Last updated: 22 October 202611 min read
A Kekova blue cruise is a boat holiday from Kaş Harbour that spends a few nights in the bays of Kekova and along the Lycian coast. Andrea Yachting offers two sample routes: 3 nights around Kekova, and 7 nights that also reach Kalkan and Gemiler Island. The whole boat is reserved for your group. Below you'll find the day-by-day plan, what's included, the protection rules and the best months to go.
At a glance
- Length: 3 or 7 nights; the number of days can be planned around you
- Boats: Gulets with cabins, motor yachts and sailing yachts
- Charter: The whole boat (per boat); only your group is on board
- Departure: Kaş Harbour (Kaş, Antalya)
- Route: Aperlai, Sunken City, Tersane Bay, Kaleköy (Simena), Üçağız, Gökkaya Bay; on 7 nights also Kalkan and Gemiler Island
- Included: The boat, captain and crew, fuel for the planned route, port entry and exit fees
- Getting there: Kaş is 2–2.5 hours from Dalaman Airport and 2.5–3 hours from Antalya Airport
What is a Kekova blue cruise?
A Kekova blue cruise is a 3–7 night boat holiday that starts in Kaş and anchors in a different bay each night. Sailing, anchoring and running the boat are up to the captain and crew; you set the pace of the day.
Kekova is an area of bays and ancient cities made up of Üçağız, Kaleköy and Kekova Island opposite them. It has been on UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List since 2000.
If you'd rather spend a single day at sea, see Kekova boat trips for shared trips, or Kekova boat hire for a private boat.
How many nights? Route options
Three nights are enough to see the bays and ancient cities of Kekova; in seven nights you also reach Kalkan and Gemiler Island. The route and number of days can be planned around your group; the routes below are examples.
| Length | Route | Highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights | Kaş–Kekova–Kaş | Aperlai, Sunken City, Tersane Bay, Kaleköy, Üçağız, Gökkaya Bay | First-time blue cruisers, a short break |
| 7 nights | Kaş–Kekova–Kalkan–Gemiler Island–Kaş | Kekova's stops, Kalkan, Yeşilköy, Butterfly Valley, Gemiler Island | Those with a week, anyone keen to see Kekova and the Lycian coast together |
If you'd like to start in Fethiye and sail down to Kekova, see our Fethiye blue cruise.
3-night Kekova route
The short route heads east from Kaş to Kekova and comes back along the same coast. Sailing legs are short, and each day combines a visit to an ancient site or village with swim stops.
- Day1
Board at Kaş Harbour in the afternoon, sail east and take a first swim
Overnight: A bay near Aperlai
- Day2
The sunken ruins of Aperlai, then the Sunken City and Tersane Bay in the afternoon
Overnight: Üçağız
- Day3
Kaleköy (Simena) and its castle in the morning, a swim at Gökkaya Bay in the afternoon
Overnight: Gökkaya Bay
- Day4
Sail back to Kaş in the morning, disembark at Kaş Harbour in the afternoon
Aperlai is a Lycian harbour town west of Kaleköy. It was founded between the 4th and 3rd centuries BC, and part of it now lies under water. The Sunken City is the ancient town of Dolichiste on the north coast of Kekova Island, partly submerged by an earthquake in the 2nd century.
7-night Kekova and Lycian coast route
The long route first explores Kekova, then heads west of Kaş to Kalkan and Gemiler Island before returning to Kaş. Sailing legs are longer than on the short route; the Sunken City, Kaleköy and Gemiler Island are its highlights.
