Blue Cruise

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Traditional two-masted gulet schooner visiting a cove in Gökova as part of the Blue Voyage
The Isle of Kekova is among the popular destinations of the Blue Cruise.

A Blue Cruise, also known as a Blue Voyage (Turkish: Mavi Yolculuk) or Blue Tour (Turkish: Mavi Tur), is a term used for recreational voyages along the Turkish Riviera, on Turkey's southwestern coast along the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.[1] The cruise is typically a week-long trip aboard the local gulet schooners, to ancient cities, harbors, tombs, and beaches in the numerous small coves along the country's Turquoise Coast.

Carian Cruise is a lesser-known synonym used by some sources internationally, in reference to the term Caria — the name this region of southwest Turkey was called in ancient times.[citation needed]

History[]

The term Blue Voyage, which is used in Turkey's tourism industry, has its origins in Turkish literature, deriving from the title of a book by Azra Erhat,[2] and was first introduced into Turkish literature by a handful of writers, such as Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı (alias The Fisherman of Halicarnassus).[3] The author, who had been exiled to Bodrum in 1925, began taking trips with his friends on the local sponge divers' sailing boats, called gulets, and was moved and inspired by the local culture and natural beauty. These excursions became known as "Blue Voyages".[citation needed]

Fellow author Sabahattin Eyüboğlu, together with his circle of family and friends, participated in Blue Cruises,[4] as did Azra Erhat. The literary review "Yeni Ufuklar" (New Horizons) in the 1950s and 1960s contributed to publicizing the Blue Cruise, and numerous guidebooks were published in Turkish [5] and German[6] presenting romantic depictions of the voyage. Since that time, cruise tourism has grown to support a sizable portion of the local economy, and transformed Bodrum from a fishing village to a holiday destination.

Routes[]

The routes can be as short as traveling to a few coves for a couple days, or can be as extensive as traveling the entire length of the Turkish Riviera across several weeks. There are options to start a voyage in the Turquoise Coast including Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya en route to the smaller villages and coves like Dalyan, Gökova, Kekova, and similar destinations, which constitute the more popular portions of the route. It is also possible to visit Greece, and surrounding Greek islands.[7]Among the blue cruise routes, the most popular places to visit are Gulf of Hisaronu, Gulf of Gokova, Gocek 12 Islands and Kaş, Kalkan, Kekova. Boats organize tours between these routes in Turkey. Route trips are usually made for 7 nights and 8 days, but sometimes guests prefer a route planning of 2 or 3 weeks. Gulf of Hisaronu for quiet bays and water sports activities, Gulf of Gokova for kite surfing, Gocek Islands and Kekova to explore underwater historical beauties are preferred. In route planning, instead of going only according to the cruise area determined before the tour, sometimes according to the request of the guest groups, 2-3 nights of accommodation are made in a few bays during the tour and the tour route is changed. It is important to know which port the boat will be at on the first and last day on the routes. Route planning is organized within the possibilities according to these two port addresses. It should not be forgotten that sea and weather conditions are also effective when preparing the route. The captain always has the right to change the route according to the sea and weather conditions. Therefore; For the places you want to visit for blue cruise holiday planning, a travel agency should definitely be contacted. Blue cruise travel agencies have more information about routes. One of these agencies in Turkey is Mirya Yachting agency.

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Holliday, Taylor (July 2, 2006). "Where to Raise the Sails, or Just a Glass". New York Times. Retrieved 18 May 2011.
  2. ^ Erhat, Azra; Gültekin Çizgen (2005). Mavi yolculuk: gezi (in Turkish). Galatasaray, İstanbul: Can Yayınları. ISBN 978-975-07-0446-8.
  3. ^ Whiting, Dominic (2001). Turkey Handbook. Footprint Handbooks. p. 315. ISBN 978-1-900949-85-9.
  4. ^ Eyuboğlu, Bedri Rahmi (2008). Mavi yolculuk defterleri. Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür yayınları (in Turkish). 1630. İstanbul: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları. ISBN 978-9944-88-541-6.
  5. ^ Özükan, Bülent (2005). Mavi yolculuk = Blue voyage (in Turkish). İstanbul: Boyut Yayın Grubu. ISBN 978-975-521-778-9.
  6. ^ Hengirmen, Mehmet (2000). Die blaue Reise: mit 201 Fotos des Verfassers und 122 Karten = Mavi yolculuk (in German). Ankara: Eğitim ve Kalkınma Vakfı. ISBN 978-975-96804-3-5.
  7. ^ "Blue Cruise Routes".

Further reading[]

  • Erhat, Azra; Gültekin Çizgen (2005). Mavi yolculuk: gezi (in Turkish). Galatasaray, İstanbul: Can Yayınları. ISBN 978-975-07-0446-8.
  • Özükan, Bülent (2005). Mavi yolculuk [Blue voyage] (in Turkish). İstanbul: Boyut Yayın Grubu. ISBN 978-975-521-778-9.
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