Eastern Med: the lure of Turkey's Turquoise Coast for superyachts

With 900 superyachts cruising Turkey’s Turquoise Coast each year, Georgia Boscawen seeks out the special allure of the Eastern Med

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The sun-drenched western coast of Turkey welcomed 937 holidaying superyachts to its waters in 2023, according to BOATPro. Its immaculate beaches, vibrant culture and glamorous hotels have always attracted a good proportion of the fleet, but yacht visitors have been steadily increasing in the last five years. Turkey’s Carian and Lycian coasts – which run from Bodrum to Antalya – along with the wider Turkish Riviera, offer a hard-to-beat combination: beguiling history (with 21 UNESCO World Heritage Sites) and an undulating coastline with quiet corners and an abundance of natural beauty.

I peer over the tranquil, turquoise bay from the glass-sided terrace at D Maris Bay, one of the most prominent yachting hotels on the Datça Peninsula. It lies 40 nautical miles northwest from Dalaman, in the middle of the Eastern Med. The bay glitters as the sun rises, illuminating the eight superyachts anchored in the private bay. “We’re almost running at full capacity but we’ll never crowd the bay,” Vito Romeo, D Maris Bay’s general manager, says over our enormous breakfast. “We don’t want it to feel busy, even with the yachts, but we’re lucky here, as the resort is well arranged for this.”

COURTESY OF D-MARIS BAY D Maris Bay is a five-star resort on the Datça Peninsula that encompasses five private beaches amid the pine-covered hills. Top image: Alia motor yacht at D Maris Bay

In the high season, yachts line the moorings; they can number in their hundreds but you can’t see them all. Hewn into a rocky outcrop on this jagged coast, the resort is, in fact, massive, though not noticeably so, thanks to its hexagonal shape that blends into the mountains. One could quite comfortably remain at D Maris Bay for several weeks and still experience a degree of diversity and privacy, be it spending the day in the dimly lit spa, tucking into a book alone on Silence Beach or enjoying the daily sunset ritual on a lawn strewn with deckchairs and a champagne bar. One night I spent the evening at Manos, the hotel’s Greek-style taverna, smashing plates and flinging my arms around the shoulders of strangers in the Sirtaki folk dance. The next, I cruised across the bay to La Guérite, an outpost of the French beach club that gained a following in Cannes.

Highlights of D Maris Bay include Silence Beach, whose champagne bar serves
the sunset watchers. Hover/touch to see close up.

Admittedly, the experience here isn’t designed to launch you into Turkish culture – it’s a superyacht playground of sorts. But quiet corners, traditional bazaars and local cuisine aren’t too far away via water, for those who do want to explore. Cruise 16 nautical miles west down the peninsula and you’ll arrive in the old port city of Datça, a relatively modern town, but with ancient roots and a picturesque waterfront with casual dining concentrated close to the sea. A couple of kilometres inland lies Eski Datça (old Datça), a cobbled hamlet with boutiques framed with bougainvillaea. Despite its size and position amid quiet farmland the town has a buzz, with live music and little cafés where you can pick up deathly strong Turkish coffee.

Each coastal town holds a history and microculture different from its neighbour

Onwards, the Datça winery beckons, lying atop a hill studded with olive trees and a stone windmill. This is the place to try the native Öküzgözü grape variety, a medium-body and fruity wine, although Cabernet Sauvignon thrives here too in the sandy soil, due to its proximity to the sea. Archaeological sites are also within a day’s cruising range, most famously the ancient city of Knidos, 18 nautical miles west of Datça at the end of the peninsula. Dating back to the 4th century BCE, the remains of Byzantine-era churches, temples to Apollo and a preserved amphitheatre lie here – the latter considered one of Turkey’s most remarkable archaeological sites.

D Maris Bay resort in south-west Turkey welcomes visiting yachts to its private bay; during the summer high season, hundreds will congregate. Bottom left: Manos, the property’s Greek-style taverna, where smashing plates is in order

Onward journey options are countless and remarkably easy from here, with Rhodes just 24 nautical miles away, Bodrum 17 nautical miles away and Kos even closer. It’s perhaps another reason why the peninsula saw 426 yachts pay a visit in 2023, which is 202 more yachts than there were in the whole of Malta. You’d never know it though, as cruising here tends to be quiet and dispersed.

Due to this, yachting infrastructure in Turkey is well-developed, with roughly 20 superyacht marinas dotted along the south-west coast. Göcek, another of Turkey’s yachting havens, lies 10 nautical miles north of Fethiye and sits at the foot of Liman’s russet hills. Here I find a playful blend of Ottoman tradition and contemporary architecture. It’s mythologically significant as the spot where Icarus landed in the sea after escaping the tower where he was imprisoned. In the early morning, the smell of coffee hangs in the air as vendors appear on the brick streets with their heated containers of sand, ready to entice pedestrians with steaming cups of the famed drink. Each colourful path is lined with bazaars stocking kaftans, souvenirs and traditional pastries. For those looking to delve further into Fethiye, D Resort (D Maris’ sister property) has bikes available for guests to visit Katranci Bay Nature Park and swim in its quiet lagoon.

COURTESY D RESORT GOECEK D Resort Göcek, a sister property of D Maris Bay, lies within one of Turkey’s yachting havens in the heart of the Turkish Riviera

Back at the hotel I’m whizzing out of the marina, (on the D Maris sundowner boat) a glass of champagne thrust into my hand. We cruise past Göcek Adasi and Tersane Adasi, two islands that are home to upmarket waterside Turkish restaurants and gin-clear swimming spots within an unspoiled archipelago. “This is the only property on this island,” says the captain, pointing to an earthy terracotta-tiled house on Domuz Adasi, a line of swaying palm trees in its luscious garden. It captures the understated elegance of the region.

Quiet corners, bazaars and local cuisine aren't too far away via water

If you were to cruise a few miles from Göeck, you’d discover the ancient city of Telmessos or, heading inland from Göeck, you’d find Tlos, another archaeological marvel filled with Lycian city ruins, rock-face tombs and a hilltop acropolis. For more natural wonders, the blue lagoon of Ölüdeniz sits just 14 nautical miles south; it’s not just a spectacular swimming spot, but also the start of the Lycian Way, one of the world’s most epic walking trails at about 520 kilometres.

COURTESY OF D-MARIS BAY

COURTESY D RESORT GOECEK At D Resort Göcek, the waterside restaurant D’Breeze serves up local Aegean cuisine

COURTESY D RESORT GOECEK

Satisfied that I’ve delved deep into Turkey’s yachting culture and feeling immersed in its overwhelming diversity, in truth, I have merely scratched the surface. Each of the coastal towns holds a history and micro-culture remarkably different from its neighbour. “You won’t understand it until you go there,” people tell me. Proximity to traditional yachting hotspots has dealt Turkey a marvellous hand, but couple that with archaeological sites and natural charms, and you have the promise of an eastern superyacht hub.

Top left: ruins in Tlos, an ancient Lycian city inland of Fethiye. Botton left: the well-preserved amphitheatre of the ancient city of Knidos

GETTY IMAGES The alluring blue waters of Ölüdeniz, which marks the beginning of the Lycian Way walking trail

First published in the February 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.

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EASTERN PROMISE

The lure of the Mediterranean for superyachts

With 900 superyachts cruising Turkey’s Turquoise Coast each year, Georgia Boscawen seeks out the special allure of the Eastern Med

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