- Day1
Board at Kaş Harbour in the afternoon, meet the crew, dinner
Overnight: A bay near Kaş
- Day2
Sail east towards Kekova; a swim off Aperlai
Overnight: Üçağız
- Day3
The Sunken City from the boat, a swim at Tersane Bay, Kaleköy (Simena)
Overnight: Gökkaya Bay
- Day4
Sail west to Kaş; Kaş town in the afternoon
Overnight: Kaş Harbour
- Day5
A swim stop off Kalkan
Overnight: Yeşilköy Bay
- Day6
The Ölüdeniz coast and Butterfly Valley
Overnight: Gemiler Island
- Day7
Sail east, reaching Kalkan in the late afternoon
Overnight: Kalkan
- Day8
Sail to Kaş in the morning, disembark at Kaş Harbour at midday
Gemiler Island is about 1 km long; it has the remains of five churches from the 4th–6th centuries and a 350-metre ceremonial walkway. It's thought to be the first burial place of Saint Nicholas, and there's a charge to enter the site.
What's included in the price?
On a Kekova blue cruise you charter the whole boat, and the price is per boat. The boat, captain and crew, fuel for the planned route and port fees are included; meals are offered as a separate full-board package.
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Boat charter | Meals (offered as a separate full-board package) |
| Captain and crew | Drinks |
| Fuel for the planned route | Routes outside the plan and extra fuel |
| Port entry and exit fees, transit log | Private marina nights and mooring buoy fees in bays |
| Water for use on board, bed linen, final cleaning | Airport transfer (on request, at extra cost) |
| Boat insurance | Kaleköy, Gemiler Island and other site entry fees, tips |
The full-board package covers breakfast, lunch and dinner and is added when you book. The price depends on the boat's type and size, the number of nights and the date; the current price is on the boat's card.
For a week on board see weekly boat rental, and for traditional wooden boats see gulet charter.
What is a day on board like?
A day on a blue cruise starts with breakfast, continues with a swim stop around midday and ends at anchor in another bay. In Kekova the stops are close together, so the sailing legs are short.
- Breakfast and a morning swim.
- A short sail to the next bay.
- Lunch and a long swim stop.
- In the afternoon, a visit to Kaleköy, Üçağız or an ancient site.
- Anchoring in a bay in the late afternoon, dinner and the night on board.
We describe Kekova's stops in more detail in our Kekova boat tour route guide.
Protection rules in Kekova
Kekova was declared a Special Environmental Protection Area on 18 January 1990, covering about 258 km². The Mediterranean monk seal, sea turtles and seagrass meadows are among its protected species.
Anchoring is restricted over seagrass, so the captain decides where to anchor or moor. Swimming and unpermitted diving are forbidden in the area of the Sunken City; you see the ruins from the boat as it passes slowly. Mooring buoy and private marina fees in the bays aren't included and are paid as used.
Best months for a blue cruise
June and September combine a warm sea with quieter bays. July and August are the hottest and busiest months; in May and October the bays are quieter and the sea a little cooler.
| Month | Mediterranean average |
|---|---|
| May | 20.8 °C |
| June | 23.9 °C |
| July | 26.7 °C |
| August | 28.1 °C |
| September | 27.0 °C |
| October | 24.6 °C |
Figures are MGM averages for the Mediterranean, 1970–2025; they aren't measured in Kekova.
Read more in our guide to the best time for a blue cruise in Turkey.
Getting there and boarding
Blue cruise boats leave from Kaş Harbour and return to the same place. You board in the afternoon on the first day and leave around midday on the last day; exact times are in your booking.
Kaş is 170–180 km from Dalaman Airport, 2–2.5 hours by car. Antalya Airport is 185–200 km away, about 2.5–3 hours. Airport transfers aren't included but can be arranged on request at extra cost.
What to bring
Space on board is limited, so a soft bag is more practical than a hard suitcase.
- Swimwear, a beach towel, sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses
- A light jumper or windbreaker for the evenings
- Water shoes and your own snorkel set
- Walking shoes for Kaleköy's castle and Gemiler Island
- Personal medication and some cash (for site entry fees and village stops)
Sources: Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change (Kekova Special Environmental Protection Area), Wikipedia (Kekova, Kaleköy, Aperlae, Gemiler Island), UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) sea temperature statistics, Ulaşım Transfer (airport distances). Last updated: 22 October 2026 · By Andrea Yachting
