethiye is short-hop sailing at its most forgiving. Pine runs down to the water, the bays are deep and calm, and you rarely need more than three or four hours under sail to reach the next anchorage. Water sits warm from June to September. The gulet tradition means many bays have a pontoon and a family restaurant that will take your lines and cook the day's catch — you eat well and pay less than you would across the Aegean in Greece.

We like it for the mix. You can spend a week barely leaving the Gulf of Fethiye and never anchor in the same cove twice, or push west past Marmaris toward Bodrum for longer legs and busier towns. It suits first charterers and families as readily as sailors who want distance.

Three grounds do most of the work. The Gulf of Fethiye and the Göcek islands are the gentlest — a cluster of wooded islets, sheltered inlets and pontoon coves within an easy day of each other, ideal for a relaxed week. Around Marmaris and Orhaniye the coastline opens up: the long fjord-like bay at Orhaniye with its sandspit, the ruins at Datça, and passages toward the Greek islands if you carry the right papers.

Bodrum, further north-west, is the busiest hub — a lively town, a castle over the harbour, and longer open stretches toward Turgutreis and the Gökova Gulf. Göcek, Fethiye and Marmaris hold the widest choice of full-service marinas; Bodrum and Turgutreis anchor the northern base. Most charters start from one of these and you can often arrange a one-way between them.

The season runs roughly May to October. July and August are hot, reliable and busy — bays fill by late afternoon, so anchor early. May, June, September and early October are our pick: warm water, thinner crowds, and steadier daytime breeze.

The Aegean's summer wind is the meltemi, blowing from the north or north-west. It's strongest and most consistent around Bodrum and the open Gökova Gulf, where it can pipe up to force 5-6 on an August afternoon. Deep inside the Gulf of Fethiye and among the Göcek islands you're largely sheltered from it — mornings are often calm, with a useful sea breeze filling in by midday. Plan westward and northern legs for the morning before the meltemi builds.

The fleet here is broad. Bareboat is the bulk of it — monohulls and catamarans you skipper yourself, from compact 30-somethings up to larger cats for two families sharing. If you'd rather not skipper, crewed options run from a hired skipper on your bareboat through to fully crewed yachts and gulets with a cook aboard.

Catamarans are popular for families and groups who want space and shallow-draft access to the bays; monohulls sail better to windward and cost less. A skippered week is the easy way in if you're new to the area — a local skipper knows which coves hold in the meltemi and where the pontoons are worth stopping. Crew details on request.

Charter price depends on boat size, age and week. A bareboat monohull in the shoulder season is the affordable end; a large crewed catamaran or gulet in peak August is the top. Prices quoted are usually for the boat per week, before extras.

Budget separately for fuel, the end cleaning fee, and a security deposit held against the boat. Adding a skipper is a per-day cost on top, and a cook or hostess more again. Marina and pontoon fees vary — many Göcek bays charge for an overnight mooring, often bundled with dinner ashore. For a firm figure on a specific boat and date, message us on WhatsApp with your dates and group size and we'll come back with a real quote. Price on request.

Day 1 — Board at Göcek in the afternoon, provision, and motor to a quiet island anchorage nearby for the first night.

Day 2 — Work through the Göcek islands: Yassıca, Boynuz Buku, Bedri Rahmi Bay with its painted tree. Short hops, plenty of swimming.

Day 3 — Cross to Fethiye, clear the town for supplies, then anchor off one of the beaches in the outer gulf.

Day 4 — Longer leg south toward Ölüdeniz and the coast below, or hold in the gulf if the wind is up.

Day 5 — Turn back north-west, aim for Kapı Creek or Tomb Bay, take a pontoon and eat ashore.

Day 6 — Sail among the islands at a slow pace, last long swim, anchor near Göcek.

Day 7 — Short morning run back to base to disembark. Adjust freely — nothing here is more than a few hours off.

Most charters out of Göcek, Fethiye and Marmaris fly into Dalaman airport, 20-40 minutes by transfer to Göcek and around an hour to Marmaris. Bodrum and Turgutreis bases use Bodrum-Milas airport. Both take direct summer flights from much of Europe.

Bring your passport; Turkish entry requirements and any visa apply per nationality, so check before you travel. If you plan to sail across to the Greek islands you'll need the boat's transit log and proper clearance — tell us in advance so the base can prepare the paperwork. Provision in the base town on arrival; supermarkets in Göcek, Fethiye, Marmaris and Bodrum are well stocked. Message us on WhatsApp and we'll match you to a base and a boat.