GULET

What's a Gulet or Goulette

The boats used for the Blue Cruise are wooden boats, traditionaly they are hand made by master craftsmen from Fethiye , Bodrum and Marmaris area of Turkey.

This classic Gulet was once used by fisherman and sponge divers to transport their catch. They are now purpose-built for the charter market with fittings and equipment designed for guests' comfort, all of which come under the collective description of wooden Gulet.

Gulet is typically built of pine wood and styled with a pointed fore and round aft. The major difference between the Turkish and western boats is that the Turkish boats are designed to allow passengers more space on the deck. An aft deck for dining and lounging in the shade of a sun awning and a forward deck with numerous sunbeds. Large living areas, spacious cabins, WC, shower and a sun deck furnished lounge area are typical in Gulettes.

Most have double cabins with en-suite facilities. On deck there are sun lounges for sunbathing and relaxing as well as dining areas under sun awnings. Gulets range in size, accommodating from 4-22 people. It is possible to book a cabin only joining other guests or you may charter the whole gulet. The crew, a captain, cook and 1 or 2 deckhands are very experienced at handling the boat and catering to all your needs.

All yachts have a tender with either oars or an outboard engine. Those yachts that offer optional water-skiing have a powerful out- board engine, while the outboards of others are designed purely for getting to shore and back

All yachts are equipped for safety, have a VHF radio, a stereo cassette player and a selection of cassettes. Many of the newer vessels have a cellular telephone, a TV, a video player and a CD or DVD player.

They might not all be experienced to sail, but when the wind gets strong enough they will, if the clients insist.

If snorkeling is one of your favorite pastimes, we suggest you pack your own set of gear, then you won’t need to adjust the mask size every time you wish to explore the depths.

Cruise On Board A Traditional 'Gulet'

The Turkish Gulet is a traditionally designed motorised wooden sailing vessel. It has as its heritage those ancient wooden boats which have sailed accross the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas for thousands of years both fishing and trading with ancient civilisations.

The coast line of south western Turkey is consistently chosen by sea lovers from all over the world as the most beautiful cruising area of the Mediterranean. Nowadays, our Holiday Gulets have modern facilities on board to provide you with all the necessary comforts and more to explore within style this beautiful coast line and the ancient lands.

Our Gulet come with plenty of space below decks so allowing you to enjoy their specious cabins, bathrooms and a saloon. Above deck, you may relax under the shade of a large awning, comfortably eat outside around a good sized dining table and sunbathe with your friends or may be together with your children and perhaps even with their grandparents. We are proud to say that every year we have several charters which bring three generations of a family together on an Holiday Yacht.

For the safety of children, special care has been taken to ensure that the rails around the decks are sufficiently high. In addition, crewsof the  Holiday Gulets are particularly  instructed to assist parents in ensuring the safety of their children during all aspects of life on board.

Designing Your Holiday

Not all Holiday Gulets have the same features. Please ask us to provide you with our Gulet Catalogue to see the specifications, equipment and layout of each of the yachts we offer. To be able to help you to choose the most suitable yacht and itenerary, we need to know the composition of your group and your special interests and priorities amongst the followings: Visiting historical sites, natural beauty spots, towns and villages, water-sports, swimming, diving, snorkelling, relaxing in secluded bays and in fact, any other special requirements you may have. May we remind you that each alternative route you wish to take along the Turkish Riviera will give you a chance to experience a different combination of these activities during your cruise. Once on board, one of our staff and later during the voyage the captain will present you daily with the range of possibilities and if you wish make suggestions or leave you decide your own program during the cruise.

YACHTING ALONG THE TURKISH COAST

From the time you arrive at the airport until the last moment of your holiday Light Tours staff on land and our crew on board will be working to make sure your holiday experience is just the way you desire it to be. Our capable, gentle and hospitable crew will make you feel you are on your own private boat and will take care never to disturb your privacy. Your cook will prepare excellent food chosen from the world renown Turkish Cuisine in accordance with your wishes. We will ensure that you realise being on a Holiday Gulet is the only way to experience the undiluted local tastes of the Mediterranean.

May and September cooler and quieter and April and October still offering 8 to 9 hours of sunshine a day, with the opportunity for walking and exploring as well as cruising. Traditional Turkish yachts are called 'Gulete' and 'Tirhandils'. These beautiful motorsailers are handmade from pine and oak and range in size from 14 to 28 meters. There are accommodations for 6 to 16 persons in separate double cabins, some with en suite WC/shower, some with shared facilities. Gulets are especially suited for cruising the Turkish southern Coast, as they have many features designed for this region.

All Gulets have comfortable saloons, spacious outdoor dining facilities and sheltered aft decks. Their uncluttered decks provide safe, secure areas for walking and plenty of space for relaxing, sunbathing and sleeping under the stars. Beamy hulls and headroom provide lots of space above and below decks making good air circulation and roomy cabin. 

 Generally, Gulets have Turkish crew of 3 or 4 depending on the size of the yacht. One of these crew member act as a cook preparing meal and helping with the shopping when necessary. Serving and cleaning are also done by the crew.