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The Best Fethiye Boat Trips

You’re in Fethiye – the heart of the Turkish Riviera – in the heat of the Mediterranean sun. Of course, Fethiye boat trips are going to be right up there around the top of your agenda!

View of Fethiye harbour from the sea. Day trip boats are lined up beneath the backdrop.
Fethiye harbour hosts boats of all shapes and sizes

We’ll be honest; our days of bobbing about on the waves by way of daily boat trips are few and far between, these days.

Once every couple of years gives us the fix we need.

But we have done countless trips around the local bays and islands over the years on boats of all shapes and sizes.

And some of our friends love the daily Fethiye boat trips so much, they have been known to rack up four outings on one fortnight-long holiday.

No wonder then that this activity – whether a public or a private boat trip – is firmly ensconced on our list of top things to do in Fethiye.

So, if you’re in the Fethiye area and you want to spend a day – or longer – on the ocean waves, swimming in pristine turquoise waters and soaking up all the natural beauty of the Turkish Riviera, here’s our guide to the types of boat trips available.

View of Fethiye harbour from the rear as it leaves for a daily boat trip. There is white froth on the sea in the wake.
Setting off from Fethiye for a day on the water

Arguably the most famous and most established of the boat trips from Fethiye, a walk along Fethiye harbour will allow you to take your pick of the vessels that set off on a full-day tour to the 12 islands.

Because there are so many, the trips are a reasonable price.

A strip of island in the sea with Fethiye mountains in the background.
Flat Island is a popular stop for day trip boats

A few swim stops – usually around 5 – lunch included, the gentle sea breeze and the waves.

Perfect combination for leisurely day trips.

The boats that head out on this trip to places like Flat Island tend to be the bigger ones that hold more people.

This is because they’re more powerful and able to handle the currents and swell as they cross the gulf.

You still have choices, though.

There are still boats of various sizes.

So if you don’t want to be on one of the huge wooden boats that can – and do – carry scores of people, there are medium-sized boats, too.

These are still the 2-storey wooden boats with space for sunbathing on the top tier and shade underneath.

A white boat in a sheltered Fethiye bay.
The Göcek islands have lots of sheltered areas for swim stops

And if you need your 12 island boat tour to be a chill out zone, some of the companies advertise no loud music.

Weather conditions permitting, for an unforgettable experience, there’s also a couple of boats that can go under sail for a while once they’re out onto more open sea.

Boats sailing around these small islets usually take different routes so that the anchor points for swim stops don’t get too crowded but the high season will obviously be busier than early and late season.

If you are in a hotel elsewhere in Fethiye, you can usually book the daily 12 island boat trip either with your hotel or via one of the local tour agents in your resort.

Whilst you might pay a few lira more this way, the trip will usually include hotel pickup and dropoff.

Of the daily boat trips leaving from Fethiye and Çalış, the trips around the beautiful bays of the Fethiye coastline will give you the opportunity to swim in some of the most beautiful spots.

Steps lead into clear turquoise water from a Fethiye boat trip boat.
The waters of the Fethiye blue bays tempt even reluctant swimmers

Pristine, calm, crystal-clear waters await, along with a delicious lunch.

When we do venture out onto the water, it’s the bays trip that we prefer over the others.

The boats are smaller – hence why they hug the coastline.

A wooden gület anchored in a bay with pine trees hugging the coastline.
The bays of Fethiye’s coastline are stunning

And if you’re a big family or a group of friends, you can book a private boat trip and have the boat to yourselves.

Or if there’s just a couple of you and you still want a boat trip on a smaller boat, you can book on a public one, too.

Boats heading out to the bays leave from both Fethiye harbour and the canal that runs parallel to Çalış Beach.

A row of Çalış Boats lined up in the canal.
Çalış Boat Cooperative day trip boats moored up along the canal

Boats leaving from Çalış are part of the Çalış Boat Cooperative and tend to leave an hour earlier than the Fethiye boats, returning an hour earlier thus preventing a rush hour traffic situation.

Although the boats tend to visit the same bays, the captain of your boat will usually try to time their stops so that the bay is quiet for your swimming break and any water sports that are on offer.

Red Island and Şövalye Island are popular final swim stops.

Traditional Turkish wooden gülets, yachts and day trip boats anchored in a Fethiye bay. A pine-clad hillside backs onto the bay.
Swimming, snorkelling, water sports in the bays

If you’re a snorkelling fan, the glistening turquoise waters lapping the rocky bays are full of marine life and perfect for you!

As with the Çalış sunday market, the small town of Göcek has a market each Sunday.

I Love Göcek sign in blue and white lettering.
Tiny Göcek has a marina and shopping – and a Sunday market

We’ve done the Göcek Sunday Market boat trip from Fethiye a handful of times – and not been to the market.

We like to use this as a 2-in-1 day out: A Fethiye boat trip with swim stops coupled with the opportunity to wander around Göcek for a couple of hours.

It’s a great day out if you’re someone who isn’t keen on the idea of being on a boat all day.

It’s also a good double whammy if you want to explore a different part of the Fethiye area and do a boat trip but you don’t have a lot of time.

Two birds with one stone and all that!

