Last updated: 22 October 202610 min read
A Bodrum blue cruise is a boat holiday that leaves Bodrum Harbour and spends several nights in the bays of the Gulf of Gökova, with the whole boat reserved for your group. Andrea Yachting offers two sample routes: 3 nights around the mouth of the gulf and 7 nights around the whole Gulf of Gökova. Below you'll find the day-by-day plan, what's included and the best months to go.
At a glance
- Duration: 3 or 7 nights; the number of days can be planned around you
- Boats: Gulets with cabins, motor yachts, sailing yachts and catamarans; the whole boat is yours
- Departure: Bodrum Harbour (Bodrum, Muğla)
- Route: Orak Island, Çökertme, Löngöz Bay, English Harbour, Sedir Island, Black Island
- Included: The boat, captain and crew, fuel for the planned route, port entry and exit costs
- Not included: Meals (a separate full-board package), drinks, marina and mooring buoy fees, transfers
- Getting there: Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV) 36 km, about 35–40 minutes
What is a Bodrum blue cruise?
A Bodrum blue cruise is a 3–7 night boat holiday from Bodrum Harbour, anchoring in a different bay each night. The captain and crew handle the sailing, anchoring and running of the boat, while you set the pace.
Most blue cruises from Bodrum head east into the Gulf of Gökova. The gulf lies between the Bodrum and Datça peninsulas; Çökertme and Mazı are on its north shore, while Sedir Island and English Harbour are in its eastern part.
If you'd rather spend a single day at sea without staying overnight, see Bodrum boat trips for shared trips or Bodrum boat hire for a private boat.
How many nights? Route options
Three nights are enough to see the mouth of the Gulf of Gökova; seven nights take you to both shores and Sedir Island. The route and number of days can be planned around your group; the routes below are examples.
| Duration | Route | Highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights | Mouth of the Gulf of Gökova | Tavşan Burnu, Pabuç Burnu, Orak Island, Çökertme, Mazı Bay, Black Island | First-time blue cruisers, a short break |
| 7 nights | Bodrum–Gulf of Gökova–Bodrum | Orak Island, Çökertme, Çatı Bay, Löngöz Bay, English Harbour, Sedir Island, Karacasöğüt | Those with a week, anyone keen to see both shores of the gulf |
For routes that stay among the 12 Islands of Göcek Bay, see the Göcek blue cruise; for routes to Kaş and Kekova, see the Fethiye blue cruise.
3-night route: the mouth of the Gulf of Gökova
The short route combines the bays just east of Bodrum with Orak Island at the mouth of the gulf. Sailing legs are short and swim stops are long.
- Day1
Board at Bodrum Harbour in the afternoon, first swim at Tavşan Burnu
Overnight: Pabuç Burnu
- Day2
A long swim stop at Orak Island
Overnight: Çökertme
- Day3
Alakışla Bay and Mazı Bay
Overnight: Poyraz Bay, Black Island
- Day4
The hot spring cave on Black Island; disembark at Bodrum Harbour around midday
Orak Island is an uninhabited island at the mouth of the Gulf of Gökova, with no settlement, jetty, toilet or shade. The cave on Black Island (Karaada) has warm water and mud, and there's a small entry fee.
7-night route: the Gulf of Gökova
The long route follows the north shore to the eastern end of the gulf, calls at Sedir Island on the south shore and returns to Bodrum. The sailing legs are longer than on the short route; Sedir Island and English Harbour are its highlights.
- Day1
Board in the afternoon and meet the crew, swim at Tavşan Burnu
Overnight: Pabuç Burnu
- Day2
Swim and lunch in Alakışla Bay
Overnight: Çökertme
- Day3
Swim stops in the bays along the north shore
Overnight: Çatı Bay
- Day4
Çamaltı Bay
Overnight: Küfre Bay
- Day5
Tuzla Bay
Overnight: Löngöz Bay
- Day6
English Harbour (Okluk), Sedir Island in the afternoon
Overnight: Karacasöğüt
- Day7
Mazı Bay, Orak Island, Tavşan Burnu
Overnight: Poyraz Bay, Black Island
- Day8
Disembark at Bodrum Harbour after breakfast
Sedir Island, also known as Cleopatra Island, is a natural and archaeological protected site. The sand on Cleopatra Beach is roped off; laying towels and wearing flip-flops on the beach are not allowed, but you can swim in the sea. There's an entry fee for the archaeological site, with its theatre and the walls of ancient Kedrai.
What does the blue cruise price include?
A blue cruise is priced per boat; the price includes the boat, captain and crew, fuel for the planned route and port costs. Meals are offered as a separate full-board package.
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Boat hire | Meals (offered as a separate full-board package) |
| Captain and crew | Drinks |
| Fuel for the planned route | Extra routes and additional fuel |
| Port entry and exit costs and transit log | Private marina nights and mooring buoy fees in the bays |
| Fresh water, bed linen, final cleaning | Milas-Bodrum Airport transfer (paid, on request) |
| Boat insurance | Sedir Island site, Black Island cave and other entry fees, tips |
The full-board package covers breakfast, lunch and dinner and is added when you book. The price depends on the type and size of the boat, the number of nights and the date; the current price is on the boat's card.
For a weekly charter, see weekly boat rental; for traditional wooden boats, see gulet charter.
What is a day on board like?
On a blue cruise the day starts with breakfast, carries on with a swim stop in a bay around lunchtime and ends at anchor in another bay. Most sailing is done in the morning and the afternoon.
- Breakfast and a morning swim.
- A short sail to the next bay.
- Lunch and a long swim stop.
- An afternoon sail; a visit to ruins or a village where there's a suitable stop.
- Anchoring in a bay for the evening, dinner and the night.
Protection rules in Gökova
The eastern part of the Gulf of Gökova has been the Gökova Special Environmental Protection Area since 1988. Fishing isn't allowed everywhere in the area. Sedir Island is a natural and archaeological protected site, and Boncuk Bay is the only known sandbar shark nursery in the Mediterranean.
Because of these rules, the captain decides where to anchor and moor. Mooring and private marina fees in the bays aren't included in the price and are paid as they're used.
Best months for a blue cruise
June and September combine warm water with quieter bays. July and August are the hottest and busiest months; in May and October the bays are calmer and the sea a little cooler.
| Month | Average sea temperature (Aegean) |
|---|---|
| May | 18.8 °C |
| June | 22.1 °C |
| July | 24.2 °C |
| August | 24.6 °C |
| September | 23.3 °C |
| October | 20.8 °C |
Figures are MGM's 1970–2025 averages for the Aegean Sea; they include the northern Aegean and aren't measurements specific to Bodrum.
For more on timing, read the best time for a blue cruise in Turkey.
Getting there and boarding
Blue cruise boats leave from and return to Bodrum Harbour. You board in the afternoon of the first day and disembark after breakfast on the last day; the exact times are in your booking.
Bodrum town is 36 km from Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV), about 35–40 minutes by car. Airport transfers aren't included in the price; they can be arranged for a fee on request.
What to pack
Space on board is limited, so a soft bag is more practical than a hard suitcase.
- Swimwear, a beach towel, sun cream, a hat and sunglasses
- A light cardigan or windproof jacket for the evenings
- Water shoes and your own snorkel set
- Personal medication and some cash (useful for site entry fees and village stops)
Sources: Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change (Gökova Special Environmental Protection Area), İstiklal (Sedir Island, 26 May 2023), Barbaros Yachting (Orak Island), Bodrumluculuk (Black Island), Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) sea temperature statistics, Transfeero (Milas-Bodrum Airport distance). Last updated: 22 October 2026 · By Andrea Yachting