The view from a Fethiye boat trip as it reverses into Göcek harbour. Tree-lined mountains are in the background.
Reversing into Göcek harbour on the boat

A small handful of boats do the trip across the water to Göcek with a couple of swim stops on the way back to Fethiye. It’s a full-day trip.

As an aside, if you fancy a mooch around Göcek and you don’t want a boat trip, it’s easy to get the dolmuş.

As with Fethiye and Çalış, numerous daily boat trips leave the coastline of Belcekiz Beach in Ölüdeniz.

Looking down a ravine from high above. Cliff faces either side reveal a green valley below before it reaches the beach and turquoise sea.
Ölüdeniz day trip boats stop at Butterfly Valley

The big pirate boats are currently popular. But there are other types of boat, too, if this isn’t your thing and you want more of a chill day.

Daily boat trips usually sail along the coast for swim stops at stunning Butterfly Valley and then over to places like Coldwater Bay below Kayaköy, Camel Beach and St. Nicholas Island (yes, that St.Nicholas who was born in Patara whose church and tomb is in Demre…and is also known as Santa Claus).

If you want to explore the ancient ruins of the island – also called Gemiler Island – there is a small entrance fee.

If you’re wondering what your lunch will be like when you do boat trips from Fethiye, well that depends on the boat.

On the large boats that head out towards the islands off Göcek, it is usually a more simple affair – there are lots of people to serve, after all.

Often, you will get a choice of grilled chicken, fish or köfte with a salad like shepherd’s salad, pasta like Turkish spaghetti (that we like to call ‘boat trip spaghetti’) and fresh bread.

Other boats will offer a barbecue and buffet lunch with a selection of Turkish salads and meze dishes.

Some will also offer cake and / or fruit.

As for the Çalış Boat Cooperative, they have a set amount of tasty meze dishes and salads that are served at lunchtime, along with a hot offering like chicken.

Lots of small white dishes of Turkish food on a Fethiye boat trip.
A whole host of meze plates on a Fethiye boat trip from Çalış

Every boat must serve the same amount of meze plates.

Whilst there are some staples that most boats serve, what is on those meze plates is down to the boat owners.

On this particular boat in the photo above, we had:

Later in the trip – usually as you reach Şövalye or Red Island, cake and fruit is served.

Depending on the artistic prowess of the boat staff, your fruit platter can be a rather ornamental affair!

A huge display of colourful mixed fruit, topped with cherries.
Fruit in the afternoon

We will say now, whichever boat trip we have been on over the years, public or private, however varied or simple the food, we’ve never had a bad meal.

All day trip boats have their own bar serving hot drinks, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and snacks like crisps and ice cream.

Lunch is included in your boat trip fee but drinks and snacks are payable separately.

Over the years, the owners of the boats in Fethiye have listened to customers.

So, these days, as well as the popular daily boat trips mentioned above, some boat owners also offer a bit of variety.

A silhouette of a Turkish gület on the water at sunset.
How about a sunset trip?
  • Sunset Trip: If you want to watch the sunset whilst out on the water, some boat owners head out an hour or so before sunset, returning late evening.
  • Half-day Trip: Not everyone wants to be out on a boat all day. If this is you and you still want to experience a bit of time on the water, a half-day boat trip could do the trick.
  • Party Boats: Particularly in Ölüdeniz, some boats do foam parties and the like. Perfect if that’s your thing. And if not, you’ve been warned. Do your research before you book that trip!
  • Speed Boats: Speed boats with driver are available in Ölüdeniz and Çalış to zip you around bays and islands.
  • Water Taxis: And if you just want to get from A to B, there is a water taxi from Ölüdeniz Beach to Butterfly Valley and also the Çalış water taxi that crosses the bay between Çalış and Fethiye centre. Particularly popular on Fethiye market day!
A water taxi sails past along a canal.
The Çalış water taxi returning along the canal

Depending on weather and the time of the season, some Fethiye day trip boats will also offer the occasional overnight trip or a completely different route.

If you want to book on a boat trip, most can be booked in resort when you arrive.

Stroll along Fethiye harbour or book with one of the local agents where you’re staying.

Most boat companies and agents have an online presence where you can look at what’s on offer and book the trip of your choice.

Hopefully, this has given you a good idea of what’s on offer when it comes to daily boat trips from Fethiye.

If you want to explore further afield with day trips from Fethiye, you can book with local agents, where you’re staying in the Fethiye area and experience pretty Dalyan via a river cruise, taking in the famous mud baths.

The price for that will include your transfer to and from Dalyan.

A traditional wooden gület in Fethiye harbour.
Head out from Fethiye on a gület cruise

And if you want longer than a day on the water, traditional Turkish gülets depart Fethiye for multi-day blue cruises either around the bays and islands or on the famous cruise to Olympos, taking in Simena Kaleköy and Kekova sunken city, en route.

Happy boat tripping!

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Mavis Murray

Saturday 1st of February 2025

We have been going to ovacik for 30 years and never miss the boat trip. We have gone on many different boats, always the quiet one, and the last few years we use a sailboat. Never had a bad trip or a bad meal. Highly recommend

Turkey's For Life

Thursday 6th of February 2025

Hi Mavis, thanks a lot for your comment. Glad you enjoy the Fethiye boat trips and great that you get to go on a sailboat! :) And yeah, the food rarely disappoints. Hope you get to fo another boat trip in 2025